Lightning
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Here's how accessories will use your iPhone's Lightning port
Apple already lets accessory makers use the Lightning port on iOS devices for headphones. However, it's reportedly close to opening the floodgates to more devices. And if 9to5Mac's leaked specs are accurate, the company will let these peripherals do more than you might expect. Lightning lets the iPhone send power and data to everything from game controllers to speakers, but it should also let you pass through other accessories at the same time. A dock could charge and sync your iPhone while you listen to music without needing a mess of extra cables, for instance. The connector should also charge battery-powered gear faster than the standard USB cables you use today.
Seek Thermal helps your smartphone see in the dark
For as long as humanity has existed, it has sought to banish the darkness that surrounds us for half of each day. Fire, candles and the electric lightbulb have all done their part, and it's now time that thermal cameras join our pantheon of weapons. We've already seen some smartphone-based modules last year, and now Seek Thermal has joined the fray with its Android and iOS unit that joins to your smartphone and helps you see in the dark.
Philips, not Beats, announces first Lightning-equipped headphones (update)
Back at WWDC, Apple announced a new spec for its Made For iPhone program: the ability to use a Lightning cable to connect headphones with iOS devices. With that in mind, and Apple's recent purchase of Beats, many (myself included) assumed that Dr. Dre and Co. would be the first to unveil a set of cans featuring the newfangled feature. Nope. Today, Philips announced that its Fidelio M2L set that will digitally connect with the diminutive jack rather than the 3.5mm port, with a built-in 24-bit digital to analog converter (DAC) to boost sound quality. In addition to the higher-resolution audio, using the Lightning connector will also cut down on crosstalk and noise. Unfortunately, the increased quality appears to be the only spot Philips leveraged the port's abilities as there's no mention of controls and the like. If these look familiar, you might remember the Fidelio M1BT that debuted last year carrying similar stylings. Ready to take the leap? Well, you'll have to wait until December, but when the M2L headphones arrive, they'll set you back €250 (around $323 converted).
Belkin's MIXIT Lightning to USB cables: A better Lightning cable?
You might think that there's not much you can do to improve on the standard old Lightning to USB cables that you get with new iPhones and iPads, but you're wrong. For one thing, the plastic-coated standard Apple cables have a tendency to fray and crack, the plastic shells can crack if the cables are dropped, and the plain white exterior just doesn't match Jony Ive's design sensibilities. Belkin went to the drawing board and came back with MIXIT Lightning to USB cables. Today I'm taking a quick look at the Metallic Cables (US$24.99 for 6-inch, $29.99 for 4-foot) designed for the iPhone 5s. Specifications Type: USB to Lightning Length: 6 inches or 4 feet (15 or 122 cm) Colors: Space Gray, Silver, Gold MFi-certified by Apple Aluminum tips, braided cable Design Highlights Hey, a USB to Lightning cable isn't all that exciting, but the MIXIT cables immediately demonstrate some advantages: first, the cable has a nice braided surface that flexes more easily than a plastic sheath will, hopefully keeping the cables from cracking or splitting for a longer prior of time. Next, they're in colors that match your iPhone 5s. I know that sounds like another non-big deal, but I am so bored of plain white and black (or sometimes pink or orange) plastic cables. These just look a lot classier, and if they happen to accentuate just how sweet that iPhone 5s looks, so much the better. The Lightning end of the cable has a plastic end that is slightly larger than that of the standard Apple cable; I think it makes it a bit easier to grab. The USB end is pretty much identical to the Apple cable in both width and length. Functionality Highlights Are you kidding me? It's a USB to Lightning cable. Plug it in, it works. It's no faster or slower, but it does look better. And if it happens to last a bit longer than the standard Apple cable because of the construction, then it's worth the money. Frankly, the stress-relief plastic on the Apple cables is longer, although that on the Belkin cables has a larger diameter. Speaking of price, the 4-foot Belkin MIXIT cable is the same price as Apple's 2 meter (over 6 foot long) cable. Apple's boring white cable is $19.99 in the 1 meter length, $29.99 in the 2 meter length. If you're just looking for cheap and don't care about the looks, I'd recommend heading over to Monoprice where you can get perfectly serviceable and inexpensive USB to Lightning cables for less than what you'd spend for either the Belkin MIXIT or Apple units. The 6-inch cable is really quite overpriced. I use a similar short cable for charging my iPhone while I'm sitting at my desk; I bought it for $12 at Monoprice. Conclusion Pricey and good-looking, like me. If you're looking for a Lightning to USB cable that's a bit more stylish than your average one, then you're going to love Belkin's MIXIT Metallic Cables. If price is more important than looks, then these are not the cables you're looking for. Move along. Rating: 2-1/2 stars out of 4 stars possible
Watch lightning strike around the world in real time
There's a mesmerizing new project from an organization called Blitzortung.org that lets you see real-time lightning strikes around the world. It works using a network of volunteers willing to purchase and set up a $275 or so detection kit consisting of an antenna system, amplifier and controller. Once activated, each station can spot the radio signals from a lightning strike and transmit the precise time and location to the Blitzortung.org's servers. From there, the lightning is displayed (complete with bug-zapper sound) on one of five maps including North America and Europe, along with a line between the strike and detecting station. Curiously, a sensor in New York can pick up lightning in Cuba, for instance, since the low frequency RF waves from lightning can travel thousands of miles. Hit the source if you want to participate, or just check the maps to marvel at another striking example of crowd-sourcing in action.
