
If you're in the market for energy efficient iPhone speakers, you won't find any that use less than the zero-electricity Koostik. Made from solid wood, the setup naturally amplifies the sound from your iPhone speaker, providing louder music without using any additional electricity. The Koostik site notes that the device works better for some types of music than others. So it may not be your cup......read more
There's not much to like about an early morning alarm, so you may as well have a bedside clock that looks good. This wooden LED clock works the the earthy-tech aesthetic to nice effect. The birch block contains a crispy clear LED digital display that projects the time through thin veneer. Also contained within are two internally powered speakers, positioned at 180 degrees, for......read more
There are few things more annoying than a tangled mess of cords. Designer Naoto Yoshida offers up a simple solution with the wrapwrap, which allows you to adjust the length of your cords when they're in use and wrap/store them when you're finished. Made of pieces of scrap wood reclaimed from a furniture manufacturer, the wrapwrap works nicely for iPods, iPhones and phone chargers. ...read more
Of the umpteen offerings out there for protective iPhone sleeves, the Minimalist from Trtl Bot is among our tops. Designed for traveling light, the super slim hard plastic shell provides thorough protection for your iPhone 4 or 4S, while offering just enough room for your ID, credit card and metro card. Made of plastic from recycled bottles, the "eco-functional" case is manufactured locally......read more
Here's a simple and beautiful form with a decidedly 21st century function. Designer Jonas Damon's Alarm Dock allows you to recreate the classic and iconic bedside alarm clock by placing your iPhone or iPod Touch in the cradle. Download (for free) a flip clock application for authentic alarm clock flavor. Says Damon, "Augmented by a flip clock app, this dock returns meaningful form to......read more
What started as a Kickstarter project has become one of the cooler iPhone cases on the market. Departing from the slim and sleek aesthetics of the Apple device, the rugged Aqua Tek S offers waterproof protection for your iPhone 4 or 4S, complete with an integrated solar panel and 2000mAh battery that increases the charge by up to 1.5 times. The outer shell is made from ultra-durable......read more
iPhone accessories rarely aim too high in terms of functionality. They generally fall into one of two categories: speakers or protective cases. But Lapka takes the game to a whole other level. Billed as a "personal environmental monitor," the device connects through a headphone jack to measure, collect and analyze data about substances within a user's environment. Each peripheral......read more
The intersection of shiny new tech and raw, natural materials is a happy place for us, and this iPhone/iPad docking station by Canadian Etsy seller Living Wood Design resides comfortably in that zone. Hand-carved from reclaimed black cherry wood, the dual dock features raw living edges for that added rustic look. With enough space to rest your iPad either vertically or horizontally and still......read more
After covering the prototype launch of Lapka a while back, we're excited to let you know that the world's first iPhone-compatible environmental monitor has hit the market. Lapka connects through a headphone jack to measure, collect and analyze data about substances within a user's environment. Each peripheral (there are four) gathers its own information: humidity/temperature,......read more
Here in sunny California, there's no excuse for not using solar pwoer to charge up our portable devices. This ingenious unit from XD Design, which sticks to the window to maximize exposure to the sun, makes it simple. With the photovoltaic panels facing placed against a window, you don't have to move it around to follow the sun and avoid the shade. On the base of the device are a full-size USB......read more