As the editor in chief who coordinates most of Macworld ’s iOS- and Mac - accessory reporting , I ’m swamp with miscellaneous cable system , connectors , chargers , and other “ minor ” product that do n’t needs warrant a full review or clause . But , as I wrote back in late 2012 , that does n’t mean they should all go unnoticed . Some of these product are interesting or useful enough that they ’re worth talking about ; or they ’re things that , though they may not have impress me at first , have since earned a spot on my desk or in my bag .
Here are some of the good little appurtenance I ’ve come across over the past year for plug in , charging , organizing , and more .
Charging and syncing gear
If you ’ve catch an iPad , iPhone , or iPod , you need to keep it charged — and there ’s a honest chance you need to do so in more than one location . These gadgets can avail .
Kanex DoubleUp : If you ’re like me , you have more than one iOS gadget , and you tend to charge them at the same metre — say , at dark while you ’re sleeping , or in a hotel room , using the one available wall socket , when traveling . The $ 49 DoubleUp ( available online for less than half that ) is a undivided courser that featurestwoUSB porthole for charging your gimmick . Even better , each USB port provides enough succus ( 2.1 amps/10.5 watt ) to fast - commit a full - size iPad , and each has an light-emitting diode that turns green when your iPad gets to more or less 98 percent of a full burster , or your iPhone to roughly 90 percent . It ’s bulky than Apple ’s iPad chargers , but it takes the place of two of those chargers in your bag or behind your nightstand .
Griffin Technology 3 chiliad USB to Lightning Cable : Speaking of charging by the seam , I ’ve long been a fan of extra - foresighted cables , and this $ 19 offer from Griffin lets you tear or sync your Lightning - connector - outfit iOS machine from up to three beat away from your computer or power source . The cable is a bit chunky , which can be slightly annoying when using it with an iPhone or iPod skin senses , but unlike some third - party cables , this one feel like it can take abuse . I ca n’t depend the number of eve when , thanks to this cable , I was able-bodied to do some leisure reading in bed or on the sofa despite my iPad being almost dead from a full day of use .
Bluelounge MiniDock : What if , rather of a longer cable , you ’d prefernocable ? Bluelounge ’s $ 40 MiniDock is n’t cheap , but it ’s a handy accessory for your travel bag — or for consumption above your kitchen or toilet counter . Plug the MiniDock ’s USB connexion into your iPhone ’s own USB charger , and it provide a commodious Lightning Connector place of origin that charge your iPhone or iPod touch right there on the wall outlet . Bluelounge include several spacers to accommodate unlike iPhones and iPods , naked or in a case , and the bobtail ’s Lightning Connector swivels for a no - stress joining . ( In a pinch , you may even punch the MiniDock into a USB larboard on some MacBook models for a quick charge and sync . )
PhoneSuit Flex Pocket Charger : If you know you ’re go to be subject your iPhone to threatening use while out from a power reservoir , abattery case , which includes a high - capacitance bombardment inside a ( chunky ) grammatical case , is your best bet . But if you just desire to keep an emergency reserve on hand , PhoneSuit ’s $ 70 Flex Pocket Charger is a nice choice . This compact battery — it ’s just 2.9 inch wide , 0.8 inch thick-skulled , and about 1.6 inch tall with the crownwork on — declare oneself 2600mAh of juice , which is enough to fully charge an iPhone 5 , 5S , or 5c ( at full upper , no less ) and still have some left over . The work up - in Lightning connector mean the battery attache case directly to the bottom of your telephone , so there are no cables to look at with ; the aluminium body is strong and sturdy ; and at just under 3 ounces , the Flex wo n’t add much weighting to your bag . The electric battery ’s Micro - USB larboard behave as a pass - through , so you’re able to bear down the battery and your phone at the same clock time when you get home . The only real drawback is that the battery may not be able to tail with your iPhone if the sound is wearing a bulky pillow slip .
USBfever 8 - Pin Lightning Male to Female Adapter / Connector : Speaking of not being able to tail with a eccentric on , USBfever ’s $ 7 8 - Pin Lightning Male to Female Adapter / Connector — descriptively named , as all USBfever gear is — aims to solve that problem . This diminutive equipment offer a minute , Lightning - connexion stem , just a few millimeters wider than the connector itself , at one end , and a wide Lightning - connexion embrasure at the other . The theme here is that if you have a speaker loading dock , charging sour grass , or other Lightning - connector accessory that does n’t go in the hole at the bottom of your iPhone case , you put this adapter in between . The male end still is n’t quite as fragile as the one on Apple ’s USB - to - Lightning direction / sync cable , but it should fit most iPhone 5 , 5S , and 5c pillow slip , including Apple ’s own . One caution : The transcriber is n’t Made - for - iPhone certified , so whenever you plug it in , iOS displays a substance that the accessory “ may not crop faithfully , ” but in my examination , it ’s work just fine .
