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I just got back from the amazing and spectacular event that was 2013’s Consumer Electronics Show. I had a blast, it was a great time with great people. Nonetheless, I'm a country boy at heart, and it's nice to be back in the rugged wilderness (relatively speaking) that is Sedona Arizona. If you follow my iPhone Life magazine articles and blog postings then you already know a bit about me. I'm an enthusiast of all things outdoorsy, rugged and environmentally friendly. That said, there was certainly no shortage of amazing new iOS gadgets and gear that could make valid claims of meeting the rigorous IP and MIL-STD-810 military-grade standards, that were being presented at this years CES. Read on for a sampling of some of my favorites in the category of heavy-duty, rugged and durable accessories. Trust me when I say, we have a lot to look forward to, in this category, this year.
Wow, what a weak for iPhone rumors. Early in the week Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal both reported that Apple was working on a low-priced iPhone in order to compete with low-cost Android phones or to sell in developing countries. Bloomberg said that it could appear later this year. The rumors said that it would sell for $99 or $149 (without a contract), with one analyst suggesting it would be $199. The reports said that it would resemble a standard iPhone but with a less-expensive body such as polycarbonate plastic.
The GoSmart stylus (see my review here) is my most used accessory. I have tried a ton of stylus products, and they are all pretty effective in some fashion, but GoSmart is a cut above most products, in my opinion. It's not just the weight, feel or construction of it, all of which are superb. It is also the ingenious wire-frame tip that make it the right tool for intricate drawing tasks. I had a few minutes at CES to sit down with Dr. Jae Son, the inventor of the elegant GoSmart to find out how he came up with this amazingly great product!
They don't "rock" in the sense of playing music, though you could certainly use one to extend your rocking out time. No, they rock in the sense that some of their products feature a name that includes some geological term (like crystal, stone, etc.). These chargers do not resemble "rocks" at all, so not sure where they came up with that name, but likely some clever PR person decided it would be catchy. Anyway, they were showing every flavor of their "rocks" at CES, and all pack a lot of charge into a compact package. The mushroom looking gadgets in the image above are car chargers (called the "Flashroom") featuring dual output, USB-capable car charging of up to two+ amps. Oh yeah, they also look cute..
Every weekend we will be raffling off tons of great apps and accessories for FREE. Here's how it works: Every Friday we will announce the prizes being given away through iPhoneLife.com, Facebook, Twitter and Google+. To enter the giveaway, go to iPhoneLife.com/giveaways. On Monday morning we will randomly select the winners. If you win an app, we will email you the promo code to redeem the app for free. If you win an accessory, send us your address then we will mail it to you.
Top stories from CES 2013: *Lifeproof steals the show at CES 2013, winning multiple awards with their booth, and with their top quality product. *Introducing the Oculus Rift VR game goggles, the latest gaming gadget that is poised to change the face of gaming. *Meet Robbie Maddison, motorcycle stuntsman, champion athlete, and one of Mophie's celebrity endorsers.
FinderCodes is an electronic lost/found exchange (see my review here) that helps you get back your lost gear. A 2013 CES award winner, you use the service to mark and register your stuff in the cloud (with tags) so that should someone find it, they can scan the QR code on the tag and easily and privately return your stuff (and collect a reward you offer). The cloud system tracks and alerts you as well. I met with Blake Sohn, the founder of FC at CES 2013 in Las Vegas, NV, and he discussed the latest partnership with FedEx (also giving me a quick demo of the new return features), and what is next on the horizon for this up and coming mobile service brand.
How many times have you wished you could control your phone right through the case, instead of eating up screen real-estate with your fingers? The Canopy Sensus is a a prototype touch-sensitive case product that should be released some time later this year, and you can see it in action at the LVH iLounge Pavilion at CES. The back of the case (as well as the sides) function as a grid of touch input points. There are several apps already prepared to work with it (an SDK is available). Like a lot of app-cessories that need a catalog of apps, the Sensus will only go as far as the app community that supports it, but there are other reasons to cheer for it.
iHome had great products on display this year at CES. Too many to cover in one shot really, but will do my level best to round up the ones that shine. Many won't be released until later this year (some maybe not at all). I skipped most of the AirPlay capable models, as we have covered several on our blogs already. They were showing a new wireless speaker that is basically the iW3 (see my review here), but with Bluetooth, which is the better option in my opinion, unless you really must rely on AirPlay. Another interesting product is a speaker accessory that turns any analog audio player into a bluetooth-capable stereo, and an on-ear BT headphone that folds up and fits in your pocket (almost). Much more iHome CES gear coverage follows...
Over in the Las Vegas Hotel (right next to North Hall), the CES iLounge Pavilion continues full of great accessory gear for the intrepid wanderer! I'll be posting up a full review on the iXY from RØDE after the show, but the high points include: stereo dynamic mic input wrapped in a superb hardware package, and with a recording/sampling ability and impressive range of editing and sharing options. Serious journalism types, podcasters, and musicians that want to capture high-quality audio with nothing more than iPhone (and the iXY) should give this product a serious look!
Everything iPhone - Apps, Accessories, Reviews, Wallpapers etc | iPhone Life Magazine
The iPhone has become a benchmark for all other smartphones to compete with. Reviews on the cases, accessories, apps, wallpapers and more are located below. Here are a couple of Articles that showcase what we have to offer. For eaxample, iPhone 4S by Alex Cequea (iPhone Life Magazine Editor in Chief).
In that article, Alex says that the iPhone 4S has the exact same physical form factor as the iPhone 4. However, the insides are a whole different story, and Apple tried to make that very clear. The most notable improvements are the 8MP camera with 1080p video recording, the A5 dual-core processor (same as the iPad 2), and an improved battery life (8 hours of 3G talk time, 200 hours of standby). As far as the capabilities, the new Siri Assistant feature was the highlight of the show. The Siri Assistant recognizes natural language and can answer questions such as, "What's the temperature out today?" Combined with the phone's GPS, you can say something like, "Remind me to call my wife when I get to work." The Assistant will not only know who your "wife" is, it'll also know where "work" is and pop up a reminder to "call Marcy" when you get there."
Here's another great article, The Best iPhone 4 Cases. This article goes on to explain that like its iPhone predecessors, cases have become one of the most popular ways to accessorize your cell phone. Most cell phone consumers buy a case bundled with their new phone to protect it from day one. And who can blame them? Mobile devices have become hugely valuable and expensive items; you want to protect them the best way you can. There are literally hundreds of cases on the market. Let's examine the different options available on the market to help you choose the one that's right for you.
What to know how to create your own app? "The first step in creating an app is to understand what you want to create and how you will measure its success. Make sure the idea is well vetted and there is a solid business case behind it. There are roughly 600 new apps submitted to Apple each day—what is going to differentiate your app from the thousands that are already available and being launched each week? Here are some questions you’ll want to ask when getting your app idea..."
Relevant Videos
Apple's first ad for iPhone 4S highlights Siri; Also, more Siri humor
Apple's first ad for iPhone 4S highlights Siri; Also, more Siri humor
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