More and more children are getting access to touchscreen devices these days. Whether it’s their own device or using one of a parent, sibling or friend they are become more and more intune with them. Because of this, iPhone / iPad accessories are being made specifically aimed at children and the world of styluses is no different. Here we look at some that while not all specifically aimed at children would certainly appeal to them.
While not directly aimed at children the Stylus Pro Jr could be the ideal stylus for a child. Not only is it small and perfectly formed but it also attached to the headphone socket on the device to keep it from getting lost when not in use. The bullet sized stylus has three raised ridges around it that make it easier to grip despite it’s small size. It’s size doesn’t lend itself particularly to writing but for gaming and drawing it works very well. While the ability to attach it into the headphone socket is a nice addition and always keeps it handy pushing it into there can be a little tough especially for smaller fingers. However, after some time this did become easier. At under $20 the price could be a little pricey for some where the potential to getting easily lost is quite high.
There is one type of writing implement that every child has used and is one of the only writing implements that is only used by children and that’s the crayon. Harnessing on those two facts comes the Cosmonaut from Studio Neat which couldn’t look less like a crayon if it tried, all be it a giant one! The large size of the Cosmonaut could make it difficult to handle for smaller hands but the wooden stylus is completely covered wrapped in black rubber and makes it incredibly comfortable to hold, draw, write and play games with. It’s solid design also makes it rugged and long lasting and that’s pretty important when children are going to be pushing it to its limits. It has an iconic look and one that may turn a few heads too. If you have a child that likes to have something a little different then the Cosmonaut could be the stylus they are looking for.
The Phantomus bright colors and style will certainly grab the attention of the children in your life. Coming in either blue or pink the fun colors are made even more attractive to the children in your life thanks to the ghost like apparition that fits to the top of the stylus. The ghost to will certainly appeal to younger children and can be used either just as a stylus topper or when the stylus is not in use to cover it and keep it protected. The Phantomus stylus is very light, especially with the top removed although with it left on it provides a nice balance to the stylus. At $15 the iChic Geat Phantomus is one of the cheapest stylus that we’ve seen and with good build quality, fun design it could be a great option as your childs first stylus.
The Stylus Pen H10 from Kuel is the cheapest stylus that we’ve seen but that doesn’t mean that it’s cheap in any other aspect. The small sized stylus comes in a range of colors which provides a lot of options for anyone looking to try out a stylus for the first time or for a pocket sized option that’s not going to break the bank. The stylus is another one that can attach to the headphone socket of the iPhone or iPad and this means that it’s not going to be easy to mislay should that be a problem for you. Because the connector to the headphone socket is connected to the cap of the stylus you don’t have to keep pulling it in and out to use it. Just unclip it in and out of the cap to use and store again when not in use. The Kuel Stylus Pen H10 is a fine stylus at a great price and comes highly recommended.
The Scribbly stylus from scribbly.co.uk is another stylus that is built in the image of another well known writing instrument that everyone is familiar with and that’s the marker pen. From the large, white barrel shaft to the thick nib and clickable lid the scribbly won’t look out of place alongside your other permanent markers, however I wouldn’t suggest that you use it on your wipe board and keep it for your iPad or iPhone instead. The large barrel certainly makes it a comfortable stylus to hold and it’s light too which makes it ideally suited to the younger user. It works well for everything that you would want to use a stylus for although I found it especially suited to drawing, sketching and note taking. So, that’s our ultimate guide to stylus you can purchase for your iPad suited best for children. There are many scribbling, drawing apps in the App Store and now there’s a stylus just just for that.
Much of these activities are carried out while watching tv, sitting on the couch relaxing and that’s certainly the case for me. The problem that arises for me and many other people however is that you keep having to put your iPad down to pick the remote, tea, beer etc… and the side of the couch is not a great place to rest it as inevitably it will end up on the floor.
Now though you have an option, Standzfree is an iPad stand which places your iPad at a perfect height for you to use while sitting either on the couch or at your desk, or with the optional extension standing up, leaving you hands free.
The Standzfree comes flat-packed for you build, do not fear though, the process is easy and the few parts will quickly assemble into your fully working stand with only a couple of hand tools to assists you.
