Handy lap desk shines through at Macworld/iWorld expo
Trolling the aisles at the annual Macworld/iWorld expo, I came across a lot of cool products. I’ll have more in-depth reviews later this year, but here are a few items that caught my attention.
The Slate
The Slate ($98) was my unofficial winner of coolest new product. It’s a U.S.-made lap desk of polished bamboo, with the smooth feel of glass. It weighs 3.4 ounces and has a rubber mouse pad. Slots can hold a smartphone or tablet in place, and ventilation holes let your computer stay cool.
There’s also a SlatePro-TechDesk ($448) that’s built as a full desk with the same craftsmanship.
iskelter.com/products
Pocket Tripod
The Pocket Tripod is made by people who set out to create something cool and did just that. It’s the size of a thick credit card and made of ABS bendable plastic. You fold it to create a hands-free dock for your device and when you’re done, unfold it and put it back in your wallet.
It works in both horizontal and portrait mode.
www.pocket-tripod.com. $26.95.
EveryPost
EveryPost is a new app that lets you create a single social media post along with a photo and send it to most any social media simultaneously. This includes Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, mail, Dropbox and others.
You can create and compose your content, use filters and even customize for each network.
www.itunes.com, play.google.com. Free for iOS and Android.
Contact Patch
Contact Patch is a rubbery material that sticks on the display of most any touchscreen device to help keep your fingers on the screen while playing games. They can be peeled off and reattached based on where they’re needed. Clean them off with water and air dry before reattaching.
Each kit comes with 16 pieces in circles, triangles and squares for $25.
www.ContactPatch.biz.
The Inpofi
Kirk H & J’s new wireless charger, the Inpofi, is built to charge Apple and Samsung devices. It’s designed to emit zero radiation. Using it is as simple as putting your smartphone down on your desk,
www.kirkhj.com. $135.64 at Amazon for wireless charger, battery pack for iPhone 5/5s.
Magic Mount
Scosche’s Magic Mount for mobile devices system isn’t exactly Einstein-innovative, but it is one of the better offerings in the category of hands-free contraptions.
Three models are available. Two flat surface versions use adhesive, while the window mount uses a suction cup. A plate attaches to the back of your phone and sticks to the magnetic mount.
www.Scosche.com. Surface $14.99, mobile $19.99 and window mount $24.99.
Mikey Digital Lightning
Blue Microphones showed off the Mikey Digital Lightning, expected out in May. It features a Lightning connection for newer iOS devices and can flip and rotate for recording in any direction.
There are three gain settings for proper recording and will allow CD-quality audio recording for a wireless device to pair with video recording. It connects directly to your iPhone or iPad and works with virtually any audio or video application.
Mikey Digital features two of Blue’s condenser mic capsules – the same capsules used in Blue’s award-winning Snowball and Yeti microphones.
www.BlueMic.com. $99.
Flash Magic Stick
PowerRocks showed off the cigar-size and versatile Flash Magic Stick, which features a 3,000mAh battery for charging wireless devices along with an LED flashlight. It includes USB and Micro USB ports to charge multiple mobile devices, including smart phones, at the same time
You’ll get more than 500 recharge cycles from the battery itself and the company claims a less then 1 percent defect and return rate.
powerocksusa.com. $49.99. Available in many colors.
Kanex
Kanex has a summer-ready device with the upcoming release of the Portable Charge and Sync Cable with Bottle Opener. It will be available with iOS Lightning and microUSB connections on one end and the opener on the other.
www.kanexlive.com. Expected price is $25. Should be out in July.