On Thursday 6th Jan the Consumer Electronics Show sprang in to life in Vegas, & you won't be surprised to learn that it was filled with Apple accessories. A custom built room titled the iLounge was heaving with manufacturers of devices for the iPad, iPhone & iPod & a unusual phenomenon is taking place. The iLounge is brimming with accessories that fasten to Apple products with suction cups. With the trend towards high gloss gadget design & lovely shiny smooth surfaces becoming increasingly desirable it makes sense , the convenience of having the ability to fundamentally stick accessories to your device & pop them off when you no longer need them is a ideal fit with the move towards modular know-how. Now devices can be included or removed as fundamentally as apps can be installed or removed.

Potentially the shows most basic product, the iTatch is a strap with a suction cup on the finish allowing an iPhone or iPad to be worn around the neck. The designer of the iTatch created the original version about this time last year & would distribute them in his bar free. The response from people was overwhelming so they increased the volume of his orders for suction cups & lanyards & commenced to produce them in bulk. The Consumer Electronics Show was an ideal way to show this stuff to the world. The day show which ended on 9th January attracted over 140,000 visitors globally & ,000 exhibitors.

January 6th 2011 was also the launch date for the (not dissimilar) iPad Fling, this clever tiny miniature joystick attaches to the screen of the iPad with a suction cup. Fitting directly over the on screen controls it acts as an interface between the user & the device. Critics have questioned whether this defeats the object of having touch screen which arguably is a better interface as it is more direct, however, personally being a tiny small tiny small tiny tiny bit of a fan of nostalgia & recalling how much fun I have had over the years playing games with joysticks I think is a great addition to an excellent device.

For the game lovers out there there was another great accessory. The suction cup steering wheel lets you relive your boyhood dreams of competing with Michael Schumacher & satisfy your need for speed with the ease of a transportable accessory that attaches to your Apple device. Whether your passion is for riding motorbikes, racing cars or flying spaceships this high precision device lets you expertly navigate your way between obstacles & adds that additional touch of reality to the betting experience. The design of the device is based on a racing automobile steering wheel to recreate the feel of driving a actual vehicle. The integral steering column stand adds stability & balance, reducing any unnecessary movement. The stands base fastens to any tidy smooth surface by a suction cup & may even be adjusted based on height & angle. The Apple device, when connected to the right adapter fundamentally fixes in to the centre of the wheel, making this literally plug & play.

So there is something of a revolution taking place, the lovely elderly suction cup neglected from the forefront world of innovation is making a comeback. Its a great example of reinventing an elderly product for the modern day, suction cups were patented in 1882 but now in the 21st century they are as useful as ever & are feasible finding their niche. They have been used for years for a variety of different jobs but never found their true calling, now it seems the humble suction cups meandering existence has finally turned a corner & found their market.

Perhaps the most beneficial of the suction cup based accessories that I have discussed are a great tiny product called Chilled Feet which fill a one-of-a-kind niche in the iPad accessory market. In case you have ever tried to prop up your iPad on a couple of books & a drinks coaster, or wedged it between a stapler & a plant pot in an try to get it in to a position that lets you actually use the tool then you may have realised that it would be a lot simpler if the tool had pop out feet. This is the niche that Chilled Feet fill. They are effectively short legs for the front of your tool & slightly longer ones for the rear which attach to the bottom of your iPad & keep it propped up nicely. The added benefit is that they prevent your iPad from sliding around on a smooth table. Originally designed to permit air to circulate around laptops to prevent overheating they are possibly even better suited to tablets such as the iPad where the screen is integral to the flat panel of the tool. As with all the other accessories listed they can fundamentally be removed when not in use & reattached in seconds when needed.