iPad mini and iPad 4 Introduced, 5 Ways Windows 8 Beats iOS, and More iOS News

Mac notebook and other portable computing is covered in The 'Book Review, and general Mac news is in Mac News Review. Older Macs are covered in Vintage Mac News. All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.

Purchases made through links to Amazon.com and Apple's iTunes/iBook/App/Mac App Store support Low End Mac.

News, Reviews, & Opinion

• Apple Introduces iPad mini, iPad 4
• 'Apple Sells Premium Products at Premium Prices to Premium Customers'
• Smaller iPad to Contribute to Doubling of 7" Media Tablet Market
• Time to Ditch Diagonal Display Panel Comparisons
• Multitasking in the iPad's Future?
• Panel Supply Issues to Initially Limit iPad Mini Availability
• Nearly 70% of European Consumers Prefer Black Apple Mobile Products to White

The Competition

• 5 Ways Windows 8 Beats iOS
• Windows RT with Office RT Uses 38% of 32 GB Surface's Storage Capacity

Apps & Services

• Maxthon Loads Pages Fastest in Tom's Hardware Comprehensive iOS Browser Shootout
• Free New SlashGear iOS App
• TOK.Tv Launches TOK Baseball, the First Voice Enabled Free iPad App

iPad Accessories

• ZAGG Introduces New Accessories for iPad mini
• Kensington Offers New and Compatible Accessories for iPad mini

iPhone Accessories

• USB Fever 180° Fisheye Lens with Back Cover for iPhone 5
• USB Fever Wide Angle Lens with Back Cover for iPhone 5
• USB Fever 2x Telephoto Lens with Back Cover for iPhone 5
• USB Fever Macro Lens with Back Cover for iPhone 5
• Nautilus Waterproof Case for iPhone 4/4S/5

Other Accessories

• Third Party Lightning to 30-pin Adapter (0.2 m) for Less Than Half Apple's Price

iPod Deals

These price trackers are updated every month.

• Best iPad deals
• Best classic iPod deals
• Best iPod touch deals
• Best iPod nano deals
• Best iPod shuffle deals
• Best iPhone deals

News, Reviews, & Opinion

Apple Introduces iPad mini, iPad 4

New Fourth Generation iPad Has Retina Display, A6X Chip, FaceTime HD Camera, and 4G LTE Wireless

PR: October 23, 2012 - Apple today introduced iPad mini, a completely new iPad design that is 23% thinner and 53% lighter than the third generation iPad. The new iPad mini features a stunning 7.9" Multi-Touch display, FaceTime HD and iSight cameras, ultrafast wireless performance, and an incredible 10 hours of battery life - every inch an iPad, yet in a revolutionary design you can hold in one hand. Apple today also announced the fourth generation iPad featuring a gorgeous 9.7" Retina Display, new Apple-designed A6X chip, FaceTime HD camera and ultrafast wireless performance. Both iPad mini and fourth generation iPad come with iOS 6, the world's most advanced mobile operating system with over 200 new features.

iPad mini

"iPad mini is every inch an iPad. With its gorgeous 7.9" display, iPad mini features the same number of pixels as the original iPad and iPad 2, so you can run more than 275,000 apps designed specifically for iPad," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. "iPad mini is as thin as a pencil and as light as a pad of paper, yet packs a fast A5 chip, FaceTime HD and 5 megapixel iSight cameras, and ultrafast wireless - all while delivering up to 10 hours of battery life."

iPad mini comes in a beautiful new aluminum and glass design that is just 7.2 mm thin and weighs only 0.68 pounds. The 7.9" Multi-Touch display delivers the same iPad experience users have come to expect, in a design that has 35% more screen real estate than 7" tablets and up to an astonishing 67% more usable viewing area when browsing the Web. The dual-core A5 chip delivers responsive graphics and a fast, fluid Multi-Touch experience, while still providing all-day battery life.

iPad mini features a front-facing FaceTime HD camera and a 5 MP iSight camera on the back with advanced optics for taking sharp still pictures and recording full 1080p HD video. The iSight camera includes video image stabilization, and both cameras feature backside illumination to let users capture great pictures in low light. iPad mini also allows easy sharing of photos with friends and family using iCloud's Shared Photo Streams.

iPad mini features dual-band 802.11n WiFi support for speeds up to 150 Mbps, which is twice the WiFi performance compared to previous iPad models. iPad mini is available in WiFi + Cellular models, which are world-ready with built-in support for ultrafast wireless standards, including LTE and DC-HSDPA, so you can browse, download, and stream content fast from wherever you are. iPad mini data plans will be available with no contract so you can simply sign up and activate service directly from your iPad. The Personal Hotspot feature means you can share a fast cellular data connection via WiFi, Bluetooth, or USB with up to five other devices such as MacBook Pro, iPod touch, or another iPad.