CableJive DockXtender for Lightning Devices : If you involve even more length between your gadget and its loading dock , CableJive carry on the company ’s custom of provide unique and useful cables with the $ 26 DockXtender for Lightning Devices . This two - human foot cable features a female Lightning Connector port on one destruction and a male Lightning Connector cud on the other . Connect the female remainder to your favorite Lightning Connector speaker unit loading dock , charging place of origin , or other appurtenance , and that accessory becomes usable even if your iPhone or iPad is in a bulky example . The DockXtender is also expectant for using iPhone - bob accessories , which typically use an iPhone - sizing dock cradle , with an iPad .
Mophie Juice Pack Dock : Speaking of sorrel and cradles , if you ’ve bugger off one of Mophie’sexcellent battery cases for the iPhone 5 and 5S , you jazz that a drawback of these cases is that in order of magnitude to use a desktop dock to charge your phone , you ’ve find to remove your phone from the barrage showcase . likewise , charging the Juice Pack requires you to employ a Micro - USB - to - USB cable television , instead of a nice desktop dock . The $ 50 Juice Pack Dock is an accessoryforan accoutrement that solves both problems : It ’s a background docking cradle that charges both your iPhone and its Juice Pack case simultaneously . ( If you ’re think , “ Sothat’swhat those two metal contacts on the bottom of the Juice Pack are for ! ” you ’re numb on . ) Just plug the dock ’s cable into a USB battery charger or powered USB embrasure , and then aim your Juice Pack — Helium , Air , or Plus — in the dock . The dock is even goodly enough ( just over eight snow leopard ) that you may snatch your Juice Pack - case earphone out of the dockage without having to hold down the provenience . Alas , the dock is care - only — it does n’t defend USB - cable television service syncing .
Stands and mounts
We do n’t always want to hold our iPhones and iPads when we ’re using them — sometimes we want to prop them up for hands - free showing , or to keep back them steady for better photos .
Kanex Foldable iDevice Stand : We ’ve reviewed a adept issue of iPad and iPhone stands , but it ’s tough to regain a really ripe one that ’s also small and easy . Kanex ’s foldaway iDevice Stand weighs less than an oz. and folds into an almost - prostrate package that ’s perfect for discard in your traveling bag or pocket . Despite this portability , the stand is amazingly sturdy , even supporting a full - sizing iPad in portrait orientation , and it offers four different viewing slant . I first praise the stand when Ireviewed Kanex ’s Multi - Sync Keyboard , and buying that keyboard used to be the only way to get the pedestal . But Kanex now sell the accessary on its own , and while many other iPad and iPhone stands price $ 40 , $ 50 , or more , a paltry $ 18 gets youtwoFoldable iDevice outdoor stage .
Studio Neat Glif : The original Glif , loose a few years back , was a nifty portable accessory that allow you bestride your iPhone on a tripod for better exposure - pickings ; it could also be used as a makeshift stand for watching video . Studio Neat recently release an update Glif , and the Modern interlingual rendition , which deal for $ 30 , improves on the original in pretty much every way . Instead of deliver to carry multiple pieces to get the full utility of the Glif , the new rendering is a unmarried piece , made from recyclable rubber charge plate , with a stationary bracket it the middle , a movable angle bracket on each end , and a 1/4 - inch , 20 - yarn mount point for attaching your tripod . Using the included hex wrench , you adjust each end to fit your finicky smartphone ’s breadth ( for tripod mounting ) , and heaviness ( for using the Glif as a stand ) , respectively . Once you ’ve configured the Glif for your phone , you do n’t have to care about monkey with it — it ’s always quick . The included keychain attachment progress to it leisurely to keep the Glif finale at hand .
Gomite Tiltpod MobileAnother clever supplement for iPhone photographer is the Tiltpod Mobile , uncommitted in a $ 30version for the iPhone 5 and 5Sthat includes a grammatical case and a $ 15version for the iPhone 4 and 4S , sans cause . This accessary lets you place your iPhone on any relatively flat aerofoil , and even at a reasonable incline , for more - unchanging snapshot ( or , of course , for timed self - pic ) . The lightweight nucleotide , which has a grippy , rubber bottom , bond to your keychain for wanton carrying ; the actual climb transfix the edge of your phone and sequester to the pedestal by a magnetised half - firmament that countenance you pivot and lean the phone to get just the veracious slant . A tip : If you have an iPhone 5 or 5S in a slight case , go for the iPhone 4/4S model — you’ll make up half as much , and the 4/4S model fits a thin - cased 5/5S well . ( The 4/4S simulation wo n’t fit a bare iPhone 5 or 5S. ) you may also use the Tiltpod for watching video on your iPhone . It ’s as lightweight a stand/“tripod ” as you ’ll find .
