Griffin Technology rolled out a gaggle of new accessories at CES 2009, but curiously absent was this fellow. The outfit has announced today that its TuneFlex AUX SmartClick is shipping to those interested, and if you're still attempting to gauge your own level of excitement, let us detail what it does. Essentially, what we've got here is an in-car iPod / iPhone charger (via cigarette adapter) that comes with a wireless remote tailor made for slipping around your steering wheel. Also, there's no messy FM transmitter to bother with; instead, it relies on the much more solid auxiliary input connection. Yeah, $79.99 sounds a tad high to us too, but momma always said you can't put a price on keeping your eyes on the road.

Tons of little accessories from Griffin today -- here's a quick breakdown, pictures in the gallery!

• SmartTalk Bluetooth headset: dual-mic headset featuring STEPvoice "acoustic voice separation" technology to kill background and wind noise, and features voice feedback during pairing. $100, now shipping, or wait until February to buy it in a bundle with the PowerJolt car charger for $120.
• TuneBuds Fit: In-ear headphones with 10mm drivers in an "anatomically correct" aluminum curved design. Sure, okay. They'll be $50 in February.
  
• Noise-reducing auxiliary audio cable: Car-oriented headphone cable with an inline dual-element noise filter to eliminate hum from vehicle electrical systems. If you need this -- you know if you do, trust us -- it'll be well worth the $20 in February.
  
• SmartShare USB: Sure, lots of people could use this $20 two-port USB hub with a unique splitter-like design, but Griffin's targeting it at MacBook Air owners, because let's face it -- it's fun to point out how limited the MacBook Air is.
  
• PowerBlock Reserve: Adds a removable battery to the popular PowerBlock USB charger that allows it to charge your iPod / iPhone away from an outlet. A little steep at $40, but the battery is held in place magnetically for extra awesomeness.
  
• PowerJolt Reserve: Same deal as the PowerBlock, but in an iPod / iPhone car charger package.
  
• Charge Converter FireWire to USB: We're still unclear as to why all these iPhone 3G FireWire charging adapters are all so expensive, but $30 will get you Griffin's take on the idea sometime later this month.

We're not saying a transparent box designed to "acoustically amplify" your iPhone speakers is an unmistakable ripoff or anything, but we do believe your $19.99 would be better spent on materials and beverages of choice as you exercise that DIY muscle. At any rate, Griffin Technology has today introduced the AirCurve (that's the thing we just described) alongside the Clarifi ($34.99; pictured after the jump), a polycarbonate protective case for your iPhone 3G. Unlike alternatives, though, this one has a "close-up lens," which supposedly gives your iPhone 3G the ability to take remarkably detailed macro shots with even "more accurate colors." Call us jaded, but both of these things have marketing hoopla written all over 'em.

[Via iLounge]
Read - AirCurve
Read - Clarifi

As we inch towards the towering precipice of WWDC 2008, rumors swirling around Apple's next iteration of the iPhone are being deposited onto the interblogs at an alarming rate. The latest set comes in three distinct flavors, the first of which recalls an earlier story that telcos would be offering subsidies for long-term contract signers. According to separate sources, Spain's Telefonica and the UK's O2 would offer the 3G iPhone at discounted rates (as low as €100) for those willing to put pen to paper, while some are claiming that O2 might also offer a "free" upgrade to the new phone for existing users. In other pot-stirring news, iDealsChina is reporting that the phone will suddenly be 2.0mm shorter and 0.5mm thinner than previously spec'd by Griffin in its new casing molds, thus causing all kinds of trouble for the accessory-maker... and people with big hands. Finally, we can safely report that AT&T has run out of stock of the device online (finally joining Apple). The site claims it's a "temporary" situation -- one which we suspect will be rectified by the appearance of a new model. Time to get in that line?

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Read - Telefonica to be sole distributor of 3G iPhone in Spain for 100 euro
Read - Rumour: O2 plans free iPhone 3G upgrade and pay-as-you-go
Read - iPhone 3G last minute size change!
Read - AT&T iPhone page

In case you're not swimming in Apple gear just yet (wait 'til the kids come...), Griffin Technology has just released a more modest solution to charging "just" a pair of iPhones / iPods or one of each. The two-port PowerDock 2 features a pair of universal docks and a collection of dock inserts to ensure that almost every iPod (and the iPhone) can get a seat at the table. It's available as we speak for $49.95.

