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Just Mobile unveils its fine-point capacitive stylus, expands dock and battery lineup
Just Mobile was back at CES to sprinkle some magic dust on its new accessories, and this time it involves a mixture of batteries, Lightning docks, cables and styli. We're most excited by the company's AluPen Digital, a fine-point capacitive stylus that works on any modern mobile device, without the need of Bluetooth or any additional sensor. We also got an exclusive look at the upcoming AluBolt Pro Lightning dock for the iPad, along with the Lounge Pro and Lounge Ice iPhone docks, the AluCable Flat and the aluminum refresh of the Gum++ battery. Read on to check them out.
Charging products from JustMobile: Review and giveaway
JustMobile's line of accessories that look like they could have rolled out of a lab in Cupertino just got a bit larger with the addition of two new car chargers -- the Highway Duo (US$39.95) and the Highway Max ($29.95) -- and a trio of Lightning charging cables; the AluCable, the AluCable Mini, and the AluCable Twist. Sure, these aren't the most exciting accessory products on the market, but you sure can't do a lot without a charger and cables! First, let's take a look at the car chargers. I was confused by the names of the Highway Duo and the Highway Max. Wouldn't you think that something called the "Duo" would have a pair of USB charging ports? Wrong. The Highway Max is the one with the two ports, both set up for 2.1 A output that's perfect for charging up a pair iPhones or iPads while on the road. The Highway Max comes with a knurled aluminum end piece that looks good and provides a good grip for, and it has a USB to micro-USB cable included in the box. The Highway Duo does have the ability to charge two devices at once, as there's a built-in 1 m Lightning cable that serves up 2.1 A of current to your favorite Apple device and one open USB port (1 A) for another device. Of the two chargers, I think the Highway Max would be the more useful one as it can handle two devices at 2.1 A each, and it also features a fuse for circuit protection. If you already have cables for your iPhones or iPads, you can use those and get away with saving ten dollars over the cost of the Highway Duo. Surprisingly, the Highway Duo doesn't have a fuse built in. Now let's look at the cables. Apple charges $19 for a white USB to Lightning cable in either .5 m or 1 m lengths, and $29 for a 2 m cable. JustMobile's AluCable Mini is just .1 m (10 cm) long and costs $19.95. The AluCable is a full 1.5 m long and sells for $24.95, and the coiled AluCable Twist (1.8 m length) is also $24.95. The JustMobile cables are all MFi (Made for iPod/iPhone/iPad) approved, and at least for the AluCable and AluCable Twist, are less expensive than their Apple counterparts. The AluCable line also has another thing going for it -- the cables just look cool. There's a aluminum casing around both ends of the cable, and they look like they'll last a lot longer than Apple's standard white cables. Conclusion JustMobile makes quality gear, and the new charging cables and car chargers are no exception. If you're looking for an alternative to Apple's Lightning cables, the AluCable series is well-built and competitively priced. We also recommend the dual-port Highway Max for its fuse-protected design, high output, and excellent price. The Highway Duo doesn't receive our recommendation, as it is priced higher than competitive car chargers and does not offer circuit protection. Giveaway Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before October 9, 2013 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. Five winners will be selected, which each person winning one of the following five products from JustMobile -- the Highway Duo valued at $39.95, the Highway Max valued at $29.95, the AluCable valued at $24.95, the AluCable Mini valued at $19.95, or the AluCable Twist valued at $24.95. Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Just Mobile AluDisc and AluPocket: Review and giveaway
Just Mobile is an accessory design shop with a difference: they love to do most of their work in Jony Ive's favorite material, aluminum. Recently the company announced two new products: the AluDisc (US$69.95) for iMac and Thunderbolt Display and the AluPocket ($29.95) for iPhone. Both are solid additions to the award-winning lineup of Just Mobile products, and we'll be giving away one of each at the end of this review. AluDisc The idea of a 360° rotating turntable is nothing new -- Rain Design's i360 has been available for years. But Just Mobile has taken the idea to a much more stylish conclusion. The AluDisc is made from a single piece of aluminum with a radial finish that's quite attractive. It sits on a thin ball-bearing mount that rotates with the touch of a finger, and unlike