If you have a wired keyboard (the one with no USB ports on the sides) and a wired mouse, you’ve used up all your Macbook Pro ports and you’ll only have 2 left on a 27inch iMac – and that’s before you think about your hard drives and sundries such as a mic. Pretty soon you’ll be needing to unplug one item to plug in another and that totally drives you mad.

So, you need a USB hub. Typically these are some of the most ugly items on the known planet. They also encourage messy cabling, which is all you need on your already pretty messy desk. What you need is an iLynx.

The Moshi iLynx is a sleek, low profile USB hub designed to sit neatly undearneath an iMac screen or snugly on your desk.Equipped with DPS technology, the iLynx doubles your available USB and Firewire ports, adding 4 USB and 2 further FireWire 400 ports. All of these are powered, meaning you can plug in additional hard drives, cameras and gadgets as you please.

Because the Moshi sits underneath your Mac or close to hand, it’s a lot easier plugging and unplugging items and it looks fantastic! The base of the hub is finished in white, but this is mostly concealed by the machined aluminum cover – with a lit Moshi logo taking centre stage on the top.

Testing the Moshi out, we plugged in our USB condenser mic, and this powered up fine. The Moshi USB ports sit on the side, and when connected to your gadgets, the cables are fanned out to the sides – making them a lot more organized.

The Moshi can be connected to your Mac via a Firewire 400 Port or USB and as such has both cables protuding from the rounded rear of the device.

This is a great little accessory for your mac, particularly if you are pulling your hair out trying to get by with minimal port availability – and end up juggling devices to get through your normal workday.

The Moshi looks good, works very well and lights up. What more can you ask for? This is a very high spec, quality feel item and is available from the Moshi store direct for $60.

Moshi Store: http://www.moshistore.com/mac-pc/ilynx.html

The SoundOrb Aurora is a high-end subwoofer and speaker system for the iPhone / iPod. We’re going to show you why the SoundOrb is in another universe compared to other systems on offer.

First up, when opening up the SoundOrb, you’ll be struck with awe at it’s chunky, white design. The speaker system visually looks amazing. Sat in your front room this thing is a piece of art. The Subwoofer and speaker are finished in a gloss white and look superbly classy.

The stunning SoundOrb Aurora

Once wired up, the SoundOrb amazes yet again. The Subwoofer lights up! Working it’s way through a color spectrum, the Orb gracefully fades through peaceful colors. In the dark, the effect is both mesmerizing and stunning.

Features

• 2.1 wireless speaker system
• 2.4 GHz Wireless Sub-Woofer
• DSP Virtual Effects
• Adjustable ambient light in Sub-Woofer
• Charges iPod / iPhone when docked
• Backlit touch controls
• Video output (from your iPod / iPhone to your TV)
• Audio input (from your TV)
• Remote control

Here’s a breakdown of the features in more detail:

Sound

The combination of a powerful speaker with a separate down-firing Sub-Woofer that can be placed up to 30 meters away, provides a unique spatial quality missing from the sound of other iPod speakers.

• Non-directional Sub-Woofer with extended bass port: gives fuller bass with greater depth and impact
• DSP technology with sound algorithm: delivers enhanced audio precision and detail
• Virtual Wide Stereo and Virtual Surround Sound: utilizes the full capability of the iPod or iPhone to do justice to original recordings

Connectivity

To really release the full potential of the iPod or iPhone, SoundOrb Aurora has all the necessary connectivity options for use as a home theatre sound system, including:

• Video out port: link up to a TV to bring your music videos and movies to life on the big screen
• Audio in port: enjoy favorite TV shows and DVDs with all the benefits of SoundOrb Aurora’s powerful Sub-Woofer and 3D sound recreation

The SoundOrb lights up in some peaceful, ambient colors

Light

As well as outstanding acoustic performance and impressive functionality, SoundOrb Aurora explores what an audio system can bring to a room beyond sound:

• Striking polar white design that simultaneously delivers sound and light
• EveryColour ambient light: LED technology housed in the Sub-Woofer provides 1000s of colors from within the natural spectrum, scientifically proven to complement and relax your experience of music
• Flexible settings: scroll through colors, stay on a color of choice (or clean white light) or simply turn off the light

Sound

Now for the most important part of any audio related review – the sound test. The SoundOrb was docked up to our iPhone 3GS (in white too) and the tunes were provided by Spotify.

