If you’re a guitarist, you own an iOS device, and you’re down with using digital tech, DigiTech (by Harman) has put out what could be the last stompbox you’ll ever need. Or at least the last one until you need a wah-wah pedal. Anyway, the iStomp basically works like every other guitar effects pedal, but this one can hook up with an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch for downloading new pedal sounds, tweaking settings, or creating entirely new effects using a matching free app.

Like typical analog stompboxes, the iStomp plugs between the guitar and your amp, but adds an extra connector for hooking up with an iOS device running the Digitech Stomp Shop App. It also features four physical knobs for tuning, as well as a customizable LED light that can be set to show different color depending on the effect being used.

The iStomp costs $230 and comes with two standard effects – Total Recall Digital Delay and Redline Overdrive. One more effect can be bought from the DigiTech Stomp Shop App can be bought for $0.99 after buying the kit, but downloads after that will cost “as little as” $4.99. The Stomp Shop lists more than 20 different pedals (check out the list of available effects with audio samples here), with more coming soon.

If the rumors are true, then we’re about a month away from an official introduction and about a couple of months away from an iPad 3 launch day. Of course, that means we’re about to get the usual rotation of accessories from China, usually cases that may or may not match the final product. Right on cue, some new cases just popped up from accessory maker Chinee, showing designs that match rumored descriptions of the iPad 3, but labeled as the Hypercover for the “iPad 2S”.

The cases being peddled by the company fits an tablet that looks similar to the iPad 2, but measure about 1mm thicker – which coincides with a number of reports that the upcoming iPad is going to be a bit thicker to fit the updated spec. Chinee also mentions that the case designs are based on details from Apple’s Asian suppliers.

In any case, it’s unwise to go looking for a case this early anyway. Historically, there have always been early reports of this sort for Apple products, but they aren’t always accurate. During last year’s “iPhone 5” hype period, a number of early cases have pointed to an iPhone with a bigger screen size and a curved, iPod touch-like back. Ultimately, Apple came out with the iPhone 4S that’s shaped exactly like the iPhone 4.

[via 9to5Mac]

Nissan (yes, the car company) has announced that they’ll be entering the mobile accessory business with a new protective case specifically designed for the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. Called the Scratch Shield case, the simple shell is made of ABS plastic and molded to fit the iPhone perfectly. While it looks simple enough (you’ve seen plastic iPhone cases before, right?), the Scratch Shield comes with a unique feature that allows it to “heal” itself to get rid of fine scratches.

The unique healing feature is made possible by Nissan’s Scratch Shield paint, the paint technology that the company uses on their Infiniti automobiles. The paint technology features a chemical structure that allows it to react to damage by reverting back to its original shape to fill the gaps caused by scratches. The process takes between an hour and a week depending on the severity of the damage.

Sounds like an awesome idea, right? Unfortunately, the case is still a prototype undergoing testing and is not commercially available yet. Nissan mentioned that they’ll start producing them for later this year if there’s demand for it.

Press release:

WORLD’S FIRST SELF-HEALING iPhone CASE

Nissan brings automotive innovation to the world of technology

• Nissan announces unique self-healing iPhone case – the Nissan Scratch Shield iPhone case
• The case uses innovations from the automotive world to create a robust iPhone case, including Nissan’s pioneering self-healing paint finish
• Nissan’s Scratch Shield paint is a world first in paint technology that allows fine scratches to quickly mend themselves
• Addition benefits such as scratch-resistant and easier-to-grip than normal glossy phone surfaces
• The Nissan Scratch Shield iPhone case is made from ABS plastic – a high grade substance widely used in the automotive industry to create a more rigid, robust, and tighter-fitting case
• Trial underway with initial batch of prototypes

Rolle, Switzerland, 16 January 2012: Nissan today announced the latest piece of must-have kit for the iPhone* – a ground-breaking self-healing iPhone case. The Nissan Scratch Shield iPhone case features the brand’s pioneering self-healing paint finish, a world first in paint technology developed in 2005 and already used on a number of Nissan and Infiniti models. Now this ground-breaking technology has been applied to a product that’s prone to scratches through everyday use – the smartphone – with Nissan’s new Scratch Shield case meaning iPhone-lovers can keep their phone looking at its best for longer.

