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KeyMouse: A new take on the traditional keyboard and mouse
Since 1984, not a lot has changed in terms of the two things that we use to converse with our desktop and laptop computers - keyboards and mice/trackpads. That's why when fellow TUAW editor Dave Caolo pointed me towards a fascinating Kickstarter project named KeyMouse, I thought I'd better pass along the news to TUAW readers. KeyMouse is a Bluetooth keyboard with a big difference; it splits the traditional QWERTY keyboard into two halves, one for each hand. Your hand sits comfortable atop a central "bulge" that keeps your fingers in the proper position for ergonomic typing, and the entire KeyMouse moves as an optical mouse. There are a ton of buttons that you can customize to your needs, whether you're a gamer or using the keyboard and mouse combo for design work. The prototypes were shown at CES 2015 in early January, and the team is now about 41 percent funded with 11 days to go in the campaign. Anyone who's looking for a much more comfortable and natural way to type and mouse around the screen might want to back the project for US$249 or more.
Withings Home brings HD webcam, air quality monitor to the connected home
Withings is a fascinating company. They started out quietly a few years back, selling one of the first Wi-Fi connected bathroom scales and then added a growing family of "connected self" devices including the Withings Pulse Ox activity monitor, the Aura Smart Sleep System, a wireless blood pressure cuff, and more. Now the company is beginning to ship items for the connected home with the arrival of Withings Home (US$199.95), a home monitoring camera with the added benefit of air quality monitoring. We hope to review Withings Home soon, but here's a taste of what the device provides. First, it packs a 5-megapixel CMOS sensor that can capture up to 30 frame per second 1080p video. Next, it shoots that video with a 135° wide angle lens for a super wide field of view, and offers automatic de-warping so your views of home don't look like a bad special effect. Like my current favorite webcam, the Dropcam Pro, Withings Home offers an electronic PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) function. Rather than having a rotating and tilting robotic base, a tap on the Withings Home app screen lets you zoom in and receive an enhanced image showing details. The Withings Home app (free) for iPhone and iPad displays still images that are snapped based on noise or movement triggers. A Home Diary feature provides a continuous timeline of what's gone on at home, and you can get a time-lapse rerun of the past 12 hours of action in your home. Withings also plans to offer a cloud recording service in the near future. The extra added Withings Home feature that's really quite impressive is its built-in ability to track past and current levels of VOC (volatile organic compounds) in your home. VOCs are emitted by cleaning products and pressed-wood furniture, to name a few sources, and can be quite harmful. The base of Withings Home will glow red if VOC levels reach unhealthy levels so that you can open a window or door to get some fresh air. We're looking forward to giving the Withings Home webcam/air monitor a full workout soon, so be sure to stay tuned to TUAW for all of your connected home news.
Look at this tiny iOS keyboard, just look at it
iOS-compatible Bluetooth keyboards are a dime a dozen these days, and it's hard to get excited about any kind of new typing accessory when so many of them look like direct clones of each other. The TextBlade is -- as its creator WayTools describes -- "an entirely new class of touch-typing device." It's hard to argue with that. The TextBlade is a tiny, fold-out, full-sized set of QWERTY keys that have full travel and mimic the mechanical feel of a desktop keyboard. The keys themselves are arranged on a pair of bars that magnetically connect to each other and the space bar section that doubles as the battery. WayTools claims a one-month battery life on a full charge and a quick-charge feature that offers three days of battery life with a charge of less than 10 minutes. The TextBlade is so far removed from anything I've seen before that at first I assumed it had to be a concept that was nowhere near a retail debut, but it's apparently available for order right now for delivery by March. We'll be attempting to get our hands on one ASAP for a review, so stay tuned.