[Via PopGadget]

It's been a hot minute since Griffin Technology loosed a new iTrip, but the newest member of the family is one we can't help but high-five. The iTrip AutoPilot not only charges and transmits iPod audio to your FM stereo, but it also does the same with Apple's iPhone. As expected, the device plugs into one's cigarette adapter on one end while sliding into a Dock Connector on the other; the SmartScan technology will do its best to locate the clearest frequency for transmitting on, and it will then display said station so you can dial in with your radio. Not a half bad piece for $99.99 -- 'tis a shame FM transmitters are all but worthless in even modestly large cities.

[Via Macworld]

We already knew that AMD had its Puma and Griffin-based Turion line coming, but a June 3 launch at Computex is all but confirmed now. The Puma platform will be based on the Turion Ultra processor with an integrated Mobility Radeon 3200 graphics chip along with as WiFi. Discrete graphic chip options will include the ATI Mobility Radeon 3450, 3650, and 3850. SSDs will make a limited appearance due to what AMD is citing as a prohibitive high cost. Nonetheless, it looks like AMD is doing whatever it can to take the spotlight away from Intel, especially now that the Centrino 2 has been delayed.

Griffin's antenna-stub sporting ClearBoost case for the iPhone just hit the streets, and opinions are already pouring in. The case involves the antenna, a bumper and a screen protector, and while the resulting combination is not much for loooks, iLounge found it to improve performance in certain situations. Apparently in very low coverage areas the ClearBoost isn't much help, but in wonky two or three bar situations ClearBoost added one or two bars. Sounds like a win to us, but you're going to have to have some serious need of signal to sacrifice iPhone aesthetics this totally.

[Via iLounge]

If you were already curious as to where AMD would be using its newly announced 780 Series motherboard GPU, lookie here. During a CeBIT press event held today in Germany, AMD solidified details of its looming Puma mobile platform, which will be based on the outfit's Griffin CPU and RS780M chipset. In order for laptops to sport the Puma branding, it must house a Griffin CPU (officially named Turion Ultra), RS780M chipset and a WiFi adapter. According to AMD, Puma-fied lappies will begin shipping at the close of Q2 2008 and will range from $699 to $2,500 (at least initially), but we've no idea which manufacturers will be on board.

Has it really come to this? Are consumers' homes so overrun with iPods that Griffin's $70 PowerDock is now a necessity? Seems so. Four iPods can charge simultaneously in a dosado of swirling volts and amperes... eureka! Griffin's newly announced 2008 lineup also includes updated iTrips, RoadTrip, PowerJolt and PowerBlock (or PowerDuo for combining that AC/Car charging), and more. But Griffin, a $30 iPhone case made of cork... seriously?

[Via Mobile Tech Review]

Griffin's oh so sexy wireless Evolve iPod speaker dock now has a little buddy. Two actually: the $100 Cube Speaker and $30 Charging Base add-ons. The speakers operate at 433MHz and feature an internal lithium-ion battery for 10-hours (at "normal" listening value) between charges. And you can add as many speakers as you can afford. Our own hands-on from CES allowed us to walk about 100-feet from the base station before interference set in. Not bad considering the density of RF noise the speakers had to compete with on the busy show floor. Combined with the charger, the complete system could make for a quick, dirty, and expensive (the Evolve costs $299) wireless setup in your tiny dorm or garden apartment.

[Via iLounge]

You can't run around launching fancy new music players these days without a secondary offensive of cases and car chargers following close behind, and Microsoft's new Zunes have a veritable cavalry behind them. In addition to the official accessories we've already heard about from J Allard and crew, the company's lined up a number of third-party manufacturers to crank out 60 different Zune-friendly products, including Polk, Belkin, DLO, Monster, Altec Lansing, Targus, iHome, Memorex and Griffin. Microsoft's new pals will be releasing everything from speaker docks to RCA cables, so it looks like you'll be able to build a happy little home for that new Zune of yours when it launches next month.