Apple's new Lightning spec allows for smarter, better-sounding headphones
When Apple first unveiled its Lightning connector, there was a debate about whether or not it was needed at all: what can this proprietary tech do that standard micro-USB can't? Well, it looks like we're going to find out soon. Sources for 9to5 Mac understand that Apple has published a new specification that lets headphone makers use an iOS device's Lightning port for audio instead of the normal 3.5mm jack. On a basic level, this allows headsets to launch apps and carry more than just the usual playback controls. However, there's reportedly an advanced spec that permits a lot more -- headphones could include digital-to-analog converters and other processing that overrides what's in the device. If you're not happy with the fidelity of the built-in hardware, a new pair of cans could provide an upgrade.
Meet the electric motorcycle that's now the fastest production bike in the world
The Lightning LS-218 boasts a model number that actually means something. Back in 2012, a prototype of the electric bike clocked in a wholly unnecessary (yet much appreciated) 218mph, helping it to win at Pikes Peak and setting it up to become the world's fastest production motorcycle. The finished version is now ready to make good on that promise, having just been revealed at the Quail Motorsport Gathering in California, prior to a scheduled launch in the summer -- at which point it'll likely cost upwards of $38,000.
Hyper announces iStick, the first iOS flash drive with a built-in Lightning connector
One of the great frustrations of owning an iOS product is how difficult it can be to get files off the device without an internet connection. Thankfully a market is emerging for flash drives that can connect to your iOS device. PhotoFast's i-FlashDrive is already available, but Hyper has just announced its entry into the iOS flash drive market with the iStick. The iStick is the worlds first USB flash drive for iOS that comes with an integrated Apple lightning connector. You can see it above in beautiful GIF form. Sadly, the iStick is only available as a Kickstarter pre-order which just launched. As of the time of this writing, the Kickstarter project had already wildly surpassed its goal of US$100,000 by an extra $26,629. The iStick will come in 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB capacities and will allow a wide range of abilities for iOS users. It can be used to backup photos, videos, and files on the go, allowing you to free up space without having to connect to a computer. Media fans will enjoy the ability to stream movies and music directly from the iStick to their iPad, even if it's a file type normally not native to iOS. Currently Hyper is claiming the device will support MP3, MP4, M4V, MPV, MOV, MPG, MKV, AVI, WMV, RMVB, FLV, 3GP, and GIF. Here's the device's Kickstarter launch video. When you're done watching, continue reading for a full list of the devices current features and specs. The iStick looks incredible on paper; we can't wait to get our hands on one. Current iStick App Features Free universal iPhone/iPad/iPod touch iOS app Music & Movie Player (able to decode MKV, RMVB, AVI, WMV etc.) 1080p HD movie streaming, direct playback from iStick Photo & Document (Excel, Word, Powerpoint, PDF, iWork) Viewer Open files directly on the iStick without the need to copy to iDevice Copy/Move files between iDevice and iStick File Management (Copy/Cut/Paste/Delete/Rename/Create Folder) Backup photos/videos from iDevice Camera Roll to iStick Support "Open In" functionality Open files from other apps in iStick app Open files from iStick in other apps iDevice Contacts backup and restore Product Specifications Capacity: 8GB/16GB/32GB/64GB/128GB Connectors: Standard USB 2.0 and Apple MFi-Certified Lightning Connector iStick-to-USB Speed: 12MB/s (Read), 7.5MB/s (Write) iStick-to-iDevice Speed: 2.5MB/s (Read), 1.9MB/s (Write) Construction: ABS Plastic and/or Aluminum Dimensions: 51.6 x 28.6 x 9.1mm Weight: 10g