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Perfect stocking stuffer gifts for iPad and iPhone fans

Dave Greenbaum — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 20:00:01 +0000

Looking for some last-minute stocking-stuffer holiday gifts for the iPad and iPhone fans on your list that are difficult to buy for? Here are some great products I’ve tested that are unique and functional and unlikely to be something your recipient already has.

Freehands touchscreen-enabled gloves

What it is: Gloves that allow you to keep your hands warm and use a touch-sensitive device

Why it’s great: Most gloves I’ve seen look goofy and remind me of something grandma would knit me for the holidays instead of getting me what I really wanted (Millenium Falcon). Instead of using touch-sensitive glove material, Freehands gloves actually have a tip that can be folded back so you have the full use of your thumb and forefinger. I like the fleece-lined ones as they keep my hands warm during cold Kansas winters.

Price: The prices range from $20 for basic fleece and up to $80 for cashmere or leather.

Who it’s best for: Someone who uses their smartphone all the time and lives in a cold weather environment

Scosche SolBAT II Solar Battery powered backup charger

What it is: A 1500ma external battery with a solar charger for USB-powered devices (such as an iPhone)

Why it’s great: The battery easily charges via micro-USB or the sun. The included windshield cradle allows you to charge while driving (and leaving your cigarette lighter free) and a universal carabiner mount easily hooks onto a backup for a charge throughout the day.

Price: $29.99

Who it’s best for: Students needing a battery boost, travelers, commuters with too many devices to charge.

Jot Flip

What it is: A precision stylus combined with a quality pen.

Why it’s great: I’ve used lots of pens with the rubber tip that enables touch. Most of them don’t have the heft and professional look of a quality pen. Also that rubber tip too often is mistaken for an eraser. The jot flip uses a disc instead of a rubber tip protected with a metal clip. The pen portion retracts back into the Jot Flip. The movement on the iPhone and iPad is very natural and responds with minimum pressure.

Price: $35

Who it’s best for: Anyone with long fingernails unable to easily use a touch screen, users who frequently write or draw on an iPad, business owners requiring signatures (think Square).

SpareOne Emergency Mobile Phone

What it is: An emergency mobile phone with a standby replaceable AA battery that lasts 10 years plus waterproof bag

Why it’s great: While I have a rugged case for my iPhone, there are some places I won’t take it such as the family boat or while doing outdoor sports. I also like having a spare phone for traveling so I can reach people if my iPhone malfunctions or is stolen. The phone includes a micro-SIM adapter so it can accept the SIM from phones older than the iPhone 5 or a pre-paid SIM. Without a SIM it can dial emergency services such as 911. I keep it in my car for situations in which I need to use a phone (rain, snow) and my iPhone wouldn’t be safe.
Price: $89.99

Who it’s best for: Someone that travels often, someone that needs a spare phone for condition in which an iPhone could get damaged (boater, skier, hiker), or someone stocking an emergency kit.

Thumbnail image courtesy of Flickr userandrewmalone

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Plug-in gadget halts phone texting, apps while driving

Kevin C. Tofel — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 17:38:12 +0000

Scosche has a simple plug-and-play solution to help curb smartphone activities while driving. Users insert the $129 CellControl in to their vehicle’s OBD-II interface — a standard port on cars produced after 1996 — which pairs with the CellControl app on a smartphone. When the module detects the vehicle is in motion, all handset activities are disabled, with the exception of hands-free functions.

Texting, phone calls, email and apps are generally shut down while driving with the CellControl and attempts to remove or tamper with the module can be automatically reported to a device admin. That’s handy if the kids try to circumvent the system, for example. Music libraries are still available for use on the car’s receiver and calls taken through a Bluetooth headset or an auto’s integrated wireless system are still allowed with the system.

This is a smart method to help cut down on distracted driving because of cellphones; smarter in my opinion than legislation to accomplish similar results. Laws that dictate no handset use in vehicles can limit the use of valuable smartphone functions such as location services, emergency calls and integrated apps for us in a car. Granted, not everyone can afford the $129 CellControl, but it’s a viable option that uses technology to improve safety.

