The Five Stupidest iPhone 3G Accessories (So Far) | Gadget Lab from Wired.com

The Five Stupidest iPhone 3G Accessories (So Far) | Gadget Lab from Wired.com


The Five Stupidest iPhone 3G Accessories (So Far)
By Danny Dumas EmailJuly 16, 2008 | 7:19:24 PMCategories: Avoid At All Costs, iPhone, Reviews

Another iPhone launch, another generation of multicolored condoms, holsters and other miscellaneous polycarbonate crap designed to waste your time and drain your money. As the accessory market for the first-gen iPhone aptly demonstrated, there seems to be no limit to the gimmicky, over-the-top and flat-out useless accessories companies can conjure up for the device. And while it's still early in the 3G game, here's our short list of products whose very existence angers us. We have a strange feeling this list will grow exponentially in the coming months. —Bryan Gardiner

[Editor's note: We've assigned each accessory an A-F grade with "A" being excellent and "F " being your standard epic fail.]

Vshell_iphone3gaction 1. The DLO VideoShell

Part see-through protective case, part iPhone 3G kickstand, the VideoShell saves you the trouble of actually holding your new iPhone, all 4.7 ounces of it. DLO says the stand/case will work on any flat surface. It

Grade: Lazy, transparent and useless. Fail.

$20, dlo.com

Iphone_home_cherry 2. The iWood

If the $200 or $300 you just shelled out for the iPhone, plus the minimum $1,680 you'll be paying over the lifetime of your AT&T contract didn't put enough of a hurting on your checking account, try Minot's iWood case. This ligneous shell costs nearly as much as the 8GB iPhone -- and rumor has it, it's fashioned from Ents! Optional wood dock sold separately. Seriously we're not making this up.

Grade: Chop down a tree to make an iPhone case? Great, I've got a car that runs on baby-seal blood and bald eagles you might like. Fail.

$125, miniot.com

Picture_8 3. Macally Privacy Screen Protective Overlay

You're an important person with an important phone…doing important things. Needless to say, you'll want some privacy while updating your Facebook profile. The Macally privacy screen overlay is just the ticket. Nosey onlookers out of the 60-degree viewing angle won't see a thing on your iPhone, including how horrible you are at Super Monkey Ball.

Grade: You suck at Super Monkey Ball, and by extension, at life. Fail.

$20, macally.com



Another vanity/utility hybrid gem of an accessory from Macally; this screen protector doubles as reflective mirror when your iPhone 3G screen is turned off. Are you more beautiful than your new iPhone? Buy one and find out.

Grade: Perfect for conceited douchebags who need to signal low-flying aircraft. Fail.

$10, macally.com

Speck 5. ClipPod Car Visor and Belt Clip

OK, this one is really an accessory for an iPhone accessory. So meta! Fifteen dollars will buy you a protective pouch for (…wait for it) your Bluetooth headset. Clip it to your belt or car visor and let everyone know how easy it is for you to throw money away.

Grade: An accessory for an accessory. What, are you trying to be ironic? No, you're being an idiot. Fail.

$15, speck.com

And because we're not a bunch of jaded, chain smoking bitter cynics, here's a list of the Top 5 iPhone 3G accessories we absolutely love.