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Touchstone dock for Palm Pre to run $69.99?


Sick of Pre rumors? We certainly hope not, because some magical font of believable Pre data seems to have started gushing fresh information recently with no signs of slowing down. Latest to the table is a sticker price for the Touchstone dock, an inductive charger that'll work with a special magnetized non-stick battery cover for the Pre to juice your baby's batteries without a plug -- and it looks like you're going to have to pony up some serious cash for the pleasure. Screens on some computer somewhere deep inside Sprint are apparently pegging the Touchstone at a stiff $69.99, which is an awful lot to pay to simply charge your phone in style; cool, sure, but $70 worth of cool?

Celio takes REDFLY franchise to docks and PC software


If you're crazy stoked about hooking up your X1 to a big ol' monitor and keyboard but you're not nearly as stoked about buying into one of Celio's dedicated REDFLY boxes, the company's announcing two new solutions that might fit the bill. First up, the aptly-named REDFLY PC Software brings all the spoils of your WinMo-based handset to any XP- or Vista-based system of your choice -- which, let's be honest, is probably a pretty limited-appeal solution unless you're dealing with some wild software package that's only available on your phone. Next up is the more interesting of the two -- the Smartphone Dock -- that basically takes a full-fledged REDFLY lappie and strips out all the human-interface stuff; in other words, bring your own keyboard and monitor. The dock's being billed as a proof of concept at this point, but the software hits shelves in March.

Inelegant hack connects T-Mobile G1 to iPod dock


Come to think of it, this mod wouldn't even be necessary (though, we suppose it would still be useful) had HTC bothered to put a 3.5-millimeter headphone jack on the T-Mobile G1, but alas, we're stuck with some random ExtUSB port. In order to make that output jack compatible with the litany of iPod peripherals (namely sound systems), the modders over at WebNetta figured out what pins linked to what in order to connect the G1 to Made for iPod gear. Best of all, the secrets of the connections are all spilled out in the read link should you care to try this yourself, but please, tidy things up a bit if you do.

HTC cradle insert for non-existent "Lolite" handset befuddles, entices us


We know what you're thinking: what is this thing? Well, we're pretty much dying to tell you. It's a cradle insert that's coming out on January 2nd for an HTC handset. Nothing too fancy, and it's cheap -- just £7.99 (that's about $11.80). What's interesting here is that the handset, called the Lolite (sadly that's probably just an HTC code name), doesn't exist and we've never even heard of it. Is this just a phantom typo, or can we expect a new HTC phone in the very near future? Either way, the G300 sure is a handsome insert!

[Thanks, anonymous tipster]

Crapgadget: this BlackBerry Bold dock is just for effect


Let's be straight: nothing says "I'm a successful businessperson" quite like a dock for your smartphone. You know, smack in the middle of that solid oak desk of yours -- the one in the corner office. What, you say your fancy new BlackBerry Bold doesn't have connections for a proper dock? Well, hell, you've got hair plugs, spray-on tan, and a house in the Hamptons you can't afford, so why not take the charade to the next level? USB Fever's fabulously generic $20 cradle for the Bold will at least charge the thing, but if you want to get all crazy and sync up with your PC, you've got to suffer the indignance of a USB cable (coiled for your convenience) flopping off the side. Should look real professional next to the red Swingline and that stupid "Teamwork" perpetual motion rowing thing of yours, sport. You know what we're talking about.

[Via Gear Diary]

iPhone 3G Dock / Universal Dock Adapters now on sale


For many, dropping $199 / $299 on an iPhone 3G (provided you actually locate one not hidden behind a 4+ hour line) is enough. For those who fell head over heels with the original iPhone dock, it's not. Here's your chance to send 29 more US bucks Cupertino's way, as the official iPhone 3G Dock is now on sale at Apple's website. Oh, and if you're really a sucker, you'll lay down 9 whole US dollars for a 3-pack of iPhone 3G Universal Dock Adapters to slip your new mobile into a Universal Dock.

Update: So apparently these have been in Apple stores since day 1. Considering just how long it'll take to get in one, though, this whole "online route" is still probably your best bet.

[Via Wired]

Read - Apple iPhone 3G Dock
Read - iPhone 3G Universal Dock Adapter 3-Pack

HTC Touch Diamond dock stealthily makes the scene


We're already big fans of the Touch Diamond's sleek black aesthetic, and it looks like the design language is going to carry over to the official accessories, like the dock. Yeah, it's just a dock with a USB connector and a headphone jack so you can listen to music while charging / syncing your phone, but it's definitely one of the slickest form factors we've seen -- too bad it's listed at £25 ($49).