Booqpad gains iPad Air 2 compatibility, still has a magnetic personality
Last April, TUAW reviews a very unique iPad Air case - the Booq Booqpad - that melded a magnetically-attached agenda case with a paper notepad. At the time it garnered a 4-star rating thanks to its flexibility and that paper notepad. Today I'm looking at the BooqPad for iPad Air 2 (US$60.00) and we'll see if that changed. Specifications Exterior dimensions: 7 x 9.5 x 0.9 inches (178 x 242 x 24 mm) Weight: 0.88 lbs (0.4 kg) Compatible with: iPad Air 2 only Color: Gray only Comes with removable/replaceable 50-sheet paper notepad Design Like the previous iteration of the Booqpad, the new version consists of a slim folio that, when opened, features a paper notepad on the left side and a magnetically-attached tray for the iPad on the right side. A slender magnetic catch keeps the cover closed while you're in transit. Around the outside of the paper notepad side are slots for business cards, and you can get refills for your notepad in blank, lined, or graph paper formats ($10 for 3 pads). That catch is different from the one on original iPad Air version of the Booqpad, which was rather wide and could actually hold a Pencil by FiftyThree stylus. The case also acts as a stand, with the section of the folio that the polycarbonate iPad tray attaches to folding to accommodate a variety of angles. Should you decide that you'd like to use the iPad Air 2 on its own without the folio, just give it a pull and the tray/iPad combo comes out. Just bring that tray back to the folio and hold it near, and it snaps right back into place. Functionality While I still like the idea of the Booqpad, I'm not sure that I'm quite as enthusiastic about it as I was last year after seeing dozens of other iPad case/stands. It definitely fills a specific niche, but it doesn't have the adjustability of some competing folio-type cases. In addition, Booq used to include a screen protector with each Booqpad. That's no longer the case, which is a little odd - perhaps the company found that nobody was using the screen protectors? Maybe the idea of having a paper notepad alongside your iPad excites you, and if it does, then the Booqpad is just the case for you. Otherwise, it might be worth your while to just grab any old folio type case and slap in a Post-it® 5 x 8 inch notebook pad. Conclusion About a year after the first Booqpad arrived on the scene, we're seeing the new model for iPad Air 2. Booqpad is still unique, but we're wondering if that's because no other manufacturer really thinks a combo paper notepad/iPad case is worthwhile. It's a well-done case; it's just that the idea seems a bit less exciting than it did a year ago. Rating: 3-1/2 stars out of 4 stars possible Giveaway OK, if you're just dying for a Booqpad, hold onto your hats because we're giving one 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 January 16, 2015 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected in a random drawing and will receive a Booq Booqpad for iPad Air 2 valued at $60. Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
EyePatch Case covers and cleans your iPhone camera lenses
Most iPhone owners love using the cameras - both front and back - for photography, since they are of surprisingly good quality and resolution. On occasion, though, fingerprints can turn your images into blurry messes. EyePatch Cases (US$19.99 for iPhone 5/5s/6) from Sorrentino Designs come with a unique feature; a lens cap that covers your iPhone cameras when not in use and wipes away smudges with a built-in microfiber cloth. The lens cap, known as the EyePatch Switch, is molded from polycarbonate and is placed over the top of your iPhone. It slides away when you're ready to take a photo, then slides back into place to protect your lenses. There's a small gap in the front iPatch cover that exposes the proximity and light sensors when the EyePatch Switch is in the closed position so that the your iPhone still functions properly. Other than the obvious benefit of keeping your camera lenses from being scratched or smudged, there's also a benefit for those who are concerned about smartphone security. EyePatch Case inventor Michael Sorrentino notes that in an interview with NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams last year, NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden claimed that the NSA has the ability to remotely access smartphone cameras. By blocking the cameras, this fear can be vanquished. The EyePatch Case came out of a successful crowdfunding project on HeadFunder, where it raised just enough money to launch. The product now comes in black, white and purple colors, and there are extra EyePatch Switches available in Yellow, Pink, Black and White. The iPhone 6 EyePatch Case is available for pre-order at this time. The case itself is a rather generic silicone stretch case and if it was not for the EyePatch Switch, the case would be totally unremarkable. Rating: 3 stars out of 4 stars possible Giveaway Want to win an EyePatch case of your own? We're giving away two - one for the iPhone 5/5s, and another for the iPhone 6. 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 January 13, 2015 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time. You may enter only once. Two winners will be selected in a random drawing. One will receive an EyePatch Case for iPhone 5/5s valued at $19.99, while the other will receive the iPhone 6 EyePatch Case also valued at $19.99. Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Test driving the ClamCase Pro keyboard case for iPad Air 2 (Updated)