The sound produced by this speaker system is nothing more than orchestral! It’s pin sharp and incredibly clear. Working through the volume to the top, there’s little loss of quality. The bass offers up incredible depth to your tunes and is very powerful. The dial on the back allows for tweaking of the amount of bass – around 50% suited us best.

There are 3 sound modes – Virtual Wide Stereo, Virtual Surround sound or the normal ’stereo’ mode – the normal stereo mode does suit spoken radio programs or podcasts but virtual wide stereo and surround sound really add a new field to your music or movies.

Speaking of which, the SoundOrb can connect to DVD players or TVs and provide powerful soundtracks to films and TV programs. This is all achieved via a video outport and Audio in port.

If you can get to a store to try the SoundOrb, you must! It must be heard to be believed. This is our favorite and most highly recommended speaker system for your iPhone or iPod.

Operation

Operating the SoundOrb is very simple with the provided remote or large blue buttons on the top of the main speaker. This remote can pause, play and skip tracks playing through the iPod and adjust settings such as volume, bass and sound mode.

Conclusion

Having said things like “This is our favorite and most highly recommended speaker system for your iPhone or iPod. ” and “The sound produced by this speaker system is nothing more than orchestral!” you can probably guess our thoughts on this system. The punchy, clean sound is a listening pleasure. It’s the best speaker system we’ve tried to date. It looks amazing, sounds amazing and it lights up! What more can you ask for? The only downside? We have to send our review sample back

The Gear 4 SoundOrb Aurora is available for a SRP of £249.99.

For more information visit: http://www.gear4.com/product_detail.php?products_id=602

That means that for gaming & music listening at a reasonable volume the mac speakers just don’t square up. You really should consider upgrading to some external speakers – but let’s face it, you don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars and you really don’t need to. What’s more for under a hundred dollars you can have set of speakers that look & sound excellent. Step in the Logitech 2.1 Speaker System Z323 – the perfect candidate for upgrading your mac’s sound.

Features

360-degree sound

The speakers included with the Logitech project sound 360 degrees. That means you don’t have to spend hours setting the speakers up to point into a sweet spot, in which you must sit or else suffer diminished sound quality. No, the Z323 speakers have a front and rear facing driver. This projects uniform sound to overcome the problem of high to mid frequency drop out as you move around. A very handy feature indeed.

10.2 cm down firing Sub woofer

The included sub-woofer sits neatly under your desk, and has an adjustable bass control. Output is strong, clear and adds extra definition to your gaming, movie and musical experiences. The mac severely lacks any form of bass at volume, the sub noticeably improves listening quality.

Easy set-up & integration with the mac

The Z323 was very easy to set-up. The sub-woofer acts as the central unit, with all auxiliary speakers connecting to it. The sub also provides power via the included AC wall adapter. The speakers connect to the Mac via the headphone outlet. They even have their own headphone and AUX-in inputs on the side, so you need not sacrifice your headphone jack. There’s another AUX-in on the back of the sub-woofer, meaning you can connect the system up to most any gadget, from your iPhone to a DVD player.

Once connected, you can use the volume control dial on the right speaker (which also cuts power when turned to it’s left most setting) or even the volume keys on your mac keyboard. The speaker system will take over from your Mac speakers and these no longer output sound.

The Logitech Z323 speaker system

Design

It has to be said the Z323’s look great! The 2 satellite speakers are finished on the front with a high gloss black (which can attract finger prints, like the Mac screens or iPhone) and the on the rear, a matte gray plastic. Sitting in the centre on the rear you’ll find the rear firing output. Front side are two reliefs – one for the driver and another acts as the port. These are detailed in a lighter gray color around the perimeter.

The Logitech speakers look great next to any iMac or Mac.

Sat next to a Mac, these little speakers look amazing! The design is simple and subtle and makes the speakers look like they cost $500 more than they actually did! Big thumbs up here. The sub-woofer also doesn’t disappoint, with it’s professional looking outer shell – finished in a matte black – the compact unit looks the part – though it’s a shame it will probably end up on the floor out of view. A solitary silver Logitech emblem resides on the front panel, matching the second of the 2 satellite speaker’s.