the i360 requires no installation -- you simply place your iMac or Thunderbolt Display atop the AluDisc. It's about 11 inches in diameter (28 cm) and just .83 inch (2.1 cm) thick. To retain stability, it has a bit of weight to it -- it weighs about 2 pounds (906 grams). I found the AluDisc a no-brainer to set up; just take it out of the box and put the iMac on it. It swivels smoothly and silently, and is perfect for those open desk layouts with lots of space where you might want quick access to the back ports of the iMac. AluPocket We see a lot of iPhone stands around TUAW. The basic idea is that it gives you a way to "display" your iPhone while you're charging it instead of just laying it on a desktop. The AluPocket, on the other hand, is an iPhone wall mount that seems to be designed more for those situations where you're not necessarily using your iPhone, but just want it off of the floor while it's plugged in. Just Mobile's website shows the AluPocket being attached to a wall near a power outlet and on what appears to be a cubicle wall. The accessory is attractively designed, looking like a circular pocket with a space for an iPhone to be tucked in. A vertical slot runs up the front of the AluPocket to accommodate a charging cable. To attach it to the wall, there are two 3M Glue-free tape strips on the back, plus a few refill strips if you need to move the AluPocket. Inside the aluminum pocket are a few soft plastic grips that keep your iPhone standing upright, even when you're tapping on the screen. Conclusion Both the AluDisc and AluPocket continue Just Mobile's streak of Apple accessory "wins". They're incredibly well-designed for both style and functionality, constructed of solid materials for long life, and reasonably priced. Giveaway Now we're giving TUAW readers a chance to win one of these two Just Mobile accessories. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before August 11, 2013 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. Two winners will be selected. One will receive a Just Mobile AluDisc valued at $69.95, while the other will receive a Just Mobile AluPocket with a value of $29.95. Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Just Mobile delivers AluPocket and AluDisc, two new high-design accessories
Erich Huang and the team at Just Mobile don't seem to be getting any rest these days. The company is well-known for its line of well-built aluminum accessories for Apple products, and it was only about a month ago that TUAW reviewed the HeadStand headphone stand, AluCup dock for iPhone and the AluFrame iPhone 5 bumper. Today the company announced two new products -- the AluPocket for iPhone (US$29.95) and AluDisc ($69.95). The AluPocket (see image above) is a stylish aluminum / plastic wall mount for iPhone that attaches to a wall using 3M glue-free tape. At the bottom of the round pocket-shaped mount is a recess for a Lightning or 30-pin connector, and the front of the AluPocket has a vertical slot into which a charging cable can be placed. The AluDisc is a new take on an old idea -- years ago, I purchased a similar turntable device for one of the old white plastic iMacs from Rain Design called the i360. Just Mobile has taken the concept of an iMac/Cinema Display turntable, slimmed it down considerably and made it a solid match with the latest design meme from Apple. We'll be reviewing both of these accessories in the near future; in the meantime, check out Just Mobile's site for more details.
Just Mobile's HeadStand, AluCup and AluFrame: Accessories that organize, protect
As the Northern Hemisphere of the planet wakes up from winter, accessory manufacturers are coming to life with some new or revised products. One of those companies, Just Mobile, has released a crop of accessories that can help to organize your workspace and protect your iPhone 5. There's the AluCup (a sturdy dock for your iPhone or iPad mini, US$29.95), the AluFrame iPhone 5 case ($69.95), and that place to neatly store your headphones -- the HeadStand ($49.95). You'll have an opportunity to win one of these hardy aluminum accessories, so be sure to check them out and then enter the giveaway. Design The AluCup is a delightfully simple dock for your iPhone or iPad tha's made of a machined aluminum cylinder sliced at an angle, lined with a colorful rubberized material, and sliced and diced for cable passthroughs. Just drop an iPhone into the black, yellow, red, or blue-lined cup and it is propped up for easy viewing while it charges or just "relaxes." That iPhone (or an iPad mini) can also be placed on top of the AluCup to make an attractive reclining pedestal. Moving on to the HeadStand, here's a product that was just waiting for someone to invent it. It answers the question of where to place your headphones when they're not on your head. For me, the answer was to wrap the