One of the first complaints we heard about the iPad was decrying the lousy speaker setup. It faces the wrong way, and has tinny sound with low volume. If your audio experience is really important to you, then the Belkin Thunderstorm can help solve that issue once and for all. It transforms the iPad into a great mobile cinematic home theatre experience, perfect for movies and games.

The iPad has been a pretty interesting device for musicians over the last few years. There is a growing ecosystem of hardware and software that makes these tablets invaluable to musicians. One of the latest such products I’ve been able to check out is the Focusrite iTrack Solo. This handy little device lets you record guitar and vocals straight on your iPad without the need for any computer intermediary, so it is a great solution for use in the studio or on the go.

If you own an iPad, the two best accessories you can get to enhance your experience are a case, and a keyboard. I have recently been spending some time with the ZAGGkeys PROfolio+ Keyboard for second, third and fourth generation iPads. Not only does this accessory give you a solid case, and keyboard combination, but it does so with a little panache.

I recently put the LifeProof nüüd iPad case through its paces. This thing is possibly the most hardcore iPad case I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen a lot of them. If you’re really serious about protecting your iPad from just about everything while still being able to use it, then chances are this is just what you’re looking for. The reason it is called the nüüd, is because this leaves your screen ‘nude’, with nothing between you and the screen. That means you get to retain visual clarity and a great touch experience without anything getting in the way. They really seem to want to maintain a great experience using your iPad and not get in your way. They even go so far as to channel the sound properly so the speaker doesn’t sound covered up and muffled. With that in mind it is amazing that they’re able to offer so much protection simultaneously. This case means you can take your iPad pretty much anywhere. It is waterproof up to two meters deep. It is also snow, ice, and dirt proof to IP-68 standards. It is even shock proof, being designed to military drop survivability specs for four feet.

SkyDrive, Microsoft's Cloud backup and storage app has now been updated for all iOS devices and features added support for the iPhone 5 and iPad Mini.

Supertooth is a company known for blending together audio products with Bluetooth functionality, and the Melody on-ear headphones are one of the newest products sticking to that combination. Lightweight, user-friendly and well thought out, the Melody headphones are a decent set, but not quite to the level that they should be.

If you’ve ever felt your iPad was missing more of a booming audio presence, Belkin is looking to scratch that itch with its Thunderstorm case, which the company says is “the first handheld home theatre” for the tablet. With a hard, tight-fitting design, and stereo speakers along the side, the Thunderstorm also features the ability to direct the audio out to you depending on if you’re watching alone or with someone else.

I was never a huge fan of hiding portable gadgets away in bulky cases. That’s really changed with tablets though. It's the one gadget category where I find that cases are really essential to the experience. I can’t imagine carrying around my tablet without one. In the last few years I’ve become a bit of a tablet case aficionado. I’ve tried all sorts of cases out, from the least expensive budget options, to the top of the line options will all the bells and whistles. Recently I had the opportunity to take a handful of different Tucano tablet cases for a spin to see what I think of their lineup.

If you know about the Slingbox, then you know what it can do, and if you have the newest Slingbox 500, then you might want to read further to see what the box will be able to do. My Media and Slingbox Companion are the two new features introduced on the show floor today and they add some useful additions to what is becoming a more versatile product.

How many hours of sleep do you get a night? Eight hours? Seven hours? Maybe less? As someone who works in morning television I can usually count on one hand how many hours I get each night. Your body never really gets used to waking up at 2:45 in the morning. Truth is we all lead busy lives so we have to optimize the sleep we do manage to get. Enter technology.

Over the past couple of years sleep management devices have increased in popularity, probably as a result of our ever increasingly busy lifestyles. Small sensors are typically mounted on your forehead or wrist which send signals to a base station, recording your movements through the night. When you wake up, you can pour over the data collected to analyze how you slept. For the most part the original devices were uncomfortable and easily fell off in the middle of the night as you moved in your bed. However, newer devices such as the Gear4 Renew SleepClock take a "non-contact" approach. No headbands, no watches, no worries.

Logitech is well known for their line of computing accessories. They have a long history of PC accessories, and have been doing quite well with their tablet oriented accessories lately too. Today we’re taking a look at the Logitech K760. Its a Wireless solar keyboard accessory, a step up from their K750 which was quite popular when it rolled out last year.

Looking for new ways to engage fresh iPad users, Mattel's Apptivity line takes familiar games like Cut the Rope, Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja in order to create unique new interactive experiences with compatible figurines.  Much like the Skylanders series, Apptivity offers its own spin on the experience and hopes to continue the merger in some cool new ways. The technology isn't perfect, but it's a step in a bright new direction for Mattel.  Not sure how to introduce mobile gaming into a child's life?  This is a great first step.  

Set up is a breeze. On your iPad, visit www.mattel.com/apptivitycentral and download the Apptivity app.  Select one of the many Apptivity games and download the game to your iPad if you don't already have it and play!  

Keep in mind, in order to play these Apptivity games you need to turn off your multitasking gestures in iPad settings (I know, it's annoying, but I guess that's the price you pay... ).  Also, remember to get a good screen protector to avoid any scratches during playtime.  

Let's take a look at a few of these toys and how they measure up.  Visit the Mattel Apptivity page on Future Shop for even more.      

The ingenuity in accessories for iOS devices is something easy to acknowledge when you see just how the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch are utilized for any number of nifty gizmos. Ion Audio is one company that looks for these unique and consumer-friendly opportunities to turn an iOS device into something else. The iCade Mobile gives the iPhone or iPod Touch the traditional handheld gaming treatment, while the All-Star Guitar makes the iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch the main part of a toy guitar.

Bose has been one of the most popular makers of premium iPod and iPhone audio accessories. Their SoundDock speaker systems have long been the standard bearer of quality external speakers for iOS. In the age of AirPlay and the shift away from Apple's Dock Connector, the new SoundLink AirPlay speakers make the most sense for a multiple-device home or office.

Once the generally accepted leader in iOS camera apps, Camera+ has a lot of competition these days. Last week the folks at tap tap tap released Camera+ for iPad—which is a completely different app than Camera+ (for iPhone)—hoping to bring a completely native iPad editing and photography experience to the iPad.

I bought the app over the weekend and…well I’m glad it was only $0.99.