Category: Cell Phone Accessories

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Cell Phone Accessories Connected Objects

Relive the days of pagers with Smart Keychain

smartkeychainThe great thing about all-in-one devices is the way that they reduce both clutter and the bulky, pants-sagging weight caused by having a gadget for each function. Smart Keychain is one such device that combines a key-finder, a flash drive, and an email reader into a keyring display with a USB port. At the same time, the low-tech look and feel of the product and the bulky addition it makes to any keyring detracts from features mostly offered by the phone that isn’t being ousted from the pocket. There are some really good tools here, but this feels like an unnecessary reinvention of the beeper. Smart Keychain is available for $59.

 

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Cell Phone Accessories Imaging

GoRigit lets you capture your extremeness with ease

GoRigitGoPro cameras are famous for catching awesome action shots. The only problem is that it’s really hard to see what you’re filming without the proper attachments. However, being extreme doesn’t allow for tons of camera accessories. The GoRigit allows you to attach your GoPro to your iPhone, turning the phone into a large display. This case cleverly puts your phone to good use while also eliminating the need for extra gear. It comes complete with weather and shock proofing and still lets your phone maintain its call functions. One costs backers $49 with delivery set for December 2014. GoRigit hopes to raise $35,000 on Kickstarter.

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Cell Phone Accessories

Ayatori communicates romance with birds instead of words

AyatoriWith a campaign video straight out of a karaoke soundtrack, Ayatori is a new form of communication allows users to indicate their availability for a romantic relationship through the use of a little plastic birdie that plugs into the user’s smartphone earphone jack, and functions via an app. It lights up when it senses a match between two people who so choose to adorn their smartphone. If that’s the kind of soulmate you seek, the Ayatori seeks to become a reality in November 2014 for $25.

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Cell Phone Accessories Imaging

EvolvButton allows for natural selection in photo shooting

EvolvButtonMost people use their phones to snap pictures of everyday life. It’s easy because the phone is always there, but the camera isn’t always at the ready resulting in lost opportunities for cool photos. EvolvButton is a camera shutter button that attaches directly to your phone. It always you to take photos wherever, whenever no matter what you’re up to on the phone. The campaign is a little unclear about how this product works although from the looks of it it may not be more than an extgra bit of padding around the iPhone’s Volume Down button. Even more curiously, EvolvButton’s campaign doesn’t actually offer the product in any of the reward tiers which go up to $1,000. This convenient shutter button hopes to raise $40,000 on Kickstarter.

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Cell Phone Accessories Displays

Odin hunts down the projectors of old with flexibility and simplicity

The Premise. How many times has showing a video to a co-worker or friend turned into a fifth or sixth replay of the video as more and more people enter the room and wonder what’s so funny? Or needed to give a presentation and didn’t want to haul a laptop to the conference room or deal with the potential formatting hiccups of sharing it and running it on a different machine? The solution is finally here.

The Product. Odin is a smart projector, not any larger than some phones, that can be connected to tablets, smartphones, or even game consoles to display video like any traditional projection display. On top of that, the Odin also comes with Bluetooth speakers, meaning no extra devices need to be connected, just the home of whatever file needs to be shared in a group environment. The quick set-up and utilitarian features make Odin work just as well under professional environments as it might for throwing a killer house party. Powered by Android, Odin can communicate with devices through Wi-fi, Bluetooth, HDMI, and USB.

The Pitch. Odin creator Dos Owls make a strong first impression with a pitch video that’s youthful, confident, and well-directed if not for a curious lack of lighting probably caused by the need to replicate conditions where the device would function best. Still, the development process for this product have led to a great number of videos and explanatory images outlining the many ways and situations in which Odin can prove useful. Dos Owls is projecting a need to raise $10,000 on Indiegogo following a much larger campaign on Kickstarter to get Odin out into the real world.

The Perks. The Odin can be picked up for almost half the retail price for $445, with shipping expected in December.

The Potential. Projectors have been a suitable audio/video display solution for decades, and this seems like a great way to have something with that same kind of power but is pocket-sized portable and pairs easily to most modern devices without having to do any complex wiring and tweaking. Odin looks like the right tool for the job of converting the powerful processors of mobile devices into something that can be used for demonstrations or parties. The flexibility and capabilities of Odin make it a fantastic accessory for any phone, tablet, or other device.

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Cell Phone Accessories Displays

TinyStic turns your smartphone experience into a PC

tinysticIt’s easy to forget just how powerful a smartphone really is sometimes. With the ability to run office programs, stream movies, and play 3D video games, who needs a computer? This line of thinking is the basis for TinyStic, a device that looks like the average thumbdrive. Instead of USB, TinyStic plugs into a TV or monitor’s HDMI port, then syncs up with the phone’s TinyStic app to allow full-screen display with drop down menus and Bluetooth keyboard support. The display looks fast and responsive, and this could be a great way to really get the most out of the latest, most powerful smartphones in hotel rooms or at the office. TinyStic costs $99 and will be out in December 2014.

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Cell Phone Accessories Connected Objects

Noteu puts smartphone notifications on your desk to avoid pocket-pulling peeks

NoteuOne of the main reasons people are so obsessed with checking their phones is because of the litany of notifications that one can receive through the course of a day. Noteu is a small desktop screen that can connect to devices on the same network and display email, weather, and other notifications on a simple LED display that can be dismissed with a tap of the device. Devices like LEDmeKnow are certainly more aesthetically pleasing than this simple box, but Noteu does offer readable text. Either way, most people would probably be content to keep glancing at their phones and responding just as fast. Noteu can be picked up for £25 and will be out in October.

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Cell Phone Accessories Chargers/Batteries

MyQI charges phones back to full without wires (kind of)

MyQISome people would rather go without food and water for a day than have their phone’s battery run empty. There are plenty of solutions to give devices a little extra juice, but they tend to be bulky or involve wires that can tangle or go bad. MyQI takes wireless charging and applies it to powering smartphones. MyQI can be charged through any USB power source, then tucked into any pocket to power a phone just be powering on the device and setting the phone on top. Unfortunately, iPhones and Samsung Galaxy phones need an accessory to use MyQI. Because of that, other options like iDAPT Modulo still look to be a smarter choice. MyQI is available for $60 and will arrive in September.

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Cell Phone Accessories Video Games

Game Pad gives you the Game Boy of your jailbroken iPhone’s dreams

gamepadEver tried to play a game on a phone that wasn’t optimized for touch-pad controls? The experience can be compared to trying to eat soup with a fork. Game Pad is a simple silicone sleeve that slides over and iPhone 4s and up and sits on top of the on-screen controls for GBA4ios, an app that allows users to play Game Boy Advance games on their iPhone. The problem is, since this only works with one app for a few different models of phones, most customers won’t see a use here. Serious mobile gamers are better off with a dedicated controller, the likes of which are multiplying. If this is all one needs, Game Pad is at least an economical £8 and launches in October.

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Cell Phone Accessories

A bright idea, SSim helps you see your smartphone in the sunlight

SSimTaking outdoor photos with a smartphone on a sunny day can mean it’s nearly impossible to see what’s being shot in the viewer. the spyglass-like SSim works to create a space over the smartphone photo window that blocks out sunlight glare that washes out the image one is trying to view on the flat smartphone screen. While a bit awkward-looking, it actually seems to be a great solution to a longtime problem for those who are smartphone photography enthusiasts. For $28, backers get one product with an expected delivery of October 2014.