Pebble has issued an update to their PebbleKit SDK that will allow app developers to create and update their apps to support two-way communication with the Pebble watch over Bluetooth. Of course, this is huge for Pebble, as well as the app developers and the users who own a Pebble watch. Now they’ll be able to perform actions through the watch and have them sent to your smartphone.

Also being released today is the Pebble Sports API, which will allow third-party fitness apps to connect to Pebble smartwatches to offer certain data on the watch face, including time, pace, and miles. RunKeeper announced support last week, but Pebble is making the new API available for everyone, so we should be seeing a lot more fitness apps with Pebble support pop up in the near future.

In related Pebble news, the company is now beginning to ship their orange-colored watches to Kickstarter backers who have requested them. The company also completed development for grey and white models, but they have yet to make it into full production still, so it seems some Pebble backers will be waiting just a little while longer.

Also, after raising over $10 million in the Kickstarter campaign alone, Pebble is getting another round of funding, this time for a cool $15 million from Charles River Ventures. This means that we’ll see the Pebble team expand, and this really only marks the beginning for the company, which we expect to hear from in the next few years about new products and updates.

VIA: Engadget

SOURCE: Pebble

With SHIELD, two accessories will be available straight from the get-go. The first of these is a Carrying Case that’s hard-packed around the edges to protect the device you’re carrying from any basic harm. This case is custom molded to SHIELD, has a lovely SHIELD name-plate, and is black with green accents.

This carrying case works with a USB port on its back so the user can keep SHIELD plugged in while the case is closed to power up whist on the go. This case also has a strap to hold at the gamers’ side. This case will be available for $39.99 USD in June when SHIELD launches.

Also coming at the same time SHIELD is available are a couple of custom lids. The top of SHIELD is a customizable, replaceable unit called a lid. Custom lids will be available for $19.99 each and, at launch, users will be able to grab a glossy black lid or a carbon fiber lid, these replacing the standard silver that comes with the device.

SHIELD itself has been detailed in its final form and prepared for pre-orders and the like this week along with its accessories. Right in the midst of Google I/O 2013, NVIDIA has revealed launch details along with a push specifically for those most interested in joining the SHIELD party in its first release wave.

Hardware

Mophie has been making battery-cases for smartphones for years now, focusing on the iPhone and iPod touch; its line-up for Android phones is a lot smaller, with device-specific models only for the HTC One and the Samsung Galaxy S III (though the company offers generic portable batteries, too). The concept is straightforward, being a hard case that’s enlarged to accommodate a rechargeable power pack, that can be used to top up the internal battery in your phone.

For the HTC One, that means a 2.88 x 6.06 x 0.67 inch soft-touch plastic sled which adds 3.12 ounces to the weight of the phone (to compare, the One alone is 2.69 x 5.41 x 0.37 inches and 5.05 ounces). Black and silver versions will eventually be offered, to match the two finishes of the One itself, though only the black Juice Pack was available in time for our review.

More on the HTC One in our full review

Inside, there’s a 2,500 mAh battery, 200 mAh larger than the One’s own battery, charged from a standard microUSB port on the bottom of the case. That simultaneously charges the One, too, thanks to a pass-through microUSB connection which is plugged in when you slide the phone inside. It’s a snug fit, involving pulling off the Mophie’s top cap, slotting the One into the groove, and gently pushing it all the way into place; once the case is closed up again, there’s no wiggle or movement.

Although the sides and rear of the One are covered up, you still get access to all the ports and buttons. Pass-through controls for the power/standby key on top and the volume keys on the side are included – slightly oversized, which works well with gloved fingers, and the power button is IR-transparent so you can use the HTC TV remote control app still – and there’s a hole for the headphone socket too. The cut-out is big enough for most jacks, though if you’re using a set of headphones with an oversized plug, you might find the case gets in the way.

On the back, there’s a big cut-out for the UltraPixel camera and LED flash, along with a hole for the rear microphone. Flanking the microUSB port on the bottom edge are four connectors for a docking station (which we didn’t have to test). The only controls are a button to show battery status – using a row of four white LEDs – on the lower back of the Mophie, with a switch to turn on or off the flow of juice.

Usability and Performance

Make no mistake, once the One is in the Juice Pack you’re left with a big device. It’s almost comically large, in fact: the bowed back panel fills your palm, and while the soft-touch finish is pleasant to touch, the Juice Pack does make the One feel somewhat like the digital signature gadgets couriers tend to carry. If you’re in the habit of dropping your phone in your front jeans pocket, or your inside jacket pocket, you’ll immediately notice the difference.

It also feels like Mophie missed an opportunity to build some extra functionality into that expanse of plastic. HTC’s BoomSound speakers are usefully left exposed, for instance, and so a kickstand would have been an neat addition to prop the One up for hands-free video use.

Still, the Juice Pack certainly does what it promises to. Mophie recommends waiting until your One is at around 20-percent, and then flicking the switch to take the phone back up to around 80-percent; it takes more power to recharge a completely flat battery, or to top-up a battery until it’s entirely full. In our testing the Juice Pack took roughly around the same amount of time to recharge the One as the HTC adapter would.

In theory, you should be able to get a full recharge out of a single blast of the Juice Pack. In practice, following Mophie’s guidelines means it’s more like you’re doing a couple of periodic top-ups rather than going from zero to full. Still, with judicious control of the power switch and typical use of the One, we saw runtimes just short of the Mophie’s maximum 100-percent improvement.

Value

At $99.95, the Juice Pack isn’t the cheapest case or the cheapest external battery. If protection is what you’re after, there are far more form-fitting soft or hard cases on the market, priced from around $10; HTC’s own Double Dip Hard Shell for the One is $24.99, for instance.

Meanwhile, if you’re willing to sacrifice the integration, there are portable batteries with far more capacity than the Juice Pack provides. HTC offers the External Battery Bank (BB G600), for instance, a $50 block roughly akin to an oversized Zippo, and which – with 6,000 mAh to play with – could recharge your One twice before it needed topping up itself.

Then there’s the lifespan of the Juice Pack itself. Mophie rates the case for “over 500 full cycles” of 0-percent to 100-percent, after which point the battery inside “may provide less than 75-percent of the original capacity.” To be fair, that’s par for the course for any Li-Poly rechargeable battery, but it could mean that one day you’re carrying a heavy case that doesn’t really deliver in terms of a lasting charge. Whether that comes before the average two-year agreement is up, and you’re already thinking of getting a new phone, will depend on how much you use it.

Wrap-Up

There are cheaper ways to protect and charge your phone. A separate case and external battery will generally provide more runtime and a more easily pocketed handset. On the flip side, the best portable battery is the one you have on you when you’re running low on power, and the converged solution Mophie offers scores highly on that measure.

For some, the extra bulk the Juice Pack adds will be a deal-breaker. Certainly, it makes the One a big device, but if you’re a power-user the promise of up to double the runtime is a huge advantage, and we can’t really fault Mophie’s design for accommodating the One’s controls and features.

While in the past working with screen protectors that are anything thicker than a simple super-thin layer of plastic, it’s been a toss-up whether or not they’d do what they said they would, here Tech21 appears to come through. The final product does appear disperse impact and protect the screen while touch sensitivity remains.

NOTE: As a special experiment / treat, we’re recorded the hands-on of this product’s application process with Google Glass. The photo at the head of this article also comes straight #throughglass, is it were. Take heed – this video also appears in an expanded Google Glass in action review of the wearable technology’s abilities, specifically its camera.

The technology inside this screen protector is what Tech21 describes as their most advanced implementation of display shielding yet. The first layer works to spread the impact force of whatever’s aimed at your device’s screen. The third (closest to the screen) layer is a soft base, further absorbing the impact force of a blow.

The middle layer is the most interesting – or at least the most interestingly titled. Here we’ve got the BulletShield impact protection layer using BASF absorption polymer technology. BASF is also known as “The Chemical Company” and is, not coincidentally, the largest chemical company in the world. This layer provides non-yellowing UV protection with absorption polymer also used in bulletproof glazing.