iPad 4

The new fourth generation iPad features the amazing 9.7" Retina Display and includes a new Apple-designed A6X chip that delivers up to twice the CPU performance and up to twice the graphics performance of the A5X chip, all while delivering an incredible 10 hours of battery life in the same thin and light iPad design. Other new features include a FaceTime HD camera, twice the WiFi performance when compared to previous iPad models and support for additional LTE carriers worldwide.

iPad mini and fourth generation iPad both feature support for the Lightning connector that is smaller, smarter, and more durable than the 30-pin connector. Lightning connector accessories are available to support cameras, SD cards, and VGA or HDMI digital video.

Existing iPad Smart Covers and the iPad Smart Case are compatible with fourth generation iPad, and new polyurethane Smart Covers custom-designed for iPad mini are available in pink, green, blue, light gray, dark gray and (PRODUCT) RED for $39.

iPad runs over 700,000 apps available on the App Store, including more than 275,000 apps designed specifically for iPad, from a wide range of categories including books, games, business, news, sports, health, reference, and travel. iPad also supports the more than 5,000 newspapers and magazines offered in Newsstand and the more than 1.5 million books available on the iBookstore. The iTunes Store puts the world's most popular online music, TV, and movie store at your fingertips with a catalog of over 26 million songs, over 190,000 TV episodes, and over 45,000 films. The new iBooks app for iPad lets users read ebooks in over 40 languages. iBooks also lets users experience an entirely new kind of ebook that's dynamic, engaging and truly interactive. Ebooks created with Apple's new iBooks Author offer gorgeous, fullscreen ebooks with interactive animations, diagrams, photos, videos, custom fonts, mathematical expressions, and much more.

Pricing & Availability

iPad mini with WiFi models will be available in black & slate or white & silver on Friday, November 2, for a suggested retail price of $329 for the 16 GB model, $429 for the 32 GB model, and $529 for the 64 GB model. The fourth generation iPad with WiFi models will also be available on Friday, November 2, in black or white for a suggested retail price of $499 for the 16 GB model, $599 for the 32 GB model, and $699 for the 64 GB model. iPad mini and the fourth generation iPad will be sold through the Apple Online Store, Apple's retail stores, and select Apple Authorized Resellers in the US, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK.

iPad mini with WiFi + Cellular and fourth generation iPad with WiFi + Cellular will start shipping a couple of weeks after the WiFi models, beginning in the US on AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon. iPad mini with WiFi + Cellular will be offered for a suggested retail price of $459 for the 16 GB model, $559 for the 32 GB model, and $659 for the 64 GB model. Fourth generation iPad with WiFi + Cellular for AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon will be offered for a suggested retail price of $629 for the 16 GB model, $729 for the 32 GB model, and $829 for the 64 GB model. Additionally, iPad 2 is available at $399 for the 16 GB WiFi model and just $529 for the 16 GB WiFi + 3G model where they are sold now.

Customers can begin pre-ordering all models of iPad mini and all models of the fourth generation iPad on Friday, October 26 through the Apple Online Store in the US, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK.

1. LTE is available through select carriers. Network speeds are dependent on carrier networks. Check with your carrier for details.
2. Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results vary.
3. Based on theoretical speeds, actual speeds may vary.
4. Only available on some carriers.
5. Personal Hotspot requires supporting data plan. Customers should check with their carrier for availability.
6. LTE is available through select carriers.
7. Sold separately.

AppleDesigns Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork, and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.

'Apple Sells Premium Products at Premium Prices to Premium Customers'

Mac Daily News blogger SteveJack says some people haven't been paying attention for the past three decades, so he has a news flash for them: "Apple sells premium products at premium prices to premium customers."

He notes that the latest shock to the perpetually Apple-ignorant on Wall Street is that the iPad mini starts at $329, not the $199 or so that iPad wannabe outfits charge for their "ecosystem-free, tiny screen, cheap plastic slabs of junk", and that whoever thought Apple was going to play race to the bottom of the barrel either hasn't been paying attention or was born yesterday. "Wake up or have a happy birthday," he advises, noting that Apple's Phil Schiller told reporters as much yesterday following the iPad mini's debut, saying he expects consumers to recognize quality and be willing to pay for it.

And if you can't afford an iPad mini, you're not in the target market, so stop whining - nobody cares, says SteveJack.

Link: Newsflash: Apple Sells Premium Products at Premium Prices to Premium Customers

Smaller iPad to Contribute to Doubling of 7" Media Tablet Market

PR: The arrival of the smaller iPad will turbocharge the market for 7" tablets, helping the market to approximately double in 2012 and 2013, according to the IHS iSuppli Display Materials & Systems Service at information and analytics provider IHS.

