Griffin

33 'Griffin' stories September 2011 - January 2013

Belkin debuts the Thunderstorm Handheld Home Theater, an iPad case with integrated front-facing speakers

Jordan Kahn Jan 6 2013 - 3:49 pm PT

Belkin Thunderstorm Handheld Home Theater 01

Belkin-Home-Theatre-Case We just looked at the latest range of audio accessories from Griffin, and now well-known accessory maker Belkin is showing off a new audio product for CES 2013: The Belkin Thunderstorm Handheld Home Theater. Available starting this month on the Apple Store, the otherwise traditional-looking iPad case packs in front-facing ported speakers, thanks to a little help from Audifi, and doubles as a stand with various angles.

The case works as a dock, meaning Belkin will release two models to accommodate for both 30-pin and Lightning connectors. Belkin is also making a free companion app available that will allow users to customize sound profiles for different types of media. The Thunderstorm app isn’t available yet in the App Store, but it should début alongside the 30-pin version of the Thunderstorm Handheld Home Theater case sometime this month. A lightning-compatible version of the dock will become available in the spring. Both models will sell for $199.99 from Amazon, the Apple Store, and additional retailers.

We’ll bring you full hands-on from the CES show floor shortly.

Update: We had a chance to listen to the product on a loud crowd floor. While the sound was definitely a significant improvement over the built-in iPad capability, it was a little tinny/thin and didn’t add as much base as we would have liked. We’ll have more when we get some hands-on time later.

Updated Gallery below:
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Griffin unveils updated audio lineup with XLR to 3.5mm ‘MicConnect’, partners with Crayola and Nickelodeon for kids accessories

Jordan Kahn Jan 6 2013 - 9:07 am PT

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Griffin CES 2013 audio products

The 9to5Mac crew just touched down in Las Vegas for CES and to kick things off we have a slew of new products from Griffin, many of which we plan to get our hands on next week during the show.

First off, it’s introducing a new lineup of audio accessories including an updated Lightning version of the Studio Connect interface for iPad it launched last year (full review here). The new version will be available May 2013 for $149.99. We also get Griffin’s new Mic Stand Mount. It is a $39.99 iPad stand that works like a traditional microphone performance stand. Lastly for audio products, Griffin is launching an XLR to 3.5mm mic to bring studio-quality recording to iPads Griffin-PowerDock5-CES-2013 and iPhones (it’s available June 2013, but we hope to bring you a full review of the MicConnect soon).

Pictured to the right is another new accessory Griffin has at CES. The $99.99 charging cradle is known as the Power Dock 5. The dock accommodates iOS devices with cases and holds up to five full-sized iPads. It also launched the new WoodTones headphones made from responsibly harvested Beech, Sapele, and Walnut woods (pictured at top).

Griffin Crayola CES 2013

Griffin isn’t stopping there, as it is also launching a ton of new iOS accessories aimed at children including a partnership with Crayola to bring a digital stylus shaped like a thick Crayola marker ($29.99 with a free companion app this spring). Other kids’ products include the Crayola Color & Play Workstation. Griffin described it as an “all-in-one iPad workstation that includes a built-in carrying handle and three storage cubbies for their crayons, markers and digital coloring tools like ColorStudio HD and DigiTools.”

The company is also teaming up with Nickelodeon to bring SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Dora the Explorer themed iOS accessories to market. Finally, it will show off its latest in the children’s KaZoo lineup with “new headphones, iPod touch cases, a charms lanyard kit and kid-friendly AUX cables themed after animals.”
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Holiday Shopping Guide: Every single great Lightning accessory we could find

Jordan Kahn Nov 23 2012 - 12:07 pm PT

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With Apple’s latest MFi summit taking place earlier this month to school accessory makers on adopting Apple’s new smaller Lightning connector standard, many accessories from reputable companies are quickly starting to roll out. Unfortunately, the delay in getting the new standard out to third-party accessory manufacturers means many well-known companies might not get a product on the market in time for the holidays. Some that have released products are unable to keep up with demand and ship before the Dec 25.

For those of you looking for a Lightning dock, car chargers, adapter, or any other accessory before the holidays, we put together a guide to all the Lightning accessories currently available to order.

Many of the products below are also discounted for Black Friday and through the weekend:
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Griffin begins shipping Lightning cables with its $25 Powerjolt Car Charger

9to5 Staff Nov 16 2012 - 12:12 pm PT

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It isn’t just the no-named guys overseas (which actually work quite well!).

Now mainstream accessories maker Griffin has started to ship its own Lightning products—beginning with the $25 Lightning lighter adapter. Expect a lot more where that came from in the near future.

Other manufactures, including Scoche, Belkin, and JBL, have announced Lightning products, but these are the first cables we’ve seen actually shipping from a mainstream supplier.

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Griffin’s MIDIConnect interface for iOS devices now available

Jordan Kahn Jul 11 2012 - 11:11 am PT

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We recently brought you a full review of Griffin’s StudioConnect audio/MIDI interface and dock for iPad, and the company is now announcing availability of the device’s little brother, the MIDIConnect. Rather than give you an almost full-fledged audio interface for the iPad, like StudioConnect, MIDIConnect simply provides standard 5-pin MIDI in and out. MIDIConnect is available through Griffin for $79, which is about half the price of the StudioConnect.

