iLounge

First Looks

Welcome to our new, continuously-updated First Looks - a collection of previews showing brand new iPod, iPhone and iPad accessories that we’re currently in the process of testing. Here’s what’s hot right now:

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Company: oStylus Design Studio

Website: www.ostylus.com

Model: oStylus, oStylus Dot

Price: $38 each

Compatible: All iPads, iPhones, iPod touches

oStylus Design Studio oStylus + oStylus Dot

We've seen numerous rubber-tipped styluses over the past few years, but there are still original designs now and then. oStylus Design Studio's oStylus ($38) and oStylus Dot ($38) are a couple of examples; rather than including traditional soft tips, these aluminum-handeled pens have either a ring or dot of stainless steel at the writing end. Coated with a thin layer of vinyl, they won't scratch the screen. The original model was developed for drawing and sketching, while the newer DOT is better suited for writing. Both work with all of Apple's iOS devices.

Company: G-Form

Website: www.g-form.com

Model: X-Protect

Price: $40

Compatible: iPhone 4/4S

G-Form X-Protect for iPhone 4/4S

A few months after video-teasing the upcoming release of X-Protect ($40), G-Form's first iPhone 4/4S accessory is now shipping to users who need extra protection. The key selling point here is the Poron XRD foam -- the same material used in Extreme Sleeve for iPad and G-Form's other products. It automatically hardens upon impact, supposedly absorbing more than 90% of the shock that would otherwise be transmitted to the device inside. A rubber frame holds an inner layer of the foam in place, and also provides button protection. X-Protect is available in yellow-on-black or black-on-black.

Company: SuperTooth

Website: www.Supertooth.net

Model: Crystal

Price: $69

Compatible: iPhone/3G/3GS/4/4S

SuperTooth Crystal Bluetooth Handsfree Kit

Based substantially upon the design of last year's Buddy, SuperTooth's new Crystal ($69) is another visor-mounted speakerphone accessory for iPhone users, sporting some considerable new improvements. Unlike the plasticky Buddy, Crystal's top surface is now brushed metal, with laser-cut buttons and a very unique speaker grille made from increasingly large pill-shaped holes, changes that make the new model feel less entry-level than before. Their back sides are nearly identical, however, with a micro-USB charging port and a magnetic surface for attachment of an included visor clip. Other changes aren't as obvious: SuperTooth's new car charger for Crystal is smaller than before, using the shotgun shell-sized flush designs of modern power adapters, and the Bluetooth 2.1 chip has been upgraded to Bluetooth 3.0, with the same 20 hours of active use or 40 days of standby use. The new chip adds stereo music streaming, automatic reconnection upon car entry, and GPS instruction announcement support; it also features eight-device multipoint pairing with two-device active monitoring.

Company: Incase

Website: www.GoIncase.com

Models: Suede Pull Sleeve

Price: $50

Compatible: iPhone 4/4S

Incase Suede Pull Sleeve for iPhone 4/4S

Incase's new holder for the iPhone 4 and 4S is its Suede Pull Sleeve ($50), available now in three color combinations. The name does a good job of describing the sleeve-style case, which is made of two nice pieces of real suede sewn to a colorful plastic rail that runs along the bottom, left, and right edges. A magnetic flap secures the iPhone in place, and is attached to a ribbon, allowing it to double as a way to lift the device out with a simple pull. The back has a pocket for up to three credit cards.