Global sales of tablets with displays in the 7" size range are expected to boom by about 100% this year to 34 million units, up from 17 million in 2011, as presented in the figure below. Sales will nearly double again in 2013, rising 96% to 67 million.

"Just as Apple has dominated the market for 9.7" tablets with its iPad, iPad 2, and New iPad models, the company is poised to rule the market for 7.x" products, driving rapid growth of the segment in 2012 and 2013," says IHS tablet and monitor research director Rhoda Alexander. "The battle in the 7" space is highly spirited, with most of the other leading vendors already offering price-competitive products in this size range. IHS predicts Apple will successfully position the smaller iPad as a device that will be attractive and easy to adopt for both new and returning customers. This will spur rapid sales growth and provide tough competition for other companies contending in this size range."

Smaller Tablets Gain Bigger Market Share

Provisionally, IHS iSuppli says the 7" size range should account for 28% of all tablets in 2012, up from 24% in 2011. In 2013, the 7.x" share will rise to 33%, regarding its 2013 forecast for 7.x" tablet sales as conservative, with some factors potentially boosting the market to higher levels for the year.

"The major factor limiting shipments of the smaller iPad will not be demand, but a combination of production challenges and potential component supply issues," Alexander says. "Reported production difficulties point to the likelihood that Apple is once again pushing design boundaries with the new product. Sources also indicate there have been some supply issues for parts used in the Apple Lightning connector and in the display. If Apple can resolve these issues rapidly, 2013 shipments and sales may exceed the current forecast dramatically."

Apple's capability to meet all demand and launch the product in all global regions promptly will be a major factor determining its near-term sales level.

"IHS expects the 7.x" product to be particularly popular in Asia, where interest in a smaller version of the iPad has been strong," Ms. Alexander observes. "If Apple has sufficient supply to meet demand in Asia following product launch, then the 2013 sales could be off the charts."

Competitive Response

Apple tablet competitors that are using the Android operating system until now have gravitated to the 7.x" size as a way to find a competitive niche compared to the bigger 9.7" iPad. With the anticipated arrival of the smaller iPad, these companies are increasingly looking at the 8.x" and larger categories as they seek to find new avenues of differentiation compared to Apple.

By contrast, new tablets based on Microsoft Corp.'s Windows RT and Windows 8 operating systems are likely to focus on products with 10"-and-larger displays, although there may be some offerings with displays as small as 8.x".

Publisher's note: It's interesting that iSuppli is categorizing the 7.9" (almost 8") iPad mini with other 7.x" tablets, almost all of which are 7.0" devices, while hardly any competing tablets yet exist in the 7.9-8.0" space. The iPad mini has a 200 mm display while 7.0" tablets have 175-180 mm screens, and many of those are widescreen designs which means their displays have far less surface area than the diagonal measurement would lead you to believe - which is the prefect segue to the next news brief. dk

Time to Ditch Diagonal Display Panel Comparisons

dot-color.com's Jeff Yurek notes that size is a critical dimension for consumers to consider. When buying a product with a display we usually compare a diagonal screen measurement of, say, a 16:9 rectangle, which is a deceptive benchmark because a display that has twice the diagonal (and the same aspect ratio) will have four times the screen area.

Yurek notes that Apple's Phil Schiller demonstrated the deficiency of diagonal at the iPad mini announcement, noting that the new iPad mini display is only 0.9" or 12% bigger than a Google Nexus 7 on the diagonal, but actually 35% larger by area.

Link: Time to Ditch the Diagonal?

Multitasking in the iPad's Future?

The Mac Observer's Ted Landau predicts that Apple will someday release a portable device with a 9" screen, but that unlike the iPad, it will not run iOS but a separate OS version that will be able to handle multitasking and the ability to view and work with at least two main apps at the same time, side by side, and to drag items from one app to another.

I hope he's right. Those issues, along with incredibly clumsy touch text editing and manipulation, no filesystem access, and limited connectivity, are my main iPad irritants and complaints - and the biggest obstacles to the iPad being a really useful and efficient content creation platform.

Landau cautions that we shouldn't be holding our breath, however, since it appears that at least for now Apple philosophically believes that a single app, fullscreen, user environment is more desirable on the iPad than a multitasking one.

