Mobile Apple Me

Every once in a while a simple product comes along that makes you wonder how you ever managed to get by without it.  Sliced bread, the automobile, and microwave popcorn spring to mind, and to this impressive lineage of helpers we can now add the FlyGrip. Not just an ergonomic gripper, but also a super-slim kickstand for both portrait and landscape viewing, FlyGrip frees your thumb to reach the entire surface of your touchscreen and keeps your phone securely in place while in use.

The Backstory

Appletell had the chance to catch up with the inventor of the FlyGrip, Michael Karmatz, at MacWorld | iWorld 2012, and he gave us an insight into the genesis of this handy little accessory. Born out of frustration at awkward hand contortions and accidental mistaps on touch screens, Karmatz sketched out an idea for a simple two-finger gripper that would free the thumb from holding the phone and allow its use purely for navigation. On the show floor the FlyGrip booth was swamped with buyers and models in very purple outfits, both creating quite a stir.

This one-handed design frees the user’s other hand to allow better multitasking during casual phone use—using your phone for walking directions does not require your full attention, so why should it require both of your hands? Best of all, the company is based in New York, and all manufacturing happens in the USA, which makes for a pretty sweet deal at only $29.95.

Installation

The FlyGrip is compatible with just about any smartphone or tablet, provided it has a flat, smooth back surface. Obviously, the glass and aluminum that make up most of Apple’s products meet those specs, but other devices may need to be in a case that provides an adequate area for the FlyGrip’s 3M adhesive. For iPhone 3GS, 4, and 4S users, the FlyGrip is compatible out of the box; for other phone users, check FlyGrip’s website for a handy phone compatibility chart. At launch, FlyGrip is including a free snap-on case with purchases, so many users will never need to install the FlyGrip directly to their phone.

The FlyGrip comes in three sizes—small, medium and large—so check the FAQ before ordering to make sure your fingers will fit. Included in the box are foam pads for resizing if you find the grip too loose, and an extra adhesive sheet should you decide to remove your FlyGrip and stick it on another device. The bundled instructions suggest the use of a dull, flat object like a butter knife to pry the FlyGrip off when you move it. Though it seems incredible, the process is actually fairly simple and less traumatic than it might seem (check out the video below), but taking a butter knife to a $400 phone is definitely not for the faint of heart.

Boldly Going Where No Phone Has Gone

In the interview with Karmatz, a number of uses for the FlyGrip were discussed, ranging from the ingenious to the ludicrous.  For smaller tablets and e-readers, the FlyGrip is especially useful because many are too small to hold comfortably for very long without touching any keys. Long term use with an iPad is possible, but the iPad’s weight can be uncomfortable. Potential situations where the FlyGrip might be useful include:

• iPhone as a flashlight (either the LED or screen)
• Reading while running on a treadmill
• Pushing a shopping cart perusing an electronic shopping list (either cradling the phone or wearing it like a ring)
• Eating while tweeting (catchy-sounding but dangerous)
• Using HopStop for directions while holding on for dear life in the NYC subway
• Hold a Kindle up while reading in bed
• Use your imagination…

Not just an accessory, but a revelation in iPhone usefulness, the FlyGrip is easily one of the top ten iDevice accessories of all time. Whether in use as a kickstand, gripper cradled inside the hand, or as a ring on top of the hand, the FlyGrip ensures your smartphone adapts to your current activity, rather than you fumbling not to drop your shiny iPhone while shopping for rutabagas.  Recommending the FlyGrip is easy, emphasizing just how useful it will become is the hard part.

Product FlyGrip

Appletell reported last week that Steam was working on an official client for iOS and Android, but was still in closed beta. Today that all changes, as it’s now available in the App Store for free. Just download and sign in using your Steam account to get access to all of the features the Mac client has.

The Steam Mobile app allows gamers to chat with Steam friends, browse community groups and user profiles, view screenshots and user-generated content for their favorite games, learn more about the games available on Steam and put them on a wishlist or purchase them, read the latest gaming news, stay up to date on unbeatable Steam sales, and more.

Steam Mobile is compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S and iPod touch (3rd and 4th generations) with iOS 4.0 or later.