Thus far this shielding has held up every bit as well as the other Tech21 products we’ve tested, including the orange goo you’ll remember from some months ago. Have a peek at a demo we received at the hands of Tech21′s CEO with a hammer, Tech21 Impactology excellence, and a human hand. You’ll certainly not regret having done so.

Also note that this multi-layer screen protector system is out there in the wild for your pocket in several iterations right this minute. For $29.99 MSRP you’ll find the Tech21 Impact Shield for the Samsung Galaxy S III, Samsung GALAXY S 4, Apple iPhone 5, and Samsung Galaxy Note II as well. We’ll keep you updated on the spread of this shield to other devices soon as well – stay tuned!

Of course RokForm accessories aren’t made for washing dishes, they’re made for holding and protecting your smartphone. But what we’ve got here in a combination of elements is a way to hold, in this case, a Samsung Galaxy S III aloft above a sink full of dirty dishes playing Netflix while we go about our business. So we’ve got Beavis and Butthead playing on loop while the cups and pans are run through the hands-on action.

With the RokForm v3 Suction Mount we’ve got one piece of the puzzle, and with the Rokbed v3 S3 Case we’ve got the other. RokForm is expanding their line of compatible components with this v3 set, working with devices like the iPhone 5 and the iPhone 4S right this minute with plans for devices like the GALAXY S 4 on the list. In addition to the Suction Mount, there’s also a friendly list of components that attach with the same multi-clip attachment point you see here.

You’ll be able to attach with a Bike Mount, an Extended Tripod Adapter, Sport Clip, and magnets – amongst others coming up, too. With the Rokbed v3 S3 Case on its own, you’ve got an injection molded polycarbonate frame, “thermoplastic elastomer non-slip grip insert”, a magnet kit, a Rokguard screen protector, and a Remote Mounting System for moist mount – these are basically heavy-duty sticker-backed units that lock in to the back of the case like the Suction Mount does.

So you’ve got the case – you’ll buy that for right around $40 or $45 USD depending on the device you’re working with. Then you’ll want the Suction Mount which will run you another $49 USD. This mount, like the case, is heavy duty. Made with polycarbonate and die cast zinc construction with two angles for movement – 360 degrees of rotation as well as a 210 degree tilt. All we need is one, the one which allows the phone to sit horizontal for superior television show viewing.

This mount has sat attached to a tile above the sink for over a week straight with no end in sight. Of course that’ll happen when you’ve got a 3.4-inch suction cup holding up a device that’s much, much lighter than its full weight capacity. Sound like a winning combination to you? Let us know!

Creating the world’s first atomic pocket watch seems to have been an part of an obsession for the company, creating here what they say is the most accurate watch in the world due to its unique method of telling time. The device the company is showing off this week is not a radio-receiving watch, nor is it made with a set of mechanics as a traditional timepiece is.

Instead the No. 10 includes a caesium gas chamber sitting inside a temperature controlled oven. There’s a laser in this piece of hardware that excites radioactive atoms working with a microwave resonator to monitor each atomic transition, this measurement resulting in the most accurate measurement of time yet available, so sayeth Hoptroff.

Hoptroff also notes that the device has a “self-contained accuracy of one and a half seconds per thousand years”, so don’t expect to be right on the dot if you plan on living that long. Symmetricom provides the atomic physics package used by this device, they having created the system for an ever-so-slightly different use.

“The atomic physics package is supplied by Symmetricom, who originally developed it in collaboration with the US Department of Defense for use in cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles where it is needed to continue navigating in the presence of GPS radio jamming.” – Richard Hoptroff, managing director of Hoptroff Ltd

At the moment, the watch doesn’t actually have a final face or back. The company currently has a working model of the innards ready for action, but will be in development with the rest until later this year. There, users will find the end product, hereto code-named Atom Heart Mother, (“after the Pink Floyd album”), to be costing a cool five figure sum – the final amount is not yet known.

[via The Register]

Overview & Design

Logitech’s G430 headset comes in a rather colorful black-and-bright blue color scheme, which says right away that it has a lot of character. Looks is everything with gaming peripherals, and Logitech certainly didn’t make an ugly headset here. The G430 comes with cloth-covered foam ear pads that can be removed and replaced if they ever get worn out, or for just a quick wash if they ever get dirty. The foam is pretty stiff, and along with the snug fit of the headset, some gamers may find the headset discomforting after prolonged periods, as did I after about just a half hour of use.

The ear cups are adjustable — no surprise there — and they also can rotate 90 degrees to fit better on your head, as well as making storage easier for when you’re off to your next LAN party. The microphone can be adjusted both vertically and horizontally, meaning you can flip up the microphone away from your mouth, or bend the stem closer to your mouth in order to be heard more clearly by your fellow gamers.

The braided cable is really long — about 8 feet or so, but it comes with a nifty velcro strap to shorten it if need be. It also works to wrap up the entire cord for storage or mobility. We’re not sure why the cord is as long as it is. The only explanation would be if you were to feed the cord all the way behind your desk and connect it to the back of your gaming rig. Other than that, we find the long cord to be quite unnecessary. The G430 comes with inline controls on the cord, though, which allow you to adjust the volume and toggle mute the microphone quickly and easily. At the end, the cord forks off into separate audio in and out 3.5mm jacks, but the headset comes with a convenient USB adapter if you don’t have dedicated audio in and out ports (like on some laptops).

Audio Output

As for the quality of the sound produced by the G430, we were impressed. We’re not complete audiophiles, so we’re not too picky when it comes to audio, but we certainly weren’t disappointed with what we were hearing. In-game audio sounded terrific, especially when playing first-person shooters where the many explosions produced excellent bass. It made us feel more closer to the action when playing our favorite shoot-em-ups, especially with the on-board Dolby 7.1 surround sound, which allowed us to know what direction shots and grenade blasts were coming from, allowing us to better respond to the situation.

For the audiophiles out there, the G430 comes with 40mm drivers and has a frequency response of 20Hz-20KHz. There’s 32 Ohms of impedance, and the sensitivity rings in at 90dB SPL/mW. The microphone is unidirectional and has a frequency response of 50-20KHz.

Since the headset fits quite snugly, it has its own natural noise-cancelling technology of sorts. It was almost like we were wearing a pair of noise-cancelling ear muffs that you would wear on a construction site, only you could play audio through them. Even at high volume levels, audio remained crisp and there was no noticeable clipping going on. Even music sounded great through the headset, with clear mids and highs, along with the thumping bass.

Audio Input

Logitech touts that the microphone has noise-cancelling technology, and we can’t argue with them there. Friends listening on the other end said that we were coming in clear with a nice volume, although they reported that the bass wasn’t as good as it could have been. Nonetheless, in a heated gaming situation, the only important thing is that your teammates can at least hear you loud and clear, and the G430 accomplishes that with aplomb. It’s certainly not a microphone you would use if you needed a high-quality recording of yourself, but for gaming, it definitely does the job.

Software

The G430, as with most other Logitech products, comes with a software suite that includes a full-blown control panel to finely tune your headset to optimal settings. You can adjust things like individual volume levels for the microphone and the headphones, as well as adjust the bass and treble by 12 dB either up or down.

You can also adjust each individual channel in the headset’s Dolby 7.1 surround sound, all the way down to the subwoofer portion. This would come in handy if certain channels were too loud for your liking, allowing you to tone down that specific channel while keeping the rest of them the same.

The big thing with the software, however, is that it’s not supported on OS X. The headset will still at least work on Apple’s OS, but you won’t get the Dolby 7.1 surround sound or the control panel where you can fine-tune your settings. Instead, you’ll be using OS X’s default (and very limited) sound settings in System Preferences. Essentially, you won’t be getting the full experience through OS X as you would on Windows.

