Accessories

Speck and others prep Samsung Galaxy S4 cases

Now that Samsung's Galaxy phones have achieved iPhone-like popularity, accessory makers are quick to get in on the action as soon as a new model is unveiled.

Several case makers, including Speck, Cygnett, and Otterbox, have announced that they'll have new cases available for the Galaxy S4 around the time it hits stores next month.

Not surprisingly, since the S4's overall design isn't so different from the S3's, those new cases look very similar to existing cases. Speck's offerings will include the CandyShell, CandyShell Grip, SmartFlex Card, SmartFlex View (not pictured). All of them … Read more

Crave giveaway: iKit NuCharge iPhone 5 case and battery

Congrats to David M. of Charlottesville, Va., for winning five magazine subscriptions from digital newsstand Zinio in last week's giveaway. Got an iPhone 5? We're giving away a case that promises to double its power.

The 2-in-1 iKit NuCharge consists of a snap-on case with built-in grooves that connect to either a colored brushed-leather smart cover or a 1,900 mAh battery pack that delivers 225 hours standby, 8 hours of Web browsing, 8 hours of talk time, 10 hours of video, and 40 hours of audio. The whole setup is slim and lightweight for easily placement in … Read more

Samsung Galaxy S4 offers optional wireless charging

Good news, wire haters: the Samsung Galaxy S4 will support wireless charging.

The bad news? The feature will cost you upward of $100.

We're hearing that adding wireless charging to the S4 will require a new back cover ($39.99), as well as a dedicated wireless charger ($59.99). The charger is said to hit stores in April, but the back cover may not see the light of day until June.

We can't yet confirm if the charger supports the existing Qi standard (as Engadget reports), which would make it compatible with third-party chargers like the Energizer Dual Inductive Charger. … Read more

Wireless mobile storage expander roundup: Your iPad wants one of these

It's really a shame that the iPad, or any tablet or smartphone for that matter, comes with such a limited amount of internal storage -- usually around 64GB (OK, there's a 128GB iPad, but it's just too expensive). And after the operating system and apps, the remaining space for digital content is much less than that. This is the reason a wireless storage expander is a must for savvy users who want to carry their entire digital library around with them.

The good news is there is now a relatively big selection of these type of devices. … Read more

The S Band: Samsung's answer to the Nike+ FuelBand

You may already use a Fitbit or Nike+ FuelBand to track exercise and weight loss, but Samsung would apparently love it if you brought those functions in-house, using the company's hardware and software.

To that end, the company has expanded its Galaxy ecosystem with a new S Health app and a series of Samsung-branded peripherals, all designed to work with the phone to monitor your workouts and weigh-ins.

The company gave a sneak peek at three accessories: the S Band, Heart Rate Monitor (HRM), and Body Scale. Using the S Health app's "Total Reports" feature, you … Read more

Samsung's S View cover offers a sneak peek at your Galaxy S4

Phone covers can protect your screen, but they also hide status updates, incoming calls, and other information you may want to see at a glance. The new S View Cover for the Galaxy S4 clips onto the top of the new phone, but offers a clever workaround by simply cutting a rectangular peephole into the cover material, giving you partial access to the screen.

The phone can sense when the cover is closed and switch to a minimized view when new updates arrive, putting the information in a tiny window that lines up with the cover's cutout. In this … Read more

Fund this: Breathometer turns your smartphone into a breathalyzer

Everyone knows the dangers of drinking and driving. An unfortunate few choose to ignore them, often with tragic results. A good friend recently lost his nephew to a drunk driver. A member of my temple congregation lost his wife and children to a drunk driver. That same temple later lost its rabbi to a drunk driver. Shall I go on?

Obviously I'd rather not, which is why I fully support any technology that can help prevent such tragedies. Here's a gizmo that might: Indiegogo project Breathometer adds a breathalyzer to your smartphone.

Reminiscent of the Square credit-card reader, … Read more

Mind your manners with LinkMe SMS bracelet

You've played that "no phones at dinner" game and lost. You can't bear ignoring your messages. Well, this bit of bling could be your new best friend.

LinkMe is a digital bracelet that displays the messages, Facebook updates, and tweets that you need most.

Billed as a world first on its Kickstarter page, LinkMe will "display the messages and alerts you choose, making your entire social life available to you with just a glance at your wrist." … Read more

Fitbit adds $30M to its coffers

Successful health technology startup Fitbit has just gained access to a new round of investment funding, to the sweet tune of $30 million.

According to a report by venture capital watcher TechCrunch, multiple sources have told the outlet that Fitbit is in the process of raising over $30 million. This influx of additional cash has helped the company notch an impressive $300 million in valuation.

While the extra funding is eye-popping, these figures should not come as a big surprise to those following the personal fitness space closely. The category is exploding with a flood of players, from device makers … Read more