CES 2010: iLuv and Mophie with App Integrated Accessories
CES, as a general technology event, doesn't offer a plethora of Apple-related news though plenty of Mac and iPhone/iPod-related accessories are in evidence on the show floor. While most accessories are not terribly exciting (many of the speakers, headphones, stands, cases, skins, bags, docks, etc. all start to look the same after a while), a couple of items stood out.
The first among these is an iPhone/iPod speaker dock by iLuv called the App Station. It works with the iPhone and iPod touch and requires a free app (not yet available) that turns the iPhone/iPod touch into an alarm clock in addition to displaying local weather information. The iPhone/iPod touch can also be rotated for video watching with sound output through the built-in speakers. We saw a demo of the app in action, though we were warned that the weather information feature was not working in the demo. The App Station will be available in February and will be priced at $129.
Meanwhile, Mophie debuted a new iPhone accessory that takes advantage of the dock connector and offers iPhone users a mobile payment system in the form of a magnetic strip reader at the bottom of a form-fitting hard case. The mophie marketplace requires mophie's free marketplace app (not yet available) and works with the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS. It will be available next month according to a company representative and pricing has not yet been finalized.
The mophie marketplace is one of the few devices that make use of changes announced to the iPhone SDK early last year that allowed developers to create apps that can interface with the device's hardware and connected 3rd-party accessories.
Popular Stories
Following nearly two years of rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE, The Information today reported that Apple suppliers are finally planning to begin ramping up mass production of the device in October of this year. If accurate, that timeframe would mean that the next iPhone SE would not be announced alongside the iPhone 16 series in September, as expected. Instead, the report...
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as "Ice Universe," clarifying several important aspects of next year's devices. Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the "Plus" iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" model as an even more high-end option sitting...
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared alleged specifications for a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model rumored to launch next year. Kuo expects the device to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display with a current-size Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G chip. He also expects the device to have a...
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
Apple’s iCloud Private Relay service is down for some users, according to Apple’s System Status page. Apple says that the iCloud Private Relay service may be slow or unavailable. The outage started at 2:34 p.m. Eastern Time, but it does not appear to be affecting all iCloud users. Some impacted users are unable to browse the web without turning iCloud Private Relay off, while others are...
Apple is planning to release at least one iPhone 17 model next year with mechanical aperture, according to a report published today by The Information. The mechanical system would allow users to adjust the size of the iPhone 17's aperture, which refers to the opening of the camera lens through which light enters. All existing iPhone camera lenses have fixed apertures, but some Android...