With the arrival of the iPad Air 2 last fall, many case manufacturers went back to the drawing board to produce new products that would accommodate the slightly thinner tablet. One of the favorite keyboard cases for those of us here at TUAW has always been the ClamCase Pro (US$169.00), and that case has recently been updated for the latest member of the iPad family. Specifications Dimensions: 9.74 x 7.30 x 0.74 inches (247.4 x 185.4 x 18.8 mm) Weight: 1.2 lbs (.544 kg) Battery life: 100 hours uninterrupted use time, 6 months standby time, recharges in 120 minutes Previous Reviews ClamCase Pro for iPad (May 14, 2013) ClamCase Pro for iPad Air (August 6, 2014) Design When it comes to iPad keyboard cases that stand up to a lot of abuse, the ClamCase Pro is the hands-down winner. The case features an aluminum body to hold the keyboard and battery, while the iPad Air is securely surrounded with tough polycarbonate. While it may not be the lightest or thinnest keyboard case on the market, the ClamCase Pro is certainly one of the most versatile. The case features a special hinge that lets the iPad be used in landscape orientation just like a laptop similar to other keyboard cases. But the amazing part of this design is in how the iPad can be flipped a full 360° for tablet use. The keyboard has a great feel with good feedback, and there are separate rows for the number keys and iOS function keys. Those keys include a "home" key, Spotlight search, cut, copy and paste, Siri, switch to alternative keyboards, and music and volume controls. There's also a lock key, a full arrow pad, and one special key to tell you how much of a charge is remaining in the ClamCase Pro battery. A single LED is used to provide users with initial Bluetooth pairing status, caps lock, and the battery level. There's an external power switch on the left side of the keyboard to turn the power on and off. Functionality As with previous models of the ClamCase Pro, the iPad Air 2 version pairs quickly with your tablet, requiring no 4-digit code to be entered. As much as I love the classic ClamCase Pro design, there are several things about the case that are beginning to seem dated in comparison with newer keyboard cases. For example, many of the new cases automatically power on and off and don't even have a power switch. That feature is quite useful, as I often found myself closing the ClamCase Pro "cover" -- which turns off the iPad Air 2 -- but forgetting to power down the keyboard. That's not all bad, as the ClamCase Pro does shut off your iPad Air 2 when the lid is down. However, if you're planning on watching a movie in the configuration shown below or you're holding the case in the "flipped" configuration seen above, you should probably use the power switch to turn the keyboard off or you may find you're inadvertently pushing buttons. Update: the ClamCase Pro does shut off the keyboard power automatically when it is in tablet mode. The design of the keyboard case also provides a nice palm rest below the keyboard, which is not only helpful when typing with the iPad Air 2 and ClamCase Pro in your lap, but almost necessary at any time. As light as the iPad Air 2 is, pushing the "screen" back out of the default position or typing on an angled surface can result in the keyboard lifting up. That makes it important for users to keep their palms on the keyboard in those conditions to ensure that the case and iPad don't take a tumble. After using some other keyboard cases for a while, there's one other thing I noticed about the ClamCase Pro -- the space bar is a bit noisy. I've really become accustomed to typing in complete silence on some competing keyboards. This, however, may be specific to the particular test case I was trying. Conclusion All things considered, the ClamCase Pro for iPad Air 2 is probably the most robust keyboard case I've had the pleasure to test. In my opinion, it really protects the iPad better than any other keyboard case on the market. On the negative side, it's still one of the more expensive keyboard cases available, and is also quite heavy in comparison to many competing cases. It's up to the buyer to determine if the protection and flexibility of the design outweigh the premium price and added weight. For anyone who wants to use their iPad to do laptop-type work, there's no better keyboard case to use. Rating: 3-1/2 stars out of 4 stars possible.
