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Mophie Juice Pack for the HTC One now available
If you picked up an HTC One and found that its battery isn't quite cutting it, Mophie may have a solution for your dilemma. The accessory maker is now offering its popular extended battery line for HTC's crown jewel. In addition to its slim protective casing, the freshly minted Juice Pack keeps the party going with an embedded 2,500mAh backup cell. Mophie claims that its added pick me up can increase the One's battery life by two-fold, placing its performance on a par with the marathon-ready RAZR MAXX HD. Available in two colors to match whichever hue you're sporting, the $100 Juice Pack is a surprisingly attractive backup plan for HTC's aluminum marvel.
IRL: Bing Translator, ioSafe N2 and the Mophie Juice Pack Air
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. Yes, again with the mobile battery packs. (We're power users, okay?) In this week's roundup, Joe ditches his Elecom charger for the Mophie Air, and tells you everything you may wanted to know (and maybe a few things you didn't). Rounding things out, Darren kicks the tires on ioSafe's durable, "disaster-proof" NAS box, while Dan uses Bing Translator to avoid offending the lovely people of Germany.
IRL: Scanner Pro, Mophie Juice Pack Helium and the Native Union Pop Phone
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. It's safe to say we're a little picky around here: Darren's trying out yet another scanner app, and Edgar has settled on a smartphone battery pack (because everyone knows we can't agree on which is the best one). And Philip's been playing with a retro-styled "handset" because, well, why not?
Mophie Juice Pack Air brings an extra 1,700 mAh to iPhone 5 for $100
iPhone 5 owners aren't exactly hurting for battery life, but what if you could double up the endurance and protect your handset at the same time? Mophie's just released the Juice Pack Air promising it'll do just that thanks to a 1,700 mAh backup battery embedded in the edge-to-edge case, only two weeks after launching the slender Juice Pack Helium with a 1,500mAh battery. On top of an extra 10 hours of 3G talk time and edge-to-edge protection, Mophie's touting lightning pass-through capability, enhanced sound thanks to its speaker redirection, an LED battery indicator and faster charge times thanks to a 1A charging upgrade. You'll be able to grab it in black now, with the red and white color options shipping by March 22nd. For more info, check the video and PR after the break.
Review: Mophie Juice Pack Helium for iPhone 5
During the time that I owned my iPhone 4 and 4S, those phones spent most of their lives in a Mophie Juice Pack Air. That battery pack got me through some of those scary situations where I had spent a couple of hours geocaching, making calls and sending texts, only to find that I was down to 5 percent of charge capacity and was nowhere near a power outlet. So when the iPhone 5 came out last fall, my first thought for a case was a Mophie product. It took a few months, but now the Mophie Juice Pack Helium (US$79.95) is available to protect and power the iPhone 5. Design Like the Juice Pack Air, the Helium is a wraparound case that cradles your iPhone. There's a Lightning connector in the bottom of the case that plugs into the appropriate port on the iPhone 5, and the case has openings in all of the right places for the various switches and the camera. The bottom half-inch or so of the case features two forward-facing speaker ports that facilitate listening to phone calls or music. The case is charged through an included USB to micro-USB cable; in most situations, Helium users will just use the iPhone 5 AC adapter and plug in this charging cable instead of the Apple-supplied cable. On the back of the case are the traditional white LEDs to indicate charge level when a small button is depressed. There's also a lock button on the back -- this can be set to standby (red indicator) or "On" (green indicator). Mophie recommends charging the Helium and iPhone, placing the Helium in standby mode, and then using the iPhone's battery until you need the Helium's extra capacity. One flip of the lock button to "On" gives you access to an extra 1500 mAh of capacity, which is about 80 percent of built-in capacity of the iPhone 5. %Gallery-179261% There are two case colors at launch -- dark metallic and silver metallic -- but if history is any indication then there may be other colors available at a later date. The casing is made of the same soft-feel material that other Mophie cases have used, which seems to hold up to the abuses of daily life rather well. The case comes with an audio jack pass-through cable, but