Publisher's note: Apple gave us a little bit of multitasking with iOS 5, but for the most part it's application switching where more than one app may remain resident in memory (or not). What the iPad needs is something Macs have had since the days of MultiFinder (introduced way back in 1987, 3-1/2 years after the Mac was first released), the ability to work with two or more apps on screen at the same time - even on tiny 9" 512 x 342 pixel displays. dk

Link: Multitasking & the iPad

Panel Supply Issues to Initially Limit iPad Mini Availability

DisplaySearch Senior Analyst Richard Shim comments in a blog release that as DisplaySearch had anticipated, Apple on Tuesday announced additions to its iPad and MacBook Pro lines - the iPad mini, a refreshed iPad with Retina Display, and a 13.3" MacBook Pro with Retina Display.

Shim notes that the $329 iPad mini comes with a 7.9" 1024 x 768 display, dual core A5 processor, and up to 10 hours of battery life, while the $499 iPad with Retina Display comes with the same 9.7" 2048 x 1536 display as the 3rd-generation New iPad (which is no longer listed on the Apple website) but features an A6X processor and up to 10 hours of battery life. The iPads can be pre-ordered on October 26 and ship on November 2.

The $1,699 MacBook Pro with Retina Display features a 13.3" 2560 x 1600 screen and is already available.

"As is typical," says Mr. Shim, "we expect the iPads to be supply constrained initially, especially the iPad mini with its $329 price. The new low price point is expected to appeal to a wider audience and drive up demand. However, panel supply chain indications point to an even more than typical tightness in the market for the iPad mini."

Shim notes that Apple is expanding its supplier base with new partners for the iPad mini, continuing to work with LG Display which is supplying panels to Foxconn for the finished product, and adding AUO, which will supply panels to Pegatron.

However, he reports that AUO is having yield issues with the 7.9 panel which is limiting their supply to Pegatron, and in September, AUO shipped just over 100,000 units. The production plan is reach 400,000 units in October, 800,000 units November and 1 million in December. LG Display shipped 300,000 panels in September, and plans to ship 1 million in October, 2.5 million in November, and 3 million in December.

Mr. Shim also observes that Samsung has been one of the leading panel suppliers for the iPad, and in fact when the new iPad was first released, Samsung was the only supplier that could meet production orders, with LG Display gradually ramping up to meet demand. However, he notes that Samsung and Apple appear to be winding down their relationship most likely due to the legal conflicts the two have been embroiled in recently. In previous iPad launches, LG Display and Samsung have been the main panel suppliers with roughly equal panel production.

Link: Supply Issues to Initially Limit iPad Mini

Nearly 70% of European Consumers Prefer Black Apple Mobile Products to White

UK-based market research firm Idealo reports that eleven years after the release of the original iPod, a recent study shows that Apple's vintage white livery has fallen out of favor with consumers, with black now the overwhelming favorite color choice.

Idealo surveyed 22 different specifications of Apple's iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, and iPod classic models, which are currently offered in either black or white from the Apple Store, comparing the proportion of clicks each model received during first three quarters of 2012 across its price comparison platforms in Germany, France, UK, Italy, and Austria.

According to the data, nearly 70% of Idealo users prefer their Apple devices in black over white, although that ranges from 73.6% choosing the black iPhone to just 53.9% picking the black iPod touch.

Link: Apple Gadgets in Black or White? A European Perspective

The Competition

5 Ways Windows 8 Beats iOS

PC World's Jon Phillips says he's been a daily iPad user since the day the tablet launched, although he's never had much affinity for Mac OS and Apple desktops. He's used either the iPad, iPad 2 or new iPad every day since April 3, 2010, and says tablets work for him and the iPad has worked for him, despite the fact that its never helped him do any real work.

However, he's been playing with various Windows 8 tablets, including Microsoft's new Surface RT, and says Windows 8 tablets are the real deal, and that there are five ways in particular that Windows 8 beats iOS:

Snap Screen, which lets you dock a second app on the edge of the screen, offering legitimate, systemwide multitasking by allowing you to see two active apps on your display at the same time.

Live Tiles which lets you display image slideshows and other dynamic content right on the Start Screen

Settings - You can adjust any app's settings without leaving the app.

Semblance of a File System - not the full filesystem access some of us long for, but the Windows 8 "modern UI" does expose an underlying file system when you run a search from the Charms bar.

Internet Explorer - Phillips claims the new Internet Explorer is better than Safari.

Link: 5 Ways Windows 8 Beats iOS

Windows RT with Office RT Uses 38% of 32 GB Surface's Storage Capacity

OS News' Thom Holwerda cites a tidbit from the Reddit AMA session with Microsoft's Surface team, noting that it turns out that while Windows 8 RT is considerably smaller than its Windows 7 x86 predecessor, it's still huge by mobile standards, requiring 12 GB of storage space for the OS, Office RT 2013, and "a bunch of apps".

Holwerda observes that this compares rather unfavorably to its competition, with Android Jelly Bean needing 340 MB for kernel and user space - and iOS reportedly less than 1 GB in size.

