Accessories - 6/8 - Android Police - Android News, Apps, Games, Phones, Tablets

Nov

Green Throttle Throws Its Hat Into The TV + Game Controller + Smartphone Ring, We Try To Be Excited

Posted by David Ruddock in Accessories, Games, News

Hey, does the idea of another company making another proprietary game controller for games that require compatibility with said controller in order to work excite you? No? Me neither. But GreenThrottle, a new startup co-founded by Guitar Hero co-creator Charles Huang and two ex-Palm employees wants you to get excited.

Oh man, they're having so much fun - how could this idea ever not be a success?

Sarcasm aside, GreenThrottle does have the benefit of a more serious team leading its gamepad project, but compared to every other controller / TV gaming solution I've seen, this seems to bring nothing new to the table.

Oct

MOGA Controller Review: This Is How You Build An Android Controller, But Not How You Program One

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Accessories, Reviews

Touchscreens have allowed a whole new era of innovation in mobile gaming and so far it's been pretty great. Sometimes, though, you just need buttons. There are a variety of companies out there trying to create the right solution and this isn't even the first review I've done on a third-party controller. With a unique grip to hold your smartphone, though, this one actually seemed like it stood a fighting chance of not disappearing into the nearest drawer. Of course, hardware is rarely the real problem for Android controllers, is it? But let's not get ahead of ourselves.

The Good

Decent size.

Oct

Seidio's Water, Dust, And Impact-Proof 'Obex' Case For The Galaxy S III Now Shipping

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Accessories, Galaxy S III, News

We've all experienced the misfortune of dropping a phone. Some of us have even taken that bad experience a step further, by not only dropping the phone, but having it end up in a puddle/pool of water. At that point, there's little hope of its survival. Let's all have a moment of silence for devices who've met their tragic fate by being dropped.

If you own a Galaxy S III and cringe at the thought of losing your beloved device in such a manner, there's hope: the new OBEX case from Seidio. This thing's a beast, actually - it's dustproof, impact-proof, and waterproof.

Oct

Woxom Slingshot Review: Is It Enough For Video Amateurs?

Posted by Matt Demers in Accessories, Reviews

Last Updated: October 15th, 2012

When I initially got my hands on a Woxom Slingshot, I couldn't have been more excited: finally, I could put the video camera on my phone to good use, since I wouldn't have to put up with wobbly images any more. Having just upgraded to a new camera, however, I found myself a bit perplexed: I mean, if I have better hardware on me right now, what use is this thing?

Therein lies the answer: because it's portable, useful and universal, it can provide a number of functions that would otherwise be fulfilled by other devices. It won't do those functions as well as those devices, but when the inspiration strikes and you need to film something right now, it's invaluable.

Oct

Poetic Slimline Portfolio Case For Nexus 7 Review: Small Price, Big Features

Posted by Jeremiah Rice in Accessories, Reviews

When my fellow Android Police writers and editors finally talked me into getting a Nexus 7, I set out to find a case immediately. The Nexus 7 is tough, but I've lost too many phones and tablets to cracked screens and water damage to take chances. At first I investigated Asus' official Nexus 7 case available on the Google Play Store, but a plastic build with no stand turned me off, as did a lack of magnetic sleep function. After wading through quite a lot of options on Amazon, I settled on the Poetic Slimline Portfolio case as a (hopefully) ideal mixture between price, finish, and function.

Oct

Logitech Ultimate Ears UE 900 Earbuds Review: Mind-Blowing Sound - Less Than Brilliant Ergonomics

Posted by David Ruddock in Accessories, Other Reviews, Reviews

Last Updated: October 5th, 2012

At $400 (I know, I know - stay with me here), the Logitech UE900s are well out of many people's perceived reasonable price range for a set of headphones. Especially earbuds. But I'd like to remind everyone that there is a definitely a market for headphones at this level, and it's not just reserved for the well-to-do and audio geeks. The fact of the matter is, when it comes to sound, you can spend thousands of dollars to find the "ideal" system. Audiophiles amass huge collections of equipment over their lives devoted only to reproducing sound - setups that can be valued at more than the cost of a nice midsized sedan.

Oct

[Deal Alert] Philips Fidelio AS351 Speaker CowBoom's Deal Of The Day At Just $24.99 (That's About $105 Off List Price)

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Accessories, Android OS, Deals

Remember the Philips Fidelio AS851 we reviewed last year? Well, it's smaller counterpart, the AS351 is once again on sale, this time for the crazy-low price of $24.99 from CowBoom. For reference, the AS351's list price is $129.99, and Amazon's price is $81.57, a little over $56 more expensive than CowBoom's offer.

While, unlike the AS851, this dock doesn't offer a remote control, this little speaker is Bluetooth capable and only a little less powerful than its more expensive counterpart, and at $24.99 is a complete steal. Something else to note about this speaker dock is that it can be powered by AA batteries, making it easy to take the sound outside.

Sep

The Case That Isn't There: We Review The DodoCase for Nexus 7

Posted by Matt Demers in Accessories, Reviews

Cases for my devices fall into two camps: there are cases that are merely "there," and cases that "do." The cases in the first camp usually don't serve any other purpose besides scratch/scuff prevention, and the latter group add some utility, usually in the form of bells and whistles. However useful they are, though, is typically offset by one fact: they usually look like ass.

So when I laid my eyes on a DodoCase for the first time, I had a little bit of an epiphany. This was a case that was functional, durable, and had a minimal style that I gravitated to - it also didn't splay out its logo in huge, ghastly font or make me unwrap it like a Christmas gift in order to get to my tablet.

Sep

The Great Bluetooth Speaker Roundup: 8 Of Our Favorites Compared

Posted by David Ruddock in Accessories, Other Reviews

Last Updated: September 10th, 2012

Bluetooth speakers are rapidly becoming a thing that people, you know, buy. And because of that, a lot of companies have started making them. One of those companies has become the unabashed leader of the pack with a little device called the Jambox. But the Jambox is over a year and a half old. Competitors have started springing up, and some of them are actually quite awesome. And we know Bluetooth speakers aren't a "one size fits all" affair, so we're going to give you some of favorites in a variety shapes, sizes, and styles.

The Scoring System

Unlike some numerical scores, these scores are not cumulative - they're meant to compare multiple aspects of similar products on an absolute scale (battery life gets its own measurement, for obvious reasons).

Aug

[Lightning Review] SuperTooth Melody Bluetooth Headphones: Wireless, Compact, And That's About It

Posted by David Ruddock in Accessories, Other Reviews

Wireless headphones are a rapidly emerging market, thanks to the continually growing proportion of the population that own Bluetooth-enabled smartphones and tablets. On-ear wireless headphones, in particular, are picking up. We've reviewed several of these style of headphones, and found performance and price to vary wildly. You can spend $30 on a bargain-bin set of wireless headphones, or upwards of $400-500 for some of the name brand audiophile products out there. And at those extremes, it's a little easier to weed out the "real deal" from the junk. But in the middle of the road, around the $80-150 mark, things get a little less clear.