it isn't necessary to use it if you have a standard pair of Apple earbuds. It appears that the pass-through cable is only needed if your cable end has a larger diameter than the port in the bottom of the Helium. One final note: while previous Juice Packs have just had a side-mounted micro-USB port for charging, the port is on the bottom of the Juice Pack Helium and has two rather sizable flat metal pieces near the port. I'm not sure why this design change has occurred, but it makes me speculate that Mophie is either going to come out with a charging dock for the Helium and other future battery packs, or perhaps work with accessory manufacturers on products that accommodate charging a Helium just by dropping it into a dock. Functionality As with its predecessors, the Helium is a cinch to install. You simply pull the case apart, slide the Lightning connector into the port on the iPhone 5, then slide the rest of the case down from the top of the phone until it mates up with the bottom. It only takes a few seconds to remove the case if you want to use something like an Olloclip for taking closeup or fisheye photos. Charge time is estimated at between two and three hours. The Helium is designed to charge both itself and the iPhone 5 simultaneously. The Helium, despite being advertised as 13 percent thinner than any other case produced by Mophie, still adds bulk and weight to the iPhone 5. With the Helium installed, the iPhone 5 / case combo weighs in at 6.4 ounces. A "naked" iPhone 5 weighs just 4 ounces. The thickness of the case is .59 inches (15 millimeters), while that unclothed iPhone 5 is only 7.6 millimeters thick. Basically, the Helium is going to almost double the thickness of your iPhone 5. It's a trade-off: you can either have a thin iPhone 5 or an iPhone 5 with a lot more battery capacity. You can't have both. Frankly, I'm one of those people who loves the peace of mind that comes with having a fully charged iPhone and Juice Pack every morning. I know for certain that regardless of what I do with my iPhone throughout the day, I'm going to have plenty of power left in case of an emergency. For me, the penalty of adding 60 percent more weight and doubling the thickness of my iPhone 5 is worth it. For others, having an slender iPhone 5 might be the big thing, in which case an external battery pack is going to be a more intelligent decision. Conclusion Mophie has once again hit the ball out of the park with the Juice Pack Helium. The company was a pioneer in battery cases for iPhones and has done six years of research and development in this field. That work shows in the clean lines of the Juice Pack Helium and the efficient manner in which it keeps your iPhone 5 protected and powered. Pros Well-constructed by a leader in the iPhone battery case market Juice Pack Helium is easy to install and remove Case offers good protection while providing up to 80% more battery capacity than a standalone iPhone 5 Dark metallic and silver metallic colors nicely compliment the design of the iPhone 5 Competitively priced with the other early entrants in the iPhone 5 battery case market Case is designed and tested to not interfere with phone reception Cons Adds weight and bulk to the iPhone 5, as do all battery cases Who is it for? iPhone 5 users who put their phones through a lot of work in a regular day and need protection and power in a well-built and reasonably-priced case
Mophie Outride review: action-cam case for iPhone can't replace dedicated shooters
Over the years, Mophie has become synonymous with extending the iPhone's battery life. The outfit's range of battery-filled iPhone cases has garnered rave reviews across the industry, and even I religiously used one on an iPhone 3G. In more recent days, the company has cautiously expanded into a few new areas -- namely, building battery cases for non-Apple phones, and creating the contraption shown above. The Mophie Outride is an action-cam case that's designed to be strapped onto helmets, automobile hoods and any other place where your average X Games wannabe would look to capture extreme sports footage. But, unlike the myriad rivals on the market today, the Outride doesn't actually include a camera. Instead, you're supposed to strap your iPhone 4 or 4S into it (an iPhone 5 model has yet to be announced), allowing the smartphone you already own to handle the bulk of the work. At first blush, it sounded like an ideal solution to me. After all, I'm generally in favor of convergence and consolidation, and as an avid traveler, having one less thing to carry (in this case, a dedicated camera) is a godsend. In practice, however, the Outride did little outside of convincing me that GoPro exists for a reason.