Kinda brings the base model Microsoft Surface RT tablet's 32 GB of memory (compared with Apple's 16 GB for the same price) into clearer perspective.

Link: Windows RT + Office RT Takes Up 12 GB Disk Space

Apps & Services

Maxthon Loads Pages Fastest in Tom's Hardware Comprehensive iOS Browser Shootout

PR: Maxthon, a Chinese-based global software company that specializes in state-of-the-art web browsers, has announced its selection as the best alternative to Safari for iPads and iPhones by Tom's Hardware. According to the review: "Maxthon is really the only third-party iOS browser that stands out."

The review further notes: "Maxthon manages to beat out Apple's own Web browser by a slim margin in uncached page loads."

"Adding performance within the technology limits set by Apple is not an easy thing," says Jeff Chen, CEO of Maxthon. "But even with the limitation required by Apple for a company like us to access iTunes, Maxthon for iOS still loads pages as fast and faster than Safari. It's an honor to be able to enhance the iPhone and iPad's already excellent user experience with our approach to high performance web browsers."

Known to hard-core technology enthusiasts since the early days of the web, Tom's Hardware is an independent technology publication focused on providing reviews, analyses and recommendations. In its comprehensive review, it also gave Maxthon for iPad and iPhone kudos for its strong support of HTML5 and web standards' compliance.

"iPhone and iPad users have a number of alternatives to Safari that provide noticeable improvements in performance and feature sets," notes Karl Mattson, GM of Maxthon International/Chief of Product Development. "Upgrading to Maxthon is easy. Search Maxthon in iTunes and put on that seatbelt for some faster surfing."

Maxthon's suite of browsers supports a wide range of devices from desktops to mobile, and are claimed to be used each month by more than 100 million people in 140 countries around the globe. Maxthon has offices in San Francisco, Hong Kong and Beijing.

Publisher's note: Considering the popularity of 7" Android tablets, it's curious that Maxthon Mobile for Android is only available in smartphone and 10" tablet versions. dk

Link: Maxthon for iPad
Link: Maxthon for iPhone
Link: Maxthon for Mac (beta)
Link: Maxthon 3 for Windows
Link: Maxthon Mobile for Android phones
Link: Maxthon Mobile for 10" Android tablets

Free New SlashGear iOS App

PR: Dedicated to highlighting the latest and greatest in personal technology, SlashGear covers everything from cutting-edge tech gear to the latest digital lifestyle trend. Distinctive, informative and fresh, we will keep bringing you device information and reviews you can trust as well as thought-provoking commentary.

Features

All the news published from SlashGear in real time, complete with Features, Reviews and Columns categorization.

In-app video streaming and image gallery of reviews, unboxing, hands-on and press events.

Share stories via email,Twitter and Facebook.

• Major design changes
• Trending Topics
• Saved article for offline reading
• Share your thoughts with Disqus comment
• Load more articles

Note: The application requires network access to download data from SlashGear and we do not collect any User ID or login credentials.

New in Version 2.0.0

• Major Design Changes
• iPhone 5 Support
• Trending Topics
• Share your thoughts with Disqus comment
• Load more articles

Free

System requirements:

• Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.
• Requires iOS 4.3 or later
• This app is optimized for iPhone 5.

Link: SlashGear

TOK.Tv Launches TOK Baseball, the First Voice Enabled Free iPad App

PR: TOK.tv, a San Francisco based Social TV company, today announces the launch of TOK Baseball, the first free iPad app that allows up to four people to TALK, voice not text, while watching their favorite game on TV. The experience is enriched by real time statistics and information about the game, an area where TV is notoriously weak.

"Sports fans like me think it's a bit pathetic to watch a baseball game on TV alone; yet, we do it anyway because we just love the sport." says Fabrizio Capobianco, CEO and founder of TOK.tv. "Watching a game with friends is so much more fun. It changes the experience. That's why we created TOK.tv. We want to give people the opportunity to TALK to their friends while watching a game on TV, even when they are not physically in the same room."

TOK Baseball doesn't replace a TV. It's a perfect social companion that enriches the experience of watching TV. Consumers are already embracing a "second screen": 86% of mobile web users have a second device on their hands while watching TV.

"We believe our technology adds something new and critically important to the Social TV revolution: voice. The opportunity to talk while watching the favorite game or show on TV." says Capobianco. "In addition, we give TV Networks the opportunity to engage more with their viewers and to monetize in new, different ways. It's a classic win-win situation."

