Scosche railKASE for iPhone 4S and 4: Beatweek 2012 Best of Show at CES
January 18, 2012 by Bill Palmer · Leave a Comment
by Bill Palmer
Scosche is one of those companies which isn’t afraid to expand into various accessory submarkets, and invariably seems to have a fighting chance no where it ventures. For instance we’ve tested Scosche products ranging from earbuds to car connectors which we’ve given awards. With the railKASE, Scosche takes aim at a straightforward – and highly populated – iPhone 4S case market. As it turns out, we like the results.
The railKASE is a dual layer case for iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 which combines metal and rubber, two materials which have to be combined carefully in order to protect well and to look right. We like both the look and the protective design of the railKASE, providing further evidence that Scosche seemingly can’t go wrong.
Review: Scosche clipSYNC charge-sync keychain fob for iPhone-iPad-iPod
October 30, 2011 by Bill Palmer · Leave a Comment
by Bill Palmer
Scosche’s flipSYNC was a brilliant way of embedding an iPhone-iPad-iPod sync cable into a keychain fob, but adding it your keychain was about as cumbersome as adding anything else: split the keychain ring with your fingertips and slide it through the small hole on the flipSYNC. The company’s new clipSYNC attempts to remedy that by making it effortlessly easy to attach and remove it from your keychain thanks to an embedded carabiner-style clip. The clip just as easily attaches to your belt loop instead of your keychain.
In other words, for those who loved the flipSYNC but found themselves trying to use it for syncing purposes with their keys still attached because it wasn’t easy enough to get it off their keychain, the clipSYNC takes the original novel idea and turns it into a darn near perfect product. The only catch? The clipSYNC is a bit larger, along the lines of about a half an inch taller and a quarter inch or so wider.
The product still functions the same: the dock connector side pops out, followed by the USB side, forming the equivalent of a four or five inch sync cable. The clipSYNC is a large-ish thing to have on your keychain, so it only makes sense if you’re going to use it with some regularity. But for travelers it’s a boon, as it’s one less cable you have to take in your bag and keep fishing out for syncing and charging purposes. And thanks to the clip, it’s now easier to put it to good use than before.
Price: $19 • Scosche.com
Scosche flipSYNC: Beatweek 2010 iPhone+iPod Cable of the Year
December 31, 2010 by Beatweek · Leave a Comment
Anyone who travels with a laptop and and iPhone/iPod is likely going to want to connect the two to each other at some point, either for charging or syncing or both, which means keeping a sync cable in tow, which are typically 3 to 6 feet long. This keychain fob folds out with a dock connector plug for your iPhone or iPod on one side and a USB plug on the other.
Buy now: $13 at Amazon.com.
Scosche flipSYNC: hands-on first look
June 24, 2010 by Bill Palmer · Leave a Comment
The arrival of the Scosche flipSYNC to market means it must be summer, the time of year in which the products that debuted at the winter trade shows finally start shipping. The flipSYNC was one of Beatweek’s Best of Show winners at Macworld 2010, and now that I’ve got one sitting here on my desk I’ll be able to test it out in real world settings to confirm whether it lives up to the award-winning status that we originally bestowed on it.
My gut says that it will, and here’s why: traveling with sync cables is a pain. It’s one thing to carry your iPhone or iPod with you and another to lug your laptop around with you, but having to take along a three foot cable just to be able to connect the two for charging and syncing purposes feels like insult to injury. I’ve used retractable cables, but they’re still somewhat bulky when wound up. But the flipSYNC, by virtue of being a flip-out product, folds up small enough to be a keychain fob – and even has a little keychain cutout to boot. I’ll have to travel with this product in order to evaluate its practicality, after which I’ll report back with a full review. But I suspect the flipSYNC will find its way onto my list of must-have travel items. In the mean time, you can find it on Scosche’s website.
Scosche SolChat: Beatweek 75
June 21, 2010 by Beatweek · Leave a Comment
Every bluetooth iPhone speakerphone we’ve tried has its pros and cons, but the Scosche SolChat comes out on top for one simple reason: rather than coming with yet another battery to keep charged, this one recharges via solar power. Going green is great, but more importantly you’re getting charged up for when you need to make a call.
View all seventy-five winning accessories for iPad, iPhone, and iPod (including cases, earbuds, car products, stereos, batteries and more) in Beatweek Magazine’s 75th issue which you can read digitally for free right here.