Wrap-Up

Overall, the Logitech G430 headset is a quality product, but is it worth the $80 price tag? Yes, it is very worth it. In fact, we think the headset is worthy of a $100+, so you’re definitely getting a bargain here. However, not every product is perfect, and the G430 comes with faults that could deter some gamers, including a really tight fit around the ears, an annoyingly long cable, and no full OS X compatibility. However, if you can look past these faults (which are mostly personal preferences anyway) the G430 is certainly worthy to be in any gamer’s repertoire.

With the Power Trip you’ve got a set of color options – six of them, to be exact, each of them ready to be your pocketable solution for on-the-go charging of your mobile device. The unit you’re seeing above and below is the Power Trip 4700, so named for its 4,700mAh power capacity. That amount, for your reference, is more than twice the amount of power of a standard Samsung Galaxy S III and more than three times the capacity of the iPhone 5.

This battery pack lineup works with a single full-sized USB port that’ll allow you to connect to your standard charging cord. In the box you get a miniature cord that can charge with microUSB and includes a converter tip so you can charge miniUSB devices as well. Unfortunately the package does not include a Lightning connector, so you’ll need to use the cord you got with your iPhone 5, iPad 4, or iPad mini, but rest assured: it does work.

Once you’ve used up all the power the iGO Power Trip is packing, you’ll have to recharge using the same microUSB cord you got in the box – only backwards. In this case you’ll need to plug the larger end in to your notebook or some other full-sized USB port you’d use at home to charge your devices.

This charger line comes in three different sizes, ranging from 3,000 to a massive 6,100mAh and works to charge your device with a single button click. Lights surrounding the single button on this charger show in simple terms how much of a charge you’ve got left, and the pack itself is perfectly pocketable. The largest size Power Trip will cost you $79.99, the 4700 will cost you $59.99, and the 3000 runs $49.99 – and they’re all available right this minute. Let us know how you roll!

The watch you’re looking at right this minute will cost you a cool $34,000 USD and, needless to say, you’re not going to be seeing it on your best buddy’s wrist any time soon. Unless you’ve got a watch maniac as a best friend, of course, packed with cash looking for unique time-keeping solutions. Here you’ve got four dials, each of them showing either the time or the date, each of them appearing to be suspended as if by magic.

The face of this watch is a clear sapphire crystal and around the edges you’ll find no standard crank. There’s a manual winding mechanism on the back of this amalgamation as well as a switch to activate your ability to change the time. You’ll also find the product page over at Ressence to be especially simplistic.

“The indications and their mechanisms are mounted inside a bubble crafted from extremely tough, anti-reflective sapphire crystal. The complication and indications follow the shape of the crystal. The mechanism (28 gears, 57 jewels) is enclosed in an upper compartment filled with a naphtha-type liquid that has a more similar index of refraction to the sapphire crystal than air does.

Refraction bends light when it passes from one material to another, e.g. air-to-glass or glass-to-air. With the fluid-filled dial indications, refraction is greatly minimised, which tricks the brain into seeing the dial in two-dimensions rather than three. A thermal valve automatically adjusts for any expansion or contraction of the fluid.” – Ressence

UPDATE: Have a look at a set of new hands-on photos from A Blog to Watch below as well!

Have a peek at this watche’s front, back, and sides above and below, and let us know if this is a machine that’s fit for your otherwise smartwatch-seeking pocketbook. And what’s that? Is it an iPhone app make specifically to give you a preview of how the Type 3 looks, water pressure and all? Have a download and let us know how it goes!

[via Watch.AM]

There are two different versions of the lens, one built for the full-size iPad and the other built specifically for the iPad mini. The full-size iPad version sports a 10x zoom, while the iPad mini lens has a 12x zoom. The lens also comes with a minimalistic case for your iPad that allows you to attach the lens to the tablet.

The two lenses also have manual focus rings on them so that way you can adjust the photos to your liking, offering you a bit of manual control over the iPad’s camera app, which leaves a lot to be desired in that respect. The lens is about the size of a small handheld flashlight, and it quickly screws on and off the iPad shell for easy storage when you’re not using it.

As for price, you’re looking at $25 for one of these lenses, which isn’t too terrible, considering that a smartphone lens from the same company is around the same price. As far as compatibility, Photojojo says that the full-size iPad lens will only work with the 3rd- and 4th-gen iPads, although you may be able to squeeze it on the iPad 2 if you really wanted to.

Of course, once shoppers noticed the coupon, many of them swiped it like an eagle catching its prey, and according to Razer USA head Min-Liang Tan, “thousands of orders were placed in the space of a couple of hours.” However Tan assured customers that they will honor these purchases at the expense of the company.

However, there is a slight catch. All single orders that were made using the coupon will be honored, while all orders asking for multiple quantities of the same item will have the opportunity to buy one unit at 90% off. Even by doing this, Razer will likely experience an “insane amount of losses to make good on the orders.”

It will take Razer a few months to get through all of the orders made, especially considering that a lot of the items sold out and are now on backorder. However, those getting something at a 90% discount can certainly wait a few months. It’s certainly a nice gesture on Razer’s part, especially considering that they could’ve canceled all the orders legally.

A source familiar with the development of Microsoft’s Xbox has spoken with The Verge this week, noting that development of a smartwatch is indeed in the works right now. Sources note that a wrist-worn device has been in development by Microsoft for just over a year, and that this machine wont just be a companion for the gaming console.

Stacking up the tips and suggestions made throughout this month thus far, you’ll find this smartwatch to be working with a 1.5-inch touchscreen display, the possibility of gesture/motion control, and a re-use of the same connectors used for the Microsoft Surface tablets. With these connectors you’ll be able to pick your watch face up, place it down in a special tray, and let it charge all night long.

This connectivity might not make it past the prototype stage and, based on what we understand thus far, the entire watch might stay a prototype into the future as well. Have a peek at the timeline below to see additional clues, bits, and pieces leading to the final product sooner than later!

Three out of the five new headphones (HA-MR77X/HA-MR55X/HA-SR44X) include a one-button remote and a microphone that works with iPhone, as well as Android and BlackBerry devices. The remote allows users to play, stop, and skip music tracks, as well as answer and hang-up phone calls. The remote and the microphone are built inline with the headphone’s cord.

The two remaining models — the HA-M55X and HA-S44X — come without the remote and microphone, but they deliver comparable audio quality to the other three models. Besides the built-in remote and microphone, there’s not a lot of differences design-wise between the five pairs of headphones, although each pair includes a different driver for different audio needs.

The HA-S44X and HA-SR44X are priced at $30 and $40, respectively, and both come with a 1.57” (40mm) driver. The HA-M55X and HA-MR55X are priced at $50 and $60, respectively and come with a 1.97” (50mm) driver. The HA-MR77X cost $100 and include a 2.24” (57mm) driver. JVC claims these headphones are focused on getting the best bass sound possible, and if you want in on these new cans, they’re available now.

First off, this new Smarter Stand has a very unique design. It makes for a pretty good headphone wrapper by itself, but it also acts as a stand for your iPhone, allowing you to keep your headphones wrapped up while you have it propping up your smartphone. However, you’ll have to have your headphones plugged into your iPhone in order to use the Smarter Stand as a stand, since it uses the headphone jack as a fulcrum of sorts. The Smarter Stand has a convenient location to slide the headphone plug into, although it seems to only work best with the stock Apple earbuds (or EarPods, as they’re now calling them). The stand isn’t too friendly with other headphone plug designs, as you can see with my own pair of headphones in the gallery toward the bottom, but it at least still works, albeit not as great as using regular Apple earbuds.

However, what I really like about the Smarter Stand is how it allows for room to feed the headphone earpieces through the middle after you wrapped them up. It’s a small design facet, but it’s incredibly genius and really handy. The two forks at either end also make it really easy to wind up your headphones, although you have to be careful not to wind your headphones up too tightly or too loosely — too tightly can result in destroyed headphone cords, while wrapping too loosely can lead to unwanted unraveling.

