This week’s roundup of new iOS add-ons includes more speakers, stands, and batteries than you can shake a stick at. And a Roar.
The $129 Bellabeat system lets you monitor the prenatal heartbeat of your unborn child. Plug it into your phone, put the monitor on your belly, and—assuming you’re pregnant, of course—the information will be relayed to your phone where you can track the heartbeat, keep a record of the baby’s kicks, and maintain a pre-pregnancy diary.
The Roar is a Bluetooth-enabled, “booklet-sized,” five-driver speaker system for the home. The device is “designed to rival existing home stereo systems in sound quality yet light enough to be portable,” and includes a microphone for use as a speakerphone when paired with your iOS device. Creative says the Roar will be priced below $200 and will ship later this spring.
The $30 Flipstand 2 is an updated version of the company’s original portable tablet stand. This one offers a few new features, including an updated design and shape, a new “pass-through” slot for your charging and syncing cable, and reinforced supports.
The Kitchen Thermometer is a Bluetooth-enabled cooking thermometer. Just insert the probe into meat, enter the appropriate data in the company’s free companion app, and the app will alert you when the dish has reached precisely the right internal temperature. The device comes in at $80 for the regular-size version and $40 for the Kitchen Thermometer Mini.
The $150 Harmony Smart Keyboard performs all the system-controlling magic of Logitech’s Harmony remote line, but it’s been “specially designed for controlling streaming-media devices”—including the Apple TV—“so you can easily search for shows, navigate menus and browse the Web.”
Like just about all MacGadgets products, the $80 iPad Security Base is designed mainly to be used in school, retail, or other public environments where you want to display an iPad without risking it walking away. The Base is made of transparent acrylic, and it bolts to a table or counter to make your tablet virtually theft proof.
The $20 SuperCub Flip is a 12-watt charger for USB-powered devices. It features a flip-out, two prong plug and provides a USB port for powering up your iPhone or iPad.
The $59 Power Grid is a 4200-mAh dual-port battery that lets you charge two devices at once. Five LEDs indicate the current charge level, and when not in use for more than seven seconds, the battery automatically powers down.
Author: Joel Mathis
Joel Mathis is a regular contributor to Macworld and TechHive. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife and young son.