These USB to Lightning charging cables are AWESOME
No, I'm not being overly effusive about a USB to Lightning charging cable; I'm just referring to the brand name for a line of accessories. Awesome Cables used crowdfunding and some design smarts to create charging cables that are a bit different from what you'll get from most other manufacturers. Today we're looking at a pair of these cables, both of which use a braided, non-tangle covering on the exterior. The Mamba Cable (US$30) is Apple MFi-certified, and what you're going to love about this cable is its length - it's 10 feet (3 meters) long! No more sitting next to a wall outlet while charging; you'll be able to hang out at a distance. The Lightning connector and USB plug both have aerospace aluminum shells, and there are good-sized stress relievers on both ends as well. Unlike the stock Apple cables, you're not going to eventually see cracking where the cable meets the connectors, and that's a good thing. The Mamba Cables are expected to ship this month, and you can pre-order them now in either Lightning or micro-USB styles ($20) in black or glow-in-the-dark. The other cable I tested was the 6-foot Braided Awesome Cable 2.0 ($22) in a fun Camo finish (note: the Camo finish was apparently still visible to my cats, who like to play with it). Only the black cables are showing as shipping at this time, but you'll be able to get them in gold, silver and blue finishes soon as well as the Camo pattern. There's usually not a lot to say about charging cables - you plug 'em in and they work. But if you're the type of person who is constantly plugging and unplugging charging cables and has had to replace short, cheap plastic cables frequently, spend a few bucks more and consider getting one of the Awesome Cables. I have to admit, they live up to their name. Rating: 4 stars out of 4 stars possible
CES 2015: LifeProof and Scosche say it's OK to play in the water
A couple of announcements out of Las Vegas seem to be telling those of us with iOS devices that it's going to be OK to play in the water this year. Both LifeProof and Scosche have announced new waterproof goodies at CES 2015 that promise to provide power to your iOS toys while keeping them safe from H2O. First, LifeProof announced the frē Power, a waterproof battery case for the iPhone 6 that will not only supply 2600 mAh of power, but keep your pride and joy from drowning if you happen to dunk it. The frē Power case is not only waterproof at depths up to 2 meters (6.6 feet) for up to an hour, but it meets Milspec standards for shock and impact as well. No price or delivery date has been announced, but you can sign up to be notified when the frē Power ships later this year. Scosche is saying "go big or go home" with the new goBAT 6000 and goBAT 12000 rugged and waterproof external battery packs. The goBAT 6000 features a 6000 mAh lithium-ion battery and a single 2.4A USB port, while the goBAT 12000 boasts a 12000 mAh battery and two 2.4 USB ports. Both goBATs are IP67 rated and meet or exceed military shockproofing standards. Expected later in Q1 2015, the goBAT 6000 will retail for US$44.99 while its big brother will be priced at $79.99.
CES 2015: OWC's Envoy Pro mini brings SSD performance to a thumb drive form factor
While flash "thumb drives" are convenient, cheap and come in a variety of capacities, they don't exactly thrill users with their speed. Other World Computing yesterday announced the Envoy Pro mini, a USB 3.0 SuperSpeed SSD drive in the form factor of one of the ubiquitous flash drives. The drive, which won the Storage Visions 2015 Visionary Product Award for Mobile Consumer Storage, is packed in a sturdy aluminum enclosure and can be used for storing and transferring data or backing up your Mac. Unlike a traditional USB 3.0 flash drive, you could also probably get away with installing an OS X beta onto the Envoy Pro mini for test purposes since it should be much faster. OWC says that the drive "achieves sustained transfer speeds up to 433 MB/s". The Envoy Pro mini will be shipping in January in two sizes: 120GB (US$119) and 240GB ($199). OWC also announced that the drive will be available soon in a 480GB capacity with price to be determined.