Supported File Formats: Video .mp4, .m4v, .mpv, .mov, .mpg, .mkv, .avi, .wmv, .rmvb, .flv, .3gp, .gif Audio .wav, .aac, .aif, .aiff, .caf, .m4a, .mp3 Images .jpg, .tiff, .gif Documents .doc and .docx (Microsoft Word); .htm and .html (web pages); .key (Keynote); .numbers (Numbers); .pages (Pages); .pdf (Preview and Adobe Acrobat); .ppt and .pptx (Microsoft PowerPoint); .txt (text); .rtf (rich text format); .vcf (contact information); .xls and .xlsx (Microsoft Excel); .zip; .ics Compatibility iPhone 5/5s/5c, iPad (4th Generation), iPad mini, iPad mini with Retina display, iPad Air, iPod touch (5th Generation)
Crowdfunding Roundup: New Apple-related projects
Every week, TUAW provides readers with an update on what new or significant crowdfunded Apple-related projects are in the news. While our policy is to not go into detail on items that haven't reached at least 80 percent of their funding goal, this update is designed to give readers a heads-up on projects they might find interesting enough to back. From Kickstarter SPIN is billed as a premium in-ear audio solution that provides a very cool cord-retraction mechanism in an aluminum casing to destroy cord tangling once and for all. One of the co-founders of SPIN, Kevin Brennan, hails from LUNATIK -- we're big fans of their products here at TUAW. The campaign has about a month to go and is currently at about 4.5 percent of the $125,000 necessary to bring this product to life. When I first saw FretPen, I immediately thought that this diminutive guitar fell out of Jim Dalrymple's ample Beard™. I'll let the video below give you an idea of how amazing this thing is when used with your iPhone. And it's also usable as a pen! Which reminds me of The Who's "Guitar and Pen"... but I digress. With 26 days to go, it's about a third of the way towards funding. YOU CAN PUSH IT OVER THE TOP ... YEEEEEAAAHHHHH! DARWINmachine wants to evolve the iPad stand, which is why they've designed the F2 iPad/Tablet Stand. It has about three weeks to go, and is about 40 percent funded. F2 is a professionally-machined piece of gear that not only looks futuristic, but works well too. Give it a look if you're tired of the same old iPad stands that are currently on the market. The Star Trek Tricorder is closer than you think. The SCiO pocket molecular scanner from Consumer Physics is amazing. Use it with your iPhone and it uses infrared spectroscopy to do some amazing things -- tell you what the nutritional value of a food is, identify a medication, or determine how ripe a piece of fruit is. Unsurprisingly, SCiO is already 188 percent funded with about six weeks to go. We covered Lunecase yesterday in a breakout post, and it's bleepin' amazing. Lunecase is an iPhone case that harnesses the electromagnetic energy from your phone to power a display on the back. The case "knows and identifies when users receive an SMS message or a phone call before it is even displayed on the iPhone's screen." Lunecase is 180 percent funded with five weeks to go, but you can still get in on the fun. Would you buy a Lightning or micro-USB cable if it had a lifetime warranty? One of the primary issues with existing cables is that there's no strain relief around the actual plugs, so the cables become frayed and unusable way too quickly. Snakable uses a patent-pending strain-relief assembly to keep your cables in one piece. The Lightning cables will be Apple MFi-certified, and the project is about 10 percent funded with three weeks to go. Get to work, backers! Hat tip to Hal Sherman for feeding us this one! And although I was a day late in getting this week's crowdfunding roundup to "press", that's all I've got this week. Be sure to join us next week for even more great projects that could use your funding dollars. If you're aware of any other crowdfunded Apple-related projects, be sure to let us know about them through the Tip Us button at the upper right of the TUAW home page for future listing on the site. Just make sure that they actually have a valid reason for existing, OK?