Sound

It’s all fine and dandy if these speakers look great and have some great features. But how do they sound? Very good! After plugging the Z323’s in, the difference between our in-built iMac speakers and that of the Z3’s was cavernous. The sound output is much more rich, clear, crisp, punchy and a lot louder! The bass adjusted to the right level offers good amounts of bass without overpowering and is a significant improvement over the mac speakers.

Overall the sound quality is great. They punch well above their weight and improve the sound quality of your Mac 50 fold. We’re more than happy with these speakers, which let’s not forget cost 99 cents more than a Magic Mouse.

Conclusion

We think it’s essential you don’t just make do with your inbuilt mac speakers. Why spend thousands on a high spec machine and forget completely about the experience you get from good speakers? By spending no more than you would on a Snow Leopard upgrade, you’re transforming your Mac from excellent to phenomenal! Listening to music, watching films and playing games are now much more exciting and offer an enhanced user experience. These speakers are highly recommended for anyone who wants to improve their Mac.

Find out more about the  Logitech Z323 Speaker System at Logitech.com.

http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/speakers_audio/home_pc_speakers/devices/5862&cl=us,en

A while back we launched our Postbox For Mac giveaway. Today we announce the winners. Don’t forget to stay tuned for more awesome Apple app and tech giveaways!

So, a drum roll please!

1st Winner is @TyagoNeres

The 2nd winner is: @hannahnu

Please contact ben@applereviews.com for your licences!

More giveaways coming very soon!

The Edifier is a pretty mean piece of kit, offering up some great features and good sound quality. Let’s take a look at the device.

Features

• All-in-One audio system for iPod, iPhone and MP3 players.
• Five driver speaker system incorporates unique vibration and resonance control technologies coupled with low frequency porting and mid-range tuned cavities for smoother, cleaner audio.
• Magnetically shielded 5.75-inch woofer, two 2.75-inch midrange drivers and two 2.5-inch tweeters.
• Digital FM radio.
• Top mounted iPod/iPhone dock with universal docking system is compatible with all iPod and iPhone models.
• Aux input allows MP3 players and MP3 enabled cellular phones to be connected and played.
• Remote control with full function iPod and iPhone control and navigation.
• Full range 100-240V 50/60Hz “universal” switch-mode power supply.

As you can see, the Edifier is pretty feature-packed.

Features of note: the Five driver speaker system, which offers up good quality, clean sounds.

The remote included makes operating the speaker much more handy, and the controls are very simple.

On the base plate, you’ll find the iPod / iPhone dock, controls for volume (and mode – with a choice of iPod / FM tuner or AUX in for generic MP3 players) and the IR receiver, covered in a black gloss plate.

The whole unit feels very well built, and of good quality. The gloss black finish looks very sleek and aluminum finish on the base plate adds a touch of class. The unusual almost saucer shaped speaker really stands out from the crowd.

Styling & Looks

The Luna 5 is pretty big. But as they say, big is beautiful. The rear of the speaker is finished in a piano gloss black, with a single LED in the center that lights up when in operation.

The front of the speaker is taken up mostly with the large speaker, and the docking / control port – which is finished with a brushed aluminum casing.

The speaker looks very slick, and sits perfectly next to your iMac as much as it does in your living room.

Test

Now for the fun part, the test. After unpacking the speaker and setting it up with supplied AC power adaptor, we set about trying out some of our favorite tunes. We also tested a mixture of song styles and genres, in order to get a feel for the bass and treble and see how the speakers handle heavy metal or 1980’s pop.

It has to be said the quality of sound is pretty much pin sharp. There’s a good amount of bass and treble, but it’s the crispness you’ll most enjoy.

Even at full volume there is little to no distortion, delivering powerful, clean sounds. At full volume, the speaker is incredibly loud.

We tested the speaker with both Spotify & iTunes. Sound quality across the board was excellent. Spotify is re-knowned for it’s less than great music quality due to processing for streaming, but the speakers made up for that with superior quality.

We are more than happy with the sounds delivered from the speaker.

