The Macworld/iWorld San Francisco 2012 conference and expo has come to a close after yet another seemingly successful run at the Moscone Center near downtown San Francisco. This year’s event once again drew tens of thousands of fans who converged into The City by the Bay, where they were able to sample some great new software, iPhone and iPad cases, peripherals and scores of other new gadgets related to Apple products.
I was able to spend a few hours at the event, and by doing so, was able to try out some of the new offerings from the various companies on hand at the expo, in addition to enjoying some of the entertainment which made this year’s version unique to other Macworld events from past years. The following are a few of the highlights from the expo.
1) iBallz – Do you have a habit of dropping an iPad? Do you have a child that you’re concerned with handling your iPad? Then iBallz might be for you! Billed as the “original universal tablet stabilizing and shock absorbing harness,” the device encased around an iPad on was display inside a square plexiglass container similar to a bingo ball mixer that rotated continuously. This was meant to prove how durable gadget is but of course you wouldn’t want to “try this at home. At less than $20, I suspect it was a great seller and definitely a crowd pleaser.
2) Intoxicase – A local Silicon Valley company, Spicebox out of Cupertino, has come up with a novel idea: an iPhone case that also serves as a bottle opener! This is for you beer drinkers out that there who always seem to be in need a bottle opener. Now this wouldn't do me any good because I don’t drink beer but for millions of others, having an iPhone case that can open beer or other bottles, might be a hit at a party. Add in a free app that automatically detects when you open up a bottle, determines your level of intoxication and a function that helps you locate a local cab, some might call it the perfect gizmo for the beer drinking technophile. Some folks including myself would fret that it promotes drinking, but still it was an interesting addition to some of the bland cases on display.
3) Artist Rick Alonzo – One of most popular stops at the expo featured artist and martial arts expert Rick Alonzo from Fresno, California who created some dazzling works of painted art on a small stage. Occasionally he would show off his impressive martial arts and gymnastic skills while painting images of famous people like Steve Jobs, Elvis, and Jimi Hendrix. While Screenpro.com sponsored the artist at Macworld, not many attendees knew that he is also an evangelist who runs a ministry in Kingsburg, just south of Fresno.
4) Rock-It – Produced by OrigAudio from Orange County in California, this tiny gadget belts out some pretty awesome sounds by simply placing it on something hollow like a styrofoam cooler, a cardboard box or even a cup! Attached to an iPod or some other audio device, The Rock-It uses vibration to transmit sound from the device to create your own speakers! The compactness and the quality of the audio makes this worth checking out.
5) Keyboard case by Solid Line – One of the faults I’ve always had with the iPhone is that it’s built in keyboard is oftentimes too sensitive to the touch and makes a ton of errors. I’ve always wished there was pop out keyboard that you will see in rival cell phone providers. This keyboard/case by Solid Line out of San Francisco enables you to have just that. A classic technogeek standing next to me keep repeated “it makes it too wide”, referring to an iPhone but personally it didn’t appear to make that much of a difference although you would have to invest in a new case to house both the keyboard, metal casing and your iPhone.
Other attractions worth mentioning were the Zagg keyboards for iPads, the iFlashDrive dubbed as the world’s only USB flash drive for Apple hand held devices, the $68K speaker system (not a typo!), the iKeyboard, the GoRunnur pack, and the Polk Audio gymnasts (see video) on the trampoline!
So as we still are in the dawn of our new year, there won't be another Macworld San Francisco for some time. Yet with some of the innovative products on display at the event, I expect to see another sucessful year for Apple and already look forward to next year's event where we pay homage to all that is Mac.
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