cable around the headphones and then plant them on my Røde microphone stand, but a lot of people don't have that option. The HeadStand comes in either silver or black aluminum, requires some quick assembly, and not only has an arm on which to hang the headphones but a "cable tidy" in the circular base. It's a brilliant alternative to just laying headphones on a desktop. Finally, the third Just Mobile product we're reviewing today is the AluFrame iPhone 5 shield. Made of silver or black aerospace-grade aluminum, the AluFrame is a minimalist bumper that uses an smartly-designed catch mechanism to lock onto your iPhone 5 without the need for screws and tiny hex drivers. There's no need to worry about the AluFrame scratching your iPhone 5, as it uses a rubberized material inside to gently cradle your device. For added protection, the AluFrame includes front and back clear protectors to keep your baby from being scratched. Functionality Let's start with the AluCup. I'm impressed with this little stand, not only for its minimalist good looks, but the fact that it will happily hold my iPhone 5 that is encased in a mophie juice pack helium case. When the phone is dropped into the AluCup, the screen is perfectly angled so that you can see notifications coming in. If you need a bit more access to the iPhone screen, just lay it on top of the angled "cut" and you can tap away without having to worry about the iPhone moving. %Gallery-186833% Things weren't quite as nice with the iPad mini; it kept sliding off of the angled top of the AluCup. Only when I encased the iPad mini in a silicone sleeve from Loop Attachment did it stay in one place atop the AluCup. Still, if you're just looking for a handy stand for your iPhone or if you do have a silicone sleeve protecting your iPad mini, then you'll find the AluCup to be a winner. Moving on to the AluFrame, I found this aluminum bumper to be a cinch to install and remove. The latch mechanism keeps the frame locked on, but can be opened in a second should you decide to remove it. There's no need to search for a hex driver and no worry about dropping tiny screws. There are passthrough buttons for the volume toggle and on/off/sleep/wake button, with an open spot for the mute lock switch. The entire bottom of the AluFrame is wide open, providing unencumbered access to the speakers and Lightning port. Finally, the HeadStand assembles quickly with two regular Phillips-head screws and looks great. It works nicely, too -- my pair of V-Moda headphones sat comfortably on top and I was able to remove the headphone cable to wrap around the base of the HeadStand. It definitely looks like a lot better way to store headphones than the method I've been using. Conclusion Just Mobile has made a name for itself by creating good-looking and functional accessories for Apple products, imagined by talented European designers. With the HeadStand, AluFrame, and AluCup, the company has added three more products to a growing stable of reasonably-priced designer accessories. Pros HeadStand is a unique product that has been needed for a long time Aluminum construction of Just Mobile's accessories guarantees that they'll hold up for a while AluFrame latch mechanism makes the bumper fast and easy to install or remove AluCup takes up very little desktop space and works with many iPhone 5 cases Cons iPad mini wouldn't sit on top of the AluCup as advertised unless it was in a silicone sleeve Who are they for? Anyone who appreciates good design and solid construction in Apple accessories Giveaway We have an AluCup with a red liner, a black anodized aluminum HeadStand, and a black AluFrame to give away. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before April 29, 2013 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. Three winners will be selected. One will received a Just Mobile AluCup valued at $29.95, one will receive an AluFrame valued at $69.95, and one will receive a HeadStand valued at $49.95. Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Just Mobile's early-2013 range: AluCup, black HeadStand, AluFrame, AluPocket and Gum Max Duo
What we love about CES is that we get to see so many familiar faces in one week, and Just Mobile was one of them this year. Since our visit to its Taiwan office a few months ago, the award-winning accessory maker had been preparing several new products for CES: (from left to right in the above picture) AluCup, black HeadStand, AluFrame, AluPocket and Gum Max Duo. Starting in chronological order we have the black edition of the minimalistic aluminum HeadStand headphone stand, which will join its silver-colored sibling for the same $49.95 price tag at the end of this month. As before, the HeadStand's base comes in two layers for cable management, as well as a spun-metal finish. Check out the rest of the product range after the break.
