This week’s roundup of iOS accessories features more of everybody’s (apparent) favorite product category: portable Bluetooth speakers. This time, though, we’ve got one that’ll play for 20 hours.
We don’t usually cover cases here—we save that for our weekly iPad-case roundup. But the $40 Booqpad mini is more than just a carrying case: It also contains a writing pad just in case you really need to use good ol’ fashioned paper.
This company’s $25 iHeart Locket works in conjunction with the iHeart Locket for iPad app to create a tablet-based diary that can only be opened using the locket itself. (The idea? To keep your secrets away from the prying eyes of little siblings.) The $10 AppCrayon (pictured) is a stylus made for smaller hands.
We have no idea when this product will be available, but it’s too cool not to mention: Dupont is working with the Power Matters Alliance to create countertops that can wirelessly charge your iPhone and iPad. Just set your iOS device down on the surface and it starts charging. There’s no word on timing or pricing for these products—only a promise that wireless charging is the “next phase.”
The $300 WAE BTP02 speaker is unusual among the Bluetooth-enabled speakers that we’ve covered in that its battery life—20 hours—lets you use the speaker for nearly an entire day, non-stop. Of course, this makes it a little bigger than many “portable” Bluetooth speakers, and it weighs in a 6.2 pounds. With that battery life, though, you won’t have to lug this speaker back to an outlet for recharging too often.
The Blaster is a shock-resistant, water-resistant, Bluetooth speaker that plays audio wirelessly from your iOS device. The $150 speaker features 12-hour battery life, as well as a remote control and a microphone so you can use the device as a speakerphone.
Philips’s $150 Fidelio P8 portable speaker is—take a guess—another Bluetooth speaker, but it also sports a USB port for charging your smartphones while you dance the night away.
Need some help getting the light just right on your iPhone photos? The $15 Pocket Reflector lets you boost the highlights in your pics by using the reflector to bounce light onto your subject and chase away unwanted shadows. When you’re done, just fold the reflector up and stick it in your pocket.
This one is for Apple fans who aren’t completely Apple-focused: The $12 AC 3-port Travel Wall Charger has, as the name indicates, three USB charging ports. But the top one is specifically designed for Galaxy tablets, while the bottom two are for iOS devices. What this means is that you’re running out of excuses not to have a fully charged device.
If you liked that slideshow, you may enjoy the previous installment: Charge!
Author: Joel Mathis
Joel Mathis is a regular contributor to Macworld and TechHive. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife and young son.