accessories

For reasons yet to be determined, Apple has informed its vendor that, starting in May, they will no longer be carrying a number of screen protectors in their online and retail stores. This includes both stand-alone screen protectors and products which include screen protectors. The new policy includes clear, anti-glare, and mirrored film, which are not just popular iPhone accessories, but also a big seller for owners of the newer glass-screen laptops. In addition, Apple isn't just removing film protectors that cover the screen but also any film that protects areas such as the laptop palm area or the back side of the iPhone and iPod.

Per AppleInsider, Apple has announced shipping delays on some of its forthcoming iPad accessories with both the keyboard dock and 10W USB power adapter now being listed as having ship dates in May.

In addition, the $39 iPad soft case, which was originally scheduled to ship on April 3 when pre-orders began last Friday, has been delayed until mid-April. The $69 keyboard dock was originally scheduled to ship in mid-April, and the $29 USB power adapter in late April.

At Macworld last week, FastMac announced one of the coolest home improvement products we've seen in a while. It's an AC power outlet that includes two USB charging ports in addition to two standard AC outlets. It's called the TruePower U-Socket, and it'll begin shipping in the first quarter of 2010. When it ships, it'll cost $29.95, but you can pre-order one right now for just $19.95. It requires a bit of expertise with the fuse box and a screwdriver, but for most geeks, this should be one hot product!

Apple went a long way with improving camera quality on the iPhone 3GS, making it an impressive device for capturing video, but it's still a phone. As good as it is compared to a jailbroken 3G, it doesn't change the fact that the microphone is in a bad position, the camera is tiny, and it can be pretty shaky. To solve this problem, a young new start-up named OWLE (Optical Widgets For Life Enhancement) is making a 3rd party hardware accessory that enhances the 3GS's video capturing abilities.

Kensington is showing a new hands-free car set for making calls while driving without breaking any cellphone laws that might be in your area. The Kensington Hands-Free Visor Car Kit syncs up with your iPhone and has 3 buttons you can program with 3 different phone numbers you can call without even touching your phone, letting you make calls at the push of a button without diverting your attention from the road.

3 new toys from Griffin. The first two are the PowerBrick Reserve and PowerJolt Reserve. The PowerBrick Reserve is a standard wall charger for your iPhone that has a removable emergency battery magnetically held in place that can be removed and plugged into your iPhone when you're out of juice and can't find an outlet.

Here's a cool thing we saw on the Expo floor today. It's a fun little gadget called the Sound Clip from Ten 1 Design (makers of the Pogo Stylus). It's a very simple little device that acts as an acoustic amplifier for the iPhone's speaker. It locks into the bottom of the iPhone and forms a small plastic cup over the speaker that amplifies it and stops you from covering it with your hand while gaming. Retail price for one is $8, available here.

If you live in a northern or temperate climate like I do, then using your iPhone outside in the winter can be a real pain. Since the iPhone's screen is capacitive, you have to operate it with either your bare fingertips or a cumbersome stylus, something that gets old fast in sub-zero weather. To solve this issue, Apple is working on a patent for some gloves that should make using the iPhone a lot more pleasant in the winter.

iLuv has announced a new speaker dock that combines iPhone and iPod Touch compatibility with an HD radio. It's the iHD171 HD Radio with iTunes Tagging, and can tune into any AM/FM HD station or multicast station in addition to being able to play music from the iPhone.

USBFever has released a new set of accessories for iPhone 3G users looking for a way to augment their camera's functionality. They are offering a wide angle lens, a telephoto lens, and a fisheye lens that attach magnetically to a metal ring you adhere to your iPhone 3G. It's compatible with both the 3G and original iPhone.