Scosche FitRail Exercise Mount for iPad : Ten years ago , my gym was full of iPod . Five years ago , iPhones . These 24-hour interval ? There are still plenty of iPhones and iPods , but I see more and more iPads every day , as people like to watch the videos of their choosing — rather than of the gym’s — while burn off the calories . Some treadmills and elliptic machine provide place to shore up a pill or phone , but not all . So I ’ve attend more than a few people with Scosche ’s $ 50 FitRail , an iPad mount specifically designed to hold your iPad on a physical fitness simple machine . The FitRail close nearly flat to tally in your bag ; when you get to the gym , you rotate the two arms out to hang up the climb on your machine . You then expand the FitRail vertically along its metal rail until the mount ’s pliant clip stretches enough to unwaveringly apply your iPad in position . glutinous silicone suitcase on FitRail protect your iPad from the mount ’s metal surface , and you could also use the mount as a makeshift ( low - angle ) desktop stand . Scosche includes a mesh change of location bag so the mount ’s metallic element piece do n’t scratch anything else in your gym grip . The FitRail will , of course , also function as a lasting summation to your home tread-wheel .
Convenient connectors
Your iPhone , iPad , or iPod includes a USB - to - Lightning cable , but that cablegram is n’t always the most commodious pick . These accessories just might be well for particular situation .
Kenburg LightLinez Short USB to Lightning Cable : When I ’m traveling , I often consign and sync my iPhone with my MacBook , so I do n’t need a 3 - foot cable that just tot more clutter to my bag . This $ 19 , five - in ( 12 cm ) USB - to - Lightning cable is Apple - certify and gives me just enough distance to connect my iPhone to a USB port on my laptop computer . When I ’m quick to go , the cable is gentle to gather away . And if you occasionallyneeda longer hit , Kenburg includes a 39 - inch ( 100 atomic number 96 ) extension overseas telegram . The transmission line itself feel sturdy , and it includes reenforce form alleviation around each connector .
Nomad ChargeKey and ChargeCard : What if you don’twantto insert your USB - to - Lightning line in your bag ? What if you instead want to always keep it ready to hand , just in case you postulate a quick recharge while on the go ? Nomad ’s ChargeKey and ChargeCard ( $ 25 each ) take the shape of items you always have in your pocket or handbag — a Francis Scott Key or a quotation card , respectively — but feature a received USB fire hydrant on one remainder , and on the other either a Lightning - connector stopple , a Micro - USB hype , or ( available for the ChargeCard only ) a 30 - bowling pin - dock - connector fire hydrant . The ChargeKey is , of line , much smaller — it fits nicely on your keychain . The ChargeCard , on the other paw , is the skillful alternative if you often hold a notecase but not a ring of keys ; the USB plug flick out from the shopping center of the card , which is roughly as buddy-buddy as two credit cards .
BlueLounge Kii : Speaking of Lightning - connector key , the Kii sports a standard USB plug on one end and either a Lightning - connexion ballyhoo ( $ 40 ) or a 30 - flag hack ( $ 20 ) on the other . But the Kii , while bigger than the ChargeKey , proffer aegis for the dock plug : The “ top ” of the cay is shaped like the head of a traditional planetary house key and serve as the Lightning or 30 - pin connection ’s book binding . ( On the 30 - bowling pin interpretation , the full , 30 - tholepin fire hydrant forms half of the key ’s head . ) As a result , the Kii feels a bit sturdier than the ChargeKey , though it ’s also big and it costs $ 15 more .
Monoprice Lightning - to - USB line : Plenty of companies make budget alternatives to Apple ’s $ 19 and $ 29 Lightning - to - USB cables . But most of the punk knock - offs are n’t Apple - certified , which means they do n’t have the prescribed circuitry at heart and they have n’t passed Apple ’s examination protocols . ( This is n’t just a name - brand - versus - generic debate . As many people have expose , some third - party cable’s length no longer work under iOS 7 because the new OS is exacting about verifying that connect accessories and cables contain the official circuitry . ) Monoprice , true to its reputation , offers a extensive change of options ( from 4 inches up to 10 fundament long ) at budget damage ( $ 12 to $ 14 ) , but unlike much of the rival , Monoprice ’s interpretation are allMFi - certified .
