Just like that, the spectacle that was
CES 2013 wrapped up late last week in Las Vegas. And while we brought you some of the most important iOS accessory news coming from the show, we thought we’d highlight some of our favorites in this week’s edition.
The Pebble and Cookoo Smart Watches
One of the biggest trends at the show this year was smart watches.
While Apple has been rumored to have its own take on the wearable technology coming down the pipe, both the Pebble and Cookoo made news last week.
First, the Kickstarter darling Pebble finally
received a shipping date after numerous delays. After raising more than $10 million on the crowdsourcing platform, the watch will begin shipping to backers on Jan. 23. If you weren’t a backer, you can preorder the watch for $149
on Pebble’s site.
If you can’t wait for the Pebble, another smart watch competitor can be purchased right now.
The Cookoo takes a decidedly different approach, though. Even though it has Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, the watch combines an analog timepiece with a digital notification in the center. While it may not be as feature-rich as the Pebble, it won’t need constant charging and can last for up to a year on a single button-style battery.
It will set you back $129.99.
Atlas from Incipio
Another popular category that seems to be exploding in popularity is ultra-rugged cases for the iPhone 5. While OtterBox’s Defender Series has defined the niche for iOS devices,
the upstart LifeProof has made some waves with its line of waterproof cases. And other competitors have taken notice. While
OtterBox,
Trident, and
Griffin Technology all showed off new ultra-rugged options, I was most impressed with the
Atlas case from Incipio.
Along with being water resistant in up to 6.5 feet of water for an hour and sporting a complete IP-68 rating, the case comes with its own one-year warranty. It covers the smartphone and case from accidental damage and includes repair or replacement of the iPhone 5. I’m also interested in seeing how the tempered glass screen protector works.
The Atlas will come in black or white and be available in February for $89.99.
BrickCase from Smallworks
If you haven’t noticed, I really like the combination of LEGO bricks and an iPhone. The custom
LEGO iPhone 5 dock from the Daily Brick is one of my favorite accessories for the handset, and I found at case at CES that compliments the dock nicely - the
BrickCase from SmallWorks.
Available in a wide variety of colors for the iPhone 5, iPhone 4S/4, and fourth-generation iPod touch, the case is a base plate for any LEGO creation that you can imagine. The case retails for $24.99 and can be found on the
SmallWorks site.
Olloclip for the iPhone 5
The popular
Olloclip add-on for the iPhone 5 was also being showncased at CES 2013. The Olloclip includes a macro, fisheye, and wide-angle lens on an interchangeable device to help shuttberbugs capture that perfect image with their iPhone. It attaches to your iPhone with a soft plastic material that won’t harm the back of the handset. The only downside is that the clip only attaches to an unprotected iPhone.
The Olloclip costs $69.99 and is available in red, white, and black. It can be found at Apple Stores and the
company’s website.
iDL100 from iHome
Lightning-enabled speaker docks are finally beginning to hit the market, and one of the nicer choices definitely looks to be the i
DL100 from iHome. Along with two Lightning docks, the speaker also has a USB dock to attach older iOS devices. It is expected to retail for $149.99 when released.
Shaxi iPad Case and Shan Envelope Sleeve for the iPad mini from Looptworks
Looptworks was showing off its unique and environmentally friendly approach to
iOS device protection. The Shaxi iPad case is made from excess leather that is created as scrap from tanneries. And the Shan envelope case from the iPad mini is composed of upcycled material from a wetsuit factory.
The Shaxi
will set you back $80, and looks to be worth every penny. The Shan is more wallet-friendly with a
$24 price tag, and looks like a unique way to protect your tablet.
iPotty from CTA Digital
Finally, the iPotty easily wins the award for the
craziest iOS accessory on the show floor this year. If the name didn’t fill you in, the iPotty is made for helping guide a toddler through potty training. And instead of helping them to focus on the task at hand, parents get the opportunity to place their expensive tablet literally in harm’s way. Even though the iPad is “protected” with a sheet of plastic, there is no way this was ever designed by someone who really potty trained a child.
