iLounge

First Looks

Welcome to our new, continuously-updated First Looks - a collection of previews showing brand new iPod and iPhone accessories that we’re currently in the process of testing. For additional peeks at new accessories, check out our Free iPod + iPhone Book 4 and 2009 iPod + iPhone Buyers' Guide, already available online. Here’s what’s hot right now:

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Company: United SGP

Website: www.SGPstore.com

Model: Art Shield

Price: $28

Compatible: iPhone 3G, 3GS

United SGP Corp. Art Shield for iPhone 3G

This new series of full-body clear iPhone 3G and 3GS film protectors -- Art Shield ($28) -- adds a new twist to prior designs we've seen: United SGP has added decorative, clean graphics to the back film, and continues to include two pieces of clear front film in each package, along with applicator spray and a squeegee. The company offers downloadable unlock screen wallpaper to match the designs of the Art Shield stickers, as well.

Company: blueLounge

Website: www.blueLounge.com

Model: CableDrop

Price: $10

Compatible: All iPods, iPhones

blueLounge CableDrop Multi-Purpose Cable Clips

Beyond the fact that its products are always cleanly designed, one of the things we really like about blueLounge is its approach to accessorizing: it finds and solves a real-world problem, rather than dreaming up answers to questions no one has asked. CableDrop ($10) is a package of six simple, soft, and adhesive rubber mounts that can be stuck to your choice of surfaces for cable management. They're designed to be strong enough to resist the typical pushes and pulls of moving cables in and out, but also tapered to make insertion and removal easy. blueLounge envisions them as attaching to the desk where you use your computer, keeping a power or Dock Connector cable always at the ready to plug in to a laptop, and that's precisely how we'd use them; we deal with cable slippage every day and know precisely why these would make sense. Three colors -- a putty-like light gray, dark gray, and a wood-ready pumpkin brown -- are included in the package; our only hope would be to see additional color options in the future.

Company: Rebel Scholar

Website: www.rebelscholar.com

Model: iPhone Cases

Price: $20-$100

Compatible: iPhone 3G, 3GS

Rebel Scholar Cases for iPhone 3G + 3GS

Okay, okay, we know what you're going to say: "$100 for a plastic iPhone case? That's insane." Yes, it is. But Rebel Scholar's series of iPhone 3G and 3GS cases actually start out at a comparatively reasonable $20, which gets you a basic plastic shell with either a matte, glossy, or metallic exterior -- no screen protector, no port or button coverage. Then they step up to $35 for lower-end designer cases, which feature artwork on the back, and that crazy $100 figure for a series of art cases designed by Hong Kong-based illustrator Jasper Wong, each of which uses a combination of opaque and transparent materials, and includes a special black gold-foiled box with stickers. Worth the cash? In our view, these are pretty basic Chinese-style two-piece iPhone cases with art as their only distinguishing factor, but you can make the call as to whether the art's worth paying for.

Company: Cyanics

Website: www.Cyanics.net

Model: IPS46

Price: $27

Compatible: iPod touch 1G/2G

Cyanics IPS46 Portable Swing Speaker with Case for iPod touch 1G/2G

Cheap, but also cheaply made, Cyanics' IPS46 ($27) combines a rechargeable battery-powered speaker system with an iPod touch case, interestingly using speakers that can spin to operate when the device is vertical or horizontal. In horizontal mode, they pop out to become a video stand -- all good ideas. Unfortunately, the unit feels cheaply made; a piece of plastic popped out within seconds of opening the case, and an odd set of stickers is included, presumably to help keep your iPod touch's back from rubbing against the case's unpadded plastic interior. A USB recharging cable is included for the battery, which powers the speakers but not the iPod touch inside; audio quality is louder and somewhat better than the second-generation model's integrated speaker.