iLounge

ThinkGeek has introduced its new iCade 8-bitty game controller for iOS. Designed to resemble classic console controllers, the 8-bitty connects to the iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch via Bluetooth, offering a fully-functional d-pad and eight buttons, just like the larger iCade. The controller is powered by two AAA batteries and is fully compatible with all iCade games, including the Atari Greatest Hits app for iPad. ThinkGeek’s iCade 8-bitty game controller for iOS will be available later this year and will sell for $25.

DigiTech has introduced its new iStomp stompbox for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Working in conjunction with a dedicated app, the iStomp connects to the device via the 30-pin port, and offers four knobs to control effects parameters, a large dedicated pedal, dual 1/4” inputs and outputs, and two included virtual effects pedals, with the ability to buy additional pedals through the app at a price of $5 each. DigiTech’s iStomp stompbox for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch is available now and sells for $230.

Hex has debuted its new Vision Classic Leather Watch Bands for the sixth-generation iPod nano. Made from high-quality genuine leather, the Vision Classic offers topstitched embroidered edges, a patented clip-in, clip-out stainless steel plate for attaching the nano, and a traditional buckle closure. Hex’ Vision Classic Leather Watch Bands for the iPod nano 6G are available now in black, white, British tan, and grey, and sell for $50 each.

Flos is now offering its new D’E-Light lamp for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod. Designed by Philippe Starck and made from chrome-plated aluminum, the lamp features a striking design, a 2700K flat panel LED light capable of producing 299 Lumens, and a top-mounted dock capable of recharging an iPhone, iPad, or iPod. Flos’ D’E-Light is available now and sells for $396.

iBattz has rolled out Mojo Removable Power Card battery pack for the iPhone, iPod, and other USB-charging devices. Roughly the size of a credit card and 12mm thick, the Mojo Removable Power Card features a removable 2500 mAh battery pack, a full-size USB port for charging and recharging, and 1.0 Amp output for fast charging of the iPhone. iBattz’ Mojo Removable Power Card battery pack will be available soon and will sell for $60.

Gear4 has announced that it will soon launch its Renew SleepClock system for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod in the United States. Sporting a top-mounted dock, the SleepClock uses an advanced no-contact sensor to sense the users’ breathing rate, when they’re in light or deep sleep, if they leave their bed at night, and when they’re trying to go to sleep—adjusting their sleep soundtrack appropriately in the latter case, and waking them at the most appropriate time within a pre-set wake-up range. Other features include integration with the free Renew app for tracking sleep patterns over time, built-in speakers, an FM radio, and the ability to charge the docked device. Gear4’s Renew SleepClock will be available in the U.S. beginning in March and will sell for $200.

Matias has unveiled three new keyboards for the PC, Mac, and iOS devices. The One Keyboard, Slim One Keyboard, and Tactile One Keyboard all offer a Bluetooth connection to allow for use with the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, with a single dedicated button to switch between the PC/Mac and iOS device, black keys set against a silver background, and an integrated USB cable. The Slim One Keyboard features a slim, Apple-like body and includes a MiniRizer iPhone stand for $80, while the One Keyboard features a more traditional body, with arrow keys, a number pad, and a space for the iPhone to sit between the keys. It sells for $100 and will begin shipping soon.

Finally, the Tactile One Keyboard also offers a full layout—with space for the iPhone, arrow keys, and a number pad—but uses an Alps Mechanical Switch for each individual key, offering an experience similar to Apple’s Extended and Extended II keyboards for $200; it is expected to ship in May. Each keyboard is available for order now in separate Mac- or PC-specific versions for shipment no later than May.

Qmadix has introduced a pair of new battery packs for the iPhone and iPad, as well as several new cases for the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. Dubbed the Boostpac Eclipse and Boostpac Quick Shot, both battery packs offer integrated Dock Connectors for charging iPhones and iPods, Micro USB recharging, and LED battery indicator lights. The Eclipse offers a 1500 mAh cell and a built-in stand, while the Quick Shot offers a more compact design and a 1200 mAh battery. Qmadix’ Boostpac Eclipse and Boostpac Quick Shot batteries for the iPhone and iPod will sell for $60 and $50, respectively, and are listed as “coming soon”.

