iLounge

Audio-Technica has debuted its new ATH-ANC9 QuietPoint active noise-canceling over-ear headphones. As the company’s new top-of-the-line model, the ATH-ANC9 features new Tri-Level Cancellation with three preset filter for noise reduction, a cable with an in-line mic and remote, replaceable memory foam earpads, 40mm drivers, newly-developed electronics, the ability to work when the noise-canceling function is turned off—or in passive mode when the single AAA battery has lost its charge—a fold-flat design, and an included 1/4-inch adapter, airline adapter, and hard carrying case. Audio Technica’s ATH-ANC9 QuietPoint active noise-canceling headphones are available now and sell for $300.

Bowers & Wilkins has announced its new P3 headphones. Available in white or black, the P3s are on-ear models, built from aluminum and rubber, and feature custom drivers with terminals that have been positioned to ensure uniform airflow and reduce distortion, custom ultra-light acoustic fabric on the ear pad covers, memory foam cushions, a collapsible design, an included hard-shell carry case, and two included cables—one that’s designed to work with the iPhone, iPad, and iPod, and a standard 3.5mm cable. Bowers & Wilkins’ P3 headphones will be available in June and are priced at $200.

iBattz has rolled out its new Mojo Treble Keychain cable and Mojo Removable Power Card Wallet for the iPhone, iPod, and iPad. The Treble is a compact, keychain-friendly accessory that combines a 30-pin cable, USB connector, SIM ejection tool, and microSD card reader in a single, small body. It supports 2.1 Amp fast charging for the iPad, and comes in white or black for $25. The Removable Power Card Wallet is a credit card-sized external battery that features a removable 1500mAh lithium battery module, a full-sized USB port for connecting a standard Apple 30-pin cable, and support for 1 Amp fast charging of the iPhone. It is also available in white or black and sells for $40. Both accessories are available now.

Micron/Crucial has entered the iOS accessory market with its new PoP Video projector. Designed specifically for use with an iPhone or iPod touch, the PoP Video is a pocket-sized projector with a built-in Dock Connector on top. Measuring roughly half an inch think, the PoP Video offers 960x540 resolution, and features a built-in rechargeable battery good for two hours of playtime, the ability to charge fully in about four hours over Micro-USB, and compatibility with the companion PoP Video app. Micron/Crucial’s new PoP Video projector is available for pre-order now for $99; a release date has yet to be announced. [via Cnet]

Hex has introduced its new Vision Plastic Watch Band for the sixth-generation iPod nano. Arriving in red, black, white, pink, and blue, the band features a reinforced clip-in, clip-out plastic mounting plate and a color-matching custom silicone strap with ABS buckle, while offering full access to all of the nano’s ports and controls. Hex’s Vision Plastic Watch Band for the sixth-generation iPod nano is available now and sells for $25.

Nearly six months after iLounge first reported on its existence, Jawbone has officially launched its Big Jambox Bluetooth speaker system. Features include improved audio over the original, with dual passive bass radiators, a built-in battery good for up to 15 hours of playback, a built-in microphone for hands-free calling, LiveAudio audio processing technology, and a design that’s very similar to the original Jambox. Jawbone’s Big Jambox speaker is available for pre-order now in red, white, or graphite, and is expected to ship May 15 for $300.

Jarre has launched its new AeroPad Two speaker for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod. Available with a black, white, or bamboo front finish, the AeroPad Two features multiple 30-pin docks in the front center to provide for vertical or horizontal placement of the connected device, a USB port with support for WMA, AIFF, WAV, and MP3 files, an auxiliary input for other audio sources, five speakers, including a dedicated subwoofer, 200 Watts of total power, an included remote control, and chrome-finished stainless steel on the bottom and rear. Jarre’s AeroPad Two speaker for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod is now available for pre-order and will ship in September for €699, or roughly $925. [via Gizmodo]

iHome has announced that it is now shipping its iDM5 Executive Work Station. First unveiled at the 2012 CES, the iDM5 features a built-in, full-size QWERTY Bluetooth keyboard, built-in speakers, a microphone for speaker functionality, two USB ports for device charging, an auxiliary input, and an integrated keyboard cover that doubles as the back to a built-in stand. iHome’s iDM5 is available now and sells for $130; for more information, see our full review.

