LAS VEGAS--In May of last year I did a quick post about an innovative iPhone connector called the Twig, which was a Kickstarter project. That project was funded and the 30-pin version of the Twig actually shipped toward the end of 2012 and is now available on Amazon for $20.

Jason Hilbourne, the guy behind Twig, stopped by the CNET trailer at CES to show off prototypes for his next-generation Twigs, which include a micro USB version and a Lightning version for the iPhone and latest iPads (apparently, when bent into a stand the Twig does support the iPad Mini, … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Achieving DJing glory on the iPad is possible thanks to some pretty nifty apps out there, but there's always been something missing from the experience. A cold flat screen just can't replicate the dynamism and quirks of real knobs and records. Ion Audio is taking a shot at putting the feel back into tablet DJing with a set of tactile controls.

A demo unit of Scratch 2 Go is on the show floor at CES 2013. It consists of a slider control, two round discs for scratching control, and two banks of three knobs each for all the fine tuning. They hang onto the screen thanks to what Ion describes as "industrial suction cups."

The suction cups feel pretty solid. Pull them up and look below to see what makes this tick. Underneath, the spinners have what looks like the tip of a touch-screen stylus. It's nothing fancy, but it works.… Read more

Nexus 7 owners will soon be able to pick up an Asus-made dock for their Asus-made tablet.

Citing a "reliable source," The Verge says that Asus will offer the dock in the U.S. within the next two weeks at a price tag of $39.99.

Though the Nexus 7 is branded and sold under Google's name, Asus is the actual manufacturer. Asus has been busy demoing the new dock at CES this week.

Backing up The Verge's claim on the upcoming release is a product page for the dock from Manhattan retailer B&H. … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Want to charge your tablet while traveling? Hope you brought along a power brick, because a simple sync cable won't do the trick. That's because most laptop USB ports don't put out enough power for a tablet's big battery -- which is why you typically see a "Not Charging" message when you plug an iPad into a laptop.

The Digital Innovations ChargeDr promises to boost the power output of both laptop USB ports and wall adapters. Car chargers, too. The result: tablets can charge up to four times faster, phones up to two … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Lego! iPhone! The two were made for each other.

iPhone cases are like snowflakes in Aspen at CES 2013, but Belkin's tucked-away iPhone 5 Lego cases found a way to catch my eye. Maybe because they're cute and colorful...and maybe because I have a 4-year-old who likes to make Lego dioramas when we're out at dinner.

I can't help but imagine setting up my face-down iPhone at a table and setting up a Star Wars action scene on it...or building an awkward tower. Or, using bricks to design your own 3D makeshift look. … Read more

LAS VEGAS--iPad keyboard cases galore litter CES, but Belkin has some nice new models up its sleeve, including a clever one that converts your old Apple keyboard. I gave them a whirl over at Belkin's booth.

The Convertible Keyboard Case (top), announced at the show, costs just $49 and adopts a standard Apple bluetooth keyboard to become a pretty portable keyboard case. The foldable case essentially acts as a wraparound folio/stand, but its design is elegant, finding a way to fold the Apple keyboard's tubular back into the design without adding bulge.

The Ultimate Keyboard Case is … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Apple may not be at CES, but accessories for its products seem to be everywhere.

I went out in search of new iPhone 5 cases, including extended battery cases, which a lot of readers have been asking about. Alas, Mophie still isn't ready to introduce its popular battery case for the iPhone 5, but a few other companies are getting ready to ship theirs.

I was also on the lookout for tough cases. While Lifeproof has already shipped its industry-leading waterproof case for the iPhone 5, other companies debuted waterproof cases, some slimmer than others.

Here's a … Read more

Kensington has launched a system called Proximo that it promises will alert people when items like keys and iPhones are lost or stolen.

The Proximo kit consists of an iPhone app, a key fob for a keychain, and a third device to track something else like a backpack or car, the company announced at CES. If the items get too far apart -- people can specify the exact distances, which are measured wirelessly using BlueTooth -- they sound an alarm.

The fobs and app each come with buttons that triggers an audible alarm from a paired device to help locate … Read more

LAS VEGAS--We tech writers are constantly comparing real products to what we've seen in sci-fi movies. I'm still waiting for my Hoverboard, but at least we're inching a little closer to some "Minority Report"-style computer interfaces with the Mauz, a device that turns your iPhone into a mouse with special skills.

Mauz is like a combination of the Wii remote, the Kinect, and a desktop mouse. It involves a small device that plugs into your iPhone and an app that makes the magic happen.… Read more