Eight new iPhone 4 cases emerge from Scosche
June 9, 2010 by Beatweek · Leave a Comment
Scosche has introduced eight new cases for the new iPhone 4, despite the fact that Apple’s newest iPhone doesn’t hit the market until June 24th. The new cases from Scosche include “g4″ versions of its popular kickBACK case along with the switchKASE, switchBACK, metalliKASE, beefKASE, bandEDGE, bandIT, and glosSEE. Also announced are three new screen protector products. Like the iPhone 4 itself, these new Scosche cases won’t be shipping until a bit later, with launch dates ranging from later in June to July. Full details on pricing, availability, and specs are available at Scosche.com.
New iPhone and iPod earbuds debut from Scosche
May 4, 2010 by Beatweek · Leave a Comment
Let all the Apple related news this week stay focused on the company’s other mobile product line, Scosche has released four new sets of earbuds designed for use with the iPhone and iPod (and yes, they work with the shiny new iPad as well). The new earbuds from Scosche are no secret, as some of the new models made their public debut at CES 2010 back in January and again at Macworld 2010 in February. The $99 IDR655m earbuds, which feature thee buttons and a mic for volume, playback, and voice control over the latest iPhone and iPod models, were one of Beatweek Magazine’s “Best in Show” finalists.
The $54 IDR355m and IDR355md earbuds represent more economical versions of the company’s earbud line. While they both offer the same three buttons and a mic, they also each come with six different sets of interchangeable earbud caps in various colors; the difference between the two 355 models lies in the color choices. Also surfacing are the IDR305m, which will be available exclusively through Apple for $39.
Dual-USB iPad chargers unveiled
April 12, 2010 by Beatweek · Leave a Comment
Scosche has announced a pair of dual-USB chargers, one for at home and one for in the car, both available for pre-order. While dual-USB chargers are fairly standard practice these days, what makes the reVIVE II different is that they’re powerful enough to charge an iPad or two (or an iPad and an iPhone/iPod), as opposed to existing dual-USB chargers which can only be used with combinations of iPhones and iPods. The chargers will sell for $24.99 (home) and $29.99 (car).
According to Scosche executive vice president Kas Alves, “The new chargers and kickBACK P1 case are just the tip of the iceberg for our iPad accessory line,” adding that more iPad accessories are on the way in the coming weeks.
Learn more at Scosche.com.
Scosche launches reviveLITE II
March 5, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
Scosche has officially launched the reviveLITE II, the second generation of its combination nightlight and wall charger for iPhone and iPod. Changes to version two include the relocation of the iPhone/iPod dock from the side of the device to the front for improved balance and stability, along with the addition of a USB port for charing a second device.
The reviveLITE, which was a Beatweek Magazine “Best of Show” winner at Macworld 2010 in February, will ship in the spring and sell for $24.99.
According to Scosche executive vice president Kas Alves, “Scosche products are designed to eliminate clutter and enhance the accompanying device. reviveLITE II does just that, providing a docking charging solution for the iPod or iPhone and allowing travelers to eliminate the need for carrying a second charger for another USB powered device.”
Learn more about the reviveLITE II at Scosche.com.
Best of Macworld: motorMOUTH
February 11, 2010 by Bill Palmer · Leave a Comment
Editor’s note: Six members of Beatweek’s editorial staff were at Macworld 2010 to report on the newly introduced products for iPhone and iPod users. Here’s one of the twelve best we found. For a full rundown of all the top new products at Macworld 2010, check out Beatweek Magazine’s February 16th issue
Working around hands-free laws can involve everything from a bluetooth earpiece to a visor mount speakerphone, but Scosche has taken things in a different direction with the motorMOUTH, a bluetooth microphone that plugs into your car’s line-in port and pairs up wirelessly with your iPhone to allow you to talk normally while driving and hear the other end of the conversation coming out your car’s speakers.
While products such as this one require two-way hands-on testing to determine overall call quality, which we were not able to perform on site, the brilliant simplicity of the product is what places it among the winners.
Read about all of Beatweek’s “Best of Show at Macworld 2010″ winners and finalists in the February 16th issue of Beatweek Magazine, which will feature a cover story interview with American Idol winner Taylor Hicks and more.
