iLounge

By Charles Starrett

Senior Editor, iLounge
Published: Wednesday, January 9, 2008
News Category: iPod Accessories

Griffin Technology has introduced several new and updated iPod and iPhone accessories for early 2008. The iTrip AutoPilot with SmartScan is a FM transmitter for the iPod and iPhone. It features music playback controls on the charging stem, RDS technology to show song information on RDS-enabled car radio displays, the SmartScan feature that automatically finds the three best FM frequencies, and also charges the attached iPod or iPhone. It will be available during the second quarter and will sell for $100. The company also introduced add-on speakers and charging bases for its Evolve Wireless Speaker System. Evolve lets users add a limitless number of speakers, and each speaker carries its own lithium-ion battery that can deliver up to 10 hours of playtime per charge. Users can play in mono mode to hear all the music through a single speaker, or pair additional speakers to the Base Station as either Right or Left channel stereo speakers. Along with new speakers, users can avoid overcrowding the charging station by adding a single speaker Charging Base. Evolve add-on speakers and charging bases will available in March as a bundle or individually. 2 speaker and charging base pairs will sell for $200, individual speakers and charging bases will run $100 and $30 each, respectively.

TuneBuds Mobile are an iPhone-compatible update to the company’s TuneBuds earphones, ofering users the same audio performance as the TuneBuds, while adding Griffin’s new ControlMic, a high-sensitivity microphone and control module featuring a single button to answer and end calls, and to play, skip, or pause music. TuneBuds Mobile will sell for $40 and will be available later this month.

The Griffin SmartTalk combines an iPhone-compatible headphone adapter with a noise-canceling microphone and a control module, allowing users to retain all the functionality of their iPhone while using their existing headphones or earphones. SmartTalk is available now and sells for $20. The company’s PowerJolt SE is a simple one-piece car charger featuring compatibility with all docking iPods and the iPhone. It will be available in March for $20.

In addition to its iPod-specific accessories, Griffin also announced three universal USB charging accessories. The PowerBlock Dual Universal is an updated version of its PowerBlock AC charger, featuring two USB charging ports and a built-in LED. It will be available in late February for $25. The PowerJolt Universal is a car charger featuring an LED status light and a single USB charging port; it will be available in March for $15. Finally, the PowerDuo Universal combines the PowerBlock Dual Universal AC adapter and the PowerJolt Universal car USB charger into a single package. It will also be available in March, and is priced at $35.