This week’s roundup of accessories for your iPhone and iPad is heavy with Bluetooth, but it’s also got plenty of power and amps.
This company has unveiled its line of Props Power Cases ranging from an $80 model for the iPad mini to $90 and $120 for models for Apple’s full-size tablet. (For the extra $30, the $120 model offers more juice.) Each battery is enclosed in a thin folio-style case for protection, and offers extra hours of iPad use between charges.
The $100 Bric Connect is a portable speaker system that lets you stream your iOS-hosted music wirelessly over Bluetooth. A wireless remote comes with the system, allowing you to control music or conduct phone calls using the wireless connection.
The $100 G-Boom is another Bluetooth-streaming boombox that lets you listen out loud sans wires. The G-Boom is portable and lightweight, and it offers up to six hours of playback time between charges.
The $60 K-Bar Combo is a three-outlet power strip that includes two USB ports—with a hefty 21W of power at a maximum of 2.1A each—that allow up to two high-power mobile devices (read: iPads) to charge at maximum speed. By letting you charge multiple devices from one strip, the K-Bar Combo helps reduce electronic cable clutter.
The $120 ControlFreqis a Bluetooth-enabled car stereo system that can play music wirelessly from your iOS device. You can also conduct hands-free phone conversations using your car’s stereo and the phone’s microphone.
The $18 Adjustable Headset Strap Music Necklace lets you hang your iPhone 5 around your neck, Flava Flav-style, for convenient access (and, we suppose, to prevent theft) while you’re listening to your tunes. The Necklace comes in blue or green.
The $598 Vamp Verza is a combination battery pack and digital-to-analog converter for those looking to get the absolute best audio quality out of their iPhone or other mobile device. (It assumes, of course, that your audio files are good enough to warrant such audiophile-grade assistance.) The amp can be used alone with most any USB-audio source or iOS device, but add V-moda’s metal Metallo case, which docks with the Vamp Verza, and you’ve got an all-in-one high-end audio system. (The Vamp Verza also increases your phone’s playback time by up to seven hours.)
The $119 Tinké lets you track your heart rate, respiratory rate, blood oxygen and more using a sensor that then plugs into your iPhone for recording the data, which can then be shared via Facebook.
Author: Joel Mathis
Joel Mathis is a regular contributor to Macworld and TechHive. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife and young son.