Best of Macworld: reviveLITE 2
February 11, 2010 by Bill Palmer · Leave a Comment
Editor’s note: Six members of Beatweek’s editorial staff were at Macworld 2010 to report on the newly introduced products for iPhone and iPod users. Here’s one of the twelve best we found. For a full rundown of all the top new products at Macworld 2010, check out Beatweek Magazine’s February 16th issue
A flip-out wall charger for iPhone and iPod that doubles as a nightlight? Scosche’s reviveLITE was an original idea the first time around, and a useful one (for certain users anyway), but was implemented in such a way that it wasn’t as practical as it should have been. The docking unit flipped out to the side, making the whole thing off-balance and not necessarily stable. However, the new reviveLITE 2 has been redesigned to include a front-flip dock, which keeps the unit centered and balanced.
You’ll have to decide for yourself whether this combination of products (charger and nightlight) is something you’d find of value, but the new implementation is a winner and represents the kind of innovation we’ve come to expect from Scosche.
Read about all of Beatweek’s “Best of Show at Macworld 2010″ winners and finalists in the February 16th issue of Beatweek Magazine, which will feature a cover story interview with American Idol winner Taylor Hicks and more.
Best of Macworld: Scosche flipSYNC
February 11, 2010 by Bill Palmer · Leave a Comment
Editor’s note: Six members of Beatweek’s editorial staff were at Macworld 2010 to report on the newly introduced products for iPhone and iPod users. Here’s one of the twelve best we found. For a full rundown of all the top new products at Macworld 2010, check out Beatweek Magazine’s February 16th issue
Anyone who travels with a laptop and and iPhone/iPod is likely going to want to connect the two to each other at some point, either for charging or syncing or both, which means keeping a sync cable in tow. And in other cases, you’ll wish you had a sync cable with you so you could pair it up with a wall charging brick, or perhaps bum a battery charge off of someone else’s computer. Most such sync cables are about three feet in length, and we’ve seen some shorter ones that are closer to half a foot, but either way it means packing one more cable in your bag. But not anymore, as Scosche’s flipSYNC is a keychain fob that folds out with a dock connector plug for your iPhone or iPod on one side and a USB plug on the other.
While it initially feels a bit Knight Rider-ish, it’s one of those products that the more you think about it, the more you wish you’d had one all along. Not every iPhone or iPod user is enough of a power user (or a power hog) that they need to keep a hidden sync cable on their person at all times, but for those who fit the description, this product could prove to be indispensable.
Read about all of Beatweek’s “Best of Show at Macworld 2010″ winners and finalists in the February 16th issue of Beatweek Magazine, which will feature a cover story interview with American Idol winner Taylor Hicks and more.
Scosche kickBACK for iPad
January 29, 2010 by Bill Palmer · Leave a Comment
Scosche has announced an upcoming iPad version of its kickBACK iPhone case. The kickBACK P for iPad will employ the same combination of clear hard plastic and rubber currently employed on other kickBACK models, and will include the now-familiar kickstand leg on the back which can be used to prop up the iPad either horizontally or vertically.
According to Scosche Executive VP Kas Alves, “We pride ourselves at consistently being one of the first accessories manufacturers to market with leading edge products following an iPhone, iPod, or now iPad announcement. It’s that ability to react quickly without sacrificing quality that has helped us develop necessary accessories like the new kickBACK.”
Perhaps answering the question of how iPad casemakers plan to address the fact that the device’s screen can’t be used while covered, even by clear hard material, the kickBACK P will come with thin clear screen film. The ship date is listed as “spring” and no pricing has been announced. Scosche promises that this is the “first of an entire line” of iPad accessories to come.
Best of Show CES: motorMOUTH
January 8, 2010 by Bill Palmer · Leave a Comment
Editor’s note: iProng Magazine has been on-site at CES 2010 in Las Vegas all week reporting on newly introduced products for iPhone and iPod. This is just one of our “Best of Show” winners…
Working around hands-free laws can involve everything from a bluetooth earpiece to a visor mount speakerphone, but Scosche has taken things in a different direction with the motorMOUTH, a bluetooth microphone that plugs into your car’s line-in port and pairs up wirelessly with your iPhone to allow you to talk normally while driving and hear the other end of the conversation coming out your car’s speakers.
While products such as this one require two-way hands-on testing to determine overall call quality, which we were not able to perform on site, the brilliant simplicity of the product is what places it among the winners. CES 2010 was not a strong showing for iPhone/iPod car integration overall, but the motorMOUTH provided a glimmer of hope.