Redpark is now shipping its GPS Cable for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. According to the company, the GPS Cable allows iOS devices to connect to external navigation devices that use the NMEA 0183 protocol by offering a 30-pin connector on one end and a DB-9 connector on the other. The company claims that the cable is compatible with location-aware iOS apps—including the built-in Maps and Compass apps—and supports devices running iOS 5.x or later, including the iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, fourth-generation iPod touch, iPad 2, iPad, and, presumably, the third-generation iPad. Redpark’s GPS Cable for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch is available now and sells for $59.

Griffin and Crayola have announced a new lineup of co-branded headphones and cases. Debuted at the 2012 CES, the MyPhones volume-limited headphones and earphones are capped at a peak volume of 85 dB or lower—the maximum level recommended by a variety of auditory health organizations. The over-ear headphones come in two color combinations—pink/purple and blue/green—and come with stickers and markers for customization. They are priced at $25, while the earbuds feature Crayola’s crayon wrapper design, come with their own crayon-shaped carrying case, include three sizes of silicone ear cushions, and come in purple, pink, green, and blue, with pricing set at $15.

The new cases include the Color Clickers and Crayon Classics cases for the fourth-generation iPod touch. Color Clickers combine a polycarbonate shell with 28 interchangeable color stripes, giving users a variety of customization options, while the Crayon Classics resemble Crayola’s crayon wrappers, and available in purple, pink, green, red, and blue. Both cases offer open access to all ports, controls, and cameras, and sell for $25.

Mophie has rolled out its new Powerstation Pro battery pack for the iPhone, iPad, iPod, and other USB-charging devices. First seen at the 2012 CES, the Powerstation Pro is water-, dust-, and sand-resistant, with a rugged aluminum and black rubber body, a 6,000 mAh battery supporting fast 2.1A charging of the iPad, LED charging indicators, and a full-size USB port for charging. Mophie’s Powerstation Pro battery pack is available now and sells for $130.

Soundfreaq’s Sound Kick portable Bluetooth speaker is now available for pre-order. Recipient of our Overall Best of Show award at the most recent CES, the Sound Kick is a compact speaker featuring a unique, sound-enhancing pull-out rear chamber, Bluetooth wireless connectivity, a built-in rechargeable battery good for up to eight hours of audio playback, UQ3 spatial sound enhancement for improved audio, a USB port for charging compatible devices over wall power or from the internal battery, and a standard 3.5mm line-in jack for other audio sources. Soundfreaq’s Sound Kick sells for $100 and is expected to begin shipping next week; for more information, see our full review.

Cervantes Mobile’s widely-touted Jorno folding Bluetooth keyboard and stand has died without having ever shipped, iLounge has learned. We were contacted by a reader who placed a pre-order for the Jorno following its introduction in late 2010, and was subsequently told that the product wouldn’t actually ship until March 31, 2012. After that date came and went without any word from the company, the reader then received an email from Cervantes Mobile, explaining that the Jorno was being cancelled due to lack of funding, and that the company was “re-launching our business” around an alternative keyboard—the Nomad—a less deluxe design that’s it’s now selling for the same price as the Jorno.

As pointed out by our reader, the Nomad Mobile store is selling this keyboard, alongside an iPad stand called “the Base Cradle.” While the keyboard is inoffensively designed, the Base Cradle is a clone of the excellent Compass stand, unauthorized by developer Twelve South. Interestingly, the lone comment on our September 2010 story covering the Jorno turned out to be prescient: “I’ll keep my eye on this, but they won’t be getting my money until they actually deliver both a product and on the promise of the product.” Cervantes Mobile has yet to update the Jorno website to indicate that the product is no longer expected to launch; indeed, it still states that the Jorno will be “Available March 31, 2012.” (Thanks, Jason!)

Mobile payments company Square has quietly updated its small white credit card reader with a battery and encryption. VentureBeat reports that perhaps in response to increasing pressure from PayPal, which recently announced that it will accept mobile payments using a similar, encrypted device, Square has started shipping all new readers with encryption. According to the report, it is unclear how much the new internals might cost; Square plans to migrate existing users to the new encrypted reader dongle over time. For more information on Square and its credit card reader accessory, see our full review.

