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Heckler Design's iPad Cash Drawer brings minimalism to sales terminals
Carrying cash can be a drag, but it's often an even bigger nuisance for shopkeepers with iPad point-of-sale terminals. Because of a focus on swiping plastic, storage solutions for your dollar bills take a back seat. The WindFall Cash Drawer is Heckler Designs' stylish US-made option that, according to the company, offers the smallest footprint of any drawer currently available -- it's probably the brightest, too. Cash Drawer follows the aesthetics of the Arizona designer's other pieces; namely, heavy-duty steel construction, rounded corners and minimalist design. Is your storefront already rocking a WindFall stand for Apple's slate? Well, you're in luck, as the nouveau till sports a secure mounting and cable management system for it. Sure there's a slight bit of irony surrounding its current lack of pricing, but don't let that get you down. When it launches this fall, it'll be available exclusively from ShopKeep POS.
Insert Coin: Etcher, the fully functional Etch A Sketch iPad case
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. Visions of the iPad as a modern-day Etch A Sketch have so far been primarily decorative: they've been more about remembering youth than recreating it. That's why Ari Krupnik & Associates' officially-sanctioned Etcher iPad case project on Kickstarter stands out. Those knobs? They work, and they're Made for iPad certified. And, as the Etcher is a product of the digital era, your creations in the custom-written app can be saved and shared to Facebook, Flickr or even YouTube as a time lapse video. Shaking the Etcher will still erase your image -- it just doesn't have to disappear forever this time. Your pledge level determines not only what variety of Etcher case you get, but how much control you get over the project. Committing $45 is all it takes for the nostalgic red, but if you spend $60, $75 or $100, you'll have the additional options for blue or a special backer-only color. Those at the $100 level get to vote on what color they and the $75 pledge-makers will see. A $175 outlay will provide early access to the software development kit as well as a say in what open-source license the code will use. Moving up to $210 or $360 will give you that control as well as an accordant five or 10 Etcher cases. If you like what you see, you have just over a month to contribute and make the iPad drawing add-on a reality.
Libratone's AirPlay-enabled soundbars want to cozy up with your iOS wares
Been on the prowl for an audio solution with AirPlay to compliment your iDevice or Apple TV? Bid hello to Libratone's ultra-chic Lounge and Live soundbars. Last year, the company introduced its eye-catching Beat wireless speaker system back at IFA; we were intrigued by its active drivers and carry handle, but mildly disappointed that cord-cutting required pesky proprietary adapters. Apple users will be happy to know AirPlay's been fully embraced this time, along with the signature adornment of cashmere wool. First up, the Live appears to be an Airplay-enabled Beat with 50 extra watts of RMS power (150 total), and an updated -- mini TOSlink accepting -- 3.5mm input for hooking up non AirPlay-enabled gear. Next up, the sleek Lounge unit above sports a similar external design and digital 3.5mm jack, but it's svelte in comparison for wall-mounting under a TV. Under its sheep fuzz, you'll find two 1-inch ribbon tweeters, two 4-inch ceramic drivers, and one 8-inch inverted woofer, all of which are independently amplified for a combined output of 150 RMS watts. Poised to please audio enthusiasts, both employ DSP and Libratone's FullRoom for a "360 degree soundscape" controllable via an iOS app, while the Lounge's volume can also be handled by a TV remote. The Lounge will be available through Apple's online store this September priced at £1,099 to €,1199 (about $1,791 to $1,954), and the Live for £599 to £6,99 ($699) at Apple retail locations in the EU and US -- both in various colorways. You'll find details in the PR after the break while your next bout of Gear Acquisition Syndrome begins settling in.
Oscium's iMSO-104 turns your iPad into a mixed signal oscilloscope
Inventive people continue to demonstrate how versatile iPads are. The latest example we've found turns the device into an oscilloscope. Oscium developed the iMSO-104 mixed-signal oscilloscope for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch "quickly and easily," the company says, thanks to Apple's iOS and MFi (Made for iPod, Made for iPhone and Made for iPad) developer programs. "It boasts a 5 MHz bandwidth and up to 12 MSPS (megasamples per second) sample rate, while simultaneously analyzing up to one analog and four digital signals," says Oscium. The sensors use Cypress Semiconductor's PSoC® 3 programmable system-on-a-chip to manage two-way communication between the sensors and your device The app is in the App Store now for free, while the full hardware rig will run you US$279.99. That's not a bad price for an oscilloscope. [Via Engadget]
Apple sues HyperMac battery maker for using patented MagSafe and iPod connectors without approval
Most Mac-wielding Engadget editors have had huge crushes on their HyperMac batteries ever since Apple moved to sealed-in MacBook Pro cells across the line, but there's a chance the party is over: Cupertino filed a patent-infringement lawsuit against HyperMac manufacturer Sanho earlier this month, claiming that it's using the patented MagSafe power connector and 30-pin iPhone / iPod dock connector without a license. Ouch. What makes this all the more interesting is that Sanho's always said it's using original Apple MagSafe connectors, which would theoretically defeat Apple's patent claims -- once a patent holder sells a product that contains a patented technology, it can be difficult to claim that the patent is being infringed by the use of that product, even if there's modification involved. (Legal nerds might want to look up "patent exhaustion" here.) The iPod connector claims might be a little easier for Apple, since we don't know if Sanho's using original parts in those cables -- and whatever savings it might have accrued by using knockoff connectors are probably going to be wiped out by the costs of this lawsuit. If we had to guess, we'd say Apple's simply unhappy that Sanho hasn't joined the lucrative Made for iPhone / Made for iPod / Made for iPad licensing programs that govern use of the connector, and that the MagSafe claim is just additional ammunition to force a settlement -- we'll see what happens, but we'd predict things come to a quick end once Sanho's lawyers send in the first bill.