As a stand itself, the Smarter Stand works pretty well. Again, you have to have your headphones plugged into your iPhone in for the stand to do its thing, but you can still have your headphones wrapped up if you want, and if you want to utilize your external speakers, you can simply unplug your headphones past that first notch to keep them plugged in, but not activated. Sadly, you can’t adjust the angle of the stand, but it sits at a nice 45-degrees (roughly), which we found to be optimal anyway.

In the end, if you need a simple and cheap stand that also doubles as a headphone wrapper, this is probably what you want. You can get one for as low $9 (plus $3 shipping to US), and it’s made out of flexible, but stiff thermoplastic polyurethane, so while it looks like a cheap accessory, it’ll hold up quite well. However, it only works well if you’re using Apple’s own headphones. You can use other brands, but the stand doesn’t quite work as nicely. It’ll at least work either way, but that’s definitely something to be aware of if you’re planning on backing the project.

The Smarter Stand is available for the iPhone 5 and the iPhone 4/4S, as well as all generations of the iPod Touch. As for Android version, the company says that each Android device would require its own exclusive design (which can get expensive), but they’re open to making Smarter Stands for certain Android models if the demand is up.

The Bamboo Stylus mini joins Wacom’s current line of Bamboo styli, such as the Stylus Feel, Solo, Pocket, and Duo. The size of stylus may be off-putting at first, but it seems like the compact shape of the Stylus mini is great for those who need optimal portability, and let’s face it, not all of us need a stylus the size of a permanent marker.

The stylus looks a lot like a cheap crayon, but it’s actually plated with brass and it comes with replaceable tips in case they ever get worn down eventually, but the various tips also vary in softness and firmness, allowing users to select the optimal surface tension for the stylus right off the bat.

The Stylus mini also comes in several colors for those who want more than just the usual black color scheme. Other than black, you can choose white, green, blue, pink, or red. They cost $20 each, which may seem like a lot with a stub of a stylus like this, but portability usually costs a lot more in the technology world these days.

With the rise of Cloud Computing we’ve seen more than a few businesses build their greatness on the idea that you should be able to access all of your digital bits and pieces from wherever you may be. With Windows Blue, you’ll be finding that not only your digital media and download approvals will be going with you, you’ll also have the ability to move from one PC to the next with your wireless accessories, too.

• Device Associations (including Bluetooth)
• Internet Explorer Tabs and Tracking Protection
• Picture Password
• File History
• Input Personalization
• Explorer Quick Links
• App Secondary Tiles
• Tethering
• Installed Apps

So say you’ve got a Bluetooth mouse that you love so very much, but you’re often switching from your home computer to your work computer, and your work computer is one that other people often use with their own login. With Windows Blue (the next big update for Windows 8), you’ll find that once you’ve logged in with your Microsoft account, you’ll be able to see your Bluetooth mouse right away – provided you’ve brought it with you.

Also revealed this week was the fact that Windows Blue will have your Microsoft account bringing your Start Screen panels in the same configuration you left them, again no matter what PC your working with. Sound like the cloud is bringing you with it yet?

Are you convinced by Windows Blue yet? Perhaps you’d like more information on this upcoming Windows 8 build? Have a peek at the timeline below for more details!

Logitech is calling their line of new gaming peripherals “Logitech G,” marking the first time that the company’s “G” products have actually gotten their very own branding. In total there are eight new products, including four mice, two keyboards, and two headsets. The mice include Delta Zero sensor technology for extreme cursor control accuracy, and what Logitech calls “advanced surface materials” for a comfortable precision grip on the keyboards.

Both headsets also include a noise-canceling microphone and removable ear cups to wash every now and then. Headlining the new G series of products is the Logitech G700s mouse, claiming to be “the zenith of all wireless gaming mice.” Logitech says that the mouse “communicates with the computer at up to 1,000 times per second, making it up to eight times faster than a standard USB mouse.” The G700s is priced at $99.

The Logitech G line of products is expected to launch in North America sometime next month, while Europe will receive them in May. As for pricing, the mice start at $39, while the keyboards are $119 and $199. The two headsets are priced at $59 and $79. Overall, it’s your typical pricing scheme from Logitech, but these new peripherals should be quite the advancement from past G-series products.

This lovely little oddity was revealed under the radar by Samsung this week for use with the Samsung GALAXY S 4, it being a push for the device to work with gaming controls not unlike that of the Xbox 360, right down to the XYBA configuration and color scheme. If you take a peek at NVIDIA’s Project SHIELD, you’ll also see XYBA and the colors blue, orangy/yellow, red, and green showing up in the same spot. A real standardization is happening right this minute.

But the interesting bit we’d like you to pay attention to here and now is the compatibility this device has with screen sizes between 4-inches and 6.3-inches. While this covers every Galaxy S device on the market today, it may very well be telling what the Galaxy Note’s next generation is toting as well. With the Samsung GALAXY S 4 hitting the market soon, it wont be long before the big S starts hinting at the again-larger Galaxy Note handset as it has for the past two years.

Have a peak at the timeline below for more information on the Samsung GALAXY S 4 complete with hands-on action and details on its innards. See the four pillars of user experience excellence as well to see how the Galaxy Note III might be shaping up soon, complete with features that’ll have you wanting a Samsung device quicker than you can say S-Want!

Belkin will be releasing 11 cases in total. The Wallet Folio case being their most premium case for the new phone. It will be priced at $49 and will feature genuine leather, a cover that folds up into a stand, and there will even be pockets inside to store small things like credit cards, IDs, and receipts.

As for OtterBox, they will have their usual lineup of cases available for the GALAXY S 4, including their Defender Series, Commuter Series, and Reflex Series. The Defender Series is OtterBox’s premium option that offers the best protection, while the Reflex Series offers a low-profile design that’s sturdy enough to take on a few hits.

Belkin says their cases will be available in “April 2013″ while OtterBox has yet to officially announce availability, although the cases will “soon be available” for the new device. Again, we should be hearing about more companies in the coming weeks who will be releasing their own cases, but Belkin and OtterBox seem to have been the first ones to the line.

The new iMacs with the built-in VESA adapter will cost $40 more than a regular iMac, and they don’t come with the stand, but you have the option to select a desk mount during checkout if you want starting at $140. The wall-mountable iMacs don’t actually come with a wall mount, so you’ll have to go out and buy your own on top of the $40 premium for the adapter that Apple slaps on.

Apple seems to have quietly rolled these new models out, and they’re not actively promoting them either, but a link at the bottom of the iMac configuration page will take you to the main page where the wall-mountable iMacs are advertised, where you can then select one to purchase starting at $1,339 for the 21.5-inch model.

However, the new wall-mountable iMac options show a ship date of 7-10 business days, while standard iMacs ship within 24 hours, so if you need an iMac fast, it may be best to get the standard one, but if you’re absolutely dying to have a wall-mountable option, be prepared to wait a couple of weeks.

[via AppleInsider]

The Breathometer is currently campaigning right now on Indiegogo to try to raise $25,000 to get the tiny device mass produced. You can pre-order one right now for as low as $20, but there’s limited availability, so hurry quick if you want to grab one at a low price. After those are sold out, you can still grab one for $50.

However, it seems like the more you pay for a pre-order, the earlier you’ll get your Breathometer. For instance, if you pay $100, you’ll get yours by July. If you pay $75, you’ll get it by September, and $50 will earn you one by November. The $20 pre-order special, however, will have you waiting until January of next year, so if you’re looking to save some money, you better be a patient one.

The device simply plugs into the headphone jack of your smartphone, and you simply fire up the accompanying app to get started. From there, you just breath into the device and it’ll give you your blood alcohol content level. The campaign has 32 days to go, and so far it has raised over $5,500 out of its $25,000 goal.

The little device is called the Automatic Link, and it’s available for pre-order right now for $80. The accessory will tell you why your “check engine” light is on, and it also can give you tons of trip information, including your gas mileage, your driving style, and can even tell you where you parked your car.

Since the device plugs into the OBD port, it’ll only work on vehicles that were built from 1996 and onward, so those with classic vehicles won’t be able to take advantage of the new tool. Automatic can give you personalized feedback on your driving style with a weekly drive score that’s based on a scale from 0-100. The score is based on how well you manage fuel efficiency and safety, and the app will give you tips on how to increase fuel efficiency.