Scosche StrikeLine Pro Retractable Charge & Sync Cable for Lightning equipment : I have a USB battery charger in my car for keep my iPhone or iPad juiced up , but I really dislike having cables cluttering the cabinet . The $ 25 StrikeLine Pro , available in white or bootleg , has a Lightning Connector plug on one end and a USB plug on the other ; it stretch up to three foot in duration , but when you ’re not using it , a quick tug collapses the intact cable into a compact bobbin . In gain to being slap-up for the gondola , the StrikeLine Pro also make a courteous addition to a travel bag .
Audio accessories
Chances are , you ’ve already got some just speakers or headphones for listen to your favorite euphony . Here are a few accessories for that gear , as well as a couple portable speaker unit that offer up interesting features .
Outdoor Tech Buckshot : It ’s not tough to find Bluetooth utterer these days . It ’s not even difficult to findinexpensiveBluetooth speaker any more . But the $ 50 Buckshot has a duet things most of its budget contender do n’t : versatility and lastingness . For starters , its compact design — it ’s a small cylinder , 3.5 inches long and 1.5 inches across — makes it gentle to chuck in a travelling bag . But you do n’t have to keep it in that bag : The Buckshot is IPX5 rate , which means it ’s both waterproofed and detritus - proof , and its synthetic rubber outside gives it shelter against gibbosity and drops . It ’s also get a microphone and speakerphone functionality ; and a nifty , rubber mountain lets you quickly attach the Buckshot to ( and off it from ) anything with a handlebar , including a bike or a baby buggy , without having to purchase an expensive mount severally . It does n’t extend mellow - remainder sound , and it plain wo n’t play as loud as expectant utterer , but it ’s tough to beat the Buckshot ’s portability , toughness , and flexibility .
The Nest Earbud Case : Each year , we seemanyproducts that are overly gimmicky , dubiously utile , or just manifestly bad . When I first received the $ 10 The Nest , I cursorily arrange it aside , thinking it was one of “ those ” Cartesian product . But a few months later , I was packing for a misstep and want to bring my in - pinna earphone without getting their earpieces dirty or their cables snarl . I remembered The Nest and make up one’s mind to give it a try . Much to my surprise , it was pretty great . You flip The Nest open , direct your earphone earpieces in the center well , enwrap the cable around the work up - in reel , and then flip the outer back talk closed around the spool . When you ’re quick to heed , just grab the headphone plug and give it a gentle jerk , and the line slide neatly out of The Nest , followed by the headphone . The Nest even check my custom - earpiece in - ear headphones , which are too bulky for like products I ’ve prove .
Damson Twist : Another ware that surprised me , the $ 70 Twist speaker system , useable in black , blue-blooded , red , or silver , is deceptively dense : It ’s just 3 inches tall and 2.3 column inch across , but it count nearly 12 ounces thanks to a rugged , Al trunk . Pair this Bluetooth speaker with your earphone , tablet , or computer and hold it in your hand while you stream music , and the Twist sounds , well , tinny and faint . But set up it down on any flat surface with some reverberance — a wood board , a desk , or even a cardboard box — and on the spur of the moment the sound opens up , basso fills in , and you ’ve suffer a decorous speaker system . As with the Buckshot , above , this is n’t great sound ( the Twist did n’t make our list of recommended speakers for a reason ) , but it ’s listenable , and with the right-hand surface , the bass is much large than you ’d normally get from a speaker of this size . In fact , because the Twist is essentially using the surface on which it ’s sitting as a speaker radiator , audio is at times quite spacious . The Twist also makes for a nerveless demonstration . ( My kids loved running around the mansion with the Twist , see what it would sound like on various surface . )
Heckler Design Headphone StandAt the other end of the earphone - computer storage spectrum from The Nest , Heckler ’s $ 25 Headphone Stand is contrive to give your full - size headphones a place to rest when your ears are taking a break . Available in opprobrious , white , crimson , grey white , yellow , or ( for $ 20 more ) polished stainless steel , the stand is laser write out from solid steel and hand welded , is heavy enough that it wo n’t move when you lift your headphones off , and can even be run off to a desk or countertop for permanent ( and unafraid ) location . But my favorite affair about the Headphone Stand is that it ’s made from leftover scraps of blade from production of the company’sWindfall stands . The Headphone Stand wo n’t work with every full - sizing or on - ear earphone — those with a bulky cable television connection at the bottom of one or both earpieces wo n’t be as stable — but if it works with yours , it ’s a courteous ( and useful ) desk accessory .
iLuv iEA15 iPod Remote with 3rd - Party Headphone Adapter for VoiceOver : These mean solar day , a salubrious dimension of headphones include an inline three - push button remote control / microphone module for controlling metier playback , taking and making phone call , and using Siri . But if your favorite cans came sans remote , the $ 10 iEA15 gives them at least the remote - ascendancy features — though not an inline microphone . Just insert the hype cease into the headphone jack on your iPhone , iPad , iPod , or Mac , and connect your phone to the 1/8 - inch ( 3.5 mm ) headphone jackass on the other destruction . The adaptor adds about 12 inch of length to your headphone transmission line in the unconscious process .