Developed by Nissan in collaboration with University of Tokyo and Advanced Softmaterials Inc., the unique Scratch Shield paint finish was initially designed for automotive use and is available on the Nissan Murano, 370Z and X-Trail along with the Infiniti range of products.  Now, thanks to Nissan’s pioneering approach, this technology is being trialled for the first time on a non-automotive product in Europe, with the Nissan Scratch Shield iPhone case.

The Nissan Scratch Shield iPhone case has been designed using several automotive engineering innovations to deliver a more durable and long-lasting paint coat, and closely fitting, tight case. The case has three key benefits: the highly flexible and elastic properties of Scratch Shield paint technology allows fine scratches to quickly mend themselves**; its tactile gel-like rather than glossy surface is more scratch-resistant than conventional paint and provides a better grip; and the case itself is made of ABS plastic – a high grade substance widely used in the automotive industry which is more rigid and robust than other plastics. The outer ‘paint’ is made from polyrotaxane, which means that when damage occurs to the coating in the form of a fine scratch, the chemical structure is able to react to change back to its original shape and fill the gap – ‘healing’ the blemish.

An initial batch of prototypes of the innovative Scratch Shield iPhone cases has been produced by Nissan for BETA testing with selected journalists and customers, but if demand proves strong, it will look to put the cases on general sale later this year.

Bob Laishley, Overseas Programme Director Business Development for Nissan in Europe, said: “We like to think laterally by taking the great innovations we’ve got from an automotive point of view, and looking at how they could be applied to improve everyday issues. The Scratch Shield iPhone case is a great example of us taking a Nissan automotive technology that has had a huge impact for our customers, and then shifting the boundaries to apply it to another everyday product.

“We’re really excited about the possibilities provided by this technology. In Japan, we’ve already linked up with world-leading mobile operator NTT DoCoMo to allow them to use the Scratch Shield technology on its Style Series N-03B mobile phones, and we think this technology has real scope beyond the automotive world. We’re passionate about innovations that get people excited, and that means not being restricted to one industry or genre.”

Nissan has been licensing its unique technologies for various non-automotive applications since 2004. Other technologies that have been licensed include its Miniature Thermal Imaging Sensor: initially designed to make driving at night safer by detecting the presence of people even in places not illuminated by the car’s headlights; the technology has been licensed to create a device which allows customers to monitor heat generation, or collect temperature readings via infrared sensor. Nissan will continue to research and develop breakthrough technologies that can benefit other industries, and promote these non-automotive applications globally.

Nissan has long been an innovator when it comes to advancements in the automotive world, heralding the start of a remarkable new era in motoring when it launched the first Crossover, the Nissan Murano, followed by the hugely-successful Qashqai and recently joined by the Juke – with its innovative fusion of compact SUV and sports car styling. Nissan’s range of crossovers has since gone from strength to strength, with the Nissan Qashqai selling more than a quarter of a million models last year in Europe and the newly launched Juke having now notched-up 120 thousand sales. Built in Nissan’s manufacturing plant in the UK, these two models helped the plant break its all-time production record to build 480 thousand units in 2011.

Currently the Nissan Juke-R, another Nissan Innovation combining the transmission, drive train and engine of a Nissan GT-R with a Juke, is being put to the test on the streets of Dubai.  To celebrate this event, Nissan has joined forces with Ministry of Sound, who will be hosting a pre-race party for Nissan with internationally renowned DJ Pete Tong, to release the first 100 of the Nissan Scratch Shield iPhone case prototypes.

Designed to be “ideal” for the iPod, iPhone and Samsung’s Galaxy S series (along with other music players thanks to a generic 3.5mm connector), the case still provides access to the device even when it’s inside the case, letting you play music through the speakers or take phone calls using the SmashBox Pro’s built-in microphone and speakerphone function.

Device operation can be done via external buttons, which can be used to control volume, track skips and answer phone calls. It’s powered by two AA batteries to avoid draining the device’s batteries.

For traveling purposes, the SmashBox Pro comes with a hanging clip, carabiner and Velcro strap for clipping it just about anywhere from travel packs to a bike’s handlebar. To avoid draining the device’s batteries, the case comes powered by two AA batteries.