Ten One Design has debuted its new Pogo Sketch Plus stylus for iOS devices. The Pogo Sketch Plus features an anodized aluminum body, a built-in black pocket clip, and an all-new tip boasting Pro Tip technology. According to the company, the Pro Tip technology consists of patterned structures within the tip itself for greater sensitivity, combined with a smaller tip diameter for added precision. Ten One Design’s Pogo Sketch Plus for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch is available now in a variety of colors and sells for $15; existing Pogo Sketch owners can receive 50 percent off the Plus by emailing a photo of their current stylus to info (at) tenonedesign (dot) com.

Among the usual plethora of cases, speakers, earphones and other accessories, we also occasionally see a few products that are a bit unique in their design or approach. Below we’ve highlighted some of the most interesting of these products that we’ve seen.

Sound Egg Chair: Designed with an eclectic look that may remind some of Mork from the classic seventies sitcom, the Sound Egg Chair provides a 5.1 channel surround sound system built into an enclosed, egg-shaped chair.  A swivel arm provides a mounting point for a TV screen and ports on the back provide for audio input from an external amp. A variety of colors and interiors are available, and the Sound Egg Chair price ranges from $1,400 for a base model to $3,000 for a fully-loaded model with leather interior and included HDTV.

i-Dice Speakers: Vaguely reminiscent of the fuzzy dice you might find in a car windshield, the i-Dice speakers provide a dock for an iPhone, iPod or iPad and are available in black, white and red versions.

3DLuxe’s Cases go beyond the usual 2D designs, incorporating raised relief 3D embossed artwork.

The Crystal Pirate optical mouse from Pat Says Now is joined by a variety of other unique and eclectic optical mouse designs.

TekChick Designs turns computer parts into jewelry and fashion accessories, recycling old Mac keyboard keys, RAM chips, and other appropriate into earrings. While the designs may not be for everyone, it’s an interesting idea and a good use for components that might otherwise end up in a landfill somewhere.

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) has just confirmed a staggering statistic: after selling out its entire original footprint last year in two hours—eventually leading to an even larger, 85,000-square foot space—the 2013 iLounge Pavilion just sold over 95,000 square feet of exhibit space in three hours. According to CEA, demand for additional space is at an all-time high.

This year’s Pavilion, which featured over 350 exhibitors, reportedly benefitted from exceedingly strong CES attendance of more than 153,000 people—conservatively measured prior to an official final number—which, if accurate, would represent an all-time attendance high for the world’s largest consumer technology trade show. Designed as a dedicated area for Apple’s iPad, iPhone, iPod, and Mac products, the iLounge Pavilion has been receiving rave reports from exhibitors. Thousands of new products were shown inside the Pavilion, top picks from which were spotlighted in iLounge’s 2012 Best of Show Awards.

We have to give Portable Sound Labs credit as the “most improved” developer we spotted at CES: after some stale past products, the new design direction it was showing off at this year’s International CES has us genuinely excited. On display were some unique speakers, many of which are still in the prototype phase but are slated to be released later this year. The first is Aire SideKick, an iPad 2 speaker that doubles as a cover for the tablet. It attaches with magnets much like Apple’s Smart Cover, and the final version will be made out of aluminum. This will make the flat speaker thin and light.

Next up are Pipeline and Base, both portable wireless speaker systems. Each is modular and works in sets, or as individual pieces. Pipeline’s central unit is a long horizontal tube, and it comes with two satellite speakers called Drops that attach to either side with magnets. Base, on the other hand, is a large dish-sized cylindrical shape, with detachable speaker units called Slices.

What’s unique is the satellites are also Bluetooth-enabled, which means they can serve as standalone units on the go. Both Pipeline and Base come with two of the smaller speakers, but more will be able to be added if purchased individually.

We also saw AllSpark, which has a very different design from anything we saw on the show floor. The set is made up of two pyramid-shaped speakers that attach to one another with magnets in their bases, creating a cube that can be held at an angle in the included stand. AllSpark supports a Bluetooth connection, with one speaker acting as the receiver and carrying the audio to the other over a cable. Each of the items is being targeted for very aggressive pricing; AllSpark for instance is slated for a $100 selling price.

One of the Apple accessory areas of particular interest to iLounge’s editors are products for kids—speakers, cases, and headphones if they’ve been designed to be safe for little ears. Here are a few of the more noteworthy items we saw at this year’s CES, which is just now winding down in Las Vegas.

Case-Mate: Showed off a huge collection of kids’ cases, including many made from multi-layered rubber with different cool artwork—ice cream, animals, and the like. Some of the cases are abstract versions of animals, others are obviously so. Case-Mate also showed Marvel/Disney-licensed hard shells that had great iconic art from the comic company’s biggest-named series.

