This week’s roundup of new iOS accessories includes gear for making music, listening to tunes, and sharing both with your friends.
The $60 Desktop Chair v2 isn’t made for your backside, but rather to give your iPad a place to rest comfortably on your desktop. The wooden stand can display your tablet in landscape or portrait orientations, and can accommodate a variety of cases.
The $100 Boombot Rex is a Bluetooth stereo speaker that’s portable, water-resistant, works as a speakerphone, and is, of course, rechargeable. The device has dual 36mm drivers “that guarantee full fidelity across every genre,” says the company. The speaker is available in black, white, orange, mint, or blue.
The $50 iKlip Xpand attaches to a microphone stand and holds your iPad—full-sized or mini—securely, either in portrait or landscape orientation. The idea is to let you concentrate on making sweet music without worrying about holding your tablet.
Kenu’s $30 Airframe+ is a larger version of the company’s original Airframe. Like the original, it attaches to an air vent in your car; the spring-loaded cradle holds your phone securely, allowing you to monitor GPS directions, play music, or take calls on the go. While the original fits phones the size of the iPhone 5 or smaller, the Airframe+ is designed to hold those phones plus larger ones.
This company has released the $80 WiFiSD, which allows teachers to wirelessly stream music, video, and photos to up to five iOS devices at a time, allowing for personalized multimedia instruction.
Macally doesn’t make just education accessories. The $50 UniStrip 2 (pictured) features four USB ports, as well as a traditional electrical outlet, letting you power up multiple devices at once. The $30 Home24U features two USB outlets, each powerful enough to charge a tablet.
This company has launched the AudioBox i series, devices that let you mix audio on your iPad. The AudioBox iOne features a single input each for microphone and instrument; the AudioBox iTwo features two combo mic/instrument inputs. The accessories work in combination with the $10 Capture for iPad app from PreSonus. The company hasn’t announced when the AudioBox i series will be available, nor has it offered pricing information.
The $100 BoomBottle H20 is a portable, waterproof, Bluetooth speaker with a 50mm driver and a passive bass radiator that plays up to 11 hours on a single charge. It’s available now through the Apple Store.
The $130 ISM990BT is a karaoke machine that puts your iPad at the center of the action, displaying lyrics for 8,000 available karaoke tracks. The system features two microphone jacks, a built-in speaker, and the capability to play tunes wirelessly from any Bluetooth-enabled device, to keep your singing party going.
The $40 Energi 2K is a wall charger that doubles as a portable battery thanks to a 2200-mAh, lithium-ion backup battery that can more than double the life of your iPhone. It’s available in green, red, blue, and black.
Author: Joel Mathis
Joel Mathis is a regular contributor to Macworld and TechHive. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife and young son.