Mophie's Juice Pack Helium for iPhone 5 now available for pre-order
Looking for the perfect Valentine's Day gift for that iPhone 5-toting sweetheart of yours? The long-awaited Mophie battery case for iPhone 5 is now available for pre-order, and if you're really lucky you might have one by February 14. The Mophie Juice Pack Helium will cost $79.95, the same as the Juice Pack Air. Everyone on the TUAW staff could have used one of these last week at Macworld/iWorld 2013, since it adds a 1,500 mAh battery to the iPhone 5 yet is 13 percent thinner than previous Juice Packs. As with previous models, Mophie's design features forward-ported acoustics so you can easily hear music from your speakers, a standby switch and an LED power indicator. The Juice Pack Helium comes in two colors -- a nice, dark metallic and a light metallic silver. There's no word on whether the company will eventually offer the eye-catching red metallic case that is the star of the Juice Pack Air family. That extra 1,500 mAh of battery capacity will give your iPhone 5 another six hours of voice and data on a 3G or LTE network, an additional seven hours of internet on a WiFi network, up to seven more hours of video playback, and up to 30 more hours of music playback. As soon as the Juice Pack Helium (lighter than Air, get it?) arrives, we'll run it through a full review. In the meantime, here's a nice promotion video for you to replay incessantly.
Mophie ships Juice Pack Helium, gives iPhone 5 a 6-hour shot in the arm
Although Mophie isn't the first to have an iPhone 5 battery case, there's no doubt that some have been waiting for the company's take -- and it might justify the patience. The just-launched Juice Pack Helium slides a 1,500mAh secondary battery on to the back of Apple's flagship in a protective frame that's 13 percent thinner than earlier Mophie cases, but still promises a hefty amount of extra runtime. Mophie estimates another six hours of cellular calling and data (seven on WiFi), or about enough to push through an all-nighter or a long airport layover. Color-coordinating black and silver versions of the Helium are shipping from the 14th onwards for about $80. That's lot for something so model-specific, but it's possibly the sleekest way to extend an iPhone 5's charge. [Thanks, Nik]
I bought a fake Mophie Juice Pack (so you don't have to)
I find it wryly amusing that the first phone I ever owned with a sealed-in, non-swappable battery -- the iPhone, of course -- was also the first phone with a battery life so short as to warrant the ability to swap the battery. Hence the commercial popularity of battery cases like the various Mophie products. These are particularly handy when travelling, as the need for a phone when navigating foreign climes is greater and access to charging points is less frequent. That's why, in December 2011, I ordered two Mophie Juice Pack Plus battery cases for the iPhone 4 handsets my wife and I were about to take on a vacation to America. The Mophie models have plenty of fans amongst the TUAW staff, and had received a good review from Macworld's Lex Friedman too, so it seemed like a safe bet. However, unknown to me, the cases were fake, and could potentially have been very dangerous (fortunately, they weren't). I've written the story up to let you know what you should be looking out for and help you to avoid repeating the mistakes I made. %Gallery-176498% The tale of the fake In hindsight, I should have guessed right away, but I'd never heard of fake battery packs before so it simply didn't occur to me. I've heard plenty of stories of other types of accessories being riddled with fakes -- notably, Sandisk SD cards are a common target, and I once bought a 2 GB "Sandisk" SD card that turned out to be rebranded 512 MB fake. (There's an excellent in-depth look at fake SD cards by famous hacker-activist Andrew Huang.) But fake battery packs was a new experience for me at the time. It wasn't the packaging that should have tipped me off. I examined that very closely after uncovering the true nature of the counterfeits and it was absolutely perfect; high quality glossy cardboard, well printed, with a flap on the front held closed with magnets -- impressively elaborate. I suppose that when the counterfeits are sold in a retail setting, consumers can examine the packaging, and thus will be tipped off if the packaging isn't perfect. It wasn't anything about the transaction, either. These pseudoMophie cases came from Amazon Marketplace, from a "Fulfilled by Amazon" seller, so the order was packed by an Amazon staff member. I paid £34.99 each