Electric Friends: This division of Noetic showed four different animal speaker systems targeted at a sub-$60 price point, and they were seriously cute—like Chew Chew the Dog, each has its own name and backstory, with two big speaker grilles protecting eye-shaped audio drivers. The price is right, the design is right, and the sound is respectable.

More images and details are below.

While our focus tends to be on mainstream consumer products, there are several companies here at the iLounge Pavilion that are aiming at the higher end of the market, including the ones we’re spotlighting below.

Known for their carbon fiber cases, Moncarbone is taking the material to the next level with its Art Collection, which features graphics that are subtly integrated into the material using dye injection methods. A nice change of pace from standard carbon fiber cases, which have become a bit stale recently. The cases are priced at $60 each.

We’ve seen loads of leather cases for the iPhone over the years, but few as simple or elegant as Eblouir’s slim pouch. Made from high-quality leather, it features two interior slots—one for the iPhone and one that’s cash-sized—as well as a simple closure that uses a long strip of leather to hold the entire thing closed. It sells for $45.

Continuing an ongoing trend, there are a number of exhibitors here focusing on female users—and among them is Tyla Rae. This fashion-focused brand offers a wide range of bags for the iPhone , iPod, and iPad. The bags are made primarily from leatherette, and range in price from $60 to $220.

Lethal Protection’s Life-Phorm is certainly one of the standout accessories we saw at this year’s International CES, and accordingly, it was a finalist for our Best of Show award. The stand and holder works with all of Apple’s handheld devices and with its six articulating plastic legs, can stand on or wrap around pretty much any surface. When it launches in March 2012, Life-Phorm will be available in black, gunmetal grey, or army green, and sell for $60.

U.K.-based DBEST has introduced two new speakers at the 2012 International CES, although no price or release date has been announced for either. The first is Transformative Bluetooth Hi-Fi System (a.k.a. PS4007BT). Packed with two 3W loudspeakers, a microSD slot, an auxiliary port, and Bluetooth connectivity, the speaker can be used for music playback or as a speakerphone. It has rechargeable batteries that last for up to 50 hours of continuous playback per charge. Eiffel (PS4501), on the other hand, is a much smaller speaker but has the same input options. Nicknamed by DBEST as “The Terminator of Mini-Speaker,” Eiffel has an 800mAh battery inside and allows you to customize the colors based on your preferences.

Although it’s not nearly as large as the comically oversized iNuke Boom, Haier’s Evoke Soundbar with 3D Sound is still one of the biggest speaker systems we’ve seen at the 2012 International CES. Measuring in at 40” long, it’s certainly the widest practical docking station we’ve come across, and it supports not only iPhones and iPods, but iPads as well. It’ll retail for $400 when it’s released in early 2012.

IDAPT has previously been in the business of making multi-device chargers, but now has added a speaker system to its lineup with the introduction of S1, which will launch this February for about $150. Not only is the device a Bluetooth 2.0 speaker capable of working with pretty much any gadget you may have lying around, but it also has two docking chargers with interchangeable tips and a USB port too. On top of that, there is FM radio and alarm clock functionality built-in. The design seems to fall somewhere in between classic and modern; some of our editors see allusions to famous Dieter Rams Braun pieces.

Adding to its lineup of solar accessories for Apple products at this year’s International CES, Eton has introduced the Rukus Bluetooth speaker system. The lithium ion battery can be charged through a standard wall adapter, but there’s also a monocrystal solar panel on top to gather energy from the sun. On the front of the unit are an e-ink display and playback controls.

Today is the first day of the 2012 International CES, and the iLounge Pavilion is full of activity! Here are just a few of the new products that caught our eye.

AirStash is showing off the newest version of its Wi-Fi flash drive device. It uses an SD card for storage—packages are available with either 8GB or 16GB cards—and can stream files to iOS devices. This includes, photos, music,  iTunes-protected videos, and more. Up to three devices can connect at a time, and battery life is specced at seven hours of continuous SD video playback. The smaller capacity version is priced at $150, and the larger costs $180.

We wrote about BulletTrain’s Express a few weeks ago on iLounge+Mac, but the company has updated the accessory in time for a March release. Now, instead of aluminum, the Magic Trackpad and Wireless Keyboard holder is made of plastic. This allows for a better clip system and new colors too. The silver version will cost $80 when it’s released, while the colored versions will retail for $100. BulletTrain also announced a partnership with MusicSkins, who while be offering all of its designs for the Express.