[Via Tracy and Matt's Blog]

NewerTech unleashes iPhone accessory storm


Well, if you're gonna launch a new product line, why not fill it up, right? NewerTech will debut six lovely products for iPhone at Macworld on the 15th January, though all save the dock are available immediately. The product list features the speaker dock with handsfree mic that includes a couple 2-watt speakers and an "improved" microphone that doubles as charger when your iPhone is in the dock, throw in a couple call handling buttons and all that can be your for a mere $35. Next up is the $20 handsfree mic and earbud which features a 39 inch cable and shirt clip, a $15 mic extender is also on the table featuring a 27 inch cable to give you iPhone handsfree fun with your own earbuds, and of course an $8 headphone adapter to overcome the iPhone's crazy recessed jack. NewerTech rounds out its iPhone collection with a $20 set of buds with passive noise reduction -- said to reduce noise by 42 decibels -- and a $13 car charger for those on the go. We've not tested any of this kit, but the prices seem right and that's at least a good start.

USB Ferris Wheel Phone Stand shocks and awes

Unfortunately, we've no idea exactly what mobiles are compatible with ConnectLand's USB Ferris Wheel Phone Stand (aside from the HTC Touch, obviously), but we're all probably better off that way. This undoubtedly bizarre device can be powered via USB or a pair of AA cells, and it sports an incoming phone call alarm in the form of... wait for it... a spinning Ferris Wheel. That's right kids, whenever your handset receives a call, the wheel starts to spin and LEDs begin to flash, giving you plenty of motivation to hand out your number to anyone who will call it. Those with money to burn can snap one up for $27, but if you're that curious to see how this thing works, why not save your dough and peek the (intensely boring) video after the jump?

Samsung thinks your battery should double as a kickstand


In a patent application that outlines an invention sure to be the death of spare cradles, Samsung has conjured up the idea of a "self-cradling portable communication terminal." Essentially, this here device could enclose your battery in a hinged compartment that swivels around, which would enable cellphone users to place their handsets in a "docked position" without needing an actual cradle. Brilliant, we say.

[Via UnwiredView]

HTC Advantage docking station hooks things up


For those of you waiting patiently for your HTC jack-of-all-trades to hit the doormat, you can at least kill some time by picking up one of these new docks and trying to envision a phantom Advantage resting comfortably in the slot. The docking station features a second battery charger, two USB ports, a miniUSB port (for charging and syncing), a 3.5mm headphone jack, and two video out options (VGA and S-Video) -- giving you at least a few ways to get inside (and out) of the Advantage when you're at home. The whole connection-packed affair will cost you £70 (around $140), which is kind of a steep price to pay when you've got nothing to stick in it yet.

Apple's iPhone dock includes Bluetooth headset charger -- but is it free?


See that dock? Yeah, it's the first official confirmation of a rumored Bluetooth Headset port which allows the dock to simultaneously charge both your iPhone and Apple headset. It was just posted to Apple's new iPhone Q&A page. What we don't know, however, is whether or not this is an optional dock or if it's the one included in the box (a "dock" is included with the iPhone). It's certainly not the stubby dock Apple pictured earlier. We're guessing it's a paid accessory which will likely cost you more than the Chinese knock-off.

Update: Our sources let us know that it's included in the box with the headset -- no wonder it's gonna cost about $120.

[Via TUAW, thanks Aaron P.]

Read -- Included dock
Read -- Q&A page

Third-party iPhone dock includes Bluetooth headset charging

Judging solely by the shots available, it's not hard to agree with the sect that firmly believes Apple's first-party iPhone dock won't reserve a charging spot for its Bluetooth headset. But hey, that's what Chinese knockoffs are for, right? A full seven days before the iPhone's launch, 4Ustuff purportedly has an iPhone USB cradle for sale that undoubtedly provides the means to dock / charge your BT earpiece. Whether or not it'll actually work with Apple's products (or ship, for that matter), remains to be seen.

[Via Pocket-Lint]

Apple iPhone dock revealed: charges Bluetooth headset too?


Looks like the inclusion of a handy YouTube button isn't the only fresh news on the iPhone front this morning, as two strangely protective photos of the iPhone dock attempt to show off an accessory that could be dangling by your wallet whilst waiting in line to check out next Friday. The two pictures of the unsurprisingly white device (one shown after the break) fail to reveal any ports or connections whatsoever, but "sources" over at ThinkSecret are suggesting that a charging port will indeed be included to give iPhone dock purchasers a single base to juice up their mobile and headset. Not too many details beyond that just yet, but don't expect such a useful hunk of plastic to run you cheap when it lands.

[Via Think Secret]

Jabra and Klipsch team up on S5010 cellphone speaker station


Just as Klipsch is no stranger to the world of musical docking stations, Jabra tends to enjoy slapping its name onto anything it can. Unsurprisingly, the two lovebirds have met in harmony to offer up the S5010 cellphone boombox, which sports an edgy, stylish design, weighs in at a very portable 3.7-pounds, and should handle just about any handset, DAP, or external music source you desire to pair up with it. The system touts a "universal" connectivity panel that consists of 2.5- and 3.5-millimeter inputs as well as a mini-USB connector, 30-watts of power split between the stereo drivers, a Class D amplifier, and "subtle" LED indicators littering the case. Curiously, you won't find any Bluetooth love on this one, which certainly stands out given Jabra's long-standing relationship with the short-range wireless protocol, but if you still find yourself lusting over the fairly average S5010, you can snap it up real soon for $149.

[Via ShinyShiny]




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