For now, Scosche’s software is supported on Android and BlackBerry handsets as well as older Windows Mobile and Symbian S60 devices. I don’t expect to see the CallControl gain iOS support as apps that control and iPhone’s core functionality generally aren’t approved by Apple. Perhaps Cupertino would make an exception or consider a licensing agreement with Scosche, given how distracting it can be to use a phone while driving.

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Two New Ways to Power Your Smartphone With the Sun

Charles Hamilton — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 17:45:10 +0000

Like a lot of web workers, I travel a lot, so I try to minimize my energy use where I can. In honor of Earth Day, I’ve been testing a couple of solar chargers. The good news is that charger prices have dropped significantly. But their capabilities vary, so it’s important to select one that meets your needs.

Scosche solBAT II

The manufacturer sent me a Scosche solBAT II Solar Charger and Backup Battery to try, and I was surprised at how small it is, at approximately 4″ x 2.25″. It’s pretty light, too, at only a couple of ounces.

It comes with a case and suction cups that are designed to be mounted in a car window, with the idea that the charger will collect sunlight and store it in an internal 1500mA lithium-ion battery, ready to use when you need to charge your phone. There’s also a carabiner mount for attaching the charger to luggage or a backpack.

This charger’s small size and weight means that its solar cell is small and doesn’t charge very rapidly. The instructions say that it can take up to five days to reach the battery’s full capacity, so it’s recommended to charge the battery via USB (in about 3 hours), then use the solar cell to maintain its full charge.The charger outputs 5V at 500mA, which should be sufficient for many mobile devices.

SunCharge Universal Solar Cell Phone Charger

The SunCharge Universal Solar Cell Phone Charger from Choice Solar takes a different approach. It has a 5.5″ x 9.5″ panel, much larger than the Scosche, but the SunCharge is still pretty light at 3 oz.

Thus, it can charge a portable device faster than the Scosche, in 3-5 hours according to the manufacturer, but it has no storage of its own, and only works during daylight and in the right weather conditions.

It includes eyelets, but you’ll need to provide your own suction-cup hooks if you want to mount it in a window. The model I tried includes a “hydra” cable with five connectors: Mini USB, Micro USB, Nokia 2mm thin pin, Nokia 3.5 mm thick pin, and Samsung connector. There are also specific models for Nokia, LG and Samsung phones.

Choice Solar also offers the SunCharge iPhone Solar Charger Bundle, which includes a SunCharge, a 5 pin connector, Kensington battery and USB cable. This bundle is compatible with most iPhones and iPods. Note that neither the Scosche or the Choice Solar chargers can output enough current to charge an iPad.

The Scosche solBAT II Solar Charger and Backup Battery is available for $29.95 from the company’s website. The Choice Solar SunCharge is available for $39.95 plus shipping from the company’s website. The iPhone and iPod-compatible version is $79.95 plus shipping.

Both the Scosche and Choice Solar chargers do what they’re designed to do; you’ll need to decide which system is appropriate for how you work.

How do you charge your portable devices?

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Gadget of the Day: FlipSync USB Keyring

James Kendrick — Sat, 29 May 2010 14:49:30 +0000

One of the goals of the mobile worker is to reduce the amount of gear that is carried to get the job done. Accessories that serve more than one purpose are great finds as they provide a reduction in the number of pieces in the gear bag that travel along for the ride. The gadget of the day is such an accessory that is as small as a keyring, which it is, and allows the mobile worker to leave the iPhone/ iPod charger at home.

The FlipSync USB Cable Keyring couldn’t be smaller yet has a USB 2.0 connector hidden in one end of the fob. The other end has the proprietary iPhone/iPod connector that pulls out when needed. It’s as simple as pulling both ends out of the fob and connecting the iPhone/iPod to a USB computer port for both syncing and charging. It’s not cheap at $20 but it is probably the smallest accessory designed to do what it does, and that might be worth it for the serious road warrior.

(via Windows Phone Thoughts)

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