Just Mobile's AluBase and AluRack give your MacBook a new place to live
A few weeks ago, TUAW featured an Engadget interview with Erich Huang and Nils Gustafsson of Just Mobile, a design firm that specializes in creating accessories to compliment your Apple products. The company uses materials in its products that are as identical as possible to those used in official Apple products, and they work with well-known European designers to create highly functional and attractive accessories. Now Just Mobile is shipping the AluBase (US$49.95) and AluRack ($59.95), two new products designed by the Danish firm of Jakob Wagner. First, let's look at the AluRack above. It has one purpose in life: To mount a hard drive or MacBook onto the riser of an iMac or Apple Display. It can do this without causing any damage to the computer or monitor by screwing together through the hole in the riser and by using a rubberized pad at the contact point. Once the AluRack is installed on that riser, a MacBook can be placed into the anti-scratch TPR cradle and be out of sight as you work. For an iMac, it's the perfect place to put a backup disk drive. Next, the AluBase (above) is similar in function to competing products from some other companies, including Twelve South's BookArc. Basically, its goal is to hold your MacBook in a vertical position next to an external monitor. Rather than being designed for just one model of MacBook, the AluBase has replaceable inserts to fit the MacBook Pro, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro with Retina display families. The base itself is machined from aluminum and has non-skid rubber on the bottom to keep the stand and your MacBook from sliding off of a desktop or table. %Gallery-169585% Both products are packaged in Just Mobile's signature boxes, which feature a magnetic "latch" to keep the front cover closed. They feel extremely solid, and the finish of the products is second only to that on Apple's products. Giveaway Now you get your chance to win a brand new AluRack or AluBase from Just Mobile and TUAW. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before Friday, November 2, 2012 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. Two winners will be selected. One will receive a Just Mobile AluBase, valued at $49.95, while the second winner receives a Just Mobile AluRack valued at $59.95. Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Just Mobile talks about working with Apple
Just Mobile is an Apple accessory manufacturer that has produced some very unique, award-winning products for Mac and iOS devices. Our sister site Engadget recently had an opportunity to sit down with Just Mobile co-founders Erich Huang and Nils Gustafsson, talk about the company's relationship with Apple and why it recently moved all of its manufacturing to Taiwan. We've looked at a number of Just Mobile's products in the past, including the Alupen stylus, the Gum Plus battery pack, Highway Pro car charger and the AluCube Mini cable organizer. The company announced two new products today -- the AluBase and AluRack for MacBooks. What makes Just Mobile stand out from other accessory manufacturers? First, the company works closely with well-known European product designers to create functional and attractive accessories. Second, the company focuses on the details of materials to make them as close to those used on Apple products. Finally, the company feels that manufacturing in Taiwan makes for better quality products than those available in China (since many manufacturers are producing parts for Apple as well), and there's also a lesser chance of a manufacturer "cloning" one of their products. The Engadget video interview is fascinating viewing for anyone interested in design and can be viewed in its entirety below.
Just Mobile talks about working with Apple and why it manufactures in Taiwan exclusively
For the average Joe that have managed to stay out of the Apple circle, the Just Mobile brand might not immediately ring a bell, but chances are you would've come across one of its peripheral designs at some point. The only problem is unless you knew the company in the first place, you'd easily assume that the aluminum or even plastic knock-offs are just based on generic designs, because there are simply too many of them. It's no wonder Just Mobile co-founders Nils Gustafsson and Erich Huang take imitations of all forms very personally (especially the ones they and their lawyers see at CES), but fortunately, we were spared from prolonged ranting when we visited the duo's office in Taichung, Taiwan recently. What we were treated to instead was an insight into how an accessory maker works with Apple and why Just Mobile manufactures exclusively in Taiwan, as well as getting a preview of the upcoming AluRack, HeadStand and AluBase that are due out this month.
