Accessories
A few weeks ago I posted an interview with the inventor of the Bandshell audio enhancement cover for the iPhone. Soon after, I tried it out and almost posted a negative review -- until I found that I'd put the iPhone in backwards. Line up the camera lens with the hole in the back of the Bandshell for best results. Duh! I tried it out on a couple of very important negotiation calls with major business contacts, and it worked like a charm. I had no complaints from the other party (though they did say it sounded like I was on a speakerphone, which I was), and I could hear them better than when it's in my normal leather case. So rather than holding the phone up to my ear and typing notes with one hand, or holding a notepad with my elbow while jotting notes, I slip the phone into the Bandshell before making a call from my desk. It works as the inventor said it would -- as long as you install it correctly...
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No matter what device I have ever owned, I have always had the hankering to get cases for it. They add extra protection and can be very stylish. When I think about it, I think it’s an addiction I have, because I am always looking for the perfect case. When I think I have found one, something comes along and catches my eye and it begins all over again; How much is it? What are the reviews? and Where can I find it cheaper? When the iPod came along in my life, it got worst, as pretty much every store you go in these days have iPod accessories. These businesses are fueling my addiction. I have been happy with the incase slider I had purchased a couple months ago. Then I spotted the Otterbox Defender series case before Christmas. So when my family asked me what I wanted for Christmas, I said I have the perfect idea. I actually provided them the online shopping link and found a really great price for them. I thought this is awesome, a new case coming my way and it’s saving me some money for a future case that comes out (see it’s an addiction.) On Christmas Eve, I received the case and put my baby in the Otterbox that evening. I still have the case on it. Solid feel constructed of both plastic and a silicone outer shell with a built in screen protector. (The only drawback is that you have to remove the entire case to use it with the Apple Universal Dock, but I can live with that). My wife calls me a geek when I see a case I want, at which point I ask her what purse she is using today. That gets her to stop. Last week, I went to the Otterbox site and purchased my son a version of it for his Nano. I then saw that Otterbox discontinued the iPod touch (and others) and it only focusing on Smartphones going forward. Who knows what the next great case I find will be. So this brings me to a question for all of you. If you use a case on your device (no matter what device), what do you use and why do you like it?
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You’re limited only by imagination on ways to use the AppStand with your iPhone. For example, I use it on my desk to show off my Reef3D aquarium app – love this! I use it with an alarm clock app to keep me on time for my appointments. I use it with my calculator app to add numbers. I use it with my dictionary app or with Safari to do research while writing. And if I want to be entertained while cooking dinner, it's a great TV stand for watching videos on my iPhone. I’m sure you will think of many, many more ways to use this handy device.
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Shakespeare's Richard III cried "A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!" At CES, the commodity most in demand was power, followed closely by Wi-Fi, 3G, and SD cards! Journalists and attendees "jacked in" like The Matrix, wherever possible, and many people came up to the iPhone Life booth asking if they could charge their iPhones! NOTE TO EDITOR: Bring extra chargers to MacWorld and let visitors charge their phones at our booth! We love the iPhone, but the lack of a removable battery means you need something external that doesn't add too much bulk.
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Some of the most interesting items at CES don't use electricity. We found several accessories that enhance the electronic lifestyle, while made entirely out of non-technical materials.
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This was a super cool find at CES. The Phubby is an alternative way to keep your iPhone with you when you don't have pockets - during work-outs or doing housework in your jammies!! I would go for the Phubby Sport. You can still use the touch-screen through the special fabric.
Regular Phubby - (can't operate through fabric)
http://www.phubby.com/demo/tabid/59/Default.aspx
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The smartest thing I did at the show this year was to bring the wife. While I tried to check out some of the more hard-core technology, not only did she do booth duty, but she also scouted fashionable and smart products for me to check out later. Trexta was one of her finds, so gotta give her the credit. These hand-crafted and high quality cases and covers are exceptional in terms of both materials (real leather and wood), and price.
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I found GelaSkins at CES. They are awesome!! The guys working the booth were very enthusiastic about their artist designed skins. They are perfect for personalizing your iPhone (or most every electronic device). The skins are easy to apply and remove without any damage to your iPhone. It adds grip without bulk. You can download a matching wallpaper through their free app.
Don't like one of their 100's of artist's designs? Make your own, I did. It's ME paragliding over the Swiss Alps. (Yes, soccer moms can be cool!!!)
Price point for iPhone is $14.95 each. Buy 3 get 1 free.
From the GelaSkins Website:http://www.gelaskins.com/index.php What are GelaSkins? The best skins on the planet! GelaSkins are removable covers for protecting and customizing your portable devices. They feature stunning, photo-quality graphics ranging from fine art prints to contemporary urban images designed by our growing family or artists from around the globe. Stand out in the crowd with personalized protection from GelaSkins.
Portable Art Prints
We work with artists from around the globe to create a huge gallery of skins turning your iPods, laptops, phones & more into portable canvases.
Easy On... Easy Off
Patented 3M adhesive make GelaSkins easy to apply with no residue left behind. The adhesive allows you to reposition the skin so you can easily get a perfect fit.
No Scratches
GelaSkins defend your device with a durable anti-scratch. anti-UV coating.
Premium Materials
After loads of research, we chose the best materials available. The advanced 3M adhesive contains patented micro-channels that prevent air bubbles from forming and allow for easy application.
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Forget cloud-computing, configure your own. If you need secure access to your files (from anywhere in the world), you might want to check out the myDitto solution From Dane-Elec. There's an iPhone app for it as well, and I'll get to the details of that in a minute, but essentially it's a storage unit (above left) that provides secure access to your files, and all you need is an iPhone (with the myDitto app), or a USB key (from a computer).
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