Hands on with Henge's Gravitas: one hefty dock, many devices
If Asimov's famous Three Laws of Robotics had been focused on a more mundane technological achievement, like iOS device docks, the first law might well have been "A dock shall not cause harm to a device, or through instability allow a device to come to harm." By that standard, the US$89 Gravitas dock from Henge is fully compliant; its ample mass and interchangeable inserts mean that your iPhone or iPad are staying exactly where you put them. (Development of the second and third laws of device docks is left as an exercise for the reader.) The Gravitas, which we first saw on display at Macworld/iWorld in 2013, is now available in either Lightning or 30-pin flavors. It's a dense hunk of metal that's almost uncomfortably heavy to hold in one hand (mass of 1.17kg, weighing 2.54 pounds). The cylindrical dock has a downward-angled face bisected by the device slot, which is designed to adapt to any compatible iOS gadget (depending on the port type) by swapping in the appropriate plastic insert. The dock's desk-hugging textured bottom and sheer heft mean that you can confidently insert or remove your iPad without worrying that it may go flying across your cubicle. The back of the Gravitas features a USB "A" connector (more on that below) and a 3.5mm audio-out jack, allowing you to connect the Gravitas to conventional powered speakers or even headphones. I used the Gravitas with both an iPhone 5 and an iPad Air on my desk, and, as befitting a not-particularly-inexpensive chunk of gear, it certainly caught the eye of passerby. Both devices fit into their assigned inserts (which are easy to swap once you get the hang of pulling on both sides of the dock at once), and showed to best effect. The iPhone in particular looked very sharp, like a museum piece on a plinth. The iPad, however, ended up a little bit more vertical than I liked for easy viewing when I was sitting at my desk -- I resorted to tucking my Smart Cover under the front edge of the Gravitas to provide a little shimming and tilt the dock back. Your individual ergonomics, of course, may vary -- using the Gravitas as a charging station with a photo slideshow on the iPad lock screen is bound to elicit appreciative murmurs from your neighbors. About that USB connector, though: the Gravitas comes with and requires an unusual USB A female - A female cable, which is rarely seen in the wild. Most older peripherals like printers and hubs use an A-B cable, so buyers are likely to have a few of those kicking around; a USB mini or micro cable (often used for non-Apple phones, scanners, microphones or external battery packs) would also be a lot easier to source from the junk drawer, if necessary. Building the dock to use the A-A cable means that anyone wanting to deploy the Gravitas in multiple locations/with different computers needs to be packing a spare cable or remember to take the supplied one along. The thing is so massive, though, that I don't see many users relocating it frequently. There are certainly cheaper docks on the market with a good deal of flexibility, but if you want to showcase your iDevice in a set-it-and-it's-grounded way while preserving the ability to change out inserts on the fly, the Gravitas delivers. You can order one direct from Henge for $89, or two for $149. (Your UPS guy may give you a cross look if you order more than two.) Rating: 3 stars out of 4 stars possible
Raindrops on roses, Lightning adapters, and whiskers on kittens
I own roughly a billion-and-one old-style iPhone and iPod cables, most of them not strictly "Made for iPhone" (MFi). They have seen hard use over the years, but they've been cheap and easy to replace. In February, I finally made the jump to Lightning when I purchased a refurbished pair of an iPad Air and a latest generation iPod touch. I love my new babies, with their lightness and bright screens (and, in the case of the touch, modern Wi-Fi and a 4" screen that is terrific for iOS development). However, their new cable system has been driving me nuts. That's because the ease and cheapness of my existing stock of connectors no longer works with the new Lightning-based models. Purchasing extra MFi cables starts at about $14 for an Amazon Basics 3-foot cord. I tend to use my portable battery packs with tiny 6-inch cables, which make less of a clutter in my backpack. Fortunately, a couple of weeks ago, I stumbled across adapters on Amazon that convert Lightning to good old Euro-standard Micro-USB, which I normally use with my Kindle Fire. These adapters cost only about $2 each or less and slide onto the end of the Micro-USB cables, turning them into Lightning cables. I was pretty wary about these adapters since iOS has become very picky with regards to non-MFI products, and some reviews state they have pretty high fail rates. Regardless, I plopped down my $6 and ordered a set of three, hoping that at least one adapter would pan out. Instead, I was delighted to find that all three worked fine. I have tested these adapters with a variety of battery packs (from Antec, HyperJuice, and one that my husband picked up at the grocery store of all places...) and found that if the output amperage is sufficient to charge the device, the Lightning adapters work fine. I do caution you to carry a small pillbox or envelope for those times when you need to use the battery pack without the adapter, as they are quite small and easy to lose. I'm pleased that my portable Lightning needs have been met for the time being with a minimum of cash outlay and a satisfying reliability. Given how widespread complaints have been about Lightning connector failures due to wear and use, I'll be keeping an eye on these adapters over time to see how they last.
