There doesn’t appear to be a recession in the accessory market, at least when it comes to the iPhone and iPod.
It’s one of the fastest growing consumer segments, with new products introduced daily. (the pile in my office never seems to recede, no matter how many I test and return.)
Analysts estimate the iPhone/iPod accessory sales to be more than $2 billion per year.
One of the beneficiaries of these sales is Apple; it charges what some manufacturers refer to as an Apple Tax, receiving fees for an “Approved for iPod Use” sticker, their connector, and an authentication chip that allows the accessory and the device to communicate with one another.
This tax is estimated to range from $4 to $11 for each product sold, often more than 10 percent of the device’s cost. Some makers bypass the tax if the accessory attaches through the earphone jack, but don’t expect to see those products sold in the Apple Stores.
Here are several products that I’ve been trying out recently:
LiveSpeakr
This is a collapsible portable speaker system for iPods and iPhones that’s small enough to fit in a jacket pocket. It contains a rechargeable battery and fine-sounding speakers. It collapses and stores behind the phone or music player. When opened, it can be used in both the horizontal and vertical positions, so it’s great for watching video. Its cleverly designed four-in-one cradle fits most of the iPods and all of the iPhones. $100; www.livespeakr.com
iPhone Cases with built-in batteries
There are three great options, each of which provides similar performance, more than doubling battery life. The major differences are their form factors and the small variations in the battery capacity—however, note that none of these cases will protect your screen from impact. Mophie Juice Pack (www.mophie.com/products/juice-pack) is the latest battery case for the power-starved 3G iPhone. It has the largest capacity battery yet with 1800mAh (milliampere-hour, or the amount of electronic charge), and is a partial case that covers all but the top portion of the phone, making it the slimmest of the three. Tekkeon’s MyPower (www.tekkeon.com), at 1500mAh, is a leather case and is the least expensive at $80. The InCase Power Slider (www.goincase.com) is 1330mAh and is a two-piece plastic case that fits neatly around the iPhone, looking like a part of the phone. It and the Mophie cost $100.
OctoStyle iPhone case
For those wanting the slimmest possible case that still protects the iPhone, check out those from OctoStyle. They’re beautifully made hard cases constructed of Italian leather. The phone slips in the hard pouch and pops out with the pull of a ribbon. From $60; www.octostyle.com
BlueAnt V1 Bluetooth voice-control headset
This is one of the best small headsets I’ve used with my iPhone, and it works with any Bluetooth phone. The voice quality is very good at both ends of the conversation. The V1 uses voice control to tell the user what’s going on. Say “check battery” and it will tell you the state of charge.
It also tells you when it’s connected or when it loses connection to the phone. You can dial Google 411 or home or answer by just speaking the words. It comes well-equipped with accessories for charging from an AC plug, automobile and a USB port. I’ve found the headset to be very comfortable after a full day’s use, and its built-in pocket clip lets you store it like a pen in your pocket. $80; https://myblueant.com/v1_voice_control.htm
Griffin RoadTrip with SmartScan
I’ve tried many devices that transmit your music from an iPod or iPhone to an automobile radio. They all work alike: You select an FM frequency where there’s no broadcast and set the same frequency on the device. However, I’d found that the performance varied widely. None that I tried worked very well on my Acura RL. The signal faded in and out and with frequent static. But I’ve been trying the new Griffin RoadTrip and it’s the first that works very well for me.
The RoadTrip is a cradle for the iPhone or iPod on a gooseneck that plugs into an auto adapter. It solves the problem of where to position your device while driving and while keeping it charged. I’ve also tried it with the iPhone app “Tuner” to listen to any of thousands of radio stations through my radio. $99; www.griffintechnology.com.
Traveling sound: iHome iP27 portable speaker and alarm clock
The iHome iP27 looks like a clock radio but is not quite. It has an illuminated LCD clock and alarm and a dock for an iPod or iPhone. It folds flat to the size of a book, making it easy to tuck into a suitcase for traveling. Unfold it, plug in your iPhone or iPod, and it will wake you to music. Better yet, take advantage of Internet music application such as Tuner, Pandora or Slacker, and you can receive radio stations that let you create your own custom play. The sound is pleasant at moderate volumes. It comes with a soft carry case and AC adapter and can be powered by four AA batteries. $120; www.ihomeaudio.com
By Phil Baker. Originally published in the San Diego Transcript. Read Phil’s blog at https://blog.philipgbaker.com/my_weblog, and check out his book, From Concept to Consumer.
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