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”.
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.
iLuv has put out two new accessories for travelers at CES, with the SmashBox Pro portable speaker case and the DreamTraveler, a travel-friendly charging station for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod. Designed for outdoor use, the SmashBox Pro keeps a mobile device such as a smartphone or music player protected while rocking built-in stereo speakers.
Casio Japan will be releasing their new G-SHOCK GB-6900 watch in March, a wristwatch that’s built with the typical G-SHOCK ruggedness but updated to support Bluetooth 4.0 LE (low-energy) tech – basically a Bluetooth connection that consumes less power than your garden-variety Bluetooth (despite the live connection, Casio says the watch’s battery is still good to last two years). Like a number of Bluetooth-enabled wristwatches that we’ve seen before, the GB-6900 will be able to display info for incoming calls, as well as alerts for e-mail and text messages. The Bluetooth tech will also let it sync the time with paired smartphones.
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.
