Accessories

BARCELONA, Spain--Smartphone accessory maker Mophie may have launched the Juice Pack Helium two weeks back, but the successor to its iPhone 4 and 4S Juice Pack Air case has just been revealed at Pepcom's MobileFocus Global event here at Mobile World Congress.

While the Juice Pack Air looks similar to the Helium, we're told that the Air is slightly heavier (helium floats because its lighter than air). Not that we could tell, both cases felt pretty light in our hands. The Air sports a 1,700mAh battery, and the Helium has a charge of just 1,500mAh. Both … Read more

BARCELONA, Spain--We stopped by Powermat's booth at Pepcom's MobileFocus Global show (which happens just before the first day of Mobile World Congress) and found that the company was showing off a new prototype of a wireless charging case for Apple's iPhone 5.

Like the Powermat Receiver Case designed for the iPhone 4 and 4S, the iPhone 5 version will let you put your smartphone on a wireless inductive charger from Powermat, but it isn't quite as thick as the older model.

It does, however, have a strange design, with two gaping holes at the bottom of … Read more

Right out of the box, the Barnes & Noble Nook HD and Nook HD+ are pretty sweet tablets. CNET commended the Nook HD for its "light, comfortable screen and sharp design," while dubbing the Nook HD+ a "fantastic tablet value."

Beyond the box, however, both tablets can do so much more. Thanks to customized microSD expansion cards from RootMyNookHD and N2A Cards, you can turn your Nook into a full-blown Android tablet.

The advantages in doing so are plain: Not only do you get full access to Google Play and all the apps therein (Barnes & … Read more

As I write this, CNET writers from three countries are traveling to Barcelona, Spain, to bring you the best of the annual Mobile World Congress trade show.

If you're a smartphone fan, you probably know that Mobile World Congress (MWC) is a big deal. And if you don't know about it but still love gadgets and technology, there are very good reasons why you should care. I'll explain.

To put it simply, MWC is the most important wireless trade show of the year. It's bigger than CES (where, no … Read more

Long before autotune was popularized in pop music, there was a phenomenon known as the talkbox. The talkbox helped guitar god Peter Frampton come alive. With the Wee-Wow for iPhone, you don't have to be Frampton to get the same effect with your iPhone.

A talkbox is a unit consisting of a tube that goes into an effects box. You hold the tube between your lips and shape the sound with your mouth. It gives off a strange sound that is part robot, part alien. It's pre-autotune at its finest.… Read more

At CES last month I encountered Digital Innovations' ChargeDr, a small USB dongle that promised to do the seemingly impossible: boost the power output of a typical USB port, thus allowing it to charge an iPad (or other tablet).

I got it home, tested it, and discovered that, hey, it actually works! Technically speaking, there's no actual power boosting going on, but who am I to argue with this weird science? Without the dongle, my iPad says "not charging." With it: "charging."

And my tests bear out the claim. My iPad 3 went from 30 percent to 75 percent in about 2.5 hours. Not bad for a lowly USB port.… Read more

The funny thing about headphones and earphones is that sometimes the same product costs much less depending on its color. That's the case for the V-Moda Remix Remote earphones, which carry a list price of $79.99, but the pink version goes for $38 on Amazon (the standard Remix model without an inline remote and microphone is only $30).

We've generally given positive reviews to V-Moda headphones, and like some of the full-size models, the Remix Remote features a sleek design and big bass.

I've been listening to a black version for a few weeks and the … Read more

The good: Your iPhone has a pretty decent camera. Better than decent, in fact, if it's an iPhone 4S or iPhone 5.

The bad: Not everybody likes using the iPhone's screen to frame their shots, especially outdoors, where the ambient light can wash out the display. What's more, anyone accustomed to old-school, SLR-style photography no doubt misses their old-school, SLR-style viewfinder.

To the rescue comes the Photojojo iPhone Viewfinder, which combines hardware and software to give you a more traditional camera experience.

The kit consists of a round, black eyepiece that uses a suction cup to affix … Read more

LAS VEGAS--I love power tools. I also love smartphones. Finally, my two passions came together on the show floor of CES 2013. Amzer makes the ShatterProof line of screen protectors for electronic devices. They invited me over to go nuts on an iPhone protected with this thin urethane film.

The available objects of destruction were a power drill and sander. There would have been a hammer, but it had been stolen from the booth. I felt like I was building a set of cabinets rather than testing out a tech item.

Shatterproof is .2 millimeter thick and sticks on with the help of an included wedge. It has already been through a battery of ASTM tests to prove its tear strength and hardness. Now, it was my turn.… Read more