Enter to win a trio of mobile accessories from Just Mobile
It's July, and TUAW is starting off the American and Canadian summer holiday week with a review and giveaway of three useful accessories from Just Mobile. Highway Pro The Highway Pro (US$39.95 MSRP) is hands-down the nicest-looking car charger I've ever seen. Featuring a knurled aluminum cap that not only makes it easier to pull the charger out of your car power adapter but also looks sharp as well, the Highway Pro can charge your iPad and iPhone at the same time. There's a 2.1 Amp port for your third-generation iPad, as well as a 1 Amp outlet for your iPhone. Just Mobile includes a coiled USB cable that won't tangle -- I just wish they had thrown two into the box instead of one. With all of that power flowing out of this charger, it's nice to know that there's an integrated fuse to provide protection to your favorite devices. AluCube Mini While the Highway Pro is meant for your car, the AluCube Mini ($16.95 MSRP) is designed to keep your desktop free of cable clutter. It's a small aluminum cube (hence the name) with a soft rubber-lined slot in the middle. Want to coil up excess charge/sync cable footage? Just run it through the middle of the AluCube Mini and you're set. If you're really anal and want that cable RIGHT THERE and nowhere else, there's an adhesive patch you can use to glom the AluCube Mini onto your desktop fairly permanently. AluPen Pro The last of the three cool accessories from Just Mobile is the AluPen Pro ($39.95 MSRP). You might be sensing a trend right about now -- these well-constructed accessories are all made of aluminum. A number of Just Mobile's products are designed by Tools Design of Denmark, an award-winning design show that is responsible for the AluPen and AluPen Pro styluses. What makes the "Pro" different from the regular AluPen? It also features a "high-quality retractable ballpoint pen." That's right, you can use one end to sign checks or scribble down notes, then flip the device around to paint or write on your iPad. The stylus end of the AluPen Pro has a soft rubber nib that provides precise control of your iPad's capacitive touch screen. The AluPen Pro comes with a replacement nib should you wear one out, and also has a leather pouch to reside in when it's not being used. Conclusion and Giveaway Just Mobile does an amazing job of creating mobile accessories that are built to last. They look good, they work well, and they're not going to fall apart. Even the boxes that the accessories come in are well-designed, with front "covers" that latch close magnetically. Now it's your chance to win these three mobile accessories courtesy of Just Mobile and TUAW. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before July 4, 2012 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected and will receive a package consisting of a Just Mobile AluPen Pro, AluCube Mini, and Highway Pro valued at US$96.85 Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
JustMobile Gum Plus packs a lot of power in a small package
There are a lot of external battery packs available for iPhones, but how about one that can recharge your iPhone up to four times? The US$69.95 JustMobile Gum Plus is an attractive and powerful little battery pack, holding a whopping 4400 mAh of power in its aluminum case and charging just about anything with an output current of about 1 amp. As a comparison, the NewerTech NuPower Charge + Sync contains only about 1400 mAh of power, and can only trickle out about 650 mA of output current. The Mophie Juice Pack Air my iPhone is currently wearing only has a 1500 mAh battery in its lovely red shell. The Gum Plus probably received its name because it looks like a large silver piece of gum. The battery pack comes with two cables -- a USB to Dock Connector cable and a USB to mini-USB cable for charging the pack. This worked great; I was able to use the standard Apple iPhone AC Adapter to charge the Gum Plus, so I wouldn't have to carry yet another power brick with me on trips. The Gum Plus comes with a little carrying bag so it won't get scratched, and it has five green LEDs that are used to let you know the current capacity of the battery and when the device is charging your toys. So, just how long will 4400 mAh of power last? JustMobile says that you'd be able to get an extra 38 hours of talk, 90 hours of music or 26 hours of video on your iPhone before you'd need to plug the Gum Plus back into the wall. Can it charge an iPad? Although it's not certified to do so, my iPad responded happily to the Gum Plus, and I was able to watch it go from a 71 percent charge up to 100 percent in about an hour and still have power to spare. The Gum Plus won a prestigious red dot design award for 2010, an honor it shares with the Apple Magic Mouse, the iMac and the iPad. We'll be giving away our review Gum Plus, so be sure to look for that giveaway post in the near future. Check out a short Gum Plus video from JustMobile on the next page.
TUAW review and giveaway: Just Mobile AluPen stylus
When it comes to the iOS experience, many purists insist that the finger is the only proper interface device on the iPad, iPod touch and iPhone, eschewing styluses as an anachronistic journey back to the days of the original PalmPilot. But for those who need to sign documents or draw detailed diagrams on iOS devices, a stylus might provide a much more natural writing experience than using a finger. Up to this point, most styluses have been thin, stick-like probes like the Pogo Stylus. Now comes a nice lightweight and easily held stylus from Just Mobile: the AluPen. In some testing over the past couple of days, I've come to really like the way the AluPen works with an iPad or iPhone. The dimensions of the AluPen are much more like those of a real pen -- it's about 4.7" long x 0.5" wide and made with a hexagonal exterior that's very comfortable to hold. I like the Pogo Stylus; in fact, I own two of them. However, I can easily see myself becoming unfaithful to the Pogo. The AluPen just feels and acts a lot more like a real writing implement. The tip of the AluPen is a rounded rubberized material that is much more rigid than the capacitive foam material used on the Pogo. The Pogo's tip seems to flop around, and I've felt like it's going to tear off, although it never has. You don't feel that with the AluPen; the feeling is much more like writing with a real pen. Click the Read More link for additional details and info about a giveaway. %Gallery-109471%
