Magellan recently announced they are releasing a GPS car kit of their own and it already has hit the FCC. Like the much anticipated TomTom car kit, the Magellan will give the iPod touch and first generation iPhone GPS capabilities as long as you are using the Magellan GPS application. [iTunes Link] This particular car kit is crammed with some nice features:
Fully adjustable mount that works with any skin or case
Rotates for both portrait and landscape use
Enhances signal with built-in GPS receiver
Noise-canceling speakerphone
Bluetooth hands-free calling
Amplified speaker for clear, powerful sound
Works with any GPS application (Unless you are using a iPod touch or first generation iPhone – you then must use the Magellan application)
Currently no price has been announced but you can expect the Magellan car kit to hit stores before the end of the year. Those of you in the market for a GPS car kit now have one more option available to you. Decisions decisions…
The following Holiday Gift Guide is sponsored by the TiPb iPhone Accessory Store
What to get for that annoying iPhone owner who knows has everything? For that new iPhone user who’s just getting started? For that last minute drop in you never expected but suddenly have to render iSpeechless?
The TiPb iPhone Accessory store’s got you covered! We asked the iPhone staff for some of their favorite accessories of the year, and put them together into our 2009 Gift Guide — jammed packed with iPhone goodness just in time for the holidays, after the jump!
Apple quietly introduced a new Apple Remote [$19.00 - Apple Online Store link] along with the updated iMac, Mac Mini, Magic Mouse, and Apple TV 3.0 last month. Not to be confused with the Apple-produced Remote app [Free - iTunes link], which allows an iPhone or iPod touch to control an Apple TV or iTunes, the Apple Remote is a hardware accessory that not only controls the aforementioned Apple TV or iTunes (and Front Row!) all on its own, but can also control an iPhone or iPod touch when they’re placed in the — sold-separately — Apple Universal Dock [$49.00 - Apple Online Store link]
So, how new is it, why would an iPhone or iPod touch need a hardware remote anyway, and most importantly, how does it perform? Read on after the break!
NASA has created a chemical sensor accessory for the iPhone. Gizmodo calls this the day the first Tricorder was created, we call it cosmically cool in any time/space continuum.
The low-cost, low-power system can detect minimal concentrations of ammonia, chlorine gas, and methane, showing the values in an iPhone application. It can automatically communicate the results with other cellphones or the Enterprise’s computer using Wi-Fi or 3G, and order massive teleportation evacuations if needed. OK, not true. No teleportation yet, but we are getting there.
Do you use a Bluetooth headset while driving? A lot of us do. How would you like to do the same thing, but hands free with nothing in your ear? Now you can! The Blueant S1 stereo Bluetooth headset is awesome for the iPhone! you can get it in the TiPb accessory store for $59.95. Now, why would you want to do that? Because this hands-free headset rocks!
I have been using the Blueant S1 for a while now and I have to tell you it is great for so many reasons. First of all the speaker is really lightweight and small. It has a detachable clip that allows you to slip it on to a window visor in your car. if you don’t want the clip, it easily pops right off. There are only three buttons on the Blueant S1; Green for power on/off as well as activating the iPhone’s Voice Control. Green also answers your calls. Red ends a call and if you hold it down, it will dial the last phone number from the phone app.
Using Voice Control with the iPhone could not be simpler; press the green button and wait for the Voice Control prompt from the iPhone. this works like a charm. You can call anyone or play music all from the press of the green button.
Speaking of music, you can use the Blueant S1 as a standalone speaker in your car. You can use the Blueant S1 for making calla but plug in your iPhone to your csr stereo and enjoy the freedom of Apple’s Voice Control.
Outside of using the Blueant S1 as a car-based hands-free device, you can also just slip it in your bag and use it as a desktop Bluetooth speaker, or as I have, use it as a portable speakerphone! During the last month I have been away from my desk at work and have been working in random meeting rooms across campus. Not all of these rooms had phones and some of the rooms were quite large. As an iPhone owner we all know our speaker phones are not very loud, problem solved with the Blueant S1! This little guy came in handy in many of my meetings!
Personally I could not be happier with the Blueant S1. The only improvement I could suggest is a more robust speaker. The audio when playing music is tinty, but sounds great with spoken words. This device has come in handy on many occasions and I know it will for you too!
Gigaware and RadioShack have teamed up to bring you an exclusive HD Radio iPhone/iPod touch solution with the Gigaware In-line Control with HD Radio for $80. Previously, if you wanted a portable way to listen to HD radio, your options were limited — the best solution being the Zune HD. This version’s highlights include:
Easily connects to your iPhone and iPod touch via the dock connector
Receive HD radio signals that offer CD-quality sound
Song information, such as title and artist, appears on your iPod’s display
iTunes Tagging saves artist and song information to your iPod for purchase via Apple’s iTunes
Discover HD2 substations hidden between your regular stations that only HD radio can deliver
Play, Stop, Pause, Forward, Backward and Scan controls that your fingers can locate by touch
So at $80 a crack, is this something you would be willing to try out or are you happy enough with your own music and iTunes?
Marware’s C.E.O. Premiere for iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS. [$34.95 - TiPb Store Link] is a horizontal case with a belt clip and top flap. Either you love that style or you hate it, but there is no denying their popularity among iPhone owners. Marware has been making iPhone cases since day one and some pretty good ones at that. What did we think of the Marware C.E.O. Premiere?
In these tumultuous times you need some sort of protector; the kind that will prevent your iPhone from flying off the seat to who knows where. What kind of protector is here to save the day? The iGrip cigarette lighter mount of course! [$19.95 - TiPb store link]
Just bought that ~$100 TomTom iPhone app and have $120 ($119.95 to be exact) bucks more burning a whole in your wallet? What luck! The matching TomTom car kit has just become available via the Apple Online Store! (Shipping in 2-3 weeks!)
Yes, that’s $220 total cost of ownership for TomTom lovers, but it’s so hard to set a price on convergence, isn’t it? (Especially when that convergence now comes in two parts!)
Anyone buying it? If so, tell us why. If not, tell us why as well!
Dark Horse Comics, purveyors of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8, Angel, Hellboy, among other licensed and creator-owned fare have teamed up with Gelaskins to produce a series of comic and pop-art inspired protective coatings for your iPhone, iPod touch, and laptop.
They were kind enough to send TiPb a sample of the Buffy and Hellboy iPhone 3GS skins, and the art was bold and beautiful, and the product every bit as good as I’ve come to expect from Gelaskins (I’ve been using them for a long time, as those who’ve seen my iPhone 3G with Dragon skin in our videos can attest.)
They won’t protect your iPhone from severe impact, but they’ll keep scrapes and abrasions at bay, (and if an imaginary vampire attacks, maybe, just maybe, Buffy or Faith will jump out and dust them for you).
Each skin has a matching wallpaper available for download. iPhone and iPod touch skins are $14.95 and available via the above link.
Speaking of music, you can use the Blueant S1 as a standalone speaker in your car. You can use the Blueant S1 for making calla but plug in your iPhone to your csr stereo and enjoy the freedom of Apple’s Voice Control.