We may soon use lasers to redirect lightning strikes
If there's one thing you should know about Engadget, it's that we absolutely love lasers. And thanks to the University of Arizona and University of Central Florida, our favorite pulsating form of light might soon find a much less destructive purpose, than say on Navy ships, anti-missile airliners and X-Men goggles. Instead of using a lightning rod to transport the average bolt of lightning (and its 1 billion joules of energy) safely into the ground, researchers believe that by using specially designed laser beams, the path of Zeus' thunderbolt can be redirected entirely. Lasers, when traveling through air, leave an ionized gas (plasma) with little to no electric charge. And since lightning travels in the path of least resistance, its charge would theoretically be given a new course. To accomplish such a feat, two different lasers must work together to form what's known as an "externally refuelled optical filament." The first, lower-power beam cuts through the atmosphere, while the second, higher-power beam "refuels" the other so that it doesn't lose focus. What's the catch? So far, those in white coats have only produced a working plasma that's seven feet long since the team started creating curved laser beams in 2009. But refined, this technology could offer much more efficient lightning protection. Who knows, we might be one step closer to harvesting the power of thunderstorms.
Lightning Returns, bearing prizes for fan art competition winners
Square Enix has announced that Final Fantasy series character designer Tetsuya Nomura has chosen three grand prize finalists for a fan art competition. The competition was organized by Square Enix and DeviantArt to celebrate the recent release of Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13, and was the first time Nomura, who designed Final Fantasy 13 heroine Lightning, has acted has a judge. The winners, in no particular order, are Marga Donaire, Nicolas Barge and Randis Albion - or KarmaLizzard, ArisT0te and randis, as they're respectively known on DeviantArt. The three winners will receive an original sketch from Nomura, $1,000, a keychain, a shirt, a custom Xbox 360 and controller, and the complete Final Fantasy 13 trilogy. Each winner will also be the header image at the top of DeviantArt for a day. More than 4,000 creations were entered in the competition, which garnered more than 1.5 million views. We've included a smaller resolution of Donaire's piece, "Wilhelmina" at the top of this article, but you can see the full-resolution image, along with the other two winners, by checking out the gallery below. You can also check out the official DeviantArt contest page to see the rest of the entries. [Image: Marga Donaire]
Lightning Returns with Japanese voice overs and Moogle costume DLC
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13 received a few new pieces of downloadable content today, one of which is the previously-revealed Japanese voice pack. Announced in November 2013, the voice pack costs $3.99 (£3.19/3.99 euros) and adds lip-syncing adjustments to match the game's Japanese voice overs. Additionally, players can pick up three new sets of costumes and equipment, each set available for $3.99 (£3.19/3.99 euros). The three pieces of DLC – dubbed Ultimate Savior, Moogle Lover and Divine Wear – include a weapon, shield, adornment and garb. Players can buy all three in the premium collection pack for $9.99 (£7.99/9.99 euros), and can also pick up five new Lightning Returns themes on PS3 for $1.99 (£1.19/1.49 euros) and avatar items on Xbox 360 for $3.99 (£3.19/3.99 euros). [Image: Square Enix]
WeatherBug for iOS has been revamped with better real-time lightning features
WeatherBug (free) has long been a top choice for people serious about weather. Yes, Yahoo Weather is beautiful and useful, but WeatherBug has always let you dig deeper into weather data. Now, Earth Networks has released an update with enhanced Spark Lightning detection. As before, you'll get a warning when lightning is less than 10 miles away, and now you can zoom out to see lighting anywhere in the world in real time. The look of the map has been improved over earlier versions, too. The company claims its Total Lightning Network is the most advanced system in the world, and it's used by NASA, the National Weather Service and the U.S. Air Force. This latest version now lets you share lightning info with others. Other changes include expansed user-submitted galleries, a cold and flu section, and additions to what are called Lifestyle Forecasts. That includes golf forecasts, outdoor nature forecasts, pollen alerts, and a national flu update. You also get hourly and 10-day forecasts, plus a variety of weather map overlays for radar, clouds, wind speed, pressure, humidity, wind chill and heat index. WeatherBug's look is still a bit busy, but now it lets you choose background colors or a background picture. There are pop-up ads that show up at the bottom of the screen. I looked around for lightning, but when I checked there was nothing going on in the U.S. There were some pretty active storms in South America, and WeatherBug displayed the lightning flashes as they happened. WeatherBug now supports 64 bit operation, and requires iOS 6.1 or later. It's a universal app and it's optimized for the iPhone 5.