The brushed aluminum plate

We then moved on to testing out the built in FM transmitter. Tuning was painless and the signal was strong in several locations throughout our office. Having the Edifier handle FM radio is great idea, as it reduces the number of gadgets on your desk and makes up for the iPhones lack of radio.

The Luna 5 remote made operating the speakers very simple and enjoyable. The remote itself is not overly big, and very comfortable in the hand.

Conclusion

Overall we’d rate the Luna 5 as 8 / 10.

The speaker looks great and offers up clear, crisp audio. There’s a good amount of bass and treble, though from what we’ve seen, there is no way to adjust the levels. The package is well thought out and caters for most all iPods / iPhone models.

Pros

• Looks great – a real statement
• Sound quality is crystal clear and well defined
• Good volume range
• Easy operation with remote
• Lengthy power cable
• Good value

Cons

• A little on the large side (not that it bothered us)
• Would benefit from bass / treble adjustment.

The Luna 5 is available from all good retail stores, for a SRP of £199.99 (US MSRP $249).

For more information, visit Edifier UK | US.

Using a headset quickly becomes very important. However, because a headset is traditionally a ‘loose’ item – i.e. it’s one of those things that gets dropped into your pocket or bag – they often get lost.

That has always put me off headsets personally. That, and they don’t really look good.

But that is not true! The Mogo Talk has just been released and it sets new standards in the iPhone headset arena. No longer is the headset just another gadget for you to lose! No longer is re-charging your headset painful. Finally, the headset you wear actually looks good!

Introducing the MogoTalk

Features

Fully integrated into your iPhone 3GS (or 3G)

Ultra slim, light, small and comfortable, MoGo Talk’s sophisticated and minimalist design enables the headset to easily fold flat and snap in and out of its MoGo Dock protective case—which fits seamlessly on the back of an iPhone 3GS or iPhone 3G.

High Fidelity Sound with SoundMonitor™ + SmartAudio™ Technology

The MoGo Talk headset delivers two-way crystal clear conversations leveraging powerful SmartAudio active noise compensation & echo cancellation technology that is perfectly complemented by the SoundMonitor™ balanced armature driver technology, previously reserved for in-ear monitors used by top musicians.

SoundShape™ for Superior Comfort + Fit

The Exclusive SoundShape™ eartip design naturally flex-forms and fits the contours of your ear. These eartips provide comfortable yet secure long-term wear along with more than 15dB of passive noise-cancellation to block ambient noise and supply rich bass response.

The Mogo Talk is nothing short of revolutionary. The Talk package is made up of a heavy duty, sturdy iPhone case, with a built in slot for the included headset. The mono headset sits neatly on the back of your iPhone wherever you go – meaning it’s always close to hand and you’ll never lose it. What a great idea!

The stylish looking headset.

Applying a little pressure to the left side of the headset releases the receiver from it’s holder. The headset itself folds flat for storage, but when in use the mic boom rotates away from the earpiece to direct itself towards your mouth. That means the headset looks sleek on the back of your iPhone and doesn’t stand proud of the case.

The Fold-out mic boom.

The MogoTalk case is made up of strong, durable plastic and fits very snugly around the iPhone. The 5mm thin headset is positioned on the rear of the case, in a slot that facilitates re-charging of the ear-piece in place. This is achieved via a simple pop-up mini-usb connector. Charging is no issue with this product, because you simply flip over the iPhone, and plug in the provided USB charging cable from your Mac.

The rear of the case with the charging dock.

The charging conduit can be seen (two gold prongs).

The Mogo Talk has a cut-out for the camera.

The iPhone still requires charging as normal, as the all in one case is a separate element. However, this does mean that the Mogo isn’t piggybacking off your iPhones battery.

Ergonomics

When using the Mogo Talk, you can tell some serious planning and development has gone into the product. This is evident in the ergonomics in particular.

Mogo could have made a fairly low quality, uncomfortable case here, but they haven’t.

The Mogo Talk case is very comfortable in the hand.

Because the case has to house the 5mm thin headset, it must leave the contour of the iPhone’s rear case and thus alter the feeling in your hand. The case has a slightly more angular back than the iPhone alone – but this has been shaped in order to make it very comfortable. I prefer the feel of the iPhone with the Mogo Talk on because the arched back fits more firmly into one’s hand.