Read about all of iProng’s “Best of Show at CES 2010″ winners and finalists in the January 14th issue of iProng Magazine, which will feature a cover story interview with The Flaming Lips and more.
Best of Show CES: reviveLITE 2
January 8, 2010 by Bill Palmer · Leave a Comment
Editor’s note: iProng Magazine is at CES 2010 this week to report on newly introduced products for iPhone and iPod users. While the majority of the awards have yet to be determined, a few of them have already been finalized…
A flip-out wall charger for iPhone and iPod that doubles as a nightlight? Scosche’s reviveLITE was an original idea the first time around, and a useful one (for certain users anyway), but was implemented in such a way that it wasn’t as practical as it should have been. The docking unit flipped out to the side, making the whole thing off-balance and not necessarily stable. However, the new reviveLITE 2 has been redesigned to include a front-flip dock, which keeps the unit centered and balanced.
You’ll have to decide for yourself whether this combination of products (charger and nightlight) is something you’d find of value, but the new implementation is a winner and represents the kind of innovation we’ve come to expect from Scosche.
Read about all of iProng’s “Best of Show at CES 2010″ winners and finalists in the January 14th issue of iProng Magazine, which will feature a cover story interview with The Flaming Lips and more.
Best of Show CES: Scosche flipSYNC
January 8, 2010 by Bill Palmer · Leave a Comment
Editor’s note: iProng Magazine is at CES 2010 this week to report on newly introduced products for iPhone and iPod users. While the majority of the awards have yet to be determined, a few of them have already been finalized…
Anyone who travels with a laptop and and iPhone/iPod is likely going to want to connect the two to each other at some point, either for charging or syncing or both, which means keeping a sync cable in tow. And in other cases, you’ll wish you had a sync cable with you so you could pair it up with a wall charging brick, or perhaps bum a battery charge off of someone else’s computer. Most such sync cables are about three feet in length, and we’ve seen some shorter ones that are closer to half a foot, but either way it means packing one more cable in your bag. But not anymore, as Scosche’s flipSYNC is a keychain fob that folds out with a dock connector plug for your iPhone or iPod on one side and a USB plug on the other.
While it initially feels a bit Knight Rider-ish, it’s one of those products that the more you think about it, the more you wish you’d had one all along. Not every iPhone or iPod user is enough of a power user (or a power hog) that they need to keep a hidden sync cable on their person at all times, but for those who fit the description, this product could prove to be indispensable.
Read about all of iProng’s “Best of Show at CES 2010″ winners and finalists in the January 14th issue of iProng Magazine, which will feature a cover story interview with The Flaming Lips and more.
Review: Scosche tapSTICK
September 1, 2009 by Beatweek · 2 Comments
New in iProng Labs: a hands-on review of the new tapSTICK controller for third generation iPod shuffle from Scosche, priced at $29…
review by Bill Palmer
The latest iPod shuffle innovatively moves nearly all of the device controls off the shuffle itself and onto the earbuds, making it even tinier than ever – but that doesn’t work for those users who’ve already invested serious money in their favorite set of earbuds. While various third party solutions have ranged from shuffle-specific higher end earbuds to tips that attempt to make the shuffle’s stock earbuds sound better, Scosche has gone in a different direction with its tapSTICK: a plastic shuffle case with three buttons on the back that replicate the shuffle’s earbud controls, allowing you to go ahead use any earbuds you want.
Evolutionarily, the tapSTICK is something of a paradox in that it completely wipes out the innovation of the latest shuffle in a way that will make Steve Jobs and company cringe. But at the same time, it does allow you to go ahead and use the same earbuds with your shuffle that you use with your other iPod and iPhone devices.
And it works as advertised. The three buttons on the tapSTICK replicate the tri-button controls from the shuffle’s earbuds, and the various third party earbuds I tested it with all worked normally. That it makes the shuffle about twice as big overall is something that most users can probably live with, if they care enough about their existing earbuds that they’re willing to invest $29 into this product just to keep using them. There are a few annoyances, though. While the shuffle’s clip is still usable, the bulk added to the top of the shuffle means that it may poke you in the neck if you clip it to your T-shirt collar, or in the stomach if you clip it to your belt, depending on your physical attributes. And there’s no way to lock out the buttons like a Hold switch would, meaning they can get pressed accidentally. Finally, the shuffle has to be removed before it can be charged, which could be a nightly minor annoyance.