for the cases. Now, that's cheap -- around half the price of the Apple Store -- but it wasn't too-good-to-be-true cheap; as I recall, there were several other sellers in the £35-40 range, and the cases were around the £40-45 mark from most online sellers. At the time of writing, Amazon stock is £39.99. No, what should have clued me off was the poor fit the cases made with my phone. If you haven't seen one up close, the Mophie battery cases consist of one large piece you slide the phone into from the top, then a smaller piece that clips over the top and holds the phone in place. This part sits on the phone's power switch, with a small plastic pass-through button so you can turn the phone on and off. The top part on my two cases made quite loose contact with the main part of the case, meaning it rocked back and forth a little. Not much, but just enough to cause the occasional spurious power button press. With the case on, a few times a day I would pull my phone out of my pocket, press (usually without looking first) the Home button to wake it from sleep, and find myself taking a screenshot of my lock screen instead as the battery case was simultaneously pushing on the power button. I wasn't particularly impressed. Other than that, the cases worked fine... at first. After we came back from our vacation, we took them off our phones and didn't use them for a few months. Then I had to travel for work, so I got them back out, only to find they'd both Gone A Bit Strange (technical term there). One of them had developed a loosely fitting USB jack, and I had to fiddle with the cord when plugging it in before it would charge up. The other one wouldn't charge the phone correctly, as if it was flat, even though its own little indicator lights claimed it was fully charged. Plus, I noticed, both of them had somehow accumulated noticeable cosmetic damage, despite being very lightly used. Mophie cases have a kind of soft-touch rubberised coating over a hard plastic shell, and on my pseudoMophies, that coating had worn off in a number of places. I still didn't think "fake!" though. I just assumed they weren't very good, and tossed them back in a drawer until I eventually got around to emailing a warranty claim to Mophie, several months later. In fact, I remember glancing over the one-star Amazon product reviews and seeing people complaining about all the problems I had -- poorly fitting cases, problems getting the case to charge up, problems getting the case to connect to the phone, excessive cosmetic wear -- and assuming that Mophie's quality control had gone downhill since the glowing reviews were written. Looking back now, a small number of these reviews mention that they were dealing with counterfeits; but at the time, no-one had said anything like that. One seller even pinned the blame on the iPhone 4S being different from the iPhone 4, which I find rather suspicious. Eventually, my irritation at being sold what I thought was a couple of lemons overcame my reflexive procrastination, and I contacted Mophie customer support. I did the usual dance of filling in my product serial number and describing my problems, but then had an unusual request come back: "In order to move forward with your replacement, we need to gather some information. First we need a copy of your receipt. Please reply to this email with a scanned copy. If you purchased your item through our website, we can look your order up internally. If you have not already submitted your mophie (sic) order number, please reply to this email with the number. "We also need a clear picture showing the product label and serial number on the inside of the product." (Emphasis mine.) Slightly baffled -- I'd already provided the serial numbers, so why did Mophie need these pictures? -- I complied, only to receive a terse message back: "Judging by the serial number, and the label itself, you have two counterfeit devices. As such, we cannot offer you a replacement and urge you to seek a refund through the seller as soon as possible." At this point I became rather concerned. Poorly made lithium-ion batteries can be quite dangerous, and while there's plenty of no-name battery cells that are perfectly safe the fact I'd been stuffing a blatantly counterfeit product in my trouser pocket was rather worrying. Angry now, I emailed my Amazon seller, but after 48 hours I still hadn't heard anything. I followed up with Amazon itself, and it almost immediately agreed a refund and issued me an RMA to return the cases, saying:- "This order was purchased from 'REDACTED' and was 'Fulfilled by Amazon'. As we dispatched