Mophie announces Juice Pack battery case for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus
Mophie is finally bringing its Juice Pack battery cases to iPhone 6 and 6 Plus users. Today the company launched pre-orders for the latest editions of the popular cases with prices starting at US$99.95. That price is good for either the Juice Pack Air for the iPhone 6 or the Juice Pack for the iPhone 6. iPhone 6 users can also splurge on the $119.95 Juice Pack Plus, which offers 20 percent more battery life than the Juice Pack Air, along with a shock absorbing shell. Of the three cases, the Juice Pack for iPhone 6 Plus offers the least amount of extra charge, promising an extra 14.5 hours of talk time. Given that the iPhone 6 Plus' battery already provides 24 hours of talk time, that's roughly only 60 percent more battery life. Still, the iPhone 6 Plus has a considerably more powerful battery than the iPhone 6, so another 14.5 hours may be all the extra juice you need. Take a look at their offerings for yourself right here on Mophie's website. No hard release date has been announced, but hopefully pre-orders will be shipping soon.
CES 2015: Energous WattUp wireless charging
"Wireless charging" for Apple devices at this point usually consists of wrapping your iPhone or iPad in a special case or attaching a special dongle to the Lightning port and then placing the device on some sort of inductive charging pad (the Qi charging standard from the Wireless Power Consortium is a perfect example of this). How would you like to be able to have your devices charge up automatically whenever you're within range of a special wireless transmitter? That's the premise behind the Energous Corporation WattUp product demoed at CES this year. WattUp is a Bluetooth and RF-enabled transmitter (that black device in the image at the top of this post) that uses Wi-Fi bands to deliver what the company calls "intelligent, scalable power" to devices that require 10 watts or less of power. Up to 12 receiving devices can be charged by one WattUp transmitter at any time, and the company has an app for controlling the order and preference of charges. For example, smartphones or tablets could start charging whenever you walk into your home, while keyboards and remotes might charge at night. Energous wants to license WattUp to manufacturers of wearables, smartphones, and tablets, so we can only hope that the company has approached Apple. I, for one, would love to use a system like this for constant trickle charging of an Apple Watch.
CES 2015: AT&T announces 4G LTE Modio Smartcase for Wi-Fi iPads
So, you bought a Wi-Fi-only iPad or iPad mini, and now you're regretting the fact that you can't work or play while away from Wi-Fi networks. Regrets, begone! At CES 2015, AT&T today announced the new Modio Smartcase, which is essentially an iPad case with a built-in 4G LTE hotspot. The case will eventually be available for all models of the iPad Air and iPad mini, and has some other perks in addition to the 4G LTE connection. There's a built-in 4,600 mAh battery pack to keep the device going for up to 10 hours, and a microSD card slot that can be used to offload up to 32 GB of files off of your iPad. The AT&T Modio Data application will work to let you do the file transfers, as well as monitor your data usage and connection. AT&T customers with a Mobile Share plan can add the Modio Smartcase-equipped iPad to their plan. Currently, the AT&T website shows the Modio Smartcase for iPad mini as "coming soon," but no availability dates or pricing have been set for the other models.
CES 2015: Braven rolls out new 805, Balance, and BRV-PRO Bluetooth Speakers
And now, let's take a break from the connected devices news from CES 2015 with an announcement of three new Bluetooth speakers from Braven. The company, which is known for some pretty decent Bluetooth speakers, announced three models - the 805, Balance, and BRV-PRO. The Braven 805 (image at top of post) will remind many readers of many eariler Braven speakers designed for use in the home. It comes in a variety of colors - orange, teal, magenta, red, green, yellow, white, gray and black. Priced at US$199.99 and expected to ship this month, the Braven 805 can be paired with a second 805, 850, 855s, 1100, or BRV-HD speaker for true left-right channel stereo sound. The 805 also provides speakerphone capability with an integrated noise-canceling microphone, and packs a 4400 mAh battery for charging your other portable devices. Next on the list is the Braven Balance, an indoor/outdoor speaker with a thin profile, anti-slip exterior, and IPX5 waterproof rating. Priced at $149.99, Braven expects to ship the Balance in the second quarter of 2015. Like the Braven 805, the Balance has a 4400 mAh internal battery for powering other devices, and can be used as a speakerphone. Expect the Balance to be colorful, as it will ship in Raven, Alpine, Raspberry, Electric, Sunset and Periwinkle. Finally, outdoor enthusiasts are going to lve the BRV-PRO, a $149.99 ruggedized modular speaker that will come with a range of accessories. The accessories include a 2800 mAh extended battery pack to give the built-in 2200 mAh battery some help, an LED Glow Deck that turns the BRV-PRO into a mini-lantern for camping, a Folding Solar Panel for sun-powered charging, a GoPro compatible camera mount, a Qi Wireless charging pad, and a Stack Plate Multiplier for stacking multiple BRV-PRO speakers. The accessories will be priced anywhere from $29.99 to $49.99 each. Expect to see some reviews of some of the new Braven speakers on TUAW in the future.
