Nearly all of Apple’s iOS accessories do more than advertised, and since you’ll spend a fortune buying them, we’d call that a good thing. So let’s make sure you get your money’s worth with these pricey iPhone and iPad add-ons sold at apple.com.
For $39, you can use the Apple Digital AV Adapter to hook your fancy iPad 2 to your fancy TV. Why bother? Because this little dongle mirrors your iPad 2’s display on your TV for larger-than-life FaceTime calls, for boring your friends to death with a slideshow of your travels, or for just supersizing your Mint.com app on your 42-inch LCD so you can see how badly you blew your monthly tech budget. Simply hook up the adapter to your iPad 2, plug an HDMI cable into it, and stick the other end of that HDMI cable into your
TV. Everything’s mirrored at a delicious 1080p (in other words, you can see the same image on your iPad 2 as your TV). Totally worth that TV upgrade!
Mirroring your iPad 2’s display on your HDTV is much, much cooler than it sounds.
But what about that completely obsolete conversation piece, the iPad 1—or another iDevice? No worries, they can still get in on the fun—sort of. If you have an iPhone 4, fourth-gen iPod touch, or a first-gen iPad, this adapter will technically work with your device. Only thing is, those devices can’t mirror onscreen displays, so you can only use this adapter to output videos to your TV at a max resolution of 720p. Just connect everything and hit Play on a YouTube video or some such, and it’ll be shown on your TV.
The more uses you can think of for this thing, the less you’ll think about how much you paid for it.
Now let’s say you’re feeling really crazy (or exceptionally lazy) and want to plug more dongles into your iPad 2 without unplugging anything. The Digital AV Adapter makes your dreams come true. A 30-pin connector on the adapter means you can connect third-party accessories like the iWow 3D, Bluetooth-enabled headphones, or even keyboard docks, effectively turning your iPad 2 into one sexy Autobot. And don’t forget about the Camera Connection Kit ($29), which gives any iPad tons of undisclosed powers, like the ability to import photos straight from your iPhone, remove items from an SD card sans computer, or even hook up USB keyboards and other USB devices (hubs, mics—grab the details at bit.ly/9HfgKN).
The Camera Connection Kit is one of our favorite accessories because it lets you connect so many USB gadgets to your iDevice.
Speaking of keyboard docks, did you know you can hook your iPhone up to the iPad Keyboard Dock ($69)? That’s right, it totally works, though you’ll need to have the patience to tolerate the occasional disconnect. It’s far from flawless, but the fact that you’re not typing on a touchscreen makes it completely worth it.
Join your iPhone and iPad Keyboard Dock in unholy matrimony.
And if we’re on the subject of getting your money’s worth from Apple accessories, the only dock worth 30 bucks is the one I tie my yacht to. If you’re feeling buyer’s remorse for that overpriced hunk of plastic you bought, find another use for it. Unless you’re stronger than Lindsay Lohan’s defense attorney, chances are your arms get tired making iPad FaceTime calls…but those unreasonably expensive iPhone and iPad docks make for pretty good tripods. Both accessories tilt the iOS devices a little, so compose your shots before FaceTiming your banker!