this item to you directly from an Amazon.co.uk fulfilment centre on behalf of this seller, we can process the return of this item, in exchange for a full refund." (I have redacted the seller's name as I have no way of knowing if the seller was knowingly selling counterfeits, or itself a victim of an unscrupulous supplier. I have attempted to contact the seller directly for comment, but the details I have are too generic to let me find them, and Amazon would not pass along a message from me. The seller's Amazon Marketplace account appears to be defunct now, although feedback on its profile page indicates it was still trading as recently as November 2012.) Lessons learnt So, how could I have prevented this sorry story from happening in the first place? I contacted Mophie and Amazon UK's press office for comment on this case and to ask them that question directly. I asked what advice they would give consumers when shopping. Ross Howe, Vice president of Marketing for Mophie, said "mophie takes counterfeits very seriously. In order to try and combat this problem, we have developed a page that solely address this issue, offering purchasing tips to the consumer. Additionally, our internal legal team works to monitor the selling of mophie products by unauthorized retailers, taking appropriate action if it is determined counterfeit items are being sold." Howe went on to offer consumers the following advice: Purchase at mophie.com or one of its authorized partners. The authorized partners page provides a breakout of all approved retailers globally. Customers should avoid the 'too good to be true' deals of eBay and the Amazon Marketplace. Even the stores that are "fulfilled by Amazon" are known to sell low-quality knockoffs. Sign up for the brand newsletter to receive the latest information on new products and sales. Suzi van der Mark replied on behalf of Amazon, and of course was keen to stress that buyers are protected (contrary to Mophie's stance of pushing you to its retail partners): "Amazon.co.uk does not allow the sale of counterfeit items on its Marketplace platform. Any seller found doing so will be subject to action from Amazon including removal of their account. Occurrences of counterfeit products on Amazon.co.uk Marketplace are rare and we have an established process in place which enables third parties including rights holders to provide us with notice of counterfeit product. We respond rapidly to any such notice. Every customer who orders on Amazon.co.uk is covered by our A-Z guarantee and if they do receive counterfeit goods from a Marketplace seller we will provide a refund. For more information on our A-Z Guarantee please visit this link." The old adage that "a price that's too good to be true means it probably isn't" applies, of course, as Howe says. But of course a clever seller of counterfeits can easily overcome that by simply pricing their goods just below the genuine ones, which was the case with my purchase. If I'd registered the cases with Mophie as soon as I'd received them, I might have been alerted if the serial numbers hadn't matched up. However, I'm guessing the counterfeiters can use real serial numbers (perhaps duplicated from genuine products), as otherwise my initial attempt to request product support would have failed. Other Amazon commenters mentioned that they had successfully registered their counterfeit case with Mophie, which supports this hypothesis. The bottom line is that I'm not sure there's anything I could have done upfront to avoid being taken in by this, except perhaps paying top dollar from the Apple store. I was lucky that Amazon stood by me and refunded my money promptly, or I would have been out the cost of the goods. In future, when using "market" style reseller services like eBay or Amazon Marketplate, I'm going to pay rather closer attention to retailer terms & conditions, as well as its reputation for aftersales customer care. Notably, Amazon (at least in my case) offered considerably more protection that eBay offers, in substance if not in policy. Many people have written about the difficulties of getting a refund for a counterfeit eBay purchase; stories abound of people having a rough time from Paypal's dispute resolution system. Probably most famously, Paypal forced a buyer to destroy an antique violin worth $2500 that may or may not have been fake. The seller was out the $2500 and the violin at the end of the transaction. Still, it could be worse. Counterfeit products aren't just a headache for consumers, either. At least I didn't buy a job lot of fake military grade processors...