The headset is also extremely comfortable. Unlike other headsets, the Mogo Talk is shipped with several alternate ear-tips to suit varying ear shapes and sizes. The ear-tip simply slips into the ear canal, and is held firmly in place. The ear-tips are designed to block our ambient noise to give clear, crisp conversations.

The Mogo Talk in ear is very comfortable even for extended periods.

After wearing this headset for several hours, we found no discomfort or aching, unlike some in ear devices that can cause dull pain in the ear.

The headset doesn’t move or flap around once in place. You can shake your head vigorously and expect the headset to remain in place which is good as it means you won’t be constantly annoyed by the earpiece moving around.

Sound Test

Connecting the headset and MoGo Talk in use.

Pairing the iPhone and Mogo Talk was very simple. Following the instructions, we charged the headset, then held down it’s sole button for around 10 seconds. This triggers the LED situated at the tip of the headset to flash blue and red. This is the signal it is searching for devices to pair with. You then simply turn on your iPhones blue-tooth and search for devices. The iPhone will connect to the headset in a matter of seconds and your ready to start making and taking calls.

Once in place, the Mogo Talk provides excellent quality sound. Conversations were clear and understandable. The recipient of our test calls also confirmed the headset did not adversely effect sound quality and they could easily comprehend what we were saying as we tested the headset whilst moving around as well as driving.

The stylish headset.

As the headset is bluetooth powered, we decided to test the range on offer. We were able to walk around 30 feet away (through a wall) with no drop in quality of sound – both sent and received. That means you can walk and talk so to speak.

You should be set for around 4 hours talk time between charges, and 72 on standby. However, we charged our headset up over 96 hours ago and have yet to receive the low battery signal.

Style

The Chrome and brushed effect adds to the styling.

Many aftermarket accessories for the iPhone are poorly styled. Not the Mogo Talk however! The Headset features a a metallic brushed effect plate, with a further chrome plate on top. This looks very good. The protective case is finished in Gloss Black – and this looks great on a black or white iPhone!

Conclusion

We are very impressed with the Mogo Talk. It delivers on all levels and then some! The sound quality is crystal clear thanks to the noise cancellation and echo reduction. It’s incredibly comfortable and looks amazing. Plus, charging is super simple and the protective case not only provides protection for your phone as well as a neat store for the bluetooth headset. The Mogo Talk is a comprehensive and well thought out package. Not only do you get the required charging cable but the manufacturers have included a handy screen protector film and polishing cloth.

The Mogo Talk looks brilliant.

This is one complete package and the best iPhone headset we’ve tested. It looks the best, works the best and sets new standards in this arena.

If your looking for a headset then the Mogo Talk should be at the very top of your list. In fact, it should be the only product on that list. Highly recommended!

The iPhone is undoubtedly one of (or THE) best ever gadgets. It’s so slick, powerful and customizable (with apps, cases e.t.c.).One jaw droppingly annoying downside though – the battery takes a hammering. If you are a heavy iPhone user it’s not uncommon to be re-charging twice a day. Consider that your not always near a power socket and you have a problem! If your on a hiking trip in the middle of nowhere, and want to snap some photos and video, but your battery is dead – what can you do? Build a make-shift solar panel from a spoon and some water?

The Gum Pro

No! Simply purchase a Gum Pro. The Gum Pro is a highly powerful ‘mobile battery pack’ that offers enough output to meet the iPhone’s requirements and enough storage to re-charge the battery 2 – 4 times. Let’s take a look at this miniature power-house!

LED indicators on the front

Features & Specs

As per usual, we’re looking at the facts and figures first, before offering our opinion of the product. The Gum Pro doesn’t disappoint in the specs what so ever!

• ON/OFF switch for power saving
• LED indicators for remaining power
• 4400 mAh high capacity Li-On battery
• Input (Mini USB) : 5VDC, 500mA Min
• Output (USB Type A Port) : 5VDC, 1000mA

Several of the above features are worthy of note. The storage is sufficient enough to charge your device several times to 90% battery level in an hour. That means you won’t be stood around waiting for the iPhone to charge too long. In fact, you don’t have to be stood around at all, as this device has a reasonable form-factor so that it would fit in even the smallest of pockets. Another noteworthy feature is the mini-usb input charging. Because you don’t need a plug socket, you can simply charge the Gum Pro from your MacBook USB ports. That means when your out and about, you can re-charge the Gum Pro too, keeping your iPhone going for longer. Personally, I prefer this method of charging over a wall adapter, because it reduces issues with plug compatibility when traveling and negates the need to go searching for sockets.