The iRig 2 wants to replace your guitar pedal board with a phone
IK Multimedia has been cranking out new versions of its iRig guitar adapter for phones and tablets for nearly five years. Here at CES 2015, there's yet another update. The iRig 2 still allows you to connect that axe to an iOS, Mac or Android device, but this time around, there's a 1/4-inch output jack, so you can use the company's mobile apps (like AmpliTube) alongside an amp with ease. It also means that, if you so choose, you could make that mobile device part of an effects loop, or replace it entirely. Sure, the sound of individual pedals is hard to beat, but this setup aims for convenience. There's also a headphone jack to keep from annoying bandmates, and while the onboard gain control returns, a new toggle switch will bypass the connected mobile device entirely. If you're considering giving it a go, the accessory will be available during Q1 for $39.99/€29.99.
CES 2015: Toshiba's iPhone dongle is crazy fast
Toshiba is shooting for AirDrop lovers with a new wireless transfer accessory that can send data between iOS devices faster than ever before. The tiny little dongle has a maximum throughput of 375Mbps and can transfer upwards of 100MB between iOS gadgets in just a few seconds, making it perfect for photo and video transfer. The dongle itself has a rather unsexy name (TJM35420LT) but it runs on Sony's TransferJet (oooh, that's better) technology. Like NFC, the transfer can only take place if two TransferJet devices are within a few centimeters of each other, but unlike NFC the TransferJet technology is specifically suited to large transfer jobs rather than quick authentication or payments. The accessory will be made available in Japan to start, priced at around $40, with a worldwide rollout coming sometime later. [via PCWorld]
Lenovo's new laptop accessories are modular, stackable, weird
Docks, external hard drives and other laptop add-ons are supposed to make your life easier, but they can be a hassle if you have to carry more than one. Just ask any traveler unpacking a mess of boxes and wires if you need proof. Lenovo wants to get rid of this clutter as much as you do, so it's launching a rather oddball accessory system, the ThinkPad Stack, to simplify things a bit. The modular, magnetic design lets you pile peripherals on top of each other (complete with shared data and power) to save space and eliminate cabling -- think of it as a Voltron for road warriors. As quirky as that sounds, it makes sense in real-life situations. If you need both a wireless hotspot and a battery pack on your big business trip, for instance, you won't have to lug around two sets of cables to keep them powered up.
CES 2015: Seagate, LaCie announce new storage products including Seagate Wireless
The inbox at TUAW was full today with a number of CES announcements from electronics and accessory manufacturers. Some of the most exciting announcements of the day came from storage vendor Seagate Technology and its LaCie brand. First, the Seagate announcements. The company debuted a 500GB portable wireless drive called Seagate Wireless that works with just about any tablet or smartphone, in particular the iPhone and iPad. The $129.99 drive will be available early next month in lime green, cool blue, slate grey, fire-engine red and white. The idea behind the drive is to give you a Wi-Fi enabled storage center onto which users can save media such as video (it can hold up to 200 HD movies), photographs, and documents. The device can also stream the content to your TV via Apple TV or Google Chromecast. Expect 6 hours of battery life from the device. Next up are the Seagate Personal Cloud and Personal Cloud 2-Bay, wireless devices that use the Seagate Media and Seagate Mobile Backup apps to store media and provide backups for all of your devices. Knowing that savvy users like multiple backups, the Personal Cloud devices can automatically back up to online providers as well. When you're away from home, the Seagate Media app provides a way to browse and use content on the drive. The Personal Cloud device will be available later in January in 3, 4, and 5TB versions, while the 2-Bay device will come in 4, 6, and 8TB capacities. The single bay 3TB version will retail for $169, while the 2-Bay 8TB device will max out the line at $449. Finally, if you have to have the thinnest accessories around, you'll love the Seagate 7, a 7mm thick portable drive. It will retail for $99 in a 500GB configuration. As an example of just how far storage has come over the 35 years Seagate has been around, the company's first hard drive stored just 5MB of data and was over 5 inches thick - about 127mm. LaCie announced one of the more beautiful peripherals we've seen lately - the LaCie Mirror. It's a portable 1TB hard drive that will retail for $279.99. That's quite expensive as hard drives go, but if you're into design you're going to love the Mirror. It's covered with mirrored scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass, and sits on a base made of a single piece of ebony wood. LaCie also announced the Rugged RAID. It's a ruggedized RAID array that features Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 ports for speed, and it can withstand 1.5 meter drops and 1 ton of pressure. There's even water and dust resistance thanks to an IP54 rating. The Thunderbolt cable is built into the case so it can never be lost. Expect to see it in a 4TB capacity for $449.99 later this quarter.