StarTech MUHSMF1 M 1 m 3.5 mm 4 Position TRRS Headset Extension Cable : Speaking of superfluous cable television length , what if you ’ve already got a great solidification of headphones with an inline three - button remote / microphone module , but the headphone cable length is too short for you ? There are plenty of inexpensive extension cable television for headphones , but most do n’t have the proper circuitry for the remote and microphone — they stretch out the range of your headphones at the disbursement of remote / mic features . StarTech ’s $ 8 MUHSMF1 M give you an extra 1 m of duration while preserve the distant / microphone functions of your headphone . ( The cable works only with headphones that habituate a 3.5 millimeter miniplug , not the larger 1/4 - column inch chew of some full - size earphone . )
Miscellanea
From waterproof bags to luxuriousness - leather charging lodgings , these products are knockout to categorise , but they ’re all useful .
Loksak aLoksak : Do n’t secern anyone , but I use my iPhone , iPad , and Kindle in a lot of places I should n’t : at the beach on vacation , in the kitchen while cooking , even while relaxing in the tub . Between sand , H2O , and other environmental hazards , it seems like a miracle that all my devices are still working perfectly . But it ’s not a miracle — I just take caution and protect them . Not in a pricey , customs duty - fit , waterproof and debris - proof iPhone or iPad case , but rather in Loksak ’s simple , relatively cheap credit card bags . Each reusable aLoksak seals like a Ziplock bag , but unlike a Ziplock , the aLoksak is made of puncture - resistant material and offers a hermetic seal that , together , arewaterproof to 60 meters — so the bag should n’t have any problems with a splash from the pool , messy hands from cooking , or an inadvertent drop into the vat . ( The stuff is flimsy enough that you may still use your gadget ’s touchscreen . ) The company sells 15 dissimilar sizes , from 5 by 4 inches and 3 by 6 inches ( $ 8 for three ) at the little ending to 32 by 16 inches ( $ 19 for two ) for additional - large equipment .
Smarterflo Smarter Stand : Apple ’s Smart Covers and Smart Cases for the iPad and iPad miniskirt have a binding that fold up to declare oneself a couple utile stand position : a blue slant for typing and a intimately erect angle for screenland viewing . But what if you ’d choose something in between ? The $ 15 Smarter Stand , which started out as a Kickstarter project , is a simple set of clips that bridge over the cover ’s folds to proffer several additional angle choice . you could slide the clips to convert the cover configuration — they move fairly easy — but they ’re soaked enough that they wo n’t settle off while you ’re using your iPad . The caller include three clips ( two to use and one as a backup ) , as well as three non - slip pads that you could impound to the Smart Cover or Smart Case for a better bag on your desk or table .
CardNinjaLike The Nest , above , I did n’t know what to make of the $ 20 CardNinja at first . But after trying it , I can see its appeal . This thin , stretchable pouch adheres to the back of your iPhone ( or any smooth iPhone case ) and provides a place to stash some cash , an ID , and a citation card or two , letting you go out your wallet behind . When empty , the pouch scarcely adds any bulk to your speech sound , but it can fit a pot more stuff than you ’d expect — and its stretchable material keep that clobber from sliding out . The CardNinja is available in black , grey , or purpleness , and its adhesive agent is non - permanent , so you could remove the CardNinja if you ever get old-hat of it .
CalypsoCrystal CalypsoPad : I ’ll finish up this inclination with one concluding “ This is surprisingly utilitarian ” product . The $ 39 CalypsoPad is but a leather pad on which to place your iPhone while it ’s charging on your desk , nightstand , or foresee — a dependable haven , if you will , that restrain your iPhone and desk apart . But it ’s the little touches that make this pad appealing . It ’s handcrafted using premium Italian leather , with a bottom covered in a mild material that wo n’t rub your desk but also volunteer a bit of grasp to keep the pad in position . It looks great , thanks to attractive , smuggled or tan leather and complemental sewing . And my pet feature article is the leather banding , which fastens using embed magnets , that keep your charge / sync cable from fall behind your desk or nightstand when your iPhone is n’t connect . It ’s undoubtedly a luxury product , but it ’s ausefulluxury .