Nashville, TN – July 10, 2012 – Griffin Technology, one of the world’s foremost creators of innovations for everyday life, is excited to announce the availability of MIDIConnect, a MIDI in and out interface for iPod touch, iPhone and iPad.

“MIDIConnect offers musicians a compact and portable solution to create and edit music on the go, at a fraction of the cost of a recording studio,” said Ethan Opelt, Line Manager of Griffin’s Audio category. “We are excited to be showcasing MIDIConnect as well as Griffin’s lineup of music products at Summer NAMM, taking place in Nashville, our home town.”

MIDIConnect adds a MIDI input and output to iOS devices. Intuitive to use, MIDIConnect allows you to plug MIDI keyboards and other MIDI-capable devices into an iPad, iPod touch or iPhone. Play your MIDI instrument straight into GarageBand or other MIDI-capable apps, or download MIDI Controller apps to use the MIDI out port and your touchscreen in performance, as a MIDI controller. Both MIDI in and out ports are industry-standard 5-pin DIN connectors, compatible with most commonly available MIDI cables and connectors.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANnKDpVpzow&feature=player_embedded]

Review: Griffin StudioConnect audio/midi interface & dock for iPad (9to5mac.com)

Review: Griffin StudioConnect audio/midi interface & dock for iPad

Jordan Kahn Jun 17 2012 - 5:12 pm PT

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We first told you about Griffin’s StudioConnect audio interface when it unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year. There are more than a few products on the market that make it easy to hook up your guitar, mic, or MIDI controller to the iPad for use with the many iOS apps that include built-in DAWs with CoreMIDI support (such as Apple’s own GarageBand). While it might not be the prettiest iPad dock we have seen, there are a few reasons why it beats the competition.

With StudioConnect, in terms of inputs and outputs, what you get is pretty basic: standard 5-pin MIDI in and out, one 1/4-inch mono input, and left and right RCA output. The large knob out front controls the 3.5mm headphone jack below it, while a separate volume wheel on the side is for your main output. It is more than enough to plug in supported mics, a guitar, or a MIDI controller, but it is clear that Griffin did not build the StudioConnect with professionals in mind. Most pros will not do anything too heavy-duty inside of an iOS app at this point. The inputs above will likely be sufficient for most musicians using the iPad as a mobile or writing setup.

While it does not offer some of the standard inputs and outputs that pros are familiar with, Griffin used its experience making iOS accessories to nail the design where the competition gets it wrong….

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iPad 3 prices and features matrix revealed

Mark Gurman Mar 2 2012 - 2:30 pm PT

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iPad 3 price matrix will be the same as iPad 2, above

One of the remaining mysteries ahead of the iPad 3 launch next week are the prices and configurations. If you don’t like surprises we have good news.

There was a rumor last week that gained traction which indicated that the US prices would increase by $70-$80. That doesn’t appear to be the case.

We’ve gotten word that iPad pricing is going to be the same across the board as the current iPad 2 models which should be no big surprise given Apple’s history – they rarely raise prices. Even better, some countries with currencies doing better than the US dollar should expect to see marginal drops in prices.

While we’re squashing, the configurations appear to be the same as current 16/32/64GB. One of the strange succession of posts from Digitimes this week said that Apple would move to 8GB/16GB/32GB. That appears even less likely than before, if that is even possible.

Update: This has no bearing on LTE one way or another

As always, thanks to Mr. X!

iPad Model numbers are as follows:
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Audio at CES 2012: Griffin’s audio interface for iPad, IK Multimedia’s new iRig lineup, ION’s guitar controller, and more

Jordan Kahn Jan 11 2012 - 12:25 pm PT

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We brought you some of the hottest accessories launched at CES 2012 yesterday, such as the vertical MacBook Air Dock from Henge and a new lineup of cloud products from D-link. That list also included one audio product, Griffin’s Twenty amp enabling Airplay playback on non-powered speakers, but today we bring you the rest of the most intriguing audio accessories and peripherals launched at the show.

Among them: A new audio interface for iPad from Griffin, new iRig accessories from IK Multimedia, and controllers from Line 6 and ION.

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Griffin TechSafe Case locks down your iPad 2

Jordan Kahn Sep 28 2011 - 11:53 am PT

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Well known iOS accessory maker Griffin Technology just announced the TechSafe Case for iPad 2, a protective polycarbonate case equipped with a 4-digit combination-lock and cable system for tethering the device to an anchor point.

“The TechSafe Case is the ideal solution to protect your iPad 2 while on the go,” said Matt Brown, Director of Category Management at Griffin Technology. “It takes only a few seconds to lock down your iPad, and it removes any opportunity for theft.”

Much like the Kensington SecureBack Security Cases we told you about a couple weeks back, the TechSafe Case is of course best suited for schools, offices, and other public settings where potential theft or damage is a concern. The design is a little more subtle than the SecureBack case, and at first glance seems like it would be more secure.

The case also has the typical foldout stands, one for “typing and tapping”, and the other for viewing content in landscape orientation. You also have easy access to the 30-pin connector, volume rocker, and power and home buttons. Griffin will even store your 4-digit code on their website in case you forget it.

You can grab the Griffin TechSafe Case for $79.99 on Amazon. The price is comparable to Kensington’s SecureBack case which goes for $79-$89. More images after the break.

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