The device will even alert emergency services with your location if you ever get into an accident. The app can even contact any of your significant others to let them know that you got into an accident and that emergency services are on the way. The dongle communicates with your iPhone through Bluetooth. Automatic Link will start shipping in May.

These music servers seamlessly integrate with a handful of popular AV Receivers, including those from Harman Kardon, Onkyo, Pioneer, Sony, and Yamaha. The CasaTunes Music Servers start out at three wired rooms and five wireless rooms, but they support up to a whopping 24 wired rooms and 10 wireless rooms, making it the perfect solution if you happen to own the Palace of Versailles.

Of course, the system allows users to install a wired-only music system, a wireless-only system, or a hybrid of the two in any combination, which makes it fairly versatile as far as where the system can be implemented. And the technology uses Apple’s AirPlay protocol to beam music wirelessly to various receivers.

Users can also listen to different playlists in different rooms, and it can all be controlled via the optional keypad (pictured above), through a web browser, or using the CasaTunes mobile app for iOS and Android. While setting up a multi-room music system isn’t cheap by any means, it’s a great way to get audio blasting all throughout your house, especially during a party.

It may seem strange to see a review of a peripheral as small as this lovely little Analogix SlimPort HDMI adapter out here in the wild simply due to the large amount of relatively similar solutions on the market. Whenever 20 companies make an smartphone accessory, it always ends up being difficult to tell them apart. When it comes to the SlimPort solution here, on the other hand, there’s really only one way to go – especially when you’re using the LG Optims G Pro or the Google Nexus 4 (also made by LG.)

Last week we were told that the brand new LG Optimus G Pro would be carrying official MyDP standard connectivity in its microUSB port. With that, we heard from SlimPort that they’d be more than happy to let us have a peek at their technology in a rather simple-looking HDMI connector. As it turns out, LG was rather pumped up about this connectivity as well:

“With SlimPort, LG is able to deliver unprecedented functionality at a lower cost, because of its streamlined design and standard USB connector. SlimPort unleashes content from the Optimus G Pro smartphone, making it a snap to share and enjoy videos, games, photos and more on any screen.” – Dr. Ramchan Woo, division leader/smart phone platform division of LG Mobile Communications Company

You’re able to pick up any of several different SlimPort accessories to work with your Nexus 4, LG Optimus G Pro, or future MyDP-enabled devices. The one we’ve got here connects on one end to the microUSB port on your smartphone, the other to an HDMI cord (which you must already own), the HDMI cable then connecting to your secondary display of choice. The reason you’d pick this adapter up instead of the company’s HDTV Cable (microUSB straight out to HDMI), is the microUSB port it works with.

With the microUSB port on the adapter, you’re also able to connect a microUSB cord in that’s also connected to a wall socket – this way your smartphone (or perhaps tablet in the future) is being charged at the same time you’re outputting massive amounts of graphics. That said, this solution also allows you to work without plugging in to the wall – a definite bonus that places this technology over solutions like MHL which, on devices like the Samsung Galaxy S II and III, demand external power to work.

SlimPort’s solution here also requires very little power to utilize. We’ve watched entire movies on the Nexus 4 with this HDMI adapter without external power, in fact, and the LG Optimus G Pro works even longer than the Nexus 4 – what with the larger battery, and all. SlimPort also offers (or will offer in the near future) VGA and DVI out as well.

So have a peek at this HDMI adapter or check out the rest of the collection at SlimPort – you’ll be paying right around $30 USD if you need an adapter today, and the rest of the collection will be appearing online soon. Also have a peek at our Nexus 4 tag portal for more information on this radically popular Google-fresh LG-made smartphone, chock-full of Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor goodness.

The JackPod is essentially just a 0.2-ounce piece of plastic, with a screw hole on one end and two headphone jacks on the other, with one mounted vertically and the other mounted horizontally. The JackPod looks to be the easiest wait to mount and unmount your smartphone to a tripod, since it’s literally as easy as plugging in headphones.

You simply insert the plastic 3.5mm headphone plug into the headphone jack of your smartphone, and your device is now mounted to a tripod. Of course, some users may be weary of mounting their smartphones from nothing other than the headphone jack, but for occasional use, we can’t really picture a scenario where this would go bad. Obviously, if you’re deep into smartphone photography, it might be better to get something a bit more sturdy, but for casual users this seems to be perfect.

Plus, the JackPod only costs $10, which is pocket change compared to most other smartphone accessories. For $10 more, you’ll also get the UltraPod, which is a mini tripod that you can use alongside the JackPod. Both are expected to shipping sometime in May, and so far the campaign has reached over $5,000 of its $16,000 goal with 28 days to go.

Why can’t I just wear a purse? I certainly can, there’s nothing illegal or wrong about it. In technology and gadgetry, there’s an assumed scale of masculinity to femininity. I don’t agree with the scale, and I generally try to ignore or actively buck these trends. Still, they exist, and here they are, laid bare.

First, there is the outright masculine end of the scale. Don’t think about male body parts, think Jeeps. Jeeps are very ugly and highly functional. They have little aesthetic decoration, but every detail serves a purpose. There is a teeter-totter of utility on one end and aesthetic on the other. As we give up utility in favor of beauty, our gadgets are widely perceived as more feminine. Add colors design finishes, start removing features and wanton capabilities of questionable benefit and you end up with a feminized device.

There is also a question of color, which makes far less sense to me. I’ll never understand how colors became gendered, in the same way I wouldn’t understand gendered flavors or gendered musical notes. Some colors carry an undeniable association with gender, though, even when the color seems completely neutral. Pink is the most obvious gendered color. Purple comes a close second. Mix colors with red, it seems, and you remove their male potency.

Some gendered colors surprise me. I remember the first product I purchased that carried a gender stigma of which I was unaware: the white iPhone 3G. I loved that device in that color. Black seemed too industrial. Black was too normal, like so many other smartphones on the market. It was uninviting and, frankly, for my tastes, too masculine. So, I shouldn’t have been surprised or embarrassed when I showed off my brand new iToy and was greeted with some harmless ribbing by my male colleagues. Even some women I showed it to, including my now-ex-wife, thought it was a bit too feminine, even for their own tastes. Personally, I just liked it better. When it comes to deciding which color gadget to buy, I make an entirely emotional decision. Whichever color appeals to me most at the moment I make the purchase is the one I take home.

I believe in the legitimacy of this emotional response to our gadgets, and that’s certainly what I was feeling when I decided to buy my new tablet a purse … I mean, a carrying case. I scoped out my favorite bag makers and decided on either a Tom Bihn Ristretto or a Waterfield Ultimate SleeveCase. Both seemed a little effeminate for my needs, but both were exactly what I wanted.

Here’s my full disclosure. Usually here’s where I mention day job is with Samsung blah blah blah. Today, though, I’m disclosing that my father used to carry a purse. A satchel. A man’s carry-all bag, in the European style. He had many of these, leather and canvas. His use of the purse predated tablets or even smartphones, so there was no form-fitted purpose to his carrying a purse. It simply made sense as a way to store his wallet, keys, StarTAC, and a few papers or receipts or whatnot. He gave it up a few years ago, and I have little doubt he was simply tired of the comments. He was tired of being labeled the guy with the purse. He still has the bags, stuffed away somewhere, holding onto receipts that predate Check Cards and email.

Why can’t I just carry a purse? Actually, I can. There’s nothing really stopping me except the ideas in my own head. I can ignore looks and comments from people around me and simply do what I like. It’s just that easy. Right? Unfortunately, no. We’re humans, and humans are coded to work better in groups. We hardwired to be acutely aware of those around us and how they are responding to us. We’re supposed to change and conform. We feel awkward. We stick out. In prehistoric cave times, this instinct keeps you from being culled from the herd by a hungry tiger. Today, it makes me feel awkward about carrying a purse.

