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Kensington trots out universal tablet case, BunjeeAir Power for finding your misplaced iPhone
In addition to that three-piece armor case that chains your iPad to a hotel desk, Kensington quietly added three other products to its lineup -- a motley collection running the gamut from a universal tablet case to a doo-dad that vibrates when you're about to leave your iPhone at home. Starting with the doo-dad, BunjeeAir Power is a $100 accessory small enough to fit on a keychain, and pairs with a free iOS app and a special case (included in the bundle). If that sounds like a clumsy setup, keep in mind that Apple doesn't allow third-party accessories to lock the phone via Bluetooth, so Kensington worked around that by developing an accessory that plugs into the iPhone's 30-pin connector and communicates over a 2.4GHz wireless connection instead. So, once you've put the case on, the keychain will vibrate and beep once you get roughly 30 feet away from the phone, and it'll eventually lock the device remotely, too. As an added touch, the case packs a 1,500mAh battery and a slot 'round back of the case into which you can insert a credit card or hotel room key to fashion a makeshift kickstand. Too bad none of this will help you the next time you abandon your iPhone in the backseat of a cab. Moving along, the company announced the KeyFolio Pro, a case with a detachable Bluetooth keyboard and removable velcro corners that'll fit any 10-inch tablet. The case, which costs $100, also has a stylus holder and seven notches, allowing you to prop the tablet up at a 22- to 72-degree angle. Wrapping it up, there's Absolute Power, a $120, 100-watt brick with USB and micro-USB sockets that's meant to replace the adapter that came with your laptop. Finally, there's that pen you'll see in those hands-on shots -- an $18 stylus that doubles as a real, honest-to-goodness pen, topped off with a removable cap. Peek our hands-on shots below, along with the vid after the break -- you know, if watching befuddled actors discovering they've forgotten their iPhone is your idea of a rip-roaring time. %Gallery-133546% %Gallery-133548%
Atari Arcade is the $60 answer to iCade (review)
iMAME4All gains experimental support for iCade, iOS gamers gain infinite happiness MadCatz proves its soul still burns with Soul Calibur V Arcade FightStick Soul Edition Gameloft bringing a dozen iPad games to Jetstar flights, curbing in-flight boredom with UNO Yearning to relive the classics (Lunar Lander, anyone?) on your iPad, replete with that authentic arcade feel? It wasn't long ago that we reviewed ThinkGeek and Ion's formidable iCade, but at $100, it was -- and still is -- a pricey portion to stomach for an occasional retro gaming fix. Fast forward to the present, and Atari's paired with Discovery Bay Games to create their own official spin on an iPad arcade adapter, fittingly dubbed the Arcade Duo-Powered Joystick. Unlike the iCade, it doesn't use Bluetooth and requires no batteries -- you simply dock your iPad into its 30-pin connector. The joypad is specifically made to work with Atari's Greatest Hits app, and it's set to land in early October for a slightly more wallet-friendly price of $60. We were able to slam its controls a bit while playing through various levels of Major Havoc and the like, and you'll find our impressions after the break. %Gallery-132833%
Logitech unveils suction cup joystick for the iPad (video)
It is what it sounds like, kids. Logitech, clearly on a tablet accessories tear, just trotted out another toy for the iPad. This time, it's a suction cup joystick that sits on the screen, inviting people to gawk at you while you play Pac Man in Starbucks. As you can see in the photos, this isn't a ball-capped joystick so much as a laptop-style pointing stick masquerading as a retro controller. That nub has a flat, slick surface, and without much of an indentation or textured grip, it's easy for your finger to slip off. It'll go on sale next month for $19.99, an appropriate price for what will most likely be an impulse buy. For now, we've got video of it in action after the break. %Gallery-131563%
Logitech announces $130 fold-out keyboard for the iPad, we go hands-on
Since that whole Revue thing didn't go over so swimmingly, it looks like Logitech's going back to its accessory roots, with a manic hope that tablet add-ons are the future. The company just announced a fold-out keyboard for the iPad 2 that's pretty much what it sounds like: a keyboard split in two whose halves flip out and connect to form a full QWERTY. As you can see in those shots below, you can still use your magical, candy-colored Smart Cover when your iPad is docked. At $129.99, it's hardly a cheap doo-dad and frankly, we would have hoped for higher quality. In our brief hands-on, the keys felt unstable and stiff -- an ideal combination for anyone who thought their iPad needed more chintz. Pre-order it at the source link if you must, though you might do just as well gawking at our pics below. %Gallery-131004%
Logitech's clip-on tablet speaker latches onto your slate for dear life, doubles as a stand
We can swear we feel hints of fall creeping in already, but Logitech just announced a product we would have loved to see at the start of beach season: a speaker bar that clips onto the back of any tablet, effectively turning it into the boombox it wasn't built to be. We know, we know, that barrel of a speaker looks a tad silly next to the likes of the iPad 2 and Galaxy Tab 10.1, but we're digging how it doubles as a stand, propping up the slate if, perchance, you're also down for watching a movie. In our brief hands-on, the speaker felt lighter than it looks in those photos down there, and delivered decently loud sound, too. Like we said, we can see this making for a festive old time at the beach or a picnic, though when we asked a Logitech rep about durability he said we might want to shield the speaker from sand. Because this is a wired product (it charges via USB and lasts up to eight hours on a charge), it commands less than the wireless speaker for iPad that Logitech's already shilling. Specifically, we're told it'll cost $49.99, though as of this writing it hasn't popped up in the company's online store, which means those of you unashamed of your Justin Bieber collection will have to just sit tight. %Gallery-130784%
Logitech trots out another keyboard case, this time for the Galaxy Tab 10.1
You might have noticed that accessory makers have a habit of churning out stuff for iDevices first and everything else second. Specifically, though, we're noticing that in the world of tablets, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is fast becoming companies' No. 2 once they've gotten the iPad squared away. Take Logitech, for example. The company just announced a keyboard case for Samsung's deliciously thin slate -- a near facsimile of the one it released for the iPad a few months back. To recap, this isn't your garden-variety folio case with a keyboard and kickstand, but rather, an aluminum lid with a full 'board lining the interior. Logitech also attempts to justify the steep $99.99 price with shortcut keys for copying and pasting and cushioned corners that offer a modicum of protection in the event of a drop. But does that make it worth it? We'll leave that to your and your wallet.
ASUS Eee Pad Transformer stand and adapters surface on Amazon Germany
We feel like if you're going to buy an Eee Pad Transformer, you may as well spring for the $150 docking station -- you know, the thing that makes the tablet so noteworthy. And we don't need to remind you it also happens to be a solid value proposition: the dock brings not just a full keyboard, but two USB ports, an SD card reader, and up to seven hours of extended battery life. There must be some people content with just the slate, though, because ASUS is rolling out a trio of accessories that offer pieces of the docking station's functionality. Head on over to Amazon Germany and you'll find individual USB and SD adapters for €19 ($27) a pop. And though it's not listed with the adapters, NetbookNews also spotted a €29 ($41) stand with a USB port, SD slot, and headphone jack. Before you get too excited, though, Amazon is saying the adapters will ship one to three months from now, which leaves you quite a bit of time to save up for the full keyboard dock. Just saying, folks. %Gallery-130235%
