Accessories

The Core Cases aluminum slider is a sharp looking hard case for the iPhone 3G. Although the product is a little expensive, it's made of aluminum for strength and low weight. After using the Core Case for seven months, here are some observations.

When the aluminum slider case (brushed black) first came out of the box, I was impressed. Unlike some other hard cases, there's an EVA foam layer on the inside to protect the plastic back of the iPhone 3G from scratches. Installation was easy, just place the phone in the back, and slide the front down until the side tabs click into place.

ZAGG is now offering Z.buds on their website at a discount. Buy one get one half price! Not only that, in the time since we reviewed the Z.buds on this site, ZAGG has introduced two new nylon cord colors, yellow and pink.

ZAGG is offering the discounted price until February 28th... but wait, there's more. Ordering two pairs ($79.99 + $39.99) makes your order with ZAGG over $100, so they throw in a FREE USB dual car charger!

All products from ZAGGaudio come with a 45 day money-back guarantee, and ZAGG's lifetime trade-in guarantee. If your Z.buds should ever fail you, ZAGG will replace them for a $20 deductible that covers diagnostics, repair/replacement, disposal, processing, and shipping and handling.

Sometimes it's easy to forget that the iPhone is capable of producing quality audio. If you're going to spend money on accessories, a headphone upgrade is essential. The stock earbuds are functional, but let's face the facts. The white plastic earbuds that everyone wears don't sound that great. They're not very comfortable to wear for long periods, and the cord gets tangled after two seconds in a jacket pocket. Getting a pair of Z.buds is like getting a whole new iPhone. Let me tell you why.

In case you were wondering how to round out your holiday shopping with iPhone accessories and add-ons, PC Magazine just released their list of the best complements to the Apple iPhone in their list of the Top 10 iPhone Accessories.

Since there's no clear indication of what the criteria were for making the list, chances are these are just the editor's favorites. Either way, they might give you the inspiration you need to choose the right present or stocking stuffer for the iPhone junkie on your list.

Here is a summary of what made the list from PC Magazine, in no particular order:

One of the still outstanding "head scratchers" regarding the Apple iPhone is the continued lack of support for the A2DP Bluetooth profile. Considering the iPhone's roots are in the iPod, a stereo music player, it is quite astounding that as we sit here already up to iPhone firmware 1.1.1, there is still no native support for A2DP. The good news is that this doesn't mean A2DP is unavailable to iPhone users.

For those of you unfamiliar with A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile), A2DP is a Bluetooth profile that allows for the wireless transmission of stereo audio from a source (i.e. a phone or computer) to an A2DP receiver (a set of Bluetooth headphones or stereo system).

Back to the good news. Though the iPhone itself does not support A2DP directly (at this time), all iPhone owners can still