iBattz beats Mophie to iPhone 5 charging case, ups the ante using interchangeable i9300 batteries
It's usually a no-brainer -- Mophie exits quickly out of the gate with a battery-equipped case soon after a new iDevice gets announced. This year, however, it appears iBattz is poised to hit it out of the park faster with two of its own iPhone 5 cases. Notably, each case comes packed with two swappable i9300 Li-ion battery packs (the same kind for Samsung's rival Galaxy S III, seriously). The cells are rated at 2,200mAh each, which is notably larger in capacity than the iPhone's roughly 1,400mAh batts. The streamlined Mojo Fuel (pictured) will set you back $90 come February, while argonauts can sang the ruggedized Mojo Armor for $100 in March. The cases charge via microUSB, and an external battery charger will also be included with each. The company has also detailed its waterproof AquaSeal Hi5, featuring a detachable 2,500mAh aluminium battery back -- no further details just yet. We'll be sure to report back if we catch 'em on the show floor here at CES. Find the full press release after the break.
Mophie OutRide action-cam case for iPhone now available: 170 degrees of Xmas footage for $150
We took a look at Mophie's OutRide ruggedized action-cam case back at IFA in August, but the month of December notoriously brings many more photo ops. Perhaps that's why the company has chosen to announce availability of the case, which sports a lens capable of 170-degree viewing angles, on the cusp of year-end holidays. The waterproof OutRide is available now for $150 -- and that price includes a variety of mounts for handlebars, surfboards and helmets. A companion app is a free download from the App Store and lets users edit and share their recorded footage. The OutRide is currently only compatible with the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, so those who are gifted Apple's latest handset will have to sit this one out.
Mophie Juice Pack Powerstation delivers slim portable charging, on sale Monday
The iconic iPhone battery case from Mophie, the Juice Pack, hasn't made the transition from the iPhone 4/4S 30-pin connector to the newer Lightning interface yet. That's put some extra attention on the standalone battery packs in the company's lineup. We tested the Juice Pack Powerstation, the mid-range 4,000 mAh model. It's on sale today for Cyber Monday at US$59.95, $20 off the regular price. Mophie's gear always delivers with sleek, engaging industrial design, and the Powerstation line is no exception. This black and brushed-metal pocket-sized battery pack could scarcely be simpler: one full-size USB port, one micro USB port, and a charge/check button are the only controls. It's got roughly the same footprint as an iPhone 4, but somewhat thicker. Getting this much battery into slim packaging requires a few compromises. Unlike similar-capacity battery packs from MyCharge or Powerstick, the Powerstation does not include AC or solar-charging capability. You charge it from a USB connection, preferably a high-power connection such as the one on your laptop. Just connect the included micro USB cable to the source and the Powerstation will charge. But, it will not charge a device simultaneously. The outbound charge port on the Powerstation will charge most USB devices and supports the 2A iPad fast-charging mode. The 4,000 mAh capacity should be enough to recharge an iPhone several times and will give an iPad a partial recharge. The full product line includes the slimmer Powerstation Mini, the dual-output Powerstation Duo, and the water-rated, 6,000 mAh Powerstation PRO. All models are discounted for Cyber Monday at mophie.com. I found the Powerstation to be a great charging companion for slim iPad bags or to tuck into a jacket pocket; its relatively small size compared to other battery units makes me much more likely to take it along for the ride -- although I do love the solar trickle charge panel on the Powertrip. You can certainly get cheaper look-alike units such as this dual-port 3,000 mAh package from Monoprice, but you won't find one as well-built or dependable.
Mophie Powerblu Bluetooth headset sneaks through the FCC
There's apparently more to life for Mophie than power packs, as the accessory designer has pushed its first Bluetooth headset, the Powerblu, through the FCC. In a shock to no one, the stand-out is a separate charging station to keep the earpiece going well past what its internal battery can manage: where the headset normally lasts for four hours of talk on its own, that lifespan grows to 30 when it's periodically revived through the mothership. Other traits will be familiar to anyone who's used to wireless earwear, whether it's a noise-cancelling microphone array, text-to-speech or voice commands. About all that's left after what we've seen is for Mophie to seal the deal with a formal launch. [Thanks, Dave]
Mophie Juice Pack for Samsung Galaxy S III now available for $100
Mophie told us a couple of months back that it would be bringing its GS3-friendly Juice Packs to market sometime around late October / early November, and, well, today's the day the handy add-on is finally up for grabs. As you can see above, the battery case will be available in white and black livery, with the company promising its 2,300mAh peripheral can "virtually double" battery life on the Galaxy S III without adding too much heft to the device. GS3 owners can snag one of Mophie's renowned Juice Packs now for $100 -- and to do just that, all you interested folks have to do is head over to the source link below.
