accessories

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.

The people who created the Snapture, the camera app that offered more advanced features than the original Camera app, have released an external flash extension for the iPhone. The Snapture Flash adds a Xenon powered flash that flashes when the iPhone takes a picture with the Snapture app.

To celebrate the holidays, accessory maker Agent18 is offering “20% off every product on Agent 18’s website.” To get a discount, just add the items to your cart and enter the promotional code HappyMerry08 during checkout. They offer a variety of cases for both models of iPod touch and iPhone. You can check it out at their website, Agent18.com.
[via iPhone Freak]

Ever wish you could tell just how drunk you really are? While common sense generally says getting behind the wheel after drinking is generally a bad idea, you can now find out if it's also illegal with the latest BAC testing accessory for our iPhone or iPod touch. The iBreath is a breathalyzer that plugs in to the bottom of your iPhone or iPod touch (and other iPod models) that can not only test your blood alcohol content, but can also transmit music to your car radio. Neat, huh?
[via TUAW]