With other platforms, it much easier for manufacturers to develop extensions. With Apple and its proprietary dock connector, manufacturers have a much harder challenge to create add-on for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. One of the first extension for the iDevices is the Square payment platform through the headphone jack. Working on the same concepts, a little known company called ThinkFlood has developed Redeye mini. If you’re not familiar with RedEye, it’s a small dongle, which plugs into your iDevice’s headphone jack and when paired with the RedEye application, turns your iDevice into the ultimate universal remote control.

From Thinkflood website:

RedEye hardware adds infrared capability to your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad so that you can control thousands of devices, from TVs and cable boxes to lighting systems and air conditioners. Together with the RedEye application  you have complete control over your home theater and many other devices that use infrared signals. Create custom activities around the things you do most — listening to music, watching movies, channel surfing — so you can spend more time doing and less time punching buttons.

How it works:

• You download the free App from the App Store
• Plug in the RedEye mini to your headphone jack.
• The application gives you the ability to setup rooms, select manufacturers and train the app for your devices. (45,000 plus). You can also manually train the app for your device.
• You can define activities, which are bundled tasks that would have required 3 different remotes to do the task
• The best part about the RedEye solution is the endless customization options to choose from different button styles, re-arrange the layout, and even combine the buttons from different devices, all on the same screen.

Where to Buy:

The RedEye comes in two models, you can read a comparison about the products here on ThinkFlood site.

RedEye is a USB solution which sells for $171. Buy RedEye now from Amazon

RedEye mini connects with your iDevice through the headphone jack and sells for $49. Buy RedEye mini now from Amazon

The RedEye products are welcoming addition to the iDevice platform. Looking forward to more cool devices coming up for the platform.

The iPad Camera Connection Kit includes two accessories for importing photos and videos:

• Camera Connector: Features a USB port to directly connect your digital camera using its USB cable.
• SD Card Reader: Features an SD card slot to directly connect an SD card.

In addition to supporting digital cameras and SD cards, you can also import photos and videos from your original iPhone, iPhone 3GS, and iPod nano using the Camera Connector. iPhone 3G is not supported.

If you are having problems in connecting or using the kit, please refer to this support article. I also found iLounge’s detailed review of the kit useful.

In this article we will see how you can use the same kit to extend the capabilities of your iPad.

1. Use USB keyboard with iPad

Apple’s iPad Keyboard Dock costs $69 and performs the same operation that you can do by using $29 adapter and a USB keyboard. If your keyboard has iTunes controls,volume and/or brightness controls and the number pad, they’ll work just fine with the iPad.

Just connect your iPad USB camera connector, plug in your USB keyboard, and you’re good to go. With some keyboard models, the iPad may display a message saying that the attached accessory will not work. However, after dismissing the message you will be able to use the keyboard with no problems.

2. Attach USB Microphone

The iPad’s built in microphone does a fairly good job for your audio conferencing like for Skype. But with the USB connector kit, you can use a USB Mic and enhance the audio experience. The iPad automatically recognizes the device within your apps like Skype.

3. Managing items on Camera and SD card

This is a situation all of us usually come across, where we are in need to selectively manage and delete few images from either your Camera of SD card. By using the Camera Connection Kit you can do just that on the go. You can delete all images or delete selected ones only.

4. Import pictures from iPhone and iPod Touch

This has to be one of the biggest life saver if you carry an iPhone to take pictures and first transfer them to your computer and then using iTunes to your iPad. Remove the need to transfer to computer all together, you can now directly

5. Using USB Audio Devices with iPad

If you are a proud owner of USB Audio Device such as a wireless headset, you will be more than happy to use them with the iPad using the USB connector kit. Most the buttons (play, forward, stop, pause) will work with the iPad. If your headset has mic capabilities, you are in luck again, they will work just fine. Depending on your gear, you will be saving around $30 ~ $100.

And the list goes on..

By adding a externanly powered USB Hub you may attach multiple USB simultaneously to the iPad, using less power of iPad battery juice.

If you have jailbroken your iPad (comments reserved), there are reports on how you can use externally powered USB Hard drives to the iPad.