The product in question is the Echo Thunderbolt to ExpressCard/34 adapter from Sonnet, which allows you to plug in ExpressCard/34 accessories and then use them via your Mac’s Thunderbolt port. ExpressCard/34 is a connection standard that’s only available built-in on 17-inch MacBook Pros, and allows you to plug in various adapters, like USB or FireWire hubs, memory card readers, modems, eSATA and USB 3.0 port add-ons.

So far, we’ve yet to see too many Thunderbolt accessories go into production, or at least ones that cost less than $1,000. There’s the Pegasus RAID array available through the Apple online store, which is admittedly a good deal for that kind of hardware, but it’s a little pricey for ordinary users. And Apple also recently introduced Thunderbolt Cinema Displays, but that’s also something that might appeal more to professional customers.

With the Echo ExpressCard/34 adapter, anyone will be able to use drives that support USB 3.0 or SATA high-speed transfer technology with their Macs, as well as add FireWire, Ethernet or memory card reader ports to computers that don’t have them, like the MacBook Air. The adapter will admittedly be a bit bulky, and its $150 cost is just the starting point, since you’ll have to buy the appropriate ExpressCard/34 adapter as well as any drives or accessories you want to use with your Mac, but it still puts things in a much more affordable range than the current crop of available Thunderbolt-powered add-ons.

The Echo is available for pre-order, and ships in October. It’s definitely one way to make your computer’s Thunderbolt more useful, but would you rather wait until more direct solutions appear? Let us know in the comments.

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My Apple in-ear headset is fine. Despite complaints that there’s too much cable noise, and that they don’t seal well, I’ve had little trouble personally (or I’m just good at overlooking flaws in Apple hardware). Still, I have some nice noise-canceling Sony DJ cups just sitting unused in my closet, and I’m actually far more partial to an around-the-ear than an in-ear design. But I need the in-line remote.

It’s a problem whose solution is obvious: build a third-party remote/adapter that will allow regular headphones to work with the iPhone, including all the fun new remote features available on the 3GS and the 2G touch. Unfortunately, I am not a third-party hardware peripheral manufacturer. iLuv, however, is, and luckily they had the same bright idea.

The iLuv iEA15 adapter has been announced, according to Crave Asia, and offers a solution for those unwilling to trash their current headphones of choice in favor of something with less sound/comfort quality with a built-in Apple remote. It’s compatible with any iPod or iPhone that supports remote functions, which includes the newest iPod Shuffle, and, I assume, the iPhone 3G, albeit without the use of the volume buttons, since those weren’t supported until the 3GS.

You’ll also get Voice Control and VoiceOver support via the in-line microphone, which is frankly the best part about this new remote. So long as quality isn’t an issue (and hopefully won’t be, since iLuv has a pretty good track record so far), I can easily see this taking over as my iPhone peripheral of choice. I may even spring for those Bose Quiet Comfort 2 headphones I’ve had my eye on.

No word yet on official release date or pricing, but you can bet it’ll be less than the $80 Apple charges for its in-ear headset, and probably well under what most third-party headset manufacturers charge, too. It’ll work with the 3GS, iPod touch 2G, and Shuffle 3G as mentioned above, and also with the iPod classic 120GB and iPod nano 4G.

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As if it wasn’t aggravating enough that new MacBook owners had to go out and replace all of their video adapters since Mini-DVI has been phased out and Mini DisplayPort introduced, today those lucky enough to have a 30-inch external monitor are now out of luck…again.

In an email to customers who’d purchased the Apple Mini DisplayPort to Dual-DVI adapter, which is required to get full-resolution support on 30-inch external monitors, Apple regrettably informed those affected that they wouldn’t see delivery of their items until December 23. At least it’s before Christmas, right? Still leaves you time to wrap it and stuff it in that stocking.

Seriously, this is a significant delay for a product that many users depend upon for professional and work-related purposes. The original timeline for the adapter’s release already saw it coming a full month after the new MacBooks and MacBook Pros shipped, which had many users already complaining. With another month added, accusations that Apple is dropping the ball will only get louder.

The adapter, which costs $99, also occupies an additional USB slot to fulfill its power needs. The product’s ordering page at the Apple Store now shows expected shipping time at 4 to 5 weeks. In the letter notifying purchasers of the new shipping date, Apple cites only “an unexpected delay” as the cause of the additional wait time. They also offer the option of canceling your order in exchange for a full refund, but that’s not really an option if you need the adapter. Read the full notification email at 9to5mac.

It appears as though they’re having trouble dealing with their rapid growth. Has this delay affected you in any way?

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Today Apple released a statement recalling all iPhone 3G ultracompact USB power adapters.

It seems a small percentage of the adapters have a predisposition for the metal prongs to snap off in the electrical socket, potentially having some unfortunate side effects.

The ultracompact USB adapters were only sold with the iPhone 3G in the following countries: US, Japan, Canada, Mexico, and some Latin American countries. The power adapters sold with the original iPhones are not included in the recall.

Apple did stress that if you have one of the ultracompact adapters that you should stop using it immediately.

