Accessories

Case-Mate Barely There Case for iPhone 4 - quick look [sponsored]

By Rene Ritchie, Monday, Jul 12, 2010 a 12:49 pm

The TiPb store just got the new Case-Mate Barely There Case for iPhone 4 in stock, so I decided to take a quick look at it. As you'd expect by the name, it's super thin and doesn't add any perceivable bulk to iPhone 4. Same token, while it will protect against scrapes and bumps, there's no padding to help you out in case of a high fall.

XGear Folio Carbon Fiber Case for iPad - accessory review

By Rene Ritchie, Tuesday, Jul 6, 2010 a 11:48 am

The XGear Folio Carbon Fiber Case for iPad is slim, strong, and sexy, with a suede interior and what feels like a darn-near bullet proof outer shell. In sharp contrast to the plush, old-world, executive leather of the Marware Eco-vue, the XGear Folio is sleek, futuristic materials and textures. It adds considerable protection against scrapes and scuffs, if not as much against shocks and drops.

Incipio dermaSHOT case for iPad

By Georgia, Thursday, Jul 1, 2010 a 2:32 pm

Incipio dermaSHOT case for iPad is high-density silicone protection in black, pink, green, or blue. As a bonus, it's designed to protect your precious iPad without collecting excess and annoying lint.

It's not the thinnest skin in the store but the thickness does provide extra protection against those little bumps and scrapes that would otherwise impact the device. (Except for the area directly over the Apple logo on the back -- that's left thin and translucent of course...)

The incipio dermaSHOT case for iPad includes a screen protector and is available now from the TiPb iPad accessory store.

Element Case shows off Vapor for iPhone 4

By Rene Ritchie, Thursday, Jul 1, 2010 a 1:16 pm

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TiPb readers will remember Element Case for their original Liquid case for iPhone and the Joule stand for iPad, and you just had to know they wouldn't sit out something as sexy as iPhone 4, right? Enter Vapor:

Available in a wide array of custom color options and custom features, the Vapor consists of a solid, CNCd aluminum frame made from aircraft grade metals lined with a new, shock-absorbent liner material to protect and stylize.

And yes, it'll also insulate the iPhone 4 antenna band to prevent any attenuation-related issues.

We'll be getting our geeky little hands on some soon, and thanks to their usual awesomeness, doing a give away just for you. In the meantime, in joy the pics!

UPDATE; Element Case just sent us one more pic, an exclusive look at the cutouts. Check it out below.

[Element Case]

SPE retractable sync and charge cable for iPhone 4 - accessory review update

By Rene Ritchie, Tuesday, Jun 29, 2010 a 11:11 am

The Smartphone Experts S&C retractable sync and charging cable for iPhone [$4.95] is something Georgia took a look at recently for iPad and iPhone 3GS but, frankly, I needed a convenient, tidy, highly portable way to sync and change my iPhone 4 on the go and so I grabbed it. Literally.

The Smartphone Experts S&C Retractable Cable for iPhone expands to a length of 2 ft. and has a locking feature which allows you to choose which length you would like the cable locked at. A light tug on the cable and it retracts back to its wound state. When wound, the Cable is only 4.5 inches long, making it very easy to bring with you. My regular usb S&C cable was always a tangled mess when I carried it loose in my briefcase. A good deal of time and effort was spent on untangling the cord from whatever it had become attached to. With the Smartphone Experts S&C Retractable Cable for iPhone, charging and syncing my iPhone is a snap, just take it out of my briefcase and plug it in and when I am done a quick tug and is thrown back into my bag. The cable is quite well constructed and after a month of use it is still working like new.

It's also $4.95, so I'm not too concerned about lending them (which usually translates into giving them away). If you want to keep your iPhone 4 synced up and charged, check it out.

And check out Georgia's video after the break to see it in action on the iPad and iPhone 3GS. (Works the same with iPhone 4).

Griffin Jumper case for iPad - accessory review

By Leanna Lofte, Tuesday, Jun 22, 2010 a 3:44 pm

The Griffin Jumper [$27.95] is a nice neoprene case for the iPad. If you're in the market for a sleeve for transporting your iPad, this case may be what you're looking for.

The neoprene material of the is excellent because it doesn't need to be very thick to provide protection. It is also very stretchy so that there is a snug fit around your iPad. In fact, the Jumper was almost too snug when I first received it; but after a few uses, the neoprene stretched out just enough to be snug but not a challenge to use.

The inside of the Griffin Jumper is lined with a very soft fleece-like material. There will be no concern of your iPad receiving scratches when sliding it in and out of the sleeve. In fact, a few of the fingerprints on your iPad likely get wiped off when removing it from the Griffin Jumper.

The Griffin Jumper offers full protection of the iPad except at the corners of the flap. Many times there is a very small part of the iPad exposed at one or both of the corners. This may be cause for concern for some, but I don't see it as a huge problem. Something would have to poke into the spot in order to make contact with the iPad.