The DreamTraveler is basically an all-in-one charging station… that looks good. Or at least good enough to win the iF Design and CES Innovations award, thanks to a simple triangular design that features an Apple dock connector and two USB ports. It’s designed to charge an iPhone, iPod and iPad either through the slide-out dock connector, or through the USB ports.

Besides the iOS-leaning ports, it also works as an all-around power strip. One side of the triangular DreamTraveler sports three extra grounded outlets with surge protection for plugging in other devices. It also features an adjustable strip for keeping the cords neat.

The SmashBox Pro is due out in May for $25, while the DreamTraveler costs $70.

Apparel designer and (former) tattoo artist Ed Hardy is the latest celebrity from the fashion world to enter the tech arena by outing a new line of headphones and ear buds. Okay, slapping a name and graphics on a headset probably isn’t that tech-y, but it’s still something you’d use with a smartphone, music player or tablet, so there you go. The new line includes two pairs of over-ear headphones and three sets of in-ear buds.

The headphones and in-ear kits are all pretty similar, with the two stereo headphones featuring differing colors and graphics (the red one is called the EH New Tiger, while the blue kit features a Skull and Bones design), while the “Tiger Ear Buds” come in different colors (blue, black and gold).

Not much tech in these kits – the $66 stereo headphones feature 40mm speakers, 20-20,000 Hz frequency range and 32 ohm impedance, while the $29 in-ears rock 8mm speakers, 20-18,000Hz frequency range and a 32 ohm impedance – so we’re guessing you’d buy these for their tribal/tattoo-y designs. Not sure if that’s still the in-thing in 2012, but you know where to get them if you want ‘em.

The Tiger Ear Buds also come with a built-in microphone for use as hands-free accessories with a phone.

[via ChipChick]

It’s no secret that Apple has taken the mobile gaming world by storm with the iOS platform and the multitude of cheap games available on the App Store. However, while touch-based games like Infinity Blade and Angry Birds work perfectly with Apple’s devices, it doesn’t apply for all the games developers have ported over. That’s where 60beat and their GamePad accessory comes into play: it’s basically a console-style gamepad that plugs into an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch via the device’s 3.5mm headphone jack.

The GamePad comes with all the buttons and controls every console gamer the world over should be comfortable with, including two analog sticks, a d-pad, four buttons on the right, and shoulder triggers. It’s also a cinch to use, since it doesn’t need any additional batteries (it’s powered by the iOS device) – at the cost of a shorter battery for the device, of course.

A good idea overall, but it’s probably not such a hot buy right now. 60beat currently lists only two games that support the GamePad (Bugdom 2 and Aftermath), although they do promise to add support for more games in February 2012.

The GamePad costs $49.99 from 60beat’s site.

If you own a simple iPhone dock, you already know the drill: it definitely works, but it mostly feels clunky and you don’t get that plush sense of awesome design and engineering that you enjoy from your typical Apple product. Enter Elevation Lab, a startup who’s looking for support (via Kickstarter) for what may be the best-looking iPhone dock in the market (…next year). Called the Elevation Dock, it’s a simple iPhone dock that focuses on beautiful design and practical functionality, letting you slot in an iPhone (with or without a case) perfectly, and letting you undock it just as easily. [Video after the break]

The dock is made from a solid block of aircraft-grade aluminum with a specialized surface finish to match the look and feel of Apple’s MacBook Pros and displays. The dock comes with a special low-friction connection, helped along by a solid weight and tacky rubber feet to give it its smooth docking/undocking motion that can be done with one hand. The slot also comes with a movable support pad that’ll let you slot in an iPhone even with a case on.

If you want a dock with a little more functionality, the company also offers the Elevation Dock+, which adds a shielded Line Level audio out and power adapter for streaming high fidelity sound to an external speaker. The regular Elevation Dock only features improved acoustics that promises to make the sound from the phone’s built-in speakers “less tinny.”

The Kickstarter project has already reached funding way above their $75,000 target, and is set to ship in April for $90. The Elevation Dock+ will retail for $120.

[via Gizmodo]

Accessory maker USB Fever has put out an iPad 2 accessory called the “Retro Macintosh Cover for the iPad 2”, a name that’s also a pretty accurate description. It’s basically a “back cover” for the iPad 2 that features a front mask that makes the kit look like the classic Macintosh’s front.