Mophie's $40 Juice Pack Reserve Micro charges your smartphone, fits on a keychain
Last we heard from Mophie, it revealed its upcoming Juice Pack case for Samsung's Galaxy S III. While there's still no further info for that model, the company recently took to its Facebook and Twitter accounts to announce it's new $40 Juice Pack Reserve Micro. The palmable battery pack is nearly identical to the 30-pin friendly Juice Pack Reserve, but, as the Micro in its name implies, this one charges Micro-USB devices. The unit features a key chain loop and stores a total load of 1,000mAh, which gets re-filled via its secondary USB 2.0 plug. There's more info at the source links below -- here's to hoping for a Lightning variant soon.
Mophie readies Galaxy S III Juice Packs, coming very soon
If you thought Mophie was planning to keep its smartphone Juice Packs exclusively Apple-based -- we'd have probably agreed with you. But then we got to take a look at this pair of cases crafted for Samsung's Galaxy S III. Yep, the battery-packing cover (which looks likely to fit all the current iterations) promises to give "over double the battery life" of your un-augmented handset. This was just a brief peek -- but expect the (as-yet unpriced) cases to appear in stores around the end of October, early November.
Mophie Outride ruggedized action case for iPhone hands-on
Sure, you've been tempted to strap your iPhone to that ski helmet for a homemade action cam solution, but ultimately, you respect Apple's warranty, as limited as it may be. Mophie's new Outride ruggedized case equips your fragile smartphone with a ruggedized shell, protecting the device while also serving as a helmet / bicycle / flat-surface mount. The thick plastic case includes a raised lens module, and is available in both water-resistant and above ground flavors. That first version is still undergoing testing, according to Mophie reps, so we don't know just how far it can dunk with letting down its guard to condensation, but we do know that it will retail for $149. A land-only version will also be available for $129, and unlike the sealed model, your iPhone's display will still be exposed, giving you full access to the device. Both cases include a dedicated shutter release, which works in camera mode, letting you snap away under the sea. They also ship with a trio of mounts for your helmet, handle bars or a flat surface. Catch a closer look at Outride in the gallery below.%Gallery-163898%
Daily Update for August 1, 2012
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Mophie delivers the OUTRIDE for action iPhone camera work
Popular iOS accessory maker mophie is stepping outside its battery-based products and debuting a new, sports action camera mount for the iPhone 4/4S. The OUTRIDE camera system includes a durable mount, a beefy camera-centric case and software to tie it all together. The polycarbonate case and mount is waterproof and shock proof so you can take it biking, boating and skiing without missing a beat. There's also an iPhone app that lets you create a profile and share your nail-biting adventures with your friends. The OUTRIDE system costs $130 and will be available in mid-September. [Via Engadget] Show full PR text mophie Transforms the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 into a Dedicated Action Sports Camera with OUTRIDE Hardware, App -based Video Community Empowers Users to Ride, Record and Share Salt Lake City (Aug. 1, 2012)-Summer Outdoor Retailer-mophie™, leader in developing innovative solutions that allow consumers to do more with their mobile devices, today debuted its action sports camera, outride, a hardware and app solution that puts the power to record and share tricks, tracks, rides, and epic moments in the hands of action land and water sports enthusiasts, using only their iPhone. OUTRIDE eliminates the need for dedicated video or camera devices, which add bulk and can cost upwards of $300, by harnessing the existing features of the iPhone and adding the hardware and software for outstanding, all-in-one filming, editing and sharing. OUTRIDE hardware is waterproof and impact resistant and comes bundled with a variety of custom mounts to capture action shots in the surf, snow, dirt or concrete. The release of OUTRIDE incorporates several product innovations that have earned mophie credibility in the action sports community by including features such as extreme durability and portability engineered