Feature Highlights

• Find The Game - It's easy to spot all the live games in a cool, zoomable map
• Invite Your Friends - See who is watching your game and ask them to join your virtual living room
• Talk While You Watch - TALK to other three friends simultaneously through your iPad while watching the game on TV (with voice, no text)
• Make Noise - Play with the sound carousel. It's like being at the ballpark
• Get More From The TV Broadcast - Learn more about the game and players with additional stats and facts on your iPad screen

TOK Baseball is the first voice enabled second screen TV companion app. Soon TOK.tv will be launching TOK Football to enjoy games on TV the way you were meant to. With friends.

Device Requirements:

• Requires iPad with iOS 5.0 or later
• 19.3 MB

TOK Baseball 1.0.3 is free and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Social Networking category.

Link: TOK Baseball for iPad

iPad Accessories

ZAGG Introduces New Accessories for iPad mini

PR: ZAGG Inc. has released a complete line of products to protect, personalize and enhance the new Apple iPad mini. ZAGG's new products, designed specifically for Apple's new entry into the 7(ish)" tablet market, include keyboards, cases, and protective films.

"We are excited about these new versions of our award-winning accessories designed for the iPad mini, including our invisibleSHIELD products, iFrogz cases, and ZAGG keyboards," says Kent Wuthrich, executive vice president of marketing for ZAGG. "As one of the only keyboard accessories designed specifically for iPad mini, the ZAGGkeys MINI 7 and MINI 9 will offer the proven utility and convenience that our customers have come to expect from the ZAGGkeys line."

ZAGGkeys MINI 7 and ZAGGkeys MINI 9

The ZAGGkeys MINI 7 and ZAGGkeys MINI 9 feature a durable folio designed specifically around the iPad mini and highlighted with ZAGGs award-winning keyboard technology. The Bluetooth 3.0 keyboard of the ZAGGkeys MINI 7 is custom designed to fit iPad mini, providing a feature-rich keyboard while maintaining the small, compact size. The ZAGGkeys MINI 9 offers a similar keyboard with a carefully engineered layout to provide the same spacing as ZAGGs traditional tablet keyboard. Both accessories in the ZAGGkeys MINI line feature built-in stands to hold the tablet at an ideal viewing angle and special function keys to operate essential iPad mini features directly from the keyboard. ZAGG has also introduced the ZAGGstylus MINI, a capacitive stylus for the iPad mini compatible with the ZAGGkeys MINI 9.

The ZAGGkeys MINI 7 and ZAGGkeys MINI 9 are available for purchase from ZAGG.com and select retailers. Expected retail for the ZAGGkeys MINI 7 and MINI 9 is $89.99, and are covered with a 1-year limited hardware warranty.

invisibleSHIELD

ZAGG's invisibleSHIELD was created from a high tech film originally designed for the US Military to use in protecting the leading edges of helicopter blades. ZAGG was the pioneer in applying that film to the full body of handheld electronics, preventing scratches and surface damage. Each of ZAGG's invisibleSHIELD films offer Nano-Memory Technology, a unique property that allows for greater durability and ease of installation, and a lifetime replacement guarantee if the film becomes scratched or damaged while protecting the device.

ZAGG's line of invisibleSHIELDs designed specifically for the iPad mini include:

• invisibleSHIELD, $24.99, ZAGG's patented, original full-body protection, applies directly to the Apple iPad mini, providing the most award-winning, critically acclaimed protection in the industry
• invisibleSHIELD High Definition, $29.99, recently presented with a 2012 Gold Stevie Award in the New Product or Service of the Year in Consumer Electronics, offers premium features like advanced clarity and a glass-like surface to the original invisibleSHIELD film
• invisibleSHIELD Smudge-Proof, $29.99, offers all of the protection of ZAGG's original invisibleSHIELD film, plus the best antiglare and anti-fingerprint features available (sold at select retailers only)

All prices listed are for screen protection only. For full body coverage, prices range from $34.99 to $39.99.

New Products from iFrogz

iFrogz specializes in creative lifestyle accessory solutions for mobile devices. Its cases designed specifically for the Apple iPad mini feature rich color and texture options, and are fashioned from shock-absorbent TPU to protect the new device from wear and tear. New cases include:

• Breeze, $29.99: A one-piece case that provides an aerated look and textured feel to the iPad mini. Available in several dual color options: black/blue, black/silver and black/pink
• Merge, $49.99: Crafted with a combination of high-quality TPU frame and PU cover, the Merge combines fashion and function with a foldable cover to provide various media angles

Rounding out the company's accessory line for the Apple iPad mini are power and audio options, such as the ZAGGsparq portable battery, iFrogz Audio accessories, and additional screen protection options from iFrogz including the OptiVue and Privacy films.

In addition to online channels (ZAGG.com and iFrogz.com), mobile device accessories from ZAGG Inc. are available at leading retailers and ZAGG-branded retail outlets throughout the U.S., as well as at top consumer electronics chains in Asia, Canada, Europe and South America. ZAGG and iFrogz accessories for the iPad mini line will be available beginning November 2nd, the day of the iPad mini launch.

