How would you feel about one single keyboard accessory that works with your smartphone or tablet, regardless of the platform that powers it? Microsoft has today introduced its new "Universal Mobile Keyboard" that can function with Apple iPads, iPhones, Android powered smartphones and tablets as well as all Windows based tablets that contain Bluetooth Human Interface Device support (HID) and are 10mm or thinner.
Logitech is one of Apple's official accessory partners, and invests a great amount of its developmental man-power in creating some exciting new products. But aside from dreaming up some wondrous gadgets for devices bearing the Apple logo, it also caters to the wider market in general, allowing those on Android and Windows Phone to reap the benefits of its creations. In the latest, it has unleashed a quirky new keyboard capable of docking a smartphone and tablet at the same time, and with a very agreeable price tag to boot, it's the perfect all-in-one solution for traditional typists.
Since Apple first brought forth official support for third-party gaming controllers along with iOS 7, peripheral makers have continually offered their takes on what a modern-day joypad should look and function like. But although the announcement of Made for iPhone accessories was lauded by certain sections of the mobile gaming world, things haven't quite taken off as Apple might have anticipated, and Wikipad's new Gamevice effort for the iPad mini will seek to finally give this market the boost it appears to require.
For most Android owners, transferring data the old-fashioned way is fairly easy. The majority of devices are equipped with microSD card slots, and data can easily be moved to and from a smartphone or tablet. iPhone users don't have this luxury, but we have, in recent times, seen a marked increase in the number of removable storage peripherals available from third parties. Now Hyper - a revered maker of iAccessories - has come through with the iStick, a MFi (Made for iPhone) gadget that features in-built USB and Lightning connectors.
A month ago, we featured the neat, versatile SurfacePad for iPhone from Twelve South which, as well as protecting your device and allowing it to be stood in all manner of positions, is also thin enough so as to preserve the handset's svelte form factor. Today, the start-up as thrown out the corresponding version for the iPad mini, which does the same job as the iPhone edition, while maintaining the same great aesthetics.
The first wave of MFi (Made For iPhone) accessories may not win awards for design innovation or aesthetic beauty, but they did manage to highlight the power of what is possible with mobile gaming, and draw serious attention to Apple's Game Controller APIs that launched as part of iOS 7. MOGA, the company behind the MOGA Ace Power iOS 7 controller, has taken on-board the lessons learnt from the initial launch and have gone back to the drawing board to build their next MFi product, as shown in the company's official teaser image below.
Since Apple announced support for official MFi (Made for iPhone) gaming controllers with iOS 7, the major peripheral makers have been quick to announce and release some of their creations. However, those we've seen hitherto have shared one common trait - they're all tailored specifically to the iPhone. With cases that clip perfectly onto the form factor of the Apple smartphone, those on the iPad and iPod touch have been largely cast aside, but now, in the RP One, avid mobile gaming fans have an Xbox-esque controller to truly enhance the general user experience.
There's been a great deal of speculation and chatter about game controllers ever since Apple launched the updated MFi ("Made for iPhone/iPod/iPad") program alongside the introduction of iOS 7 last year. Mobile gaming has taken off in a big way over the last twelve months, meaning that having the ability to interact with powerful games directly on one of Apple's devices through an officially supported controller was always going to ring the excitement bells of a lot of iOS users. In an effort to capitalize on that excitement, SteelSeries have introduced the first wireless gamepad controller ever to be supported by iOS 7.
The iPad Air is almost ready for release, and naturally, Apple's accessory partners are hot on its tail. We've already seen the first batch of what Belkin has to offer the Cupertino's rebranded slab, and now, Logitech has come through with a substantial helping of cases and accessories for the fifth-gen iPad.
Apple finally revealed the fifth-gen iPad Air at its special event yesterday, and as consumers begin to read the hands-on reviews and decide whether or not to make the purchase, the third party accessory makers are already well and truly on their game. Belkin, one of the foremost creators of cases and peripherals for Apple's wide range of products, has come through with a neat case for the iPad Air featuring a physical keyboard in a very slim line package.



