28
Apr
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Samsung Galaxy S4 Is Incompatible With Original TecTiles - TecTile 2 Coming Soon

Posted by in Accessories, News

Many things don't work well together: oil and water, drinking and driving, and as it turns out, Samsung's TecTiles and the Galaxy S4. Samsung is acknowledging that the current line of NFC tags cannot be read by its new flagship phone. In fact, even the official TecTile site's Buy Now link is now defunct.

The SGS4 incorporates a Broadcom BCM2079x chip which lacks support for some types of MIFARE tags from NXP Semiconductors, including TecTiles which are built with MIFARE Classic chips. Samsung is planning to launch TecTiles 2 to replace the older stickers. Here is their official statement given to Android Police:

Samsung is introducing TecTile 2, an update to the original TecTile NFC programmable tags, which will be available in the coming weeks.

23
Apr
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V-Moda Gives Otterbox A Run For Its Money With The Stylishly Expensive METALLO Galaxy S III Case

Posted by in Accessories, Galaxy S III, News, Samsung

V-Moda has been climbing the accessory maker charts lately with stylish (if divisive) designs for headphones and phone cases. The company's first foray into Android is the METALLO case for the Galaxy S III. The all-metal design (probably high-density aluminum) is unique, changing the shape of the phone and making it dockable with an extra amplifier/battery pack accessory. It's also one of the more expensive case options out there, starting at $101 for the frame, backplate and screen protector.

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The METALLO case reshapes the GSIII, changing its soft corners into a sharper oblong rectangle with rounded sides. Protection for all sides is complete, save for some vanity panels on the back.

17
Apr
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Quick Look: Official Book Cover For The Nexus 10 – It's Something

Posted by in Accessories, Google, Nexus 10, Other Reviews, Reviews

In the interest of time, I'll spare you, dear readers, my usual spiel and say simply this: I like official accessories. In theory, anyway. I like the idea of accessories specifically made for specific devices by the device's original manufacturer. I've been delighted by the Nexus 7 pogo dock, and love the Nexus 10 pogo charger (though it isn't actually official yet).

Then there's the official book cover for the Nexus 10. We first saw this cover when the Nexus 10 was announced, and then it vanished into thin air for nearly six months before making a sudden appearance in the Play Store.

15
Apr
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Smartphone Breathalyzer 'Breathometer' Reaches Over 5x Indiegogo Goal, Brings Sobriety Tests To Your 'Everyday Life'

Posted by in Accessories, Applications, News

Don't drink and drive. Ever. Now that we've got that out of the way, Breathometer, the smartphone-powered breathalyzer, has reached its Indiegogo goal about six times over. What does that mean for you? Cheap BAC tests for everyone! The $20 device aims to make it inexpensive and easy to know when you're too intoxicated to drive. This will, naturally, replace the more commonplace test of "Have I had any alcohol? Yes? Okay, then I shouldn't drive."

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The keychain-sized device plugs in to your smartphone's 3.5mm headphone jack, so it's almost universally compatible with every smartphone on the market. It will also support Android devices 2.3 and up.

15
Apr
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SuperTooth Disco Twin Dual Bluetooth Speakers Review: Because Two Is Better Than One (Especially In Stereo)

Posted by in Accessories, Other Reviews

Last November, I reviewed a product called the SuperTooth Disco 2. It's a really great little Bluetooth speaker, because it manages to pack a ton of sound into a small, attractive (I think so, at least) package. But it isn't the most refined  speaker ever built, and its decreased audio output when compared to its predecessor did leave a little to be desired.

It also was missing something - a feature that it originally promised to ship with: wireless stereo pairing with a second Disco 2 speaker. The company teased the functionality back at CES in 2012, but when the Disco 2 came to market, the feature vanished.

10
Apr
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Nexus 10 Covers Finally Show Up In The Play Store For $30, Snap Directly Into Back Plate

Posted by in Accessories, Google, News, Nexus 10

It's been about five months since the Nexus 10 came out. In what is frustratingly becoming true Play Store fashion, accessories did not come out alongside the device. Now, however, the covers have finally landed in two colors: grey and "scarlet" (here being defined as "safety vest orange," at least as it appears in pictures).

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For those unfamiliar with how this case works, on the back of the Nexus 10 there is an ovoid plastic plate that snaps in place. This normally serves no purpose, but you can remove that plate and replace it with this cover that attaches directly to the tablet and folds over to protect the screen.

03
Apr
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[Deal Alert] Get The PowerA Moga Pro For $37.49 (25% Off) And Free Shipping With Coupon Code

Posted by in Accessories, Deals, News

The PowerA Moga Pro is a step up from the already adequate Moga controller. A little bit bigger, with a better grip and an included tablet stand make this iteration a worthy successor. Assuming you can make do with the limited selection of supported titles (or don't mind working with some key mappers to make it work yourself), that is.

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Now, a Slickdeals user (didn't I tell you?) points out that with coupon code "MOGAzombie" (no quotes), you can get 25% off your order directly from PowerA, which brings the price of the controller down to $37.49.

29
Mar
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Verizon And Delphi Officially Launch Vehicle Diagnostics Service - $250 For The Module, $5 A Month On Your Bill

Posted by in Accessories, News, Verizon Wireless

If you're a car nut, a paranoid parent, or a small business owner looking to do a little, uh, company vehicle economy analysis, Verizon's teamed up with Delphi to create the Vehicle Diagnostic system. It's actually pretty cool!

Verizon will sell you the Delphi hardware module, which should work with a majority of ODBII-compliant vehicles 1996 and later. You hook this little guy up to your vehicle's ODBII port, and it automatically starts sending data back to your web dashboard (and/or the Android app) via its built-in data connection. If you have a Verizon Share Everything plan, it will set you back $5 a month, though the data usage it brings will likely be pretty near negligible.

29
Mar
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[Quick Look] Sound Platform 2 Bluetooth Speaker Dock: An Excellent Home / Office Audio Solution With A Twist

Posted by in Accessories, Other Reviews, Reviews


Soundfreaq isn't the best-known player in the Bluetooth audio market, but if you haven't checked them out, there's never been a better time to try. The company's new Sound Platform 2 is a heavy-hitting stationary speaker system with a set of pipes that really sing, and a genuinely useful dual-speaker pairing mode (read on for more about that).

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I reviewed Soundfreaq's Sound Kick last year, and came away genuinely impressed. It's still my go-to portable speaker around the house, and occasionally travel. I can't wait for the follow-up. The Sound Platform 2 represents Soundfreaq's more stationary aspirations, in that it's tethered to a wall outlet - this big guy can't go wires-free (yet - a battery pack will be sold later this summer).

19
Mar
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JayBird BlueBuds X Deep Dive Review: Ultraportable Perfection Comes At A Price

Posted by in Accessories, Other Reviews, Reviews

I have a confession to make: I'm obsessed with wireless portable audio gear. Bluetooth earbuds, headphones, and portable speakers excite me more than they probably should. And I'm OK with that. My wife, however, gives me "the look" every time a new gadget arrives, rolling her eyes so far up her skull she could have easily become a soap opera star or an extra on The Walking Dead. She doesn't get it - she's not a geek who loves to get to the bottom of every feature, spot every miniscule detail, and figure out if we have something special on our hands.

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