Link: ZAGG.com

Kensington Offers New and Compatible Accessories for iPad mini

PR: Kensington welcomes the iPad mini, announcing seven new protective covers and stands that are immediately ready for use. These products will be available soon for preorder online at Kensington.com and Amazon.com.

Kensington Protective Cover & Stand for iPad mini (Coffee Snake, K39719AM; $34.99, Brown Marble, K39718AM; $34.99, Black Marble, K39717AM; $34.99)

This thin, slim case is big on protection and functionality. The Kensington Protective Cover & Stand for iPad mini delivers a 2-position stand for higher productivity whether you're typing or browsing. And it provides two layers of protection around all surfaces. Additionally, a hard shell exterior cover protects your iPad mini from bumps and bruises and the soft velvet interior protects it from scratches. It's camera-ready too.

Kensington Protective Back Cover for iPad mini (Clear, K39715AM; $19.99, Teal, K39716AM; $19.99)

The Protective Back Cover in Teal and Clear brings an additional layer of protection for your iPad mini with a thin layer of TPU rubber to prevent scratches, provide greater grip and better contact with a flat surface in landscape mode.

Kensington Protective Back Cover for iPad mini (Black, K39713AM; $19.99, Eggplant, K39714AM; $19.99)

The Protective Back Cover in Black and Eggplant enable the use of the Apple Smart Cover functionality. This perfect combination of design and functionality wraps the back of your iPad mini in ultra thin layer of hard polycarbonate polymer to protect your device.

Link: Kensington

iPhone Accessories

USB Fever 180° Fisheye Lens with Back Cover for iPhone 5

PR: Features

• Wider Angle captured - up to 180°
• Portable and detachable, you can take photos with your iPhone 5 at any time
• Comes with a Back Cover, whenever you need to take photo with Fisheye, just screw on the Fisheye Lens on, then you can take 180° Fisheye pictures with your iPhone 5
• The back cover is suitable for many of USB Fever's threaded lenses
• High Clarity: Made of high-class glass
• Strong: Made of top-grade Aluminum

This accessory is suitable for (compatible with): Apple iPhone 5

Colors Available (for Back Cover only): Smoky Black

How to use?

• Put the Back Cover On
• Screw on the 180° Fisheye Lens
• Take picture

Specifications

• Magnification: 180° Fisheye (0.28x)
• Lens Construction: 3 elements in 3 groups
• Lens Dimensions (main body): 25mm (diameter) x 15mm (length)
• Weight: 12g

$25.99

Link: USB Fever 180° Fisheye Lens with Back Cover for iPhone 5

USB Fever Wide Angle Lens with Back Cover for iPhone 5

PR: Features

• Captures wide angles without perspective distortion
• Portable and detachable, you can take photos with your iPhone 5 at any time
• Comes with a Back Cover, whenever you need to take photos with a Wide Angle Lens, just screw on the Wide Angle Lens on, then you can take Angle Shot 0.68x pictures with your iPhone 5.
• The back cover is suitable for many of USB Fever's threaded lenses
• High Clarity: Made of high-class glass
• Strong: Made of top-grade Aluminum

This accessory is suitable for (compatible with): Apple iPhone 5

Colors Available (for Back Cover only): Black

How to use?

• Put the Back Cover On
• Screw the Wide Angle Lens up
• Take picture

Specifications

• Magnification: Wide 0.68x
• Lens Construction: 2 elements in 2 groups
• The shot distance is between 10~23mm
• Dimensions(main body): 22mm (diameter) x 11.2mm (length)
• Weight: 8g

$21.99

Link: USB Fever Wide Angle Lens with Back Cover for iPhone 5

USB Fever 2x Telephoto Lens with Back Cover for iPhone 5

PR: Features

• Portable and detachable, you can take photos with your iPhone 5 at any time
• Comes with a Back Cover, whenever you need to take photo of Close-up, just screw on the 2x Lens on, then you can take pictures with your iPhone 5 with objects afar.
• The back cover is suitable for many of USB Fever's threaded lenses
• High Clarity: Made of high-class glass
• Strong: The Lens is Made of top-grade Aluminum.

This accessory is suitable for (compatible with): Apple iPhone 5

Colors Available (for Back Cover only): Smoky Black

How to use?