Impressions

As with our recent review of the JustMobile Xstand, the Gum Pro arrived in a very smart looking box. I know this is only the packaging, but it shows the kind of quality and level of detail invested in each JustMobile product. Sliding open the box, you are presented with the device held neatly inside and the included USB cable and instructions hidden underneath.

The Gum Pro on charge. Note the size compared to hand.

Holding the Gum Pro in your hand, it feels light, no more heavy than say your iPhone, but bearing in mind this has the equivalent of 6 Sub-C cell type batteries and it’s understandable. The shell is plastic and pretty touch. The surround has a matte finish so sticky finger-prints don’t become a problem. Thanks to the lozenge shape, it’s comfortable to hold in the hand or place into a pocket, with no sharp edges to jab your leg. The Gum Pro should fit into any pocket, or failing that you can always place this in your gadget or camera bag when traveling.

The Gum Pro looks great on any desk!

Located on the top side is a standard USB port and it’s at this side you plug in your iPhone charging cable. On the opposite side, is the mini-usb port that supplies the Gum Pro with power. Situated on the top side are the 3 battery level indicators (showing the Gum Pros own power level and current charging state) and the on-off switch. That’s pretty much all there is to the device, which is simply and subtly styled.

Test

The Gum Pro in action, charging our iPhone.

And now it’s crunch time. We’ve run our iPhone 3Gs down to about 30% battery. Our scenario is we’re out and about in the town, and need to charge our iPhone stat! One fully charged Gum Pro is pulled from our pocket then connected to the iPhone. We get the charging “blip” and we pop it back into our pocket or laptop bag. Simple! Just as promised the Gum Pro charges our iPhone from 30% to 100% in about an hour. The best feature of the Gum Pro has to be that you can simply be anywhere and top-up your iPhone for extra time. Literally anywhere, making this product ideal for travellers and busy people who need the iPhone but also need more power!

Conclusion

The Gum Pro is one of the must have iPhone accessories. If you ever need to be on the move or go without a plug socket for more than a day you need this gadget. JustMobile products are carried by many popular online retailers, for more information visit: Xstand.

Features

Simple interface.
Store any type of files.
Access music, videos, podcasts and photos.
Instant access to Notes.
Easily create new Notes.
Export iPhone SMS/MMS and recent calls.
Use your iPhone for backup.
Bring your data between home and office.

Phoneview has some pretty awesome features. Possibly, the best, is the iPhone disk mode. This allows you to transform your iPhone into a portable hard drive. It does require you install PV on the other mac, but this is no problem as Ecamm allow you to install the app on multiple macs.

Then, you can simply drag and drop files for storage onto the phones hard drive. Genius!

However, this app isn’t a one trick pony. PhoneView also allows you to access the following:

• Contacts
• Sms
• Call Log
• Browsing History / Bookmarks from Safari for iPhone
• Voicemail
• Music e.t.c

Most of the above can be just dragged onto your desktop and stored as the according file format (.txt for messages, .mpg4 for voice-mails).

Worthy Features

Disk View turns your iPhone into a usable hard-drive, no unlocking needed!

The best feature of PhoneView has to be the disk mode. This allows access to the iPhone’s hard-drive for storing any file. You do need PhoneView to pull these off again, but PV can be installed on any of your own macs.

Another feature worthy of mention, is that when you plug in your iPhone on another mac, it doesn’t need to be synced via iTunes to access the content. That means you can pull music, ring tones and other files from your phone to another mac. Very handy, and something Apple are pretty strict over.

Accessing content such as contacts

Or an alternative to importing photos via Image Capture (why doesn’t itunes do something like this???)

Video Review

Conclusion

We highly recommend purchasing PhoneView. For $19.95 you get full access to your phone’s content, without the meddling iTunes. PhoneView opens up your phone to access by other macs and works a treat. The interface is simple and easy to understand, making the app a must-have for any iPhone owner.