Logitech has introduced its first speaker to support Apple’s AirPlay wireless audio streaming technology. Dubbed the UE Air Speaker, it features dual tweeters and subwoofers, an integrated, pop-out dock, a 3.5mm auxiliary input, built-in Wi-Fi for AirPlay, and quick setup via the UE Air app. Notably, the system is the first we’ve seen from Logitech to leverage the company’s Ultimate Ears brand. The Logitech UE Air Speaker will be available next month and will sell for $400.

iHome has announced that it will ship its iW2 Wireless Speaker System with AirPlay on April 1. Originally debuted at the 2011 CES, the iW2 retains the flat, oval shape of the iW1, and features built-in Wi-Fi, a USB port for iPad, iPhone, and iPod charging and music playback, an included IR remote, SRS WOW HD audio processing, Reson8 speaker chambers, an aux-in jack for other audio sources, and an included universal AC adaptor. iHome’s iW2 will be available at Best Buy, Crutchfield, select Target stores, and from iHome’s website and will sell for $200.

Over a year after its debut at the 2011 International CES, Withings has announced that it is now shipping its Smart Baby Monitor for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch in the U.S. The Smart Baby Monitor is outfitted with a three megapixel camera featuring an extra wide view lens, night vision with infrared LEDs, and a 4x zoom, a two-way microphone, a motion detector, a thermometer, and a humidistat. Using either a Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or Ethernet connection, the monitor allows parents to monitor and talk to the child, control playback of lullabies, and be alerted via alarms triggered by activity, audio levels, and temperature/humidity, either locally or over the Internet. Withings’ Smart Baby Monitor for iOS is available now and sells for $300.

Parrot has announced that its AR.Drone 2.0 Wi-Fi-enabled quadricopter will start shipping in the U.S. in May, with pre-orders opening soon. Debuted at the 2012 International CES, the AR.Drone 2.0 features a new 720p HD camera, a new piloting application that features the ability to record and share flight videos and a new piloting mode, a “Flip” feature, LEDs on the landing gear, two included hulls—one each for outdoor and indoor flight—and a number of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), including a 3-axis accelerometer, a 3-axis gyroscope, a 3-axis magnetometer, two ultrasound sensors, and a pressure sensor. The Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 is priced at $299 and will be available for pre-order exclusively through Brookstone beginning March 1 with shipments beginning in May.

Pyle has rolled out its new iOS Sound Bar Docking System for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod. Carrying the model number PSBM60I, the system offers 300 Watts of total output, dual 3-inch full range speakers, two 1-inch tweeters, and a 5.25-inch woofer, a top-mounted dock with a special iPad stand to securely hold the larger device, the ability to charge any of the devices while playing, front panel controls for volume, input, mute, and standby, an included remote control, a blue LED backlit display, a 3.5mm and multiple RCA audio inputs, a composite video output, and a FM stereo radio. Pyle’s new iOS Sound Bar Docking System is available now and sells for $156.

Fanny Wang Headphone Co. is wrestling with major fulfillment issues with its custom headphones, iLounge has learned. After ordering a pair of custom Fanny Wang 3001 headphones late last year with a quoted shipment time of 2-3 weeks, we received e-mails indicating first a brief delay, then an additional month of delay. Fanny Wang blamed its manufacturing partner in an e-mail, citing “numerous unforeseen problems and delays with our factory.”

Unfortunately, those problems do not seem to have been resolved. The custom headphones arrived this past week, beset by several obvious quality control issues: first, Fanny Wang shipped the wrong headphones, specifically the company’s cheaper 2001 model. Additionally, the headphones arrived in a case with AOL branding on one side, and with an authenticity card that lacked a proper serial number for our headphones. We’ve reached out to Fanny Wang for comment and will update this story if/when we hear back.

Update: iLounge has received a response from Tim Hickman, Fanny Wang’s CEO. Hickman suggested that while the issue with the headphone case was a mix-up involving a large order for AOL, the delays were due to demand that Hickman claims “has exceeded our expectations and has overwhelmed our factory”. He assured us that this is the first case of someone getting the wrong model number, and said that the company was planning to expand its efforts to offer further customization options in the future.