Griffin AirCurve Acoustic Amplifier for iPhone (Clear)

by Griffin Technology

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 5 x 1.6 x 6.9 inches ; 9.3 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B001IZNBDO
• Item model number: 9696-AIRCRVC
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (150 customer reviews)

Product Description

Imagine hearing your iPhone loud and clear, without using earphones or powered speakers. AirCurve turns your iPhone into a no-power-drain alarm clock on your nightstand, or a mini sound system that never needs batteries or adapters. This cleverly designed acoustic amplifier for your iPhone collects the sound from the built-in speaker of your iPhone, amplifies it in coiled waveguide within the base, and projects it into the room. The waveguide has been engineered to deliver amazing amplification ¿ you¿ll swear there are full-sized speakers in there.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

75 of 76 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly good!, February 14, 2009

By 

D. Coston "Mac geek" (SW Florida, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Griffin AirCurve Acoustic Amplifier for iPhone (Clear) (Wireless Phone Accessory)

I purchased the Griffin AirCurve as a bedside charging cradle for my iPhone 3G (cable and AC adapter not included). My thought behind this was that it would allow me to listen to content casually and would make the iPhone function better as an alarm clock. The Griffin AirCurve doesn't disappoint.

The construction is solid polycarbonate with metal hex-screws in the corners holding it together. The dock has soft silicone inserts for both the first-gen and iPhone 3G that provide a snug fit. On the bottom is a cable routing channel so that when you attach a dock cable the unit still sits flush on the table. All in all, the build quality is excellent.

In terms of performance, it is surprisingly good. The air channel inside the unit really does amplify the sound quite well. It isn't exactly "room-filling" and it isn't stereo, but it is perfectly acceptable for casual listening at a office cubicle or for my use as a bedside alarm-clock. The Griffin AirCurve uses the same principles that Bose does to create small speakers with big sound. But keep in mind that this isn't a Bose, and you only paid under $20 for it.

The only issue I can think of is the need for a non-Apple cable for the dock to work well as a charger. The Apple Dock Cable has a very short dock connector which does not reach the base of the docking well where the iPhone sits. It is useable with the Griffin AirCurve, but it has a hard time making connection with the iPhone when docked and often requires you to pull it out of the base and manually connect it to your iPhone then re-set the phone in the base. Griffin's dock cable has a taller connector which works perfectly. Unfortunately it is not included.

Overall I am thrilled with this product and would highly recommend it to anyone who wants a small, space saving dock that will allow for acceptable casual listening on their iPhone.

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Aircurve Amplifier, February 4, 2009

By 

J. Franklin (Bend, OR - USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Griffin AirCurve Acoustic Amplifier for iPhone (Clear) (Wireless Phone Accessory)

Works great, especially since it does not require power.
We have other speaker systems for the iPhone which give a little higher-quality sound, but they are powered units and the AirCurve allows you to take it anywhere.
Of note: when the iPhone volume is up 100%, the AirCurve seems to make the sound a little tinny. This goes away if the volume is decreased a little.

I am going to purchase a second AirCurve for my office.

81 of 95 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Adequate, but leaves you wanting more., March 11, 2009

By 

John M. White (Allentown, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Griffin AirCurve Acoustic Amplifier for iPhone (Clear) (Wireless Phone Accessory)

I bought this item hoping to find a nice stand to go next to my bed. Like most people, I imagine, I charge my phone overnight and prefer to have it next to me on my dresser. While it's functional to just use a USB cord, a stand is preferable.

I picked this one out hoping its simplistic design would go with the iPhone nicely. The designers almost got it. It fits snugly into the base and amplifies sound nicely, considering how small the speaker really is.

What it does poorly is work with a USB cord. I was hoping to have a stand that I could easily plop the phone into and start charging. Not so with this stand. You have to reach in, pull the cord out, connect the phone, then reach underneath to pull the excess cord back, pulling the phone into the stand. Once it's in place, it's nice, but getting there is quite a pain late at night and early in the morning.

I'm all about functionality, and for a phone that makes sense on all fronts, this stand does not match. I'm using it for now, but as soon as I find one that's better, I'm moving on.