Top-notch AV fiddlers Bang & Olufsen have unveilied a new brand recently called B&O Play.  The new brand is not going to be a poor man’s B&O (sorry!), instead a range of products which integrate with consumer electronics and take design inspiration from art, fashion and furniture.

So this, the first offering from B&O Play, not surprisingly looks a bit like a toaster.  It’s not though, it’s a high-end portable wireless speaker system.  Running Apple’s proprietary Airplay standard this one is only for the iPhone/iPad users of the world, but surely that’s everybody by now.

Inside that shiny exterior is a 120 watt amplifier, 2 tweeters and one 4 inch subwoofer.  It also has a built-in power supply and rechargeable batteries for music on the go.  Looks lovely and I’m sure it will sound fantastic because it’s by B&O – but that fact will probably also mean I can’t afford one.

For more info, visit beoplay.com.

Surely one of the weirder ways to amplify your iPhone’s puny speaker is to stick it into a piece of bamboo and let the sound resonate through the woody tube like some sort of hi-tech didgeridoo.  However, if that idea floats your boat you might just be interested in the iBamboo.

Laser cut from a length of bamboo no two are the same, and the website claims the natural material will “improve the feng-shui of your desk”.  Unfortunately you can’t order one yet as the startup is currently looking for funding on Kickstarter, but when you can the projected price is between $25 and $30 USD.

While it might be rocking some seriously 80’s styling, the inMotion Air from Altec Lansing could still be just the ticket for bringing your music collection kicking and screaming into 2011.

This little speaker unit can pretty much go anywhere, either plugged in or on it’s built in 7-hour battery.  The real big deal though is that it supports A2DP bluetooth – so you can stream music to it from your phone, MP3 player – anything really.  It also comes with a dongle for your computer so that you can stream all your PC-based tunes to it over the air.  Add to that the 90 metre range and this really does open doors (if you’ll pardon the pun) for mobile audio.

It’s priced at $200 in the US and it’s due to hit the shelves on this side of the Atlantic shortly, but no mention of pricing yet.  This does mean that the most important thing – sound quality – is anyone’s guess!

Sometimes a gadget comes out that makes you think “Why wasn’t that invented a hundred years ago?!” In this case it pretty much was, albeit not as an iPhone accessory.  What you’re looking at is the iVictrola – essentially a gramophone attachment for your iPhone or iPod Touch.

You can thank New York designer Matt Richmond for this stroke of genius – or not, your call.  Either way what we have here is a wonderful looking device which amplifies your music without electricity (valves or otherwise) – simply pop your iPhone into the walnut base and the music from it’s speaker is amplified by bouncing through the enormous horn.

I like it – if only because it just prompted me to use the words ‘enormous horn’…

iVictrola – $425 USD via Etsy

Found via iPhone Savior

I’m sure that all of you fine gents reading this already have an impressive array of facial hair, but most of us know somebody who would be improved with a little hirsute headgear (the wife for example?) or failing that just like the idea of bearding up your workmates.

For just £1.19 you can add beards to as many people as you like.  No need to check your emails on the train for something to do anymore, you’ll be far too busy…

BeardMe on iTunes Store

(found via Swissmiss)

]]> http://www.mantrends.co.uk/2010/03/beardme-the-most-useful-iphone-app-ever/feed/ 1 http://www.mantrends.co.uk/2009/11/more-iphone-wallets/ http://www.mantrends.co.uk/2009/11/more-iphone-wallets/#comments Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:04:28 +0000 admin http://www.mantrends.co.uk/?p=223 Having featured the Case-Mate iPhone ID Case recently, and deciding that it solved a problem that other manufacturers seemed to be ignoring, I was surprised to find two more options in one day.  It seems that iPhone wallets are becoming big business, and I say that’s a good thing.  Anything to cut down on the amount of junk weighing me down every day is alright by me.  Let’s have a look at the newcomers:

Hard Graft Phone Card Wallet

While not specifically made for iPhones, the Hard Graft Phone Card Wallet just happens to be exactly the right size for one.  Who’d have thought?  The benefit of this though is that it will just as happily hold any other phone – so long as it’s no larger.

Hand-made in Italy in fine grey leather this offering has 7 card slots and works in the same way as those “magic wallets” of old – i.e. the elastic holds the phone in and allows you to open it in either direction – just like the card wallets by J-Fold if you’ve seen them.

€79 from Hard Graft direct.

iMojito

No, I’m not entirely sure why it’s called the iMojito either, but I’m sure there must be a good reason for it.  This black and blue polyurethane wallet (no leather here…) has a soft microfibre lining to keep your phone happy and six slots for cards and cash.  You can also charge your phone and have headphones plugged in without removing it from the case for convenience.

This one’s considerably cheaper, at $35 USD.  Available from Malcolm Fontier.

I think that my money’s probably still on the Case-Mate,  but hey – choices can’t be a bad thing…

Found via Uncrate and Cool Material.

You know how it is, you’re going out for the night and want to carry as little as possible.  The females of the species have handbags to store their essentials, but let’s face it – the man-bag is still a contentious issue in the gentleman’s clubs and drinking houses of Blighty, so unless you’re in a boy band you’re probably stuck with heaving pockets.

Enter the “ID Case” from Case-Mate.  It’s such a simple idea – you don’t always need your whole wallet with you, so why not have a phone case which also holds your credit cards and cash?  You just need your keys and you’re all set.

It comes with a protective film to guard your phone from scratches and comes in a range of 8 colours.  Hot pink anyone?

Available direct from Case-Mate for $29.99.  Including shipping to the UK it works out around £21.

Boys toys retailers I Want One Of Those are giving away an iPhone 3GS every week for 10 week in their “Things We Didn’t Know” competition.  To celebrate the launch of their iPhone app of the same name, IWOOT are asking you to become a fan on their Facebook page, and leave a message telling them something they didn’t know.

As far as I can tell this means interesting facts – but it doesn’t specify, so I’m sure you could tell them what you had for breakfast if you liked.  I’m not sure you’d win though…

More details, and entry instructions on the IWOOT blog.  Good luck!

]]> http://www.mantrends.co.uk/2009/10/win-an-iphone/feed/ 0