The large angled base provides excellent stability allowing you to position the flexible shaft of the Standzfree in almost any position without it falling or becoming unstable. For maximum positioning options the the iPad frame that holds the iPad in place is attached using a ball socket joint which rotates and angles easily and can be fixed into position using a simple twist.
Whether you have the original iPad, the iPad 2 or the new iPad the Standzfree will accommodate them all thanks to the optional use of a couple of adhesive add-ons that make up the difference in thickness between the iPads. I have the new iPad and it fits snug and secure at all angels. It will even fit with the smart cover in use so you don’t have to add and remove it each time you want to use the stand.
Using the iPad in the Standzfree works well, the flexibility of the positioning means that it will work in multiple situations and is ideal for reading or watching shows. The one down-side of the Standzfree is that it’s not ideal for a great deal of typing on as the stand will make the iPad bounce slightly as you type, this is not a major problem though as the stand was never intended for extensive typing.
The Standzfree is one of those accessories that you didn’t know you needed until you have it, with that said I can’t recommend this highly enough and it’s now one of the few iPad accessories that I use on a daily basis. The Standzfree is available for 5 cents short of $100 and can be purchased from the Standzout directly.
What we like
What to know
BubCap Review: Being an App Reviewer I get to see many, many apps, some aimed at my demographic, some at my children’s, including my 2 year old daughter. The issue with this is that however much she enjoys the game or app that she is using her tiny fingers often find their way to the Home Button, closing the app and starting tears of frustration as she’s unable to launch the app she wants.
With this in mind I went looking for a solution, I would normally head off to the Jailbreak community to find a software solution but as the proud owner of an iPhone 4S which currently has no jailbreak that was never going to be an option. Option 2 would be an App from the App Store which would let me control how my Home Button works, however given that this is against the iOS T&C’s that was a no starter also.
A quick Google search however and I stumbled across BubCap’s ‘home button cover’. As I read the details I was a little skeptical about whether this would work but as I read on, saw that there were a range of options dependent on whether you want to use this with an iPhone, iPod touch or an iPad and the age/strength of the child and the excellent price point I decided to hand over my PayPal details and give it a go.
To view a full range of their products I chose the Explorer 6-Pack which included 2 Regular, 2 Ultra and 2 Max BubCaps and it was only a matter of days before they turned up on my doorstep.
They come in a well designed match book style case with a lot of detail inside and out in regards to not only on which BubCaps to use but also on how to apply and remove them when required. The BubCaps use 3M adhesive to stick to the glass of your device and while the provide excellent adhesion the are removable and re-useable. Because it only adheres to the glass on the iOS it won’t work with some cases or screen protectors.
I chose the Ultra to begin with and it was attached within seconds and after the prescribed 15 minute wait I began to use my iPhone again. The BubCap certainly provides a solid cover for the Home Button and it takes a solid push from my fingers to engage it. However, the real test was as I handed it to my 2 year old.
My first concern was that seeing this new addition to my iPhone she would attempt to remove it, however this was not the case as she was more interested in her favorite app of the moment, The Moogies. Within 30 seconds her finger drifted towards the Home Button, however try as she might she was unable to engage it and instead of a frustrating couple of moments she instead returned to The Moogies.
There is no doubt that the BubCap will prevent your younger children from clicking the Home Button, but it will also make it more difficult for you to press it too, however it is a small price to pay for the benefit that it provides.
What we like:
What to know:
Just like my iPhone I like my iPad to not only look good but to also be protected. I currently have the Otterbox Impact for my iPhone 4 which offers me a combination of protection while not making it as bulky as the Otterbox Defender case. However for my iPad I’m still using the Apple case which not only protects the iPad but also allows you to use it as a stand and elevates it a little to enable easier typing.
However, it does have shortcomings too. It marks easily and is not easy to keep clean, while the stand is a little flimsy and will easily be knocked of if touched or on an eleven surface. So, needless to say I’ve been looking for a replacement and final, today, it has arrived. The modulR Starter Kit which for $99 includes a case (with a detachable cover), stand and a wall mount. Each of these items use a system that enables the iPad case to interlock with the other two items.
The packing of all three items is very nice, brightly colored with good photo’s and graphics. It would certainly look good on a store shelf although at present it’s only currently available via www.modulR.com. It’s well designed and fits each item snuggly so that the items are stored securely during transit.
As the wall mount and the stand require the case to be fitted to work, the first item I looked at the modulR case and cover in it’s only available color at present, that of Graphite.