Final Fantasy 13's Lightning may return again
Lightning Returns director Motomu Toriyama recently told Siliconera that while the pink-haired heroine's saga has come to a close with the third installment of the Final Fantasy XIII games, Lightning herself may show up as a "guest character" in future Final Fantasy games. "For Lightning, her story ends here in Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, as this game is meant as a finale to this series. But we know that Lightning is an extremely popular character, even when compared to other Final Fantasy characters," Toriyama said. "So there is a possibility that Lightning would appear in other future Final Fantasy titles, not as a protagonist, but as a guest character." Lightning wouldn't be alone if this were to happen - heroes from past Final Fantasy titles have appeared in games like Final Fantasy Tactics, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, Dissidia Final Fantasy and the Kingdom Hearts series. At least keeping her role limited to "guest character" will (hopefully) save us all from "Lightning Returns 2: Electric Boogaloo." [Image: Square-Enix]
Lightning Returns to an 'evolved' battle system in latest trailer
Square Enix offered a new trailer for Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13 today, showing flashes of the game's combat system. The sequel to the sequel of the 2010 RPG features skill-changing equipment customization options as well as tactics like evade, overwhelm and stagger, emphasizing strategic methods of ripping enemies apart. The trailer also includes a brief glimpse at Lightning's confrontation with Caius Ballad, a character first seen in the previous game. Lightning Returns will launch on February 11 in North America and February 14 in Europe for PS3 and Xbox 360. The game's demo and pre-order bonuses were revealed earlier this week, so players can check it out for themselves.
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.
Native Union's Jump charging cable can juice up your devices on the go
It only took a little over 24 hours for Native Union's Jump, a charging cable with a built-in battery pack for juicing up on the go, to reach its funding on Kickstarter. Still, the company hasn't abandoned its booth here at CES to go out and celebrate, so we dropped in and laid some paws on the accessory. In case you need a recap, Jump consists of a central hub which contains an 800mAh battery, one braided cable with a Lightning adapter (or micro-USB) at the end, and another with a USB plug. The hardware is lightweight, easily pocketable and feels quite sturdy. Even the cords themselves feel like they can withstand a significant amount of wear and tear. While at first sight, the cables might appear as if they retract, they simply wrap around the central box and fit into small grooves. stretched from end to end, the contraption measures up at roughly 18 inches in length. On the face of the gadget sit a trio of lights that indicate the built-in battery level when a button on its rear is pressed. Not only does the device feel solid, but it's also quite smart. When plugged in, it'll make sure the gear you've connected will be charged up before topping off its own battery. While Jump will be available for $50 when it launches in May, you can snag it now through its already-successful Kickstarter campaign for $40.
Native Union's Jump is a charging cable with a little built-in battery
We've covered a few cool Native Union accessories before, but this one easily beats them all in terms of thoughtfulness. The Jump, which is debuting at CES, appears to be a Lightning or micro-USB cable that goes through a little cable wrapper, which is intentionally designed to fit into your trousers' tiny coin pocket. The fun part is that this gray pebble also packs 800mAh of battery juice (with 1A current output), so it's good for emergency use. But that's not all! You can use the Jump as a normal cable to charge up your phone, and when the latter is full, the intelligent circuitry -- which had been a tough challenge for Native Union -- diverts the power to the Jump's own battery. To put it simply: you're hitting two birds with one stone here. No need to remind yourself to plug in your portable battery separately at night. The Jump has just been launched as a Kickstarter project, and you can grab one now for as low as $30 (it's a limited offer, of course). Want more? Just add $35 for every additional Jump. Expect this handy little gadget to ship some time in May.
