Hasta La Gadget!

Apple’s Lightning Adapter for the iPhone 5 has begun to ship, with the dongle – that allows older Dock Connector accessories and chargers to be hooked up to the new smartphone – finally headed out to buyers. Shoppers in Australia have received shipping notifications that the Lighting to 30-pin Adapter is on its way, MacRumors reports, though Apple’s online store still only lists a vague “October” for a shipping estimate.

Without the dongle, those coming to the iPhone 5 from an existing iOS device aren’t able to use any accessories they may have acquired along the way. Apple switched to a new connector so as to save space, the company said at the iPhone 5 launch, with the tiny Lightning plug being far smaller than the existing Dock Connector design.

Scale isn’t the only advantage. The Lighting plug can be inserted either way up, reducing the likelihood of damage from trying to force a connector in the wrong way around.

There’s no word on when units may begin shipping in the US or other locations, nor indeed when Apple’s other Lightning adapter – a short, 0.2m cable with a 30-pin port on one end and a Lighting plug on the other – might begin to head out of Apple’s warehouses. More on Lightning in our full iPhone 5 review.

Apple Lighting Dock Connector begins shipping is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

After hearing that Apple’s Lightning cables have authentication chips on the inside, we’re now told that Apple will require that all factories wanting to manufacturer Lightning accessories must be approved by Apple first. The company is said to have made changes to its policies that now tighten the control over Lightning cables and accessories even more.

However, it’s reported that Apple hasn’t approved any third-party manufacturers yet, but the company is planning a special seminar to take place in China sometime within the next few weeks where interested manufacturers will be required to attend if they want to begin producing and selling Lightning accessories.

Obviously, some users haven’t been to happy about the switch from the 30-pin connector to the new 9-pin Lightning connector, mostly because the adapter alone costs $30 and a new Lightning cabled costs $20, not to mention that both items are on backorder. Granted the iPhone 5 comes with a Lightning cable of its own, but a lot of users usually have a handful of cables stashed away in different places out of convenience.

Apple’s decision to ditch the 30-pin connector used in all of its previous iOS devices has been controversial to say the least, but the company said it needed to change the design and shrink the connector in order to get the iPhone 5 to a thinner 7.6mm thickness. We certainly can’t blame them, and the switch to a smaller connector will certainly allow Apple to compete with other smaller connectors like microUSB, but whether or not the change is worth it is still yet to be decided.

[via iLounge]

Apple will require approval for third-party Lightning accessories is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

The update cycle of consumer electronics can make a mess of your Kickstarter plans, but one new project that just launched is designed to provide a useful products that remains useful no matter what changes come down the road, in terms of modes of connectivity or hardware design. It’s the CompleteDock, and I had the chance to sneak a peek at an early, functional prototype at Disrupt SF this year.

I noticed it at a booth for a cloud services startup, and was immediately intrigued by its solid aluminum construction. It looked like a dock that was immovable, implacable, and designed to stand the test of time. And after going in for a closer look, it turns out that’s exactly what it was, but also with a unique, modal twist that means it can be used with just about any gadget out there.

Here’s how it works: The CompleteDock’s business end (where it gets connected to its data/power cable) is swappable, meaning you can change it out for a 30-pin dock connector to USB cable, micro-USB, or an Apple iPhone 5 Lightning connector. These will be available to purchase separately in case you buy new devices, but there’s also another wonderful benefit for backers: The first change is free. Meaning when you change devices initially, you’re covered.

There’s also a support that can switch out to accommodate different devices and different angles, and both a mini and full-sized version, depending on your needs, but for my money the regular version looks great with either tablets or smartphones.

The best part? This is already a real device, which I saw, and handled in person thanks to project founder Gligor Dacevski. The company has a manufacturing facility with CNC machines ready to pump them out. Compared to a lot of projects I’ve backed, they’re way ahead of the game, and actually stand a fair chance of hitting their December 2012 ship date.

I actually miss using my iPhone 4S dock, and I haven’t found a suitable replacement. The Elevation Dock looks promising, especially with its upcoming iPhone 5 compatibility update, but the CompleteDock is more multi-purpose, and seems sturdier, too. Plus, this may be naive, but I’m hoping this is the last dock I’ll ever buy.

For people like musicians who use more sophisticated 30-pin devices, Apple’s switch to a new dock connector could potentially be devastating. Luckily, initial reports indicate much of this hardware will work with the new Lightning connector. More »

Cnet says that iPhone 5 owners are complaining about the USB end of their Lightning cables getting stuck in their computer. And apparently, Apple is willing to replace the cable. Has this been a problem for anyone else? [Cnet] More »