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.
If you loved Orbotix's Sphero Robot Ball then the likelihood is that you'll be positively thrilled with their latest introduction at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The originally released Sphero was a quirky, fun and innovative smartphone controlled robotic sphere that provided hours of fun and entertainment. The latest edition to the Orbotix family is the Sphero 2B, a new cylinder shaped toy that takes on a slightly different form factor but still manages to pack in all of the fun and innocent glee that you would imagine a Sphero device would have thanks to its "mad speed" and "sick tricks".
Dual-SIM smartphones are part of normal everyday life in countries like China. The majority of local Chinese manufacturers invariably offer some kind of low-end, low-cost piece of kit that mimics the look and feel of a popular device but comes with the ability to run two SIM cards at any given time. That type of device is extremely rare in the European and American markets, but does come with a very tangible benefits for the user. James Sung, the man behind the original dual SIM peel case, has recognized these benefits and is back with a new product called Teleza, which he thinks is the perfect solution to our dual-SIM requirements.
Every once in a while we come across something that blows our minds a little bit more than they already were. Often it's some fancy new technology or computer, and we'd use the recently released Mac Pro from Apple as a prime example. Thankfully the thing we're about to tell you about won't cost as much as a small car, but it's just as cool.
A new start-up project out of Taiwan is reliant upon your backing in its quest to bring its concept of a dual-SIM-capable cover for the iPhone 5. Known as the SIM+, it will allow you to run two SIMs at any one time, with effortless switching between them, and with a slot to carry a third, it's the ideal accessory for the frequent traveller.
We're fast getting used to having our smartphones control all facets of our lives, and our health is just one example of where a smartphone app can help not only keep us exercising but also to monitor its short and long-term affects on our bodies. There are plenty of apps that will monitor our calorific intakes as well as the amount of exercise we're getting, and there are even apps that can take your blood pressure just by using a phone's built-in camera. It's magic, and super awesome.
There was a time when BlackBerry dominated the smartphone market with an iron fist, physical keyboard, and promise of an exclusive, secure app that we still refer to as BBM. The BlackBerry days are well and truly over now, with the Canadian company's well-documented fall from grace seeming only to speed up in the previous few months, but despite this, we all know those BB owners who remain defiant that they won't cave in to the glamour of an iPhone or Android smartphone.
The iPhone has improved in a variety of ways over the last few years, and like most other smartphones on offer, the rear-facing camera has been treated to regular enhancement. A camera is a complex being, with many elements combining to offer the very best snap-shooting experience, and one of the areas OEMs have sought to crack is the camera's ability to shoot in low lighting conditions. The iPhone 5 and subsequent 5s are far superior to any of their predecessors when there's not much light around, but the Lightstrap Kickstarter project, which, to offer an analogy, is almost the lovechild of an iPhone case and a torch.
The olloclip started off as a great idea on Kickstarter, but unlike some crowd-funded products that revel in the initial buzz before seeming to disappear, the team behind olloclip has continued to update and improve photography for iPhone users. Having just released a special edition Gold and Space Gray color configurations of its second-gen 4-in-1 lens, the company has immediately followed it up with a 3-in-1 macro lens for both the iPhone 5 and the all-new iPhone 5s. Details can be found after the break.
The emergence of social networks and sharing services like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Flickr has only accelerated the popularity of mobile photography and means we can share our creations with a few taps. But what about those who want to go beyond the native capabilities of mobile cameras with an added accessory? Well, the extremely popular Easy-Macro is one of the more popular options, and it just got even better.