The case has a hard back cover offering maximum protection to the rear of the case and flexible sides that snap the iPad into place. A cut out is also used to allow the Apple logo on the back of the case to show through. It’s a snug fit with no movement of the iPad in the case. All buttons and access points remain fully accessible when the case is on with the sleep button and volume controls being covered buttons which still allow you to use them. Both buttons work well although a slightly hard push is required.
The cover that gives the iPad complete protection when it’s not in use snaps around the top and bottom of the iPad and again feels secure and because of it’s hard nature makes me feel that it will offer me maximum protection when I’m taking it out on the road. Of course because the cover snaps on and off you will need to carry it around separately unlike Apples case, it’s a small price to pay though.
The look, feel and color has a industrial feel to it and so in addition to being very protective while still being stylish. Having said that I would like to see some additional colors available as they already offer for the stand and wall mount.
The case also doesn’t come with a built in stand but it does can as part of the starter pack but again does mean that you would have to carry it around separately.
The stand makes use of the nodes on the back of the case and it slides in effortlessly and yet still feels solid and secure. While the stand only fits using the either of the two horizontal nodes it can be used in portrait mode too. The angle of the stand is fixed and is just under twice the height of the built in stand of the Apple case. I’m actually writing this review while using the stand in ‘keyboard’ mode and both the angle and stability are excellent.
The final piece of the pack is the wall mount, now I haven’t screwed this to my wall yet using the supplied fixtures but the solid metal frame feels very sturdy and this time it uses all four nodes to securely mount the iPad to it. The mount can be fixed to the wall either horizontally or vertically but once fixed in either position neither the mount, or the iPad can be rotated so once you’ve made your decision you will have to stick with it.
While those three pieces of the Starter Kit were the only parts of the kit if you order it now you get the choice of a hand strap used for securely holding the iPad or a shoulder strap for the same $99 making the whole kit excellent value for money. In addition the order took less than a week to arrive and subsequent questions to their support team were replied to efficiently and accurately which is always a great addition to any product.
It’s early days for me but at this point I can highly recommend the modulR case, cover, stand and wall mount and with the hand strap on its way it should keep my iPad in great condition for a long time to come.
]]> https://touchreviews.net/modulr-ipad-starter-kit-review/feed/ 1The thinking behind this scheme is that any product you buy with the MFi logo is of a guaranteed level of quality. And that is of course true. But it also implies that accessories from other suppliers are not so good.
Another facet of the program is that Apple generates a fair amount of revenue granting these licenses against a percentage of a partner’s sales. Presumably Apple can justify this because the third party accessory manufacturer gets a boost in sales simply because of their product bearing the Apple sticker of approval. So it’s win-win for both parties really.
When we buy cheaper accessories for any of our devices we are all aware of the risks. So we tend to make our choices carefully. After a very bad experience with a cheap USB fan I now have a rule that I never buy them. I might perhaps make an exception if Apple made one. But then I can’t ever see a future where Apple makes anything as crass and tacky as a USB fan, so I am probably safe!
It seems that Apple have gone one step further to “protect” us though.
The Geeks over at Minty Boost have stripped back the veil that was obscuring some of Apple’s USB charging methodology for iDevice peripherals. They did this out of necessity, as a peripheral that they themselves sold had stopped working with new Apple devices each time a revision hit the market.
Long story short, Apple uses a specific combination of voltage levels on USB data lines in approved chargers to allow the device it is connected to to know that it is an approved device or connector.
Apple has done things like this in the past. They famously switched the audio and video lines around in their AV Cable for the Video iPod. So all you had to do to get around that was simply switch which cable you connected to which input on your TV on the cheaper cable you probably already had at home for your video camera. But I think that little slight of hand must have made Apple a few hundred thousand sales of those before word spread.
Do you think this is sneaky of Apple, or fair play? Let us know your view in the comments…
]]> https://touchreviews.net/apple-trick-unauthorized-iphone-accessories/feed/ 0Your iPad is on order. It is on order right? Phew! OK then. Assuming you’ve bought one that is going to be available on the 3rd of April, you might want to consider what house warming gifts to buy for it in a hurry. So we’ve compiled a little shopping list of things you may want to consider.
First it is worth noting that Apple are running a little behind with some of their own accessories.
