accessories

As every iPhone owner knows, taking photos with the device can be a hassle. Unless you're looking straight into the screen and holding the phone with two hands, it's downright tricky to hit that tiny shutter-release button. And if you're trying to snap a self-portrait, forget about it.

With any luck, Apple will do something about that in iOS 5. Of course, there are camera apps that can snap a photo when you tap anywhere on the screen, but that's just not the same thing as pressing a physical shutter-release button.

Enter Red Pop, an iPhone 4 accessory that adds a big red camera button to the business end of your phone. It's currently in development--and its creators are seeking funding via Kickstarter. Here's the full scoop:… Read more

Compact cameras pretty much get shafted when it comes to straps and for good reason. Most people don't bother with a strap for small point-and-shoots and larger cameras typically have eyelets for attaching a neck strap. Neither of these are great for street photography, though, where speed and inconspicuousness matter.

The Sun Sniper Compact strap, on the other hand, keeps you from looking like a tourist. It's a sling strap that goes across your body putting the camera on your hip. This also puts it out of the way when you're walking around while still letting you … Read more

XtremeMac has taken the wraps off an interesting little $80 accessory called the InCharge Home BT that adds Bluetooth streaming capabilities to any speaker or audio device with a line input.

As you can see from the image, it also acts a USB charger and comes with USB to 30-pin connector for iOS devices (it won't charge the iPad, however) and a 3.5mm jack cable. What you can't see from the picture is that the unit plugs into the wall.

If you're looking for something like this for your car, fear not, there's also the … Read more

Updated May 16 with five new covers

When Amazon released its third-generation Kindle, it also put out its own line of cases, which dominate Amazon's top Kindle accessories list. But that hasn't stopped dozens of companies from selling various covers and accessories for the Kindle. In fact, there are so many to sort through, it's hard to figure out which ones are really good--and worth considering. And that's why we've tried to boil it down for you to just a handful of products.

Of course, when it comes to protective covers, everybody has their own … Read more

You have your high-tech smartphone paired to your high-tech ride. Now you want to make them work together and keep them working as safely and efficiently as they can. Sometimes there are high-tech solutions to enable that level of functionality, for example Bluetooth wireless connectivity, iPhone integration, or OBD-II interfacing technologies. However, in many cases, you may find yourself relying on good, old-fashioned low-tech solutions.

Jumper cables, cassette adapters, and tire pressure gauges--these are just some of the unsung heroes of the car tech world. These low-tech wonders have been around for much longer than the USB ports and touch-screen … Read more

Keyboards and iPads...good bedfellows? A perfect way to add laptop functionality to your tablet? Or, mere accessory silliness? It's a debate as old as the iPad itself, which means only about a year and a month. Still, for as useful and portable as the iPad is, there are always some--myself included, at times--who bemoan its lack of a real, physical keyboard. At least, I feel that way when all I have is my iPad and I want to get some serious writing done.

The Logitech Keyboard Case by Zagg for the iPad 2 is an update to last … Read more

Just days after receiving his original iPad last April, designer and creative director Todd Andrews realized he needed a better way to hold his iPad for long periods of time. The result was an ergonomic iPad holder and stand that he calls PropUp.

Andrews started his design process by carving Nerf footballs and testing shapes for his idea. He switched to lovely green floral foam and eventually to a hand-carved version for his own personal use, all the while shaping the concept for PropUp.… Read more

Recent successful funding efforts from many independent designers, including Dan Provost and Tom Gerhardt's iPhone 4 accessory The Glif, have inspired many new projects seeking to cash in on Apple's vastly popular accessory market via crowd-source funding Web site Kickstarter.

A simple search on Kickstarter for "iPhone" or "iPad" yields quite a few results. These projects are, for the most part, the brainchildren of independent designers hoping for some financial assistance to get their iOS accessory dreams off the ground. The model that seems to be working best is that of the preorder.

The … Read more

LG introduced a few new accessories to go along with its big G2X announcement today. They include the HBM-905 mono Bluetooth headset, the HBS-700 stereo Bluetooth headset, and the WCP-700 wireless charging pad.

The HBM-905 appears to be the successor to the LG HBM-900 Bluetooth headset, with a similar long and skinny design. It features three microphones that promise solid audio quality along with background noise suppression. Other features include the usual capability to answer, end, and reject a call, last number redial, and a multipoint function that lets you connect to two devices simultaneously. It also has name alert, … Read more