It’s especially weird that I should feel awkward about this because I already own plenty of pink. I have pink iPods. I have pink phone cases (that I use with my big white smartphone). I have shirts and gadgets and decorations at home that veer into the feminine end of the color spectrum, though I wouldn’t say they are especially feminine in design, if there is such a thing.

There is also a strange divide between fashion and utility when it comes to bags. I may feel like my Ultimate Sleeve Case looks too feminine wearing it about, but it’s nothing compared to a Coach bag or a fancy Italian designer case. When a bag literally borrows materials and design accents from a famous women’s clothing house, it falls deeper into feminine territory.

At once, my free-thinking and liberal mind is watching all of the sinkholes open in my argument. The secularization of men’s and women’s clothing is problematic. My definitions of masculine and feminine in design, with utility on the masculine end and aesthetic on the feminine, is reductive and perhaps dangerous. It results in pink versions of under-specced phones with dangly accessories tacked onto them. There are problems with my color assignments, especially as color and design preferences vary greatly by culture.

I know it. I see the pitfalls. I understand this is an argument about which I’m hardly qualified to rave from a distressed male perspective. But the bottom line is that I just want to carry a nice purse. I love my tablet, I want to pare down so I can just carry my tablet and some essentials, and I want to sling that all over my shoulder. To meet my needs, I’ll buy whatever I need. I’ll just buy it in black, with some distressed hide leather. And I’ll get a really ugly, utilitarian strap.

The layoffs, along with the rest of the company’s plans for realignment will save Logitech between $16 and $18 million during the 2014 fiscal year. Today’s layoffs will result in a $12-$14 million charge in the company’s fourth-quarter earnings, which is expected to be announced sometime in late April.

Logitech is focusing more on mobile products such as accessories for tablets and other post-PC devices. Back in January when the company announced its third-quarter earnings, they also announced that they would be divesting their Harmony remote business, but much to everyone’s excitement, their PC peripheral business is still up and running.

Of course, their focus on PC accessories and peripherals is no surprise. Their mice and keyboards are some of the most popular amongst avid PC users, and with the industry slowly shifting towards mobile, Logitech’s refocusing on the mobile industry is key. In fact, they already announced a keyboard case for the iPad mini.

Logitech has been through rough patches lately. The company reported an operating loss of $180 million during its third quarter that ended last month, with sales of $615 million, which was down 14% compared to the same time last year. Hopefully the company’s restructuring this quarter will put them in the black come late April.

What’s perhaps more impressive is that Satechi claims that its Smart Trigger is capable of a battery life of up to 10 years, which seems almost impossible in a world where smartphones can’t even last a half-day. Either way, the Smart Trigger is compatible with a wide range of Canon cameras, including the 5D Mark III, Rebel T4i, and 60D.

The Smart Trigger app itself works with the iPhone 5, iPad Mini, and iPad, and it features multiple shooting modes that provide photographers with a setup that’s ideal for most situations. There’s Regular Shot mode, which is meant for traditional photos, there’s Manual Shot mode, which allows users to adjust different settings, and then there’s Timed Shot mode that turns the camera into a intervalometer of sorts by capturing time-lapses.

The Smart Trigger is available now for $44.99 on Satechi’s website or Amazon.com, and the companion app is free and is available now in the iTunes App Store. As for Android support, Satechi plans to roll out compatibility to various Android devices, such as the Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II, sometime next month.

The hockey puck wireless charger, dubbed the WCP-300, charges up Qi-compatible devices, like LG’s own Nexus 4, Spectrum 2, and Optimus G Pro, and it sits at just 6.9cm in diameter. The back plugs into a traditional microUSB port in order to feed juice to devices wirelessly. However, only the Spectrum 2 and the Nexus 4 support the wireless charger in the US.

Of course, though, LG will be releasing more smartphones in the future with Qi wireless charging functionality, and the company hopes that more smartphones will jump on board with the wireless charging protocol as well. After all, the wireless charger doesn’t do much good if you don’t have a phone that supports it.

LG will be releasing the wireless charger in South Korea this week at a price of 65,000 won (around $60). However, the company expects to roll out the accessory worldwide over time, so it’ll arrive in the US at some point this year we’re hoping. Plus, $60 isn’t too bad of a price for the world’s smallest wireless charger, so hopefully LG keeps it that way when it eventually comes to the US.

The adapters come in a two-pack for $9.99 on olloclip’s website, and the lens system itself also comes with an adapter if you don’t already own the lenses. Users will be able to quickly and easily slip on the adapter, and then attach the olloclip lens system to the iPod Touch like you would on the iPhone.

The olloclip lens system includes a fisheye lens that has a 180-degree view all around, a wide-angle lens that nearly doubles the camera’s perspective, and a macro lens that has roughly a 10x multiplier — all of which are connected together and can easily be changed out amongst one another.

The olloclip lens system costs $70, and there are options available for both the iPhone 5 and iPhone 4/4S. Frankly, we’re not too surprised that the company is adding the iPod Touch to its list of compatible devices since Apple is marketing the iPod Touch as more of a camera device this time around. Mobile photography nuts should be happy.

Staples has a bevy of products available, including the Magic Mouse, iPad Smart Covers, EarPods, Bluetooth keyboards, and Lightning cables. Apple products are only available on Staple’s website for now, and it’s not known when the chain will begin offering Apple products in-store. The company will eventually begin selling Macs and iPads, but they will only roll out to a select number of high-volume stores at the beginning.

This marks the first time that Staples stores in the US have been able to sell Apple products. The chain’s Canadian stores have been selling Apple products for years, so it’s finally nice to see the company’s US locations getting the same treatment this time around. With the addition of Staples in the US, it makes it easier to buy an Apple product in person if you don’t have an Apple Store or Best Buy nearby.

Prices for Apple products available at Staples don’t seem to be any cheaper than what you’d normally find them for at an Apple Store, which isn’t too surprising really. However, it’s possible that — like Best Buy — Staples will discount some of its Apple products during special sales throughout the year, something that Apple doesn’t do very often.

OtterBox has made three cases for the HTC On using their popular line of Commuter and Defender series of cases. The regular Defender HTC One case will cost $50 and will come in a bevy of different colors that you can choose from, including black, glacier (grey/white mix), blushed (grey/pink mix), and punked (black/green mix).

The company is also offering a RealTree Defender case, which will give your phone a nice camouflage look, just in case you need to be completely hidden while hunting out in the woods, smartphone and all. This case will cost you $60. As for the Commuter series, an HTC One case will cost you $35 and it will come in a mixture of colors as well, including black, glacier, steel blue (black/teal mix), lilac, black/purple mix), and punked.

There’s no word on availability yet, but the company allows you to submit your email address to be notified when the new cases eventually become available, which should be sometime in March (the same time that the actual phone is releasing). These cases may not be as tough as the Armor series of cases that we checked out at CES last month, but you’ll be guaranteed that your brand new HTC One will be well protected using any OtterBox offering.

The kickstand case you’re seeing here takes on a form not unlike what we saw with the HTC One “EVO” device we experienced earlier last year – have a peek at our HTC EVO 4G LTE New Orleans ImageChip Tour post for more information on that HTC kickstand-lover. The fold-over case you see here employs red and black on its insides, leading us to believe that a Verizon version of the HTC One might be on the way – DROID perhaps.

The rather sunflower-like swivel stand you’re seeing here is made specifically for the HTC One and – for now – will only be available for this device. With the HTC DoubleCharge you’ll get such a massive amount of battery life (in a big rectangular box) that you’ll be able to charge your HTC One twice over. No more stranded in nowhereland with no uptime for you!

Some of the items we’ve seen before that were shown off again: the HTC Car StereoClip, Beats Earbuds, and the HTC Media Link HD for HDMI projection excellence. Then there’s the two-tone case you’ll see bringing on a rather bright strip of red to your HTC One experience. We’re expecting a whole lot more in the way of bright and odd color combinations here soon.

Finally, have a peek at the timeline below for more information on the HTC One through a fabulous list of hands-on experiences and announcements.