For information or to purchase PhoneView, visit Ecamm Network.

Apple don’t make a stand for the iPhone, but if they did the chances are it would be machined out of a single piece of aluminum, look and feel amazing and finally, it’d cost the price of a small family car.

Fortunately, JustMobile have come to the rescue with their highly popular iPhone stand line-up, it certainly looks the part but is priced very sensibly. Today we’ll be giving their iPhone stand offering the once over.

Features

• All solid aluminum construction
• 360 degrees rotation
• Adjustable viewing angle
• Cable management
• Non-slip feet

As you can see, the Xstand is an excellent piece of technical work. The stand part is machined from one single piece of matte aluminum. About half way down the stand, you’ll find a hole to insert cables – very much like the iMac cable holes. Sitting atop this base that basically is styled like a mini-iMac is the X part – that is the phone holder. This is attached to the base by a large Thumb Screw on a very beefy 7 – 8 mm screw.

Included are 2 rubber washers that act to allow the top to swivel and adjust view angles – which is achieved by simply sliding the top up and down the machined channel in which it sits. Finally, the Holder has 4 rubberised grips at each corner to give your phone a secure and cushy placement.

High quality packaging ensures your product arrives in factory mint condition! Gives the product a real high-class feel

Opening the box…

Technically, this product is excellent. There are no unneeded elements, everything is there for a reason and this gives it a very Apple-esque look.

The hole at the back of stand allows for neat cabling

Initial impressions

The stand holding our iPhone

Upon receiving this package, we eagerly opened up the outer postage packing to be greeted by the site of a very expensive looking package. The package has various chrome detailing on and is finished in a matte effect which gives the product a high quality feel. Sliding open the box, you are first met with a view of the X holder. This looks great. Sliding out another internal package reveals the lower base and a JustMobile brochure. The Xstand is fastened to the removable packaging, keeping it safe during shipping. On the underside, there are 2 diagrams displaying how to re-assemble the product, which is as simple as unscrewing the thumbscrew and slotting this through the groove on the top of the base.

Holding the iPhone as we watching some online TV

This is a very simple procedure, and the washers also had protective cardboard gromits on either end presumably to reduce the chance of wear whilst shipping. We removed these.

The gnarled thumb screw that allows for tightening of the base. Machining here is excellent. You can also see the Rubber (and card) washers.

Fully assembled the stand looks fantastic! It really compliments any desktop, and looks great next to your iMac or Macbook – which is where it will be spending most of it’s time.

Usage

Looks excellent next to our iMac and wireless keyboard

The stand may look top heavy – but in actually fact the wide leg and rubber strip that runs around the underside mean it sticks to most surfaces very well. When rotating the iPhone to a new orientation it remains firmly planted, and it would take a very firm push to knock it over.

The swiveling head works smoothly and offers 360 orientation. This makes the stand great if you like to watch movies when your in bed or just relaxing. This is one of the biggest uses I can see for the stand, that of making your device much more comfortable to use in situations where you may be watching it for an hour or two.

Side profile without the iPhone in place

Another use I’ve found is simply having set-up next to my iMac as a charging dock and also to offer up new SMS messages as I get them. You won’t ever miss a text again! The rubber holders do a very good job of keeping your iPhone in place but it isn’t locked in place, so removal is pretty easy in case you get a call or need to go out.

Rubberized underside stops scratching and gives the device some grip!

Typing on the xstand also works very well. In landscape mode it is possible to send an email like typing on a miniature keyboard, rather than using your thumbs. This with practice should be quicker.

The wide base offers stability and sexy looks – just like a mini iMac

Conclusion

To conclude, the Xstand is great! The quality is excellent, there are no rough burs on this silky smooth piece of machine awesomeness. It’s very stable and most importantly it holds your iPhone securely while you watch a movie or check your emails. A fantastic accessory and well worth it’s weight in pure gold. My only regrets are we didn’t purchase one sooner!

You can find out more about the excellent line-up of Xstand products for the iPhone and other Apple products here: Xstand. JustMobile have developed some truly brilliant products, so you should check these out. Stand by for further reviews from the JustMobile range in the future.