All the best hardware and app reviews last week on TUAW
Last week was a holiday week but that didn't stop new hardware and apps from making their way into TUAW's virtual office. Here's a quick roundup of our recent reviews you may have missed. App Reviews Pocket Drive turns your iOS device into an external drive Tunity turns your iPhone into personal TV headphones LifeBox for iPhone is strange and addictive TripCast: Capturing and sharing your travels Translator Speak and Translate Free gives you a simultaneous interpreter in your pocket Hardware Reviews SpotCam is a capable Wi-Fi camera for your home Mountie: An inexpensive and innovative way to attach iPhone or iPad to your Mac The Puzlook iPhone case combines a puzzle and photography TUAW will be back next week with another round of reviews, so be sure to drop by to see what's new and what's cool.
Mountie: An inexpensive and innovative way to attach iPhone or iPad to your Mac
One new product that will certainly be making a fun splash at CES this week is from Ten One Design, the same company that brought Apple fans such fun things as the Magnus Air and Magnus mini iPad stands, the Pogo and Pogo Connect styluses. Next month they'll be shipping a new item that you can pre-order now, the US$24.95 Mountie. What's the idea behind Mountie? It uses a strong rubberized grip and swappable inserts that provide a way for you to attach any iPhone after the iPhone 4, the iPad Air 1/2 or the iPad mini to any MacBook or post-2012 iMac. It comes in two colors, neither of which you'll actually see while using the device - blue and green. You can then use your "second screen" to do a lot of different things. Use Mountie to take a break from work by watching a movie or your favorite show on an attached iPad, have your iPhone cranking out music while you're blogging, or even use an app like Duet Display to turn your iPhone or iPad into a second Mac display. Mountie looks like a useful product and the price is right on the money. Rather than taking up valuable desk space with a traditional stand for your iPhone or iPad, you can just stick it to the side of your MacBook or iMac in seconds. We will be reviewing Mountie within the next week or two, so stay tuned to TUAW. Oh, and if you happen to be in Las Vegas for the CES craziness, visit the Ten One Design folks at North Hall 6523.
A pair of putrid pink phone protectors
There are plenty of poorly conceived iPhone cases out there, but it's rare that you see a company really knock it out of the park with a bad design only to follow it up with an even worse one. Moschino, an Italian luxury firm that dreams up all manner of absurd fashion accessories, has really Barbie'd out its iPhone offerings and dreamt up a pair of absolutely unusable iPhone shells. The first is modeled after a Barbie toy mirror that apparently holds such nostalgia for some that they're willing to make their smartphone about a hundred times more cumbersome in order to relive it. It's big, awkward, and weird. Kind of like a lobster. The second case doesn't sound too bad on paper -- it's a case designed to look like one of Barbie's old toy phones -- but in practice it's pretty much abysmal. Ignoring the massive size, thick rubber sides, and the nearly impossible-to-reach lock button, the case is laid out such that you'll actually be talking into the back of the Barbie phone while you're speaking on your real one. If that's not a recipe for being mocked in public, I don't know what is.
