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Accessories

Sound Amplifier For iPhone Fixes Poor Sound Quality

If you are a frequent visitor to the Apple Support Forums, you will not be surprised with the number of new threads from users who are dissatisfied with the sound quality on their iPhones. While I am fortunately not one of those, it certainly does help if you can play music and videos at a volume higher than your iPhone’s maximum capacity. The new Sound Amplifier for iPhone from WirelessGround is something you should then check out.

iPhone Sound Amplifier

While it is marketed as an accessory for the iPhone 4, this Sound Amplifier also works with the older models like the iPhone 3G and 3GS as well as the latest iPhone 4S model. According to the company website, this rubber accessory can add up to 12 decibels of sound to your iPhone speakers. In addition to this, the way the accessory is designed also makes it possible for the users to deploy it as a stand for your iPhone while listening to music.

I tried the Sound Amplifier with my old iPhone 3G and could readily notice the significantly improved volume from the iPhone speakers. Here is a video demo of the product although I must say that the video does not do justice to the actual improvement in sound quality that I experienced.

The Sound Amplifier for the iPhone is now available at WirelessGround for $9.95. You can check out more details about the product from their website by clicking here.

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Accessories Apple Gadgets

iPad 2 Cases Feature Slots For Speakers

The past couple of weeks has seen a deluge of rumors and speculations with respect to the next generation iPad. Yesterday, there were reports from Japan that suggested that the wide slots noticed in iPad case designs earlier were for a “wide range speaker” and not an SD card slot as reported. While that remains a speculation so far, we just have more information that supports this claim.

A new iPad case posted on Chinese eCommerce website, Alibaba.com, has a rendering of the rear side that shows the slot being used to reveal the metal mesh of an iPad speaker. It must be noted that this is an image mockup that may not give the complete picture. Also, these accessories are designed by manufacturers based on design inputs they receive and may not always conform to the final design.

iPad case

Nevertheless, the latest speculation has raised the curiosity levels among observers and has renewed a debate on the merits of having an SD card slot vis-a-vis a speaker. What do you want on iPad 2?

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Accessories Apple

Beautiful iPhone 4 Metal Back Covers For Jailbreak Fans

Are you a jailbreak fan who wants to proudly display that pineapple logo of PwnageTool on your iPhone? Folks at GadgetSkin have come up with this extremely beautiful aluminium back cases for your iPhone 4. The cases come in two finishes – bright silver and titanium silver – and can be fit as a replacement for the original casing quite easily.

The two cases are now on sale at MICGadget store at a price of $24. There is also a video of how you can do the replacement task yourself. But while this should be extremely easy, I do have my doubts on the metal casing affecting cellular receptions. But in case that doesn’t deter you from unloading $24 on this cool casing, go ahead and make your purchase here.

PwnageTool iPhone metal cover

Do you like what you see here? Don’t forget to tell us in the comments below.

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Accessories

USB, MicroSD & SD Card Reader For iPad – New Accessory Unveiled

Apple’s camera connection kit is a $29.99 accessory that not only  lets users to transfer pictures from their digital camera to their iPad but can also double up as a USB drive. The release of iOS 4.2 has however restricted the power consumption of dongles that makes it impossible for users to employ the camera connection kit as a USB drive.

3-IN-1 iPad Camera Connection Kit is a new third party accessory that seeks to bring this functionality back to the iPad. The accessory is quite cleanly designed and allows the iPad to be connected with a USB, SD card or MicroSD card – all with one accessory. The unit costs $29 and is available in both black and white colors. Pre-orders are already open and delivery is expected to happen “after Christmas“.

iPad dongle

What is not clear though is whether this accessory will work seamlessly despite the new power restrictions. We will post an update if we hear from the manufacturers. Meanwhile, check out the accessory (and pre-order, if you want to) at the MicGadget store here.

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Gadgets

New iPad 2 Features – To Include Rear Camera & SD Card Slot?

The next generation iPad 2 is rumored to launch anytime between January and April of next year. While there is little doubt about a front facing camera making an appearance (so you could FaceTime), we still reserve our judgement about the availability of a rear facing camera.

But word is now out that iPad 2 will feature not just a rear facing camera, but an additional slot for SD cards as well. These rumors are courtesy a number of iPad 2 casing pictures that have been sourced from Chinese eCommerce websites like Alibaba.

iPad case rear camera

It is not unusual for accessory manufacturers in China to source designs of future electronic products to design and market their accessories. Also considering the number of sources that these pictures have come from, the rumors sound all the more credible.