specifically to meet the needs of the lifestyle. OUTRIDE's debut is also a clear statement that the brand is putting down roots in the category and is committed to trailblazing the development of solutions and applications that can transform the iPhone into a device that can serve many functions, eliminating the need for consumers to spend on additional, dedicated devices. "With the ever-growing action sports market, and our success in developing ruggedized products for those rough-and-tough tech users, we felt we were ready to design and develop a product that would take the iPhone and its camera capabilities to its limits," said Ross Howe, vice president of marketing at mophie. "While the action sports community has a lot of camera and video options to choose from, they weren't able to share their moments with the community in real time. OUTRIDE gives the action sports community these capabilities in a durable, compact, quality and cost-efficient way." Using the iPhone 4S or iPhone 4 and OUTRIDE as an action sports camera has many advantages, including the ability to review your own footage or shots, share those moments and follow others in the community, instantly. The free OUTRIDE app, is the perfect complement to the hardware solution and is the key differentiator from other action sports cameras on the market. With the OUTRIDE app, users have instant gratification in capturing and viewing their content, as well as sharing it on the OUTRIDE community page as well as various social media networks, on the fly and in the moment. Available in mid-September, OUTRIDE bundles range from $129.95 to $149.95 at mophie.com. Key features and benefits of the outride include: Turning the iPhone into a Dedicated Sports Camera-Bundling the case, mounting system and the OUTRIDE app, gives users the option to transform their iPhone 4S or iPhone 4 into a dedicated action sports camera. Features of the OUTRIDE hardware include: High-impact, water-proof and lightweight polycarbonate housing protects the iPhone in any scenario Water-proof Modular quick-release mounting system allows recording at any angle and attachment to any surface on a variety of sports equipment Wide angle lens is optimized for recording action sports "Lights, Camera, Action!"-Whether you have a passion for surfing, motocross or skate, there is an OUTRIDE mounting kit that will fit your sport. Capture, View and Share-Free on the iTunes store, the OUTRIDE app is a place for the action sports community to search and share videos from around the globe, on-the-go: Personal Profile-Get started by uploading a profile picture and adding in your location. From the personalized profile, users can view captured videos and photos, find and follow friends, and customize categories Capture-Allows the user to shoot both vertically or horizontally View-Custom settings allows for a unique viewing experience, and provides notifications of "friends" updates Share-Community-based sharing allows users to discover new users and connect with the "mophie" community within the app and through other social networks For more information on OUTRIDE and the full suite of mophie products, please visit www.mophie.com.
Mophie's Outride turns iPhones into action cameras, comes with dedicated app and starts at $130
There's no doubt iPhone accessories are a dime a dozen nowadays, but every now and then we come across one or two that vigorously stand out from the rest of the peripheral pack. Here's where Mophie's newly introduced Outride comes in, which clearly -- and as the company's quick to point out -- takes a heavy cue from GoPro's action shooters. All inspirations aside, though, the Outride iPhone companion's pretty well-stacked on its own, with Mophie offering an integrated polycarbonate case / mounting system that features waterproof and high-impact protection to help the daring folk during those intense, rush-filled adventures. Additionally, Mophie's taking things beyond the hardware and also announced a free application to pair alongside the Outride unit; this will give people a place where they can create a profile and share their video recordings with other riders. The outfit's pricing the iPhone 4 / 4S accessory starting at a peaceable $130, and it should be up for grabs around "mid-September." In the meantime, there's an extra pic and PR right after the break, for anyone interested in catching a different view and the conclusive word from the Juice Pack maker.