The entire package comes with the base, three speakers, AC power cord, and a 3.5mm audio cable — all of which costs $299. The speakers themselves are cubes that measure six inches all the way around, and the base for which they sit upon is about an inch tall and a foot-and-a-half long. These definitely don’t take up a lot of space, so if you’re looking for a set of compact speakers, these can definitely be in the running.

Setup is fairly straightforward and it involves simply just turning everything on, pairing the speaker base with your Bluetooth-enabled device, and you’re off to the races. Turning on the base will make it discoverable over Bluetooth, and then each speaker has its own power that you can toggle for each, so if you don’t happen to need all three speakers, you can just turn on one or two and use those, leaving the third one charging on the base if you want.

Turning on each of the speakers will reveal a soft LED glow underneath the speakers around the outer edge. This is an amazing design feature that we really dig, and it gives the system a little added personality when you’re blasting your tunes. Unfortunately, when the speakers are turned on, there’s a faint humming noise that comes from each speaker. You don’t hear it at all when you have music playing, but if you pause the music, and you’re in a quiet house, you’ll be able to hear the buzzing from a bit of distance.

The Bluetooth range is about 25 feet according to Bem, so you’ll be fine if you’re in the same room as the base, but you definitely won’t be able to have control from across the house. In my 800 square foot apartment, I was able to control it from anywhere in the living room, but once I started to make my way back to the bedroom, it started to cut out at random points. Having the base placed in the middle of the apartment definitely helped with that, but if you have a bigger living space, you’ll want to think about placement and where you’ll use it the most. On the other hand, the speakers have a huge range, with a 120-foot max distance from the base. Anywhere I set the speakers, they were all able to pick up a signal. I had one in the bedroom, kitchen, and the living room — great for doing chores all around the house without having my music fade in and out.

Of course, if you don’t want to use Bluetooth, you can use the included 3.5mm audio cable and plug directly into the base. This will save on your device’s battery life, as well as increase the quality of the audio a bit, since you’re going through a hard wired connection There’s also an auxiliary-out port for effectively turning another pair of speakers that you have lying around into Bluetooth speakers, although you’ll have to keep the base nearby since that’s what you’re plugging into, but it’s a great way to turn some high-powered speakers into wireless speakers with Bem’s Speaker Trio base.

As for speaker quality, the Speaker Trio won’t replace your dedicated stereo system (if you even have one). First off, the speakers aren’t that big, so you won’t get that punchy bass that we know you love. Plus the music is being sent over Bluetooth, which will degrade the quality of the audio before it even gets to the speakers. Nonetheless, the audio doesn’t sound distorted, and if you’re not a hardcore audiophile, the speakers don’t sound too bad, frankly. They certainly beat using your laptop or mobile device speakers for sure.

Bem claims that each speaker gets around 6 hours of battery life, which should be enough to get through an average house party, unless you party really hard, in which case you probably have a high-wattage boombox anyway. I was able to go several hours without a problem. In fact, my laptop’s battery was getting low long before the speakers started to show signs of weakness.

In the end, there are a lot of great uses for the Speaker Trio. You can place them all around your house so that your music is with you wherever you are, or you could use them if you’re wanting to watch a movie or play some games on your tablet — just keep the three speakers nearby and you’ll be immersed in surround sound (although the Speaker Trio doesn’t support actual surround sound, but rather you’ll be surrounded with sound). These speakers are versatile, and even though they may not have the punchiest bass, they’re way better sounding than any laptop or mobile device speaker. However, is the $299 price tag too much for these? That really depends on how often you’ll use them. If you plan on using them every day for most of your audio needs, then laying down three benjamins might be worth it to you, but if you only plan on maybe using them for parties or just as a convenience factor at certain times, we’re not sure if $300 can be warranted here.

The Smarter Stand for iPhone is essentially a stand and a cable wrapper in one. It has forks at both ends that make it easy to wrap earbuds around, and one end has a notch for the earbud cable to slide into. Not only does that notch keep your earbuds from unraveling, but it also acts as the pivot point to adjust the angle of the stand.

The stand also comes with an outer extension on one side that keeps your iPhone propped up. Plus, it works with or without a case, and it can even act as a stand at the same time that it acts as an earbud wrapper. The notch has the headphone jack sticking out, so you can easily just plug your earbuds into your iPhone (for that pivot point), and then rest the phone on the stand. However, if you want sound to come out of the phone’s speakers, you just simply unplug the earbuds part way.

So far, the Smarter Stand has raised almost $12,000 with their goal being $15,000. The project still has 58 days to go at the time of this writing, so the stand is very well on its way to getting funded. The best part is, the Smarter Stand for iPhone is only $12, which we’re definitely surprised by even if it’s just a small piece of plastic. Most minimalistic stands can cost over $20, so this is definitely on the cheaper end.

What makes the Helium stand out from the rest of the pack is that it’s simply not just a ported version of the previous Juice Pack cases for the iPhone. The Helium is a redesigned case that’s 13% thinner than past iterations. The battery inside is a 1700mAh battery, which is smaller than the 2000mAh pack in past cases, but the thinner design easily makes up for the slight loss.

The extra battery will give iPhone 5 users six additional hours of talk time, internet use, and video playback, as well as up to 30 hours of audio playback. It sure beats having to carry around a separate battery pack with you, and while the iPhone 5′s thinness is one of its greatest qualities, the slightly added bulk of the Helium will give users a bit more to grab onto.

The $79.95 case is available to order now for “loyal customers” only, but we were able to add it to our cart without a problem, so we’re guessing that anyone can buy it at this point. The case will come in dark metallic and silver, and will begin shipping starting February 14, with the silver version shipping sometime in March. The new case is available on Mophie’s website.

[via MacRumors]

BlackBerry Mini Stereo Speaker

The Bluetooth speaker you’re seeing here is not made to be hinged entirely on the success of the Z10, as it connects with Bluetooth to any device you’ve got handy. Being able to work with BlackBerry software for conference calls with its own microphone input and loudspeaker output will be fabulous for your future teleconference needs. This beast will be costing you MSRP $100 USD and has a unique shape made to clip on to the many belts in your life – seatbelt, messenger bag belt, or to simply sit on your desk quietly.

BlackBerry Z10 Battery Charger Bundle

The Battery Charger Bundle is a machine that’s made to be as sleek as possible in surrounding the Z10 unit specifically. You’ll be working with a spare battery that’s made for the Z10 which you can charge while you’re on the go, switching this and your primary battery out in the middle of the day or whenever you have the need to do so. With this simple accessory you’ll never again be without battery life. The Battery Charger Bundle will run you a mere $50 USD MSRP and will be available right around the same time as the Z10 hits stores across the USA and abroad.

Pocket, Transform Shall, Flip Shell, and Holster cases

The main case you’re seeing here is the Flip Shell, a fabulous horizontally flipping back cover for the Z10 that’ll have you sitting up with ease. The Holster and Pocket cases you’ll be seeing soon have magnets that turn the display off on the Z10 when they’re closed (or you slip the device inside, that is), and the whole lot will cost you between $30 and $40 USD each. The Shells will cost $35 USD each and the whole bunch will be hitting shelves right around the same time as the Z10 itself – can’t wait!

In a thread posted on the Logitech forums, Darrell told Logitech fans that the company has “publicly announced a plan to hold the Harmony business for sale.” He also assured users that “Logitech is not shutting down the Harmony business and certainly not the service.” The sale will not impact Harmony users, and customer support and warranties will still be provided.

The company also announced via Twitter that “PC gaming continues to be a priority for the company.” While Logitech will be discontinuing its console gaming products and exiting that business, the company is still committed to providing PC accessories and peripherals to its customers, resulting in a huge sigh of relief for PC users everywhere.

Logitech’s Q3 sales came in at $615 million, which is quite a significant drop from last year’s $715 million. Overall, sales for the company dropped 8% in North America, 20% in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and 11% in Asia. The discontinuation of other non-strategic products, such as speaker docks and console gaming peripherals, will be completed by the end of 2013.