Product Steam Mobile

Amongst all of the wildly inaccurate statements people make these days, there are two which irk me most: 1.) “Saturday Night Live hasn’t been funny since (insert either original cast or era with which speaker grew up here),” and 2.) “There’s no good music out there these days.”

Saturday Night Live we’ll debate at another time. Music we’ll discuss now, because there’s more great music out there than ever, it’s just not on the radio or on MTV. So, where do you look for it after your subscription to CMJ has expired? Try out 955 Dreams’ Band of the Day, now a universal app for iPad support.

About Band of the Day, from the press release:

Late last year, 955 Dreams launched a completely new platform for daily mobile publishing with the release of Band of the Day (BoD) for iPhone. The world’s first mobile-exclusive music publication was adopted by hundreds of thousands of users in its first few weeks, and Band of the Day was quickly named iPhone App of the Year Runner Up by Apple. Unlike the path of mobile adoption taken by traditional magazine publishers, BoD is built from the ground up for iOS Devices. Expanding its daily magazine platform to the tablet, Band of the Day is now available for the iPad. Also built on the 955 Publishing Engine, BoD iPad app features emerging artists using beautiful magazine layouts, full play songs and easy access for social engagement. Unique navigation mechanisms, like allowing users to flip through editorial pages rather than scrolling, keep user engagement very high. Band of the Day has proven to be a revolutionary new way to discover great music directly on iOS, as seen by passionate iTunes user reviews and consistent 5 star ratings.

Band of the Day provides a simple way to find great bands from all over the world, the kind my buddy John and I would play for each other on those long drives between New York City and our hometown in Ohio. The only problem with an app like this is that it’s possible to find too many new bands, which can be a burden on your wallet.

But if you’re an actual fan of music, Band of the Day gives you a free, easy way to get that thrill of discovering new bands directly from the convenience of your iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.

Product Band of the Day

The newly-rebranded Macworld | iWorld 2012 (formerly known as Macworld Expo) has just wrapped up, and attendees this year were treated to a symphonic smorgasbord on the show floor.  There were speakers for every taste and budget, headphones for active lifestyles, and even a few apps designed to work with your music library and listening setup to enhance the listening experience.

Here is a roundup of some of the best audio products demonstrated by several companies, some old standbys and a few fresh faces:

Bang & Olufsen

The venerable Dutch firm B&O used Macworld | iWorld to demo the first B&O Play device, the Beolit 12. B&O Play represents a new iDevice-centric sub-brand for the upmarket firm, with their signature focus on simplicity and stunning design all at a more affordable price.  The Beolit 12 is a portable, rechargeable speaker capable of playing tunes via AirPlay, audio in, or USB connection. 

Gavio

A surprise newcomer, and a selection in Appletell’s Favorite Products of Macworld | iWorld 2012, Gavio turned many show attendees’ heads with their impressive audio and even more incredible designs. The Wrenz speakers, which look like small metallic or jewel-encrusted birds, and Sgul earphones, which resemble the Terminator sans skin carried loads of style and an impressive sound to match. 

Polk Audio

The display at the Polk Audio booth certainly matched its description in the press materials: High-Flying and High-Fidelity. The stars of the acrobatic trampoline act were pro acrobats demonstrating the staying power of the Polk’s new Ultrafit sport & fitness headphones, while the stars of the booth were the Ultrafit headphones themselves. The 500, 1,000, and 3,000 series in-ear headphones looked good and sounded better, while the 2000 series on-ears were comfortable and provided convenient controls right on the headset.

SRS Labs 

Rounding out the bunch is SRS Labs and their MyTunes iPhone app. This app provides audio enhancement, equalizer, and volume leveling technology developed by SRS labs for custom hardware—Apple even used the SRS Surround Sound processing tech in its old MultipleScan AV line of displays. With customized audio enhancement profiles for various output devices like car audio, in-ear or on-ear headphones, or speakers, MyTunes makes your music sound its best regardless of where you’re listening. The free version provides a time-limited trial, while the full version is $4.99 on the App Store.

Be sure to check out the rest of our Macworld | iWorld 2012 coverage.