The Week in iOS Accessories: iPhone 5 (and cuteness)

28.09.2012
It didn't take long for iOS accessory makers to react to the launch of the iPhone 5. Sure, the new phone is a little longer than its predecessors--and yes, it has that that's incompatible with every previous generation of accessories--but there's still gold in them thar accessory hills. This week's roundup features iPhone 5 gear, things for your older iPhone, and some of the cutest accessories we've ever seen.

Arkon: The $40 and the $90 are essentially the same product in small and big sizes, respectively. Each is an adjustable, aluminum-pole tablet stand that lets iPad owners use their tablet with hands-free ease. The former can sit on a desktop or countertop for easy viewing. The latter can be placed on the floor near a couch or chair during relaxation time, or can be used as a makeshift iPad podium.

Bose: The $350 speaker system is Bose's first product featuring Apple's AirPlay technology, letting you stream and control music wirelessly from your iOS device or Mac. The SoundLink Air uses a rechargeable battery, so you can take it to the patio or on a picnic to provide portable tunes wherever you go.

Bowers & Wilkins: This high-end-audio vendor has come up with two new AirPlay-compatible speaker systems. The $500 is a bookshelf-sized unit that's compact enough for even the smallest rooms but puts out big, lush sound. The $800 features a six-inch Kevlar subwoofer to provide deep bass. Both systems stream music wirelessly from your iOS device or Mac, and both will be available for shipping in October.

Carbon Audio: The $99 is a wireless, slide-on speaker bar for the iPad. It streams music wirelessly from your iOS device using a Bluetooth connection, and the bar includes a pair of speakers and a microphone, so you can use the Zooka as a speaker and kickstand for your tablet, as well as for hands-free phone and video chats via FaceTime, Skype, or similar services. The Zooka comes in nine colors.

Dr. Bott: This company's touts more than 350 accessories for the new iPhone 5. Space prohibits us from listing all of them here, of course, but we'll note that typical products include a $12 to place over your new phone's screen, as well as a slew of cases. The full list of "made for iPhone 5" products can be found ; Dr. Bott's full list of other iPhone-compatible products is .

Electric Friends: If you're in need of accessories to make your iPhone or iPod touch un-bear-ably adorable (see what we did there?), you should check out the line of $60 --docking stations that recharge your device while offering two 5-watt speakers to turn your phone into a radio alarm clock. There are four friends available: Chew Chew the dog; Ki Ki the cat, Sing Sing the panda, and Kwack Kwack the duck. It's a ruff world, isn't it?

Gizmon: Sometimes, everything old is new again. That's why the folks at Gizmon want to remind you that their $25 --which are compatible with every iOS device featuring a camera--are also compatible with the iPhone 5. There are five different styles of lenses, including a new "center focus filter" that blurs the edges of your photo, and a "cross screen filter" that adds sparkle.

Hand Stylus: The $30 features small tips for writing or creating finely detailed artwork on your iPad or iPhone. Those tips are tiny--and retractable--but replaceable: a six-pack of replacement tips is $10. The stylus comes in a half-dozen different colors to inspire your creativity.

Izon: Concerned about security? Want to peek in on the baby? Izon's $129 lets you set up a small camera in the area of concern and then wirelessly stream video directly to your iPhone or iPad using the . The company says that setup is fast and easy; once it's complete, you'll have real-time video surveillance available to you--as well as noise and motion alerts.

Izzi Gadgets: This said its lens cases are now available for pre-order in iPhone 5 versions. The Orbit has a trio of lenses--fisheye, wide-angle, and telephoto--that can rotate and lock into place to create better photos using your phone's camera; the Solo is similar, but features just a fisheye lens. The company expects to ship the products in November.

Lenmar: The $70 comes in three colors: red, black, and white. Complete the set and you can look like you're a member of the White Stripes, but the case doesn't just have rock-star appeal--it promises to double your talking and web-surfing time on the iPhone 5 thanks to a built-in rechargeable battery. The cases will ship in December.

Onkyo: No you won't be able to dock your new iPhone 5 in the $199 docking station--not without an adapter at least. (Any device with Apple's older 30-pin connector will still be able to dock.) But that's glass half-empty thinking--and as Onkyo points out, you can still use the docking station's AirPlay technology to wirelessly stream music from your iPhone 5 to your otherwise-wired-in speaker system. The also device comes with a remote control; it will be available for shipping in October.

Paradigm: The new lets you play music wirelessly from your iOS devices (or Mac) through the system's 30-watt speakers. (The Aera also offers a now-old-fashioned 30-pin dock cradle.) The system can also play music directly from Internet-based music services such as Spotify and Pandora. There's no word on pricing for the system; the speakers are expected to be available later this fall.

Satechi: The $10 lets you power up your iOS device--as well as one other device using the standard AC outlet--directly from a wall socket, while offering protection against electrical accidents.

Scosche: The $100 will help you get in shape by monitoring your vital statistics during a workout. It transmits that data to your iPhone, where the data is processed via a that can help you determine your most-efficient workout routine--and which can also be set to play an inspirational "power song" when your workout is most in need of a jolt. The app is available now; the Rhythm armband should be available in retail stores by the holiday season.

Wacom: The $35 is designed to work in conjunction with the free to take notes or make drawings. The stylus is a short, compact version of a traditional style--it can telescope to full size for that pen-like feeling. The stylus's "leash" can plug into the headphone jack of your iOS device for easy access.