I hate camping. I don’t see the appeal in sleeping in a cold, damp tent, with no access to a shower or electricity. Once your iOS devices run out of battery, what is there to do?
Well, with the BioLite, they won’t run out of battery, because you can charge them by burning almost anything you can get your hands on, including twigs, sticks, leaves, pine cones, or your best friend’s favorite book.
This is interesting: Apple has just applied for a patent showing a way that they could allow the iPod nano to sync and charge through pins positioned in the clip. What’s most interesting about this is that it implies that the iPod nano could ditch the 30-Pin Dock Connector, just like the Shuffle.
In 2006, Apple released an iPod that, to this day, is unique amongst all of the iPods it sells in that it didn’t come with a standard Dock Connector: the iPod shuffle.
In order to save space in a design that was built from the ground up to be as tiny as possible, Apple jettisoned the traditional 30-Pin Dock Connector in the second-gen shuffle in favor of a clever implementation of USB that plugged in right through the 3.5mm audio jack.
For the last six years, Apple has favored this implementation of USB syncing and charging in its line of iPod shuffles, even as every other model of iPhone, iPod or iPad shipped with a much bulkier 30-Pin Apple Dock Connector.
As rumors have heated up that Apple will abandon the 30-Pin Dock Connector in the next iPhone for a slimmer 19-Pin Connector, a natural question to ask is, “why?” If Apple just wants to save space in the next iPhone, why not just adopt the time-tested iPod shuffle’s approach, which is about the most efficient and elegant implementation of USB ever designed?
The answer’s simple: while the iPod shuffle’s USB design is ingenious at syncing and charging, it’s really crappy at everything else that the 30-Pin Dock Connector is designed to do. But what does the 30-Pin Dock Connector do, why doesn’t Apple just use USB like most of its competitors, and why is 19-Pin — not 30 — the way to go?
If you’re waiting for Apple to add wireless charging to the iPhone, you could be waiting some time. We’ve been hearing rumors of its introduction for a number of years now, but five generations in, it’s yet to arrive. If you’re a skilled solderer, however, you could always add wireless charging to your iPhone yourself.
That’s what Tanveer did. He took apart a wireless charging case for the iPhone and installed its components into the iPhone 4S. Now all he has to do to charge it is place it down on a USB charging mat.
Apple’s iPhone chargers certainly aren’t the biggest accessories in the world, but accompanied with their wires, they can be a pain to travel with — especially when they get tangled up in your make up (not that I’d know about that). But with the JuiceBuddy from Pacific Productions, there is no need for wires.
This little box attaches to your keychain and provides you with an iPhone charger wherever and whenever you need it most. Simply plug it directly into the wall and then dock your iPhone in the top.
![The Behringer Guitar Link Is A No-Frills Way To Connect Your Guitar To Your Mac [Review]](http://cdn.cultofmac.com/wp-content/plugins/lazy-load/images/1x1.trans.gif)
![The Behringer Guitar Link Is A No-Frills Way To Connect Your Guitar To Your Mac [Review]](http://cdn.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/behringer-guitar-link-3.jpg "behringer-guitar-link-3.jpg")
Behringer’s teensy Guitar Link
There are a lot of guitar interfaces out there for the Mac, but at about $32, the Behringer Guitar Link UCG102 (just rolls off the tongue, no?) is one of the cheapest you’ll find. Even more surprising? This little duder sounds good.
Sydnee from Kanex is a new accessory that allows users with an entire family of iOS devices to charge all of their gadgets (well, four of them) simultaneously. It requires only one main socket, and it coverts that into four USB ports — capable of pumping out 2.1 amps of power — for your iPhones, iPads, or iPod touches.
Photo accessories for iPhones and regular cameras.
Best Of Photo Accessories [Best Of]
We have noticed a big crossover between Apple users and camera geeks. And while the iPhone’s own camera continues to get better and better, your old SLR still has some life in it yet. And whatever you shoot with, there are accessories that can perk up your interest or let you catch an otherwise-impossible shot. These are the best of them.
Cheap and fairly cheerful: The Matrox DS1 Thunderbolt dock.
Love the idea of a Thunderbolt docking station but hate the idea of paying $1,000 for an Apple Thunderbolt-equipped display? Then why not save yourself $750 and opt for the Matrox DS1?
You probably own a charging station like this already
Why carry just a tiny iPad charging brick and a few miniature USB cables to juice all of your gadgets when you could instead schlep this huge "Portable Charging Station with Cable Rack" along with you instead? That’s what AViiQ hopes you’ll do, and it also wants you to pay $80-$100 for the privilege.
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Cult of Mac is a daily news site that follows everything Apple. Our goal is to provide timely news, insightful analysis, helpful how-tos and honest reviews. Find out more about Cult of Mac.
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![The Future Of Apple’s Dock Connector [Feature]](http://cdn.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Apple_iPod_Shuffle_second_generation_green_top_view_and_dock_connector_top_view.jpeg "Apple_iPod_Shuffle_second_generation_green_top_view_and_dock_connector_top_view")
![How To Hack Your iPhone To Add Wireless Charging [Video]](http://cdn.cultofmac.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/screen-shot-2012-07-05-at-3-15-16-pm.jpg "iPhone-wireless-charging")
