[January 06, 2012] Pump up the volume ; GAMES & GADGETS [Mirror (UK)] Tweet (Mirror (UK) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) 4S CASE pounds 69 from www.advancedmp3players.co.uk *** The iPhone accessory market that spins around Apple's smartphones shows no sign of slowing down. There's now something of a trend developing for cases that do more than just protect from bumps and scratches, with ones that include a diffuser to counteract the harshness of the camera's flash, to others that allow you to shoot snaps and take video underwater. As well as including a built-in back-up battery which pretty much doubles the iPhone's battery life, this snap-on hard body protector's unique selling point is an amplifier that boosts audio quality and provides added power for more demanding headphones. The amp certainly offers a subtle, but welcome, improvement to the iPhone's fidelity with a slightly warmer output, along with the ability for an ear-splitting boost in volume should you wish to inflict tinnitus upon yourself. The downside is that the case overrides the iPhone's regular volume controls, using some not particularly responsive up-and-down touch controls at the base of the unit to adjust levels. The 4S is a bit pricey, but it is sturdy and, despite its features, doesn't add a lot of extra bulk in your pocket. (c) 2012 ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]