Hasta La Gadget!

The new iPhone deserves a new dock connector. Say hello to the reversible, 80 percent smaller, Lightning. The likes of Bose, BLW and B&O are already working on new compatible docks while the new connector itself is now easier to connect, more durable, all digital, with an adaptive interface which warrants some closer inspection. Naturally, an adapter will also be made available for your existing iPhone peripherals, but if you have a number of devices to connect, it’s likely to put a hurt on your wallet — the adapter is now for sale in the Apple Store for a whopping $29. At least it’ll pair well with that Thunderbolt connection, right?

Check out all the coverage at our iPhone 2012 event hub!

Filed under: Cellphones

Apple’s new iPhone 5 dock connector: It’s called Lightning and it’s 80 percent smaller, but the adapter is $29 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Sep 2012 13:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With the expected announcement of the iPhone 5 and iPad Mini just under a month away now, rumored parts and pieces of the upcoming devices are flying in from everywhere. The latest? New photos that claim to show the new, smaller dock connector and bottom headphone jack in the iPhone 5 and iPad Mini. More »

Aside from a larger screen, one of the biggest rumors about the next iPhone is the idea that it will feature a significantly shrunken down dock connector. But how small will it get? And more importantly: why does it matter? More »

We’ve seen the rumored next iPhone’s minuscule docking port more than once. Any of the cabling that plugs into that port, however, has been non-existent until today. If photos slipped to Nowhereelse.fr are more than just flights of fancy, they show a much narrower and possibly slimmer connector that matches up with the hole we’ve seen. It’s so small that a full-size USB connector dwarfs it by comparison, and there’s only eight contact pins per side (or possibly total) versus the 30 overall that we know today. We’re not told if there are any special tricks besides the size reduction, though: while the new cable end looks dual-sided, there’s no guarantee Apple will have eliminated the right-side-up requirement that afflicts just about every mobile-sized port format we’ve seen to date. If real, the redesign could lead to one less hassle for charging and syncing. It just wouldn’t be much consolation to those who’d been hoping for a switch to a standard like micro-USB — or, for that matter, to long-time iPhone owners who may have to give up or convert legions of accessories.

Update: since we first posted, the rumor has fleshed out a bit. It’s claimed that there are eight pins on both sides, but that they perform different functions and might not let us plug the connector in any which way. Supposedly, the connectors also aren’t the final models and reflect the problems the unnamed contractor has had meeting Apple’s standards. Don’t worry about claims of future iPads leaping to the new connector: if there’s really a format switch underway, it’s only natural that other devices will follow suit.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablet PCs

Next iPhone’s tiny docking connector possibly spotted (update: more details) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Aug 2012 14:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You might remember Pear, a recent Insert Coin debutant that connects your favorite iDevice dock to (almost) any Bluetooth-connected smartphone. However, you probably didn’t notice its swift disappearance from Kickstarter just before the weekend. The people behind the project have contacted us, explaining that the crowdfunding site was hit with a cease and desist order for the dock converter, centering around a “trademark infringement issue.” With its funding page down, Pear says it had no way to tell its supporters that product development would continue, albeit under a new name. Anyone that funded the project is advised to register at the source link below to keep up-to-date. The founders aim to return to Kickstarter in around 3-6 weeks, with several as-yet unannounced enhancements coming alongside a new logo and moniker — something that it’s going to task its backers with deciding.

Filed under: Home Entertainment

Bluetooth dock adapter Pear disappears from Kickstarter, founders promise return under new name originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Aug 2012 04:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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