• Put the Back Cover On
• Screw the 2x Lens up
• Then you can start taking pictures with 2x lens

Specifications

• Magnification: Telephoto 2.0x
• Lens Construction: 2 elements in 2 groups
• Weight: 14g

$21.99

Link: USB Fever 2x Telephoto Lens with Back Cover for iPhone 5

USB Fever Macro Lens with Back Cover for iPhone 5

PR: Features

• Captures objects in short distance without perspective distortion
• Portable and detachable, you can take photos with your iPhone 5 at any time
• Comes with a Back Cover, whenever you need to take photo of Close-up, just screw on the Macro Lens on, then you can take Macro picture with your iPhone 5
• The back cover is suitable for many of USB Fever's threaded lenses
• High Clarity: Made of high-class glass
• Strong: The Lens is Made of top-grade Aluminum.

This accessory is suitable for (compatible with): Apple iPhone 5

Colors Available (for Back Cover only): Smoky Black

How to use?

• Put the Back Cover On
• Screw the Macro Lens up
• Take picture

Possible Applications

• Iridilogy
• Shooting flowers
• Shooting insects
• shooting small animals

Specifications

• Super Macro
• Lens Construction: 1 element in 1 group
• The shot distance is between 10~23mm approximately
• Dimensions(main body): 15.8mm (diameter) x 6.5mm (length) approximately
• Dimensions (magnetic washer): 13.06mm (outer), 9.38mm (inner) approximately
• Weight: 2.0g (Lens only)

$13.99

Link: USB Fever Macro Lens with Back Cover for iPhone 5

Nautilus Waterproof Case for iPhone 4/4S/5

PR: SalamanderSkinz has unveiled its newest product - a waterproof iPhone case called Nautilus. The company adds Nautilus to an existing portfolio of waterproof camera cases that are targeted at the underwater photography market.

Unlike conventional waterproof cases which are fundamentally enclosed containers, Nautilus is tightly integrated with the phone, using the body of the device to establish a waterproof barrier.

The company's patent-pending approach lends itself to a smaller overall form factor and more integrated appearance. It also allowed the product-maker to leave the glass touchscreen open and uncovered, which provides a more natural and responsive user experience.

SalamanderSkinz cofounder, Peter Ghali explains the rationale for the product: "Traditional waterproof cases for the iPhone are bulky and difficult to use. People only install them selectively based on their planned activities for the day. We designed Nautilus to be an everyday case for the iPhone so you won't need to decide when your phone might become exposed to water. With Nautilus, the phone is always protected."

Recently, the company shifted its focus from making cases for point and shoot cameras to waterproof cases for smart phones. Jay Huntington, cofounder, describes the changing market trend: "People have discovered that cell phones can - not only take great photos, but are also perfectly suited for sharing those photos with friends and family. Our company was simply responding to the changing trend."

Nautilus will be offered in two versions the standard version, called Nautilus Sport is made from a thermoplastic polymer resin. A premium version called Nautilus Elite will also be offered. Nautilus Elite will be made from aircraft-grade aluminum. The Elite version will be available in a variety of surface treatments, including black anodized, white powder-coated, and polished nickel-plated finishes.

The company unveiled its new Nautilus case on a web-based portal called Kickstarter. Through Kickstarter, SalamanderSkinz will accept monetary pledges from the public in order to capitalize the startup costs for the project. The company rewards Kickstarter backers by offering them an opportunity to preorder the Nautilus case at a discounted rate. Small companies are increasingly turning to crowd-funding as an efficient way to raise venture capital.

Link: Nautilus Waterproof Case for iPhone

Other Accessories

Third Party Lightning to 30-pin Adapter (0.2 m) for Less Than Half Apple's Price

PR: Use this intelligent adapter to connect your 30-pin accessories to devices featuring the Lightning connector.

This 0.2 m (about 8") long cabled adapter lets you connect devices with a Lightning connector to many of your 30-pin accessories.

• Support for analog audio output, USB audio, as well as syncing and charging. Video output not supported.
• Some 30-pin accessories are not supported.

Demo Video: http://goo.gl/5INXV

Main Features

• Fully supports iTunes, Data Sync and Battery Charging
• All details are made to the finest - Uses parts of same quality as Apple suppliers, but this is not the original cable from the Apple Store
• Works the same as original but at less than half the price

This accessory is compatible with the following:

• iPhone 5
• iPod touch 5th generation
• iPod nano 7th generation
• iPad 4th generation
• iPad mini

$19.90

This item needs 10-14 days of processing lead-time before order ship out.

All pricing excludes shipping. All orders by default will ship via Registered Airmail with Tracking (7-20 working days delivery lead time)

Tracking allows you to track the delivery status of your postage online. You will be given a tracking link upon item ship out to you. Note that if shipping via Registered Airmail or Speedpost, the online delivery status tracking detail may not fully available for some countries. Fully supported countries are: US, Canada, UK, Japan etc. Visit Hong Kong Post Website for more details.

Link: Lightning to 30-pin Adapter (0.2 m)