Anyway, with the latest rumors pointing to a February release, it is just a matter of weeks before we get to see an official revelation of specs.

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Accessories Apple Gadgets

No More Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit Support For Alternate USB Devices

Apple introduced a dongle named the Camera connection kit along with the iPad back in April this year. This is a nifty accessory that lets users to connect their digital camera to the iPad in order to quickly import or browse images from a digital camera on the iPad.

As users who purchased the dongle have noted since then, the camera connection kit was also capable to connecting to other USB devices like the keyboards, microphones, etc. No longer. Users who have updated their iPad to the latest iOS 4.2 platform are reporting that the dongle is no longer capable of connecting the iPads to devices that consume more than 20mAh.

This limitation does not restrict the accessory’s original function that is to help users connect the iPad to a digital camera. But for those who were thinking of alternate use-cases, the dongle no longer seems to be a useful device.

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Accessories

NoiseHush N650 Solar Hands-Free Bluetooth Car Kit Available Online

NoiseHush, manufacturers of electronics accessories have now made their N650 solar hands free Bluetooth car kit available for purchase online. The accessory is a very eco-friendly device that can help you out in answering calls while you are driving or merely traveling in a car.

The car kit comes with a number of interesting features that makes it mention-worthy. Firstly, the kit is equipped with DSP echo cancellation and noise suppression systems that the manufacturers claim will offer “full duplex sound quality“. Features in the device include the ability to answer, end, reject or redial calls, volume control, switching between calls, a microphone mute option, caller ID memory and phone book. The device also has a prominent LCD screen that will show you the dialer number.

NoiseHush solar hands free bluetooth car kit

In addition to solar charging, the device can also be alternatively charged via USB ports – something that could be pretty useful through the winter. NoiseHush N650 offers 10 hours of talk time and is powered by a 100 mAh Li-polymer battery. The device is presently being offered at a 25% discount on WirelessGround that you can avail here.

Check out a video of the N650 hands free car kit embedded below and let us know how you find it in the comments.

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Accessories

Super Juice iPhone 4 Power Case Gives 6 Hours Backup

Dexim, a manufacturer of mobile phone accessories has announced Super Juice, a power casing for iPhone 4 that will not only serve as a protective covering for the iPhone 4, but will also come with additional power backup that can increase the battery life for voice calls on the phone by six hours.

All this might sound pretty familiar if you have already read about or used the Mophie Juice Pack Air power case. But where the new Super Juice power case wins is with the availability of a kickstand. This will give the iPhone a convenient stand to rest upon when you are looking to have a little movie session over your iPhone or are looking to talk over FaceTime with your friend.

Dexim Super Juice iPhone 4

The Dexim Super Juice power case offers 2000mAh capacity and is compatible with both the 16GB and 32GB variants of iPhone 4. There is no word as yet on the price or launch date.

Categories
Accessories Gaming Sony

New Bluetooth Headset For PlayStation 3 – Price & Feature Details Revealed

Sony is coming up with a new look Bluetooth headset for their PS3 console that will give users the ability to conspire gaming strategies with fellow gamers while on their console. The new official Bluetooth headset is an improved version of the earlier headset though it does not come with any drastically new features. Primarily, the headset will still include the same features like dual microphones, USB based automatic pairing with PS3, cradle charger and a mute button. Also, this headset will feature a 30% reduced size and a much sleeker look along with noise-cancelling functionality. You can also engage in three-way calling over mobile phones.

The new official bluetooth headset for Sony PlayStation 3 is compatible on PS 3 firmware of 3.50 and above and will be available on the stores in the coming weeks at a price of $49.99.

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Gaming

Need Cheap Controllers For iPhone Games? Try This

Every discussion on the iPhone as a portable gaming console alternative to the likes of PSP Go inevitably moves to a debate on the cons of having a touchscreen for navigation controls. And the arguments put forward are valid. There are not simple enough workarounds that will satisfy hardcore gamers. But if you do not mind some low cost workarounds to improve the gaming experience on your iPhone or iPod Touch, here is something that will interest you.

Tactile+Plus are basically stickers that are shaped in the firm of regular navigation buttons that you can stick on your iPhone touchscreen that will come with those bumps that will give you a better idea of where the controls are while playing a game. The stickers are made of conducting material that will relay your touches to the capacitive touchscreen below.

Tactile+Plus

This is not the ultimate solution given that you are going to have stickers showing up randomly on your screen while not playing a particular game. But if you think shelling out $7.80 for such a sticker is not a bid deal, you must go for it.