I have been very pleased with the Griffin Jumper. The nice slim design, soft interior, and tough neoprene exterior make this an excellent sleeve case for the iPad.

The Griffin Jumper is available from the TiPb iPad accessory store.

Video and photos after the break!

Case-Mate Gelli Checkmate Case for iPad - accessory review

By Georgia, Thursday, Jun 17, 2010 a 5:27 pm

The Case-Mate Gelli Checkmate Case for iPad is a beautiful way to add grip and color to your iPad. It is made with a soft silicone base that makes holding your iPad easy and much more secure.

The Case-Mate Gelli is easy to apply and remove from your iPad. The case is translucent so it allows the back of your iPad to still show through. The case also has a triangle pattern on it which gives the case a bit of style in comparison to a regular plain silicone case. The case is very easy to put on the iPad and has open spaces to allow for all the buttons and ports and controls. The case goes over the edges of the iPad so it will protect the iPad against minor impacts.

Case-Mate Gelli Checkmate Case is about 2 to 3 mm in thickness at it greatest points so it is still lightweight but also durable. This case is a nice silicone case as it has good grip but does not feel sticky as some other silicone cases can. I have been using this case for a week and I am quite happy with it. I would have liked if it came with a screen protector.

If you like silicone cases and you like the color selection then the Case-Mate Gelli Checkmate Case for iPad could be what you're looking for.

XGear Shield Case for iPad – accessory review

By Chad Garrett, Tuesday, Jun 15, 2010 a 8:33 pm

If you’re looking for a sturdy and transparent skin, the XGear Shield case for iPad for $29.95 may be the case for you.

The XGear Shield is made from dual-compound materials that creates a shock absorbing bumper on the edges. Translation: it has thick edges that fit securely to the iPad that can reduce damage to the corners if bumped. Though not completely transparent, XGear Shield has more of a frosted backing that and not only looks good but totally protects the back and sides of iPad and gives you complete piece of mind from scratches.

There are two things that I really like about this case. The first is how secure it is. There are some cases that fit, but the edges and corners are loose. While this may make for easy removal, I fear it can get caught on something and slip off of the iPad. This is not the case with the XGear Shield. The edges are actually a challenge to put on and remove so you know the case isn't going anywhere. On the downside, it doesn't allow for docking with the iPad dock. All of the openings are there, but the power button has given me some challenges. Turning on is easy though by tapping the home button instead.

Video and photos after the break!

Case-Mate Gelli Kaleidoscope Case for iPad - accessory review

By Leanna Lofte, Tuesday, Jun 8, 2010 a 11:20 am

If you're looking for a nice, fashionable, and well-made skin for your iPad, the Case-Mate Gelli [$36.95] may be the case for you.

The Case-Mate Gelli is made from cutting-edge flexible thermoplastic material that Case-Mate claims to be more resilient than silicone and rubber. It fits very snuggly onto the iPad even after removing it several times. The skin feel great in your hands and adds some traction to your grip. It is also very thin; so it adds additional protection without adding unnecessary bulk. All ports are accessible with the Case-Mate Gelli.

The Case-Mate Gelli comes in two different chic designs: Kaleidoscope and Checkmate. I took a look at the Tomato Kaleidoscope skin and it is very beautiful. The thin, translucent case looks great with the iPad's aluminum back. The Apple Logo and iPad branding show through the skin perfectly. The noticeability of the circles designed into the Kaleidoscope case is enough to look great, yet not stand out so much that it seems to be screaming "look at me!" The Kaleidoscope case comes in Tomato, Pink, and Aurora (yellow/gold). The Checkmate skin comes in green, blue, and gray.

I have been very happy with the Case-Mate Gelli case and highly recommend it to anyone interested in a skin case for their iPad.

Video and photos after the break!

iKlenz cleaner solution for iPad and iPhone - accessory review

By Georgia, Friday, Jun 4, 2010 a 5:00 pm

iKlenz Cleaner Solution for your iPhone and iPad removes, dirt, grime, fingerprints, bacteria and germs, while repelling dust. iKlenz gives your iPhone and iPad ascreen a streak free shine.

If I had to name my top 5 items I should always have for my iPhone and iPad this would most definitely be one one them. Since I do a lot of videos, I always ensure my iPhone and iPad are clean before a shoot. I also know that water and/or a shirt (iChadman, bellyrub?!) do not cut it when it comes to fingerprints and oil. Also Windex can cause damage to the delicate surface of the iPhone and iPad, so I never use that on my precious iPhone and iPad.

You just spray the solution on the cloth a few times, wipe the screen clean lightly then fold and dry off with the other side of the microfiber cloth (which comes with iKlenz). It works like a charm and lasts for a long time.