This is a compromise product by definition, further compromised by the various design choices. But those who’ve refused to buy a new shuffle (or regret buying one) because of the earbud situation may see the tapSTICK as a good start. It also comes with a three foot stereo cable for connecting to a car stereo or other stereo system.
Learn more about the tapSTICK at Scosche.com.
Review: Scosche kickBACK S
August 13, 2009 by Beatweek · Leave a Comment
New in iProng Labs: a hands-on review of the kickBACK S rubber and plastic case for iPhone 3G and 3GS from Scosche, priced at $35…
review by Bill Palmer
That the new iPhone 3GS has a physically identical body to last year’s 3G model has given accessory makers the opportunity to take another swing at revamping their existing iPhone 3G products, often times in a creative way. In the case of the Scosche kickBACK, whose original claim to fame was the kick-out leg on the back which allowed the iPhone to be propped up horizontally for presumably watching video content, that means evolving from an all clear plastic body in the original version to a mixture of clear plastic and black, pink, or grey rubber on the new kickBACK S. Despite the nomenclature, this new version of the kickBACK works with both the 3G and 3GS.
The combination of soft rubber around the edges and clear plastic in the center means that your iPhone has impact protection where it counts, but can still be largely recognizable as an iPhone (even from the back) while inside the product. And generally it’s a very well done product. The top button and volume buttons have play-through rubber bumps over them, the cut-out for the vibrate switch is of the right size, and so on. The kick-out leg on the back is sturdy and can be adjusted for slightly different viewing angles. The iPhone itself is easily inserted and easily removed.
What keeps the kickBACK S from greatness is that it’s just barely technically a case. Thanks to the iPhone’s seemingly bulletproof screen and the fact that it needs to be touched frequently, iPhone users have largely decided that they’re okay with their screen being either completely exposed or covered by thin clear screen film. This means that most iPhone cases barely have any material on the iPhone’s front surface. But the kickBACK S has none at all, its rubber siding stopping about a millimeter short of even covering the entire silver bezel. That’s fine for the “shield” or “sled” products that cost $10-$15, but at $35 the kickBACK S is too expensive to lump into that group, even if it does beat the pants off of all of them. Based on my tests the iPhone isn’t going to accidentally fall out of the kickBACK S no matter what – not even if you shake it violently. But the lack of full bezel protection seems an odd choice for an otherwise excellent product. Is my gripe a big deal or just a minor concern? You can decide.
Learn more about the kickBACK S at Scosche.com
Scosche IDR600 for iPod
July 1, 2009 by Beatweek · 2 Comments
Sometimes a product genuinely surprises you. Scosche is known for various innovative connective products, but I had no idea what to expect from its line of earbuds. But there’s a reason we actually test the products before we write them up. And as it turns out, Scosche’s IDR600 earbuds are a category-killer at their price point. Better sounding than Altec Lansing’s $99 Backbeat Pro earbuds? Check. Better than the Ultimate Ears $79 MetroFi 220 earbuds? Check. Better than any other sub-$100 earbuds I’ve ever listened to? Yep.
So how does the IDR600 manage to pull off that feat? With a beatiful sound that’s authoritative on both the high end and the low end. Before I get too carried away, I should point out that the IDR600 doesn’t measure up to $119 products like the v-moda vibe ii or the Shure SE115. But at two-thirds the price it doesn’t have to.
As with all products, the IDR600’s suitability is relative to your budget. But for those of you who can’t justify spending more than $79 on earbuds, you now have a “no regrets” option from Scosche. The only catch is that, as with the vibe ii, the IDR600 does have a higher than usual bass-to-treble ratio. So if you’re no fan of bass, then you might need to look elsewhere, but the ratio subtle that it seems unlikely to be a turnoff to anyone beyond the crowd that really, really doesn’t like bass. For everyone shopping in this price range, there’s a new king in town.
Some of Scosche’s other new earbuds (which we hope to test out soon) come with the mic/button for iPhone users, but unfortunately the IDR600 doesn’t have presently have that option. Score one for iPod users then.
Check out iProng Magazine’s 42nd issue featuring a cover story interview with the Black Eyed Peas, a hands-on look at the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3.0, and the top fifty accessories for iPhone and iPod. Also interviewed: Butterfly Boucher, Davy Knowles, Endless Hallway, Gretel, Kingsfoil and much more.