Starting October 10, 2008 you may take your adapter to any Apple store and exchange it, or you can use this form to request that Apple ship you a new one. New adapters will have a green dot on them (pictured below) to differentiate them from the faulty line of adapters.

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It took three visits to the local Apple Store – over the course of 8 days – to finally get my machine back. Two logic board swaps and keyboard + top cover replacement later and my MBPro feels like new again. I definitely want to give kudos to the team at the Alderwood Mall Apple Store for doing everything in their power to get me back up and running. While a loaner Air would have been nice, the techs did a good job giving me updates and making things happen as quickly as Apple processes would allow. If you haven’t had to deal with Apple support, they really do an excellent job between online scheduling, in-store attempts at problem resolution and speedy return of items in repair. Even though this fix took a while, they definitely showed they cared at every step of the way.

Service Generates Sales

During the course of those three visits I had a great deal of time to hang at the Apple Store waiting to be processed by a Genius (scheduled times can be off a bit as they do make every effort to fix problems right there). Staring at the walls of Apple-compatible products, it was difficult to resist the urge to buy…everything. I did manage to successfully leave twice without a single purchase, but one item caught my eye: the Monster® iSoniTalk™ Microphone Headphone Adapter for iPhone

From one of my earlier posts, you should know that I’m ever on the lookout for the best accessory for the job when it comes to my Mac’s, iPhone or iPod. While the Shure adapter reviewed in that post has done a great job, it is far from an optimal product. The headphone cable is extended way too much and the weight of the cable + mic is a bit much for the clip to support well.

While I generally find Monster products to be overpriced and not always better than their “normal” counterparts, the iSoniTalk has some definite merits (and a few detractions). First, you can find it online for close to $10.00 USD, which is significantly cheaper than the Shure counterpart. Second, because of the combination jack & extension you do not have to deal with a ton of extra cable to manage. Third, there are built-in clips along the adapter cable which make it very easy to manage the cable from your existing headphone sets.

Lastly, the mic + clip + button combo control attaches securely and works very well (not nearly as sensitive as the Shure, which for me is a good thing). I probably should mention that sound quality for music and calls is not impacted in any negative way by the adapter.

There are a few “gotchas”, however. The same jack + extension dongle combination can be a bit unwieldy, especially if you use any type of case with your iPhone. It just doesn’t hold in as well given the overall size of the unit. The actual cable itself could use a couple of inches as it comes up short to most headphones I own. One extra clip near the mic would also be nice in the event you just want to use it without talking.

I’d have to definitely recommend it over the Shure on price and convenience, but I’ve only had it a few days and would really like to hear from TAB readers on your experiences with the product.

Hardware-tied License Woes

While Apple managed to get some additional hard-earned cash out of me from my free repair (1-year warranty FTW!), my support saga continued with the annoyance of hardware-based software licenses. At least two products on my system – iTunes and launch2net tie themselves to data that is specific to the logic board of the system they are installed on. I had to burn an iTunes activation (no time to deal with Apple online support just now) and e-mail the customer service folks at nova media to deactivate my old launch2net code from their database. This should serve as a notice to consumers to ensure you deactivate your hardware-specific licenses prior to service (if possible) and a plea to developers to find an alternate mechanism to secure software purchases. nova media may have lost a future upgrade sale since Leopard works fine with my 3G modem without their software and I do not need the hassle of waiting 3 days for tech support to reset a license. I understand Apple’s constraints, but they should make it easier to manage authorizations online rather than the “reset all” feature once per year.

If you have had similar experiences with license woes post-repair or want to provide data on software that you use which ties itself to hardware, definitely drop a note in the comments.

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Belkin Adapter

The first company to release an adapter was Belkin, but the adapter is rigid, ugly and looks like a 3″ antennae sticking out of the top of your iPhone. The adapter sells for $10.95, but is getting bad reviews, and I’d recommend looking into other options below.

Griffin Adapter

The Griffin adapter looks better, as it’s not rigid and doesn’t pose the risk of breaking your headphone adapter by bumping into a wall or door. Still, it’s bulky and very noticeable and is not even available yet.

RadTech Adapter

The best looking adapter available now is the RadTech Audio Extension Cable. Available in two lengths, 3″ and 4″, this adapter is as sleek as you could expect and is the least expensive, at only $7.95. I highly recommend this adapter, and have bought one for my iPhone.

Shure Adapter

The Shure adapter has a longer cable and includes an inline microphone, so you can still use the phone function while listening to standard headphones. At $39.95, it is the most expensive adapter. I don’t think an inline microphone is worth an extra $30. I want an adapter to use old-style over the ear headphones to get superior sound quality. If I get a call, I’ll unplug them and put the phone to my ear.

Apple Adapter

There are more choices than previously, but I am still surprised no one has released a simple, elegant adapter that is as minimalistic as possible. While I was browsing the iPhone Cables cateogry at the Apple Store, I couldn’t help but notice the TTY Adapter by Apple. It’s small and sleek, just like you would expect from Apple. I wonder, if a TTY adapter can be made this small why can’t they a headphone adapter?

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