This week’s roundup of new gear for your iOS devices includes new ways to play both guitar and drums, as well as the usual array of cables, chargers, and more.
You know the tilt-shift effect on Instagram? The $70 Lensbaby lens for iPhone creates kind of an extreme version of that effect, letting you create dreamy pictures with a single point of focus, and surreal twisted lightscapes surrounding that point.
The $60 Desktop Chair v2 is a wooden desktop stand for your iPad. It’s compatitle with all iPad models and generations, and designed to last long enough (the vendor says) to be the “last tablet stand you’ll ever buy.” It’s made of pressed, premium-wood sheets, with rounded edges and a sleek finish.
This company has announced three new Bluetooth-wireless speakers, scheduled to ship this fall. The $180 Go portable speaker (pictured) will ship in September and offer up to 18 hours of playback. The $200 Go Radio will ship in November, and will offer the Go’s features plus an FM radio. The $300 Bluetone 100, due in September, will be similar to its cousins, but will include 100 watts of Class D amplification.
The $22 Kaebo is a cloth-braided, aluminum-plug, USB-to-Lightning-connector cable for iOS devices. The cable is one meter long and comes in three colors (silver, light gold, and salt grey) designed to match the color scheme of Apple’s mobile devices.
The $100 Rolling Spider Minidrone is a lightweight drone that can lift off from the palm of your hand and can be controlled by an iPhone or iPod touch equipped with Parrot’s remote-control app. The drone weighs just 55 grams and can travel up to 20 feet from the controlling device. It also comes with a camera on the bottom for taking pictures as it buzzes the tower.
The $130 Stryke6 is billed as “the first iPad-based drum controller.” The device is about the size of an iPad and can connect to an iPad (or any USB/MIDI-enabled computer) for playing right out of the box, letting you practice on your own or jam with your friends.
The $25 Syncable Duo is a charge-and-sync cable built to accommodate both Lightning-connector- and Micro-USB-equipped devices. The cable uses a flat, tangle-free design, and is offered in a variety of eye-catching colors.
The $50 Smartphone Dynamo is both a USB charger and an LED flashlight, with both powered by the magic of your bicycle as you ride. Just attach the dynamo to your rear wheel; you can then choose to plug the wire into the included flashlight, or use it to power your iPhone.
The $300 Jamstik is a MIDI-based guitar designed especially for use with the iPad. It has real strings (that cause real calluses), but it doesn’t require tuning. It’s small enough to fit in your backpack or briefcase, and offers up to eight hours of playing time on a single charge. It can also connect wirelessly to your iOS device.
Author: Joel Mathis
Joel Mathis is a regular contributor to Macworld and TechHive. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife and young son.