If your iPad is coming later, because it’s 3G, you might find yourself with a bit more choice. See, there is always an upside to every situation!
Slated for availability at launch are the “iPad Dock” & “iPad Dock Connector to VGA adapter”. The “iPad Keyboard Dock”, as well as the USB power adapter have been pushed back to May. Whilst the iPad Case is available around mid-April.
So let’s get started and perhaps check out some alternatives.
All of Apple’s iPods, iPhones, and of course now the iPad come with USB, and a cable to connect to your desktop machine. So getting content on and off the iPad is not going to be an issue at home, or when you have your laptop with you. But if you want to be able to plug your digital camera into the iPad on the road, or show a presentation on your friends 50″ Plazma, then some of Apple’s dongles might be worth considering!
All of these devices connect via the iPad’s dock connector on the bottom. And until Apple grace us with an iPad with it’s own camera, that and syncing with your desktop machine is the only way to get your photos onto the device.
The “iPad Camera Connection Kit” gives you two ways to import photos and videos from a digital camera: using your camera’s USB cable or directly from an SD card. iPad supports standard photo formats, including JPEG and RAW. But there is no ship date on this yet, or any further details in the Apple Stores.
Next up, the “iPad Dock Connector to VGA Adapter” which allows you to connect to any VGA enabled display. So, say a projector, monitor, or VGA input equipped TV. This could be good for presentations, or to show off photos to family and friends. Or even just showing off your iPad to a room full of jealous people!
Other options, which are a slightly more pricey at around $50, are Apple’s Composite AV Cable and Component AV Cable which allow you to connect to those style of connections on your home cinema system.
I don’t know about you, but the first thing I’ve always bought for any of my ‘iDevices’ is a case or sleeve. Or some kind of carry protector. Apple’s own offering looks jolly nice, and is not actually set at too bad a price. It also doubles as a make shift stand, allowing you to hold the iPad “at an angle for viewing video or typing on the onscreen keyboard.” I might hold out for one of those to be honest as the price and functionality is pretty full featured. Shame it’s not available at launch as if you don’t mind typing on the screen it handles pretty much everything from being a keyboard stand, to dock, to picture frame to carry case – all in one!
If you can’t wait, then WaterField have quite a diverse range available in a multitude of colours.
I’d certainly consider the “Ultimate SleeveCase” from them. Although it’s not a stand it has some other advantages.
iPad Ultimate SleeveCase :
Ultimate iPad Sleeve Protection. Safeguard your iPad with a properly fitted SleeveCase. Cushioned with high-grade neoprene and wrapped in a nearly indestructible ballistic nylon shell, the iPad SleeveCase functions as a stylish stand-alone case or can be inserted into another bag. And no need to take your iPad out of its snug compartment when going through airport securityÑit’s TSA Checkpoint Friendly. With its impact-resistant screen protecting insert and its scratch-free, screen cleaning Ultrasuede¨ lining, you’re good to go. It’s a slam dunk.
One nice feature of the “iPad Ultimate SleeveCase” is that it’s “TSA Checkpoint Friendly”. If you’re from the US, or travel there, you’ll know what that means!
CLOAK Undercover : Another rather funky looking case, which is similar to Apple’s offering is the “CLOAK Undercover“.
Certainly some nicer colour options there. Unfortunately this too seems to be coming in some time after the iPad’s launch as it’s been over-ordered at the moment. I guess they have Apple to thank for al the orders they’ve got!
Griffin, as always, have a very nice line of cases. Ranging from sleek neoprene sleeves, right up to full one piece folio style cases which open like a book and have business card sized pockets inside. These range from $29.99 to $49.99. Their website was having problems when I tried to check it though.
Likewise with Belkin who were boasting a range of cases and accessories ready for launch back in February, but have nothing on their website that I can find today… Strange.
Some of you may want to have your iPad on your desk during the day, or perhaps set it up as a mini computer in your shack in the mountains, or even your villa by the beach at weekends! By far the simplest way to do this is one of the cases we’ve already covered. But another option is to either buy Apple’s “iPad Keyboard Dock” at $69, or a BlueTooth keyboard at $69 along with the “iPad Dock” for another $29. If you already have one of Apple’s Bluetooth keyboards it seems a bit of a no brander to me to just buy the “iPad Dock”.
