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Who says you can’t use your iPhone like a laptop? Per the Telegraph, a computer science student in the United Kingdom has used the iPhone’s built-in accelerometer to measure vibrations that are then programmed to correspond with keys on a “virtual keyboard.” So for instance, if you put your iPhone down on a table and tap from a close distance, it will register as one letter while tapping further away will register as a different letter. As the Telegraph notes,this virtual keyboard right now gets the correct letters just 80% of the time, which is something that creator Florian Kraeutli says won’t be improved without a stronger accelerometer. Kraeutli also describes the virtual keyboard as more of a “proof of concept” than a commercially viable invention. A video demonstration of the iPhone keyboard is posted below. More →

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Congratulations, Belkin — you’re the first third-party manufacturer to release official products for Apple’s (AAPL) Lightning connector port! Belkin on Monday released two Lightning-related products: A Lightning car charger to help iPhone fans keep their devices charged while driving and charge-and-sync dock that keeps the iPhone charged at home. Both products can be pre-ordered now for $29.99 each and are slated to ship in mid-November. Apple this month has scheduled a special seminar for third-party manufacturers that want to make Lightning-compatible products and more Lightning accessories will hit the market later this month after Apple officially certifies more OEMs.

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Still waiting for Apple (AAPL) to stock up on more $19 Lightning cables? Earlier in the month, iPhone5Mod unveiled the first third-party Lightning cable and dock for $40. The same company announced today it will begin shipping third-party Lightning cables for half the price Apple is charging: $9.90 plus $4 shipping to U.S.. The China-made Lightning cables should have a cracked clone of the authentification chip that Apple embedded into its own cables. iPhone5Mod’s cables ship on November 3rd with up to 10 to 14 days for shipping and delivery. If you do choose to buy one of these cables, do keep in mind that the company is probably not going to be responsible for any malfunction or damage it may do to your iPhone 5. Apple is said to be preparing to brief third-party vendors on producing licensed Lightning cables in early November. A video of the $9.90 Lightning cable follows below.

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