We’ll start with the Pebble smart watch, a device that had visitors to CES clamoring for a look left and right. The Kickstarter darling was on display at CES 2013, with SlashGear managing to secure some hands-on time with the device despite the chaos that seemed to follow Pebble everywhere it went. We also got the chance to sit down with Pebble CEO Eric Migocovsky to talk about what makes the watch stand out from the competition and why it became such a hit with Kickstarter users. The company also talked about developers, apps, and how its future proofing the device, along with revealing when Pebble will begin shipping out to consumers (spoiler: its ship date is right around the corner).

Pebble netted a lot of attention during the show, but there were a couple other watches that managed to stick out despite Pebble’s presence. One of these watches was the the eInk CST-01, which has the distinction of being the world’s thinnest watch (it looks pretty sleek too, if we do say so ourselves). Next we come to the Martian Passport Watch, which boasts voice commands and Bluetooth to allow for simple connectivity to your Android or iOS device. If you’ve been in the market for a new watch, CES 2013 offered a bevy of potential choices.

The same could be said for smartphone cases at CES 2013. It isn’t much of a surprise that many of the cases we saw were for Apple’s relatively new (but nonetheless incredibly popular) iPhone 5. Otterbox was on-hand to show off its new Armor series and Defender series, using Apple’s latest iPhone to display them. Just the same, Pelican announced its first foray into the world of smartphone cases with its new ProGear Vault cases for the iPhone 5 and iPad mini. olloclip made itself stand out from the rest of the case manufacturers by offering one iPhone 5 case that has lens system, while Lifeproof was showing off a number of accessories for its iPhone 5 case, including a bright orange “Life Jacket” meant to keep your phone afloat if it ever goes overboard.

One of the coolest things to happen during CES 2013 was when the TATS CRU customized our Cygnett ICON cases right there in person. It wasn’t all just about iPhone 5 cases, however, with Pelican showing off a pair of new cases for the Galaxy S III, and ONGUARD introducing us to a rather unique origami case for the Nexus 7 (though the origami case is also available for the iPhone 5 and iPad).

Just as well, there seemed to be an awful lot of speakers on display on the show floor. SoundMatters had its Dash 7 portable Bluetooth speaker primed and ready for the spotlight, while SuperTooth was showing off its Disco Twin stereo Bluetooth speakers. If you’re looking for something a little more out of the ordinary, iuiDesign’s Mirror Boombox might be worth a look, considering its based on the side mirrors of a Mini Cooper car.

We also went hands-on with the HMDX Jam Plus and Burst speakers, which are cylindrical and available in all sorts of different colors. TYLT, which was there primarily to show off its Energi backpack that can charge three devices at a time, also had its TUNZ Bluetooth speaker on-hand, though this one comes with the bonus of NFC functionality.

Corning Optical Cables kept the Apple train moving by introducing new Thunderbolt cables aimed at the budget crowd during the show, so we imagine that those will be a big hit given the cost of spare Thunderbolt cables. Fitbit Flex is looking to to tackle the fitness monitoring business that Jawbone has conquered, while MpowerD was offering a waterproof, solar-powered lantern that seems perfect for the more adventurous among us.

Wearables seemed to be a pretty big thing at CES 2013. We already told you about TYLT’s Energi backpack and its device-charging capabilities, but TYLT had some competition from the likes of Spigen with its new SGP backpack. The SGP has enough pockets and storage areas to satisfy even the most serious gadget hoarder, and it’s also lined with super soft fabric that will keep your devices free of scratches. Then there’s the prototype TEC Jacket 2.0, which among other things features a battery pack for on-the-go charging and an antenna to boost your mobile data speeds. It’s lightweight to boot, so don’t be surprised to see this bad boy take off once its eventually released.

Griffin used the show to introduce a trio of new products. First up is its Powerdock 5, which as you can imagine can charge up to five devices at a time. The company was also showing off its StudioConnect iPad dock, which comes complete with a Lightning connector, making it compatible with Apple’s newest slate offerings. While those two were impressive, Griffin also had the very cool Crayola Light Marker on hand. The best description we could come up with for this device was calling it a “laser pointer on steroids,” so you’ll just have to check out our hands-on for more.

While many companies were announcing a collection of new products at CES 2013, there was also a number of one-off devices that were just as cool. These include Tethercell, which lets you use an app on your smartphone to control devices powered by double-A batteries (seriously, it’s super awesome), and the Silverlit Mercedes-Benz RC Car that’s controlled using your iOS device – and also features speakers you can use to stream music! Ion Scratch 2 is looking to outfit your iPad with actual DJ controls, and the Belkin WeMo light switch wants to bring light switches into the Internet age, offering connectivity with your iOS or Android device.

Kingston had its 1TB flash drive on display during the show, and though it’s a bit bulkier than the flash drives we’re used to seeing, it’s still incredibly small considering it houses a full terabyte of storage. We all know that power is always a difficulty, with many of us experiencing dead cellphone batteries at the worst possible times more than once. MiPower has taken it upon itself to solve that problem with its new PowerCube 8000M, which packs in 8,000mAh to make sure that you’ve always got enough juice to share between your devices.

Finally, there were a number of companies showing off new headsets. Turtle Beach had a collection of gaming-centric headsets at the show, introducing us to its new PX51, XP510, and SEVEN series headsets. Monster also targeted gamers out there with its MVP headset, which signifies a partnership with Electronic Arts, one of the biggest games publishers around. Last but not least, we got to spend some time with the Sennheiser MOMENTUM Black headphones, and boy do they looks sharp.

So there you have it folks – we weren’t kidding when we said that CES 2013 was in many ways all about the accessories. There were plenty of impressive devices and accessories on display, and we’re excited to get the chance to spend more time with these as the year goes on. As always, you can find any news from the show you may have missed at our CES portal!

A ton of the new products announced at CES were built for the iPhone or iPad — mostly accessories, mind you, but there were a ton of accessories lining the halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center, and while we covered a crap-ton of new accessories here at CES, there were still a truckload that we never got to. Company after company had new iPhone and iPad cases, like OtterBox, who unveiled new additions to their Armor and Defender series of cases, and Pelican, who introduced the ProGear Vault series. Olloclip showed off a new lens for the iPhone 5, Lifeproof had new cases and mounts, Cygnett had some custom cases for the iPhone 5, Belkin had a nifty speaker case for the iPad, and ONGUARD had fancy origami stands for Apple devices.

That doesn’t even begin to touch the surface, folks. Griffin introduced the StudioConnect iPad dock, as well as the Crayola Light Marker, which was made specifically for…you got it…the iPad. However, companies who didn’t have accessories to announce or sell were still showing off the Apple brand. Many companies demoed their new products with none other than iPhones and iPads, including Parrot with their AR.Drone 2.0, Liquipel with their water-resistant coatings, Harman with their Aha integration with Porsche, Tethercell with their smartphone-controlled batteries, SilverLit with their Mercedes RC cars, Martian with their Passport smartwatch, Belkin with their NetCam HD, and Ford with their in-car Sync technology. And finally, we also saw Corning release new Thunderbolt cables, Ion unveiled Scratch 2 Go for the iPad, and Behringer released a new line of speakers and audio equipment with AirPlay.

*Takes gasp of fresh air*

Other than all the companies showing off new products for Apple devices, and using iOS devices to demo various products, we also noticed the abundance of MacBooks being used in the press rooms at CES. Our team alone consisted of all MacBooks except for one team member, and we had an iMac back at our temporary headquarters that took care of any heavy video work.

Is all this Apple swag a bad thing? Of course it’s not — I think it goes to show just how much of an impact Apple products have had on a lot of people, and will continue to have. And while Apple isn’t directly participating in all of the CES festivities here in Sin City, their logo is plastered everywhere, and they’re not paying a dime for it. Companies want to spend money on things that are worthwhile and that have the biggest audience — the Samsung Galaxy S III was up there, but it was ultimately the iPhones and iPads that stood out in the end.