In times gone past Apple used to give us docks with our first purchase. But this has unfortunately gone the way of the Ark. Still, I think if I had neither a bluetooth keyboard or a dock, I’d probably still buy them as separates and swallow the extra $29’s so that I had a bluetooth keyboard that didn’t have an iPad dock on the back that I could use with any of my other computers also. Yes, I know it will still work, but unless that dock is removable, which I am pretty sure it’s not, it would irritate me. But hey, that’s just me. It would also mean I could dock my iPad without a keyboard stuck on the front of it, if I so wished.
More unusual accessories: A Stylus!
Of course, you could go with the iPhone Sausage, like our Korean friends…
Word was going around that the folks over in South Korea have been using snack sausages, which apparently are electrostatically compatible with the iPhone’s touchscreen, as a stylus for their iPhones, making them especially useful in the winter when you can’t use the iPhone’s touch screen through your gloves. Now CaseCrown, a company that busies itself selling iPhone cases has picked up a large shipment of said sausages, and is currently offering them for a limited time at $0.99 each. Of course, carrying a snack sausage around with you to operate your iPhone doesn’t exactly scream ‘cool’, but at least you won’t get hungry, right?
There have been a few options available in the stylus category for iPhones and iPods. To be honest unless you are Korean and feeling the cold I can’t really see the point in using them on smaller devices. But now that we have the iPad I could see myself using one for a bit of doodling.
Pogo have been making an iPod and iPhone stylus for a while. It seems a bit “spludgy” to me for for phones, but it might just be the right fit for the iPad, and they’ve updated their product line to include an iPad one. Well, basically the existing iPhone one will work with the iPad, but they say they have more coming soon. If you buy a stylus make sure it works with the style of touch screen in the iPhone, iPod or iPad. i.e It works with Capacitive screens. Not all styluses do, and not all screens are made the same. Hence the Koreans resorting to sausages!
Never one to miss an opportunity Griffin have a $24.99 Screen Care Kit, which has both a static peel screen protector and a cleaning cloth. I’d like a screen protector, but not sure if I want to pay $24.99 for it.
That’s really about all there is out there at the moment.
Of course it could be worth spending some time with Calibre or Stanza, which are both E-Book conversion programs, and work on both OS X and Windows. Both offer ways to manage and convert documents into the EPUB format, as well as Calibre offering the ability to convert daily newspapers, websites and RSS feeds. The EPUB format is the format for E-Books that the iPad supports, by the way.
If you get those apps then you will have culled a bunch of stuff all ready to read on your iPad when you get it. Who knows you might even realise that you should have ordered the one with slightly more storage.
Have you seen any nice accessories we’ve missed? Please let us know in the comments.
]]> https://touchreviews.net/ipad-accessories-must-have-list/feed/ 2As is often the case with Apple products, the iPad seems to have polarized the tech world a day after its launch. A quick scan of the blogosphere will display two prevailing feelings about the device, sheer love and devotion and utter contempt and disgust. But what can you expect after an Apple launch?
Those that come down on the contempt and disgust side have a very singular voice. They argue the iPad is just a glorified and oversized iPod touch. They argue that it doesn’t address any of the common complaints against the iPhone OS; no multitasking, no USB ports, no SD card slots, no removable battery, and the list goes on and on. They argue the netbook so widely slammed by Jobs during the keynote yesterday has twice the versatility at half the price.
Those that come down on the love and devotion side have a fairly singular voice as well. They argue the netbook and Touch comparisons are unfair. They argue that the iPad is a new category all its own with no direct competition. It doesn’t work like a netbook because its not one. It doesn’t work like a laptop because it isn’t that either. They argue that Jobs himself argued yesterday that this device falls squarely in between the smartphone and the laptop; greater than a phone but less than a computer.
Personally, I see the potential in the iPad environment. Apple has built a platform who’s uses can’t be completely comprehended yet because they largely haven’t been invented. Who would have thought a smartphone had the potential to do so much when the iPhone came out only 3 years ago? Just imagine what we’ll be doing with our iPads in 3 years.
Where do you fall? Is the iPad an overpriced accessory for the snooty Starbucks crowd? Is this a case of Apple creating a void for them to fill with high priced hardware? Or has Apple just completely destroyed the competition and remade the mobile space in full blow? Drop us a comment and let us know.
By: Erin Peterson
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