We have no idea why anyone would want to buy a cover that essentially doubles the slim tablet’s overall size, but here’s the lowdown if you’re into the classic Mac’s look: the Retro Macintosh cover is built with a slim 2mm ABS casing to protect the tablet from all sides, as well as slots for easily accommodating Apple’s Smart Cover. The front cover also features a hole for the tablet’s front cam, and notches along the edges for accessing the iPad 2’s buttons.

The Retro Macintosh Cover is only available in beige (of course) for $36.99.

iLuv has announced the iSM524 ArtStation Pro, which is basically a speaker dock much like the iMac-looking ArtStation Pro dock that they released for the iPad. The difference here is that this dock was specifically built to work with Samsung’s Galaxy Tabs, making it the first third-party dock to cater to Samsung’s tablets.

Like the first ArtStation docks, iLuv’s new line also features a hinged articulating arm that holds the tablet up for portrait or landscape viewing, while the base is made up of a two-channel speaker. The dock charges the tablet while hooking it up with the loudspeaker, while a bundled wireless (IR) remote lets you control volume and tracks from a distance.

While specifically designed for Samsung tablets, the ArtStation Pro iSM524 can also hook up with other audio sources for playback using a standard 3.5mm auxiliary input.

The dock is set to ship in late December for the same $170 price as the made-for-iPad version.

This is the iNuke Boom by Behringer, the world’s largest, heaviest and loudest iPhone speaker dock for anyone crazy (or rich) enough to buy. An iPhone dock that’s so loud, it pumps out 700 Watts of power – enough to power a live concert or build a reasonably large club around. And how big is it? So big, you’re going to need to clear out 32 square feet of floor (or stage) space to fit this 8 x 4 foot, 700-pound dock. So big, in fact, that if you look at the photo closely, that tiny speck on top is an iPhone.

The iNuke Boom will cost $30,000 for anyone crazy (or rich) enough to order it. It’s said to be available now, but Behringer will be pimping this boomboox at CES in January 2012 if you want to check out what what a 10,000-Watt iPhone dock sounds like.

Press release:

BEHRINGER Explodes into Consumer Electronics Market with iNuke Boom

BEHRINGER Explodes into Consumer Electronics Market with iNuke Boom – The World’s Loudest iPhone®/iPod® Dock with 10,000 Watts of Power

New Eurosound sub-brand will offer consumers concert sound at a great value.

iNuke Boom and all Eurosound products will be unveiled at CES 2012 – Central Hall, Booth 15348

Bothell, WA – December 6, 2011 – BEHRINGER, award-winning innovator of affordable professional audio and music equipment, is excited to announce the launch of the Eurosound consumer electronics brand — concert quality sound at an amazing value. To celebrate the launch, BEHRINGER will unveil the iNuke Boom, the loudest iPod® and iPhone® dock you’ve ever heard at CES 2012. The $29,999.99 (manufacturer’s suggested retail price) monster speaker system measures a whopping 8 feet wide by 4 feet tall, weighs over 700 pounds and pumps out over 10,000 Watts of power.

The Eurosound line fully embraces a modern, European design while remaining true to BEHRINGER’s roots in professional audio engineering. Four distinct product lines will be marketed under the Eurosound name. The Home line brings a professional, live concert sound from the stage into the comfort of your home. Eurosound Live products amplify your sound. Eurosound Portable products deliver a mobile audio experience anytime, anywhere, while the Creation line proves you don’t have to be a professional musician to make great music.

The underlying quality in all Eurosound products is a commitment to delivering high performance audio at an incredible value, something BEHRINGER has been providing to musicians and audio professionals since the company’s inception more than twenty years ago. The BEHRINGER mantra “Double the Features at Half the Price” will also translate to the Eurosound products.

“When I started BEHRINGER 22 years ago my goal was to provide musicians with high quality equipment at an affordable price,” said Uli BEHRINGER, founder and CEO of Music Group LLC. “With the launch of Eurosound we are challenging ourselves to share the incredible sound and quality we have worked to so hard to craft over the last two decades with all music and audio enthusiasts.”

Follow BEHRINGER at @BEHRINGER or facebook.com/BEHRINGER for the latest news on the company’s complete line of Eurosound consumer products and all of BEHRINGER’s award-winning pro audio equipment.

iPod®, iPhone®, iPad® are registered trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.