The iLuv Flexi-Clear iPad Case not only adds no bulk to your iPad, it adds tons of protection as well. It comes in a couple different colors and gives you the peace of mind of knowing that if you set your iPad on a surface face up or face down, the screen nor the back will not obtain any damage.

I've always been particularly fond of silicon skins and cases for iPad and iPhone. The iLuv Flexi-Clear iPad case exceeded my expectations. The first thing I look for with silicon cases is whether or not they collect lint or dust. If a case does, I probably won't use it. This is probably a bigger issue with the iPhone as they normally end up in pockets, but iPads end up in bags, so to me, it's equally as important. This particular skin doesn't seem to collect any dust or lint.

The next thing I typically look at is whether or not the skin stretches over time while using it. I've picked up a couple cases in the past that seem really nice but after a couple weeks, they lose their form. The bad part about this is, you typically won't know unless you use the case pretty extensively. Most places offer a 30 day return period and I've always found that to be enough to know whether or not a case is going to stretch out. If it does, I typically return it.

I was extremely happy with the fit of the iLuv case. It didn't stretch at all and stayed incredibly form-fitting. I will stick it in another case and throw it in my bag. The skin provides even more protection for the iPad than a standard case alone, and also provides some grip. If you're looking for a nice silicon case to add to your iPad accessory collection, check out the iLuv Flexi-Clear iPad case in the TiPb iPad Accessory Store.

Pros

• Doesn't collect lint or dust

• Maintains its shape and doesn't get loose

• Wraps around the front edges so placing the screen face down on a surface protects the screen

• Provides firm grip on most surfaces and inside other cases

Cons

• Doesn't provide protection for the screen outside of placing it face down

• Will need another case to put inside a bag in order to protect screen

Looking for an iPad case that doubles as a stand? Overwhelmed by the options? If you desire one that's nice and slim, your search may be over. The Macally Bookstand for iPad is a form fitting, yet protective case that can be used as a stand when in landscape.

The iPad snaps into the Macally Bookstand at each corner. This makes it very easy to take your iPad in and out of the case. It also means that the corners are the only spots on the edge of the iPad that are protected. This doesn't bother me; in fact, I prefer it. I'm a fan of slim cases that show off as much of the iPad as possible, so seeing the aluminum edges is a plus in my book. But if you're of the opposite mindset and want as much protection as possible, this case is not for you.

The front of the case is thin and kind of flimsy, but it holds up really well. About a third of the way from the inside, there is a seem in it which allows it to bend. Bending the front of the case to the back and sliding the flap into the provided slip gives the case a triangular shape. Now you can have your iPad at a nice typing angle on a table or your lap, or stand it up tall for easy viewing. I was nervous that touching the iPad would cause it to fall when having it stand tall, but this is not that case. The Macally Bookstand is nice and sturdy.

The outside of the Macally Bookstand is made from a velvet-like material that feels nice. However, it is prone to collecting lint and dirt. It is fairly obvious on the black one I've been using, but I suspect that it wouldn't look as bad on the gray one. I found that the easiest way to clean it is with an upholstery attachment on a vacuum cleaner hose - it only takes a few seconds.

If you’re looking for a slim stand case for your iPad, check out the Macally Bookstand for iPad available now from the TiPb iPad accessory store.

Photos after the break.

Pros

• Very slim
• Feels nice
• Lightweight
• Access to all ports and controls

Cons

• Material collects lint

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!

Pros

• Nice and thin
• Looks and feels great
• Accessibility to all ports
• Come is two styles and three colors for each style

Cons

• Does not work with iPad dock

The SmrtCase Glide for the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS is a hard case shell that will protect your phone from scrapes, bumps, and even small to medium falls (depending on the angle of impact). The really innovative part of the case is that it has a small slot on the side where you can store a credit card, bus passe, ID, business cards, or even small pictures.

Oh, and did I mention SmrtCase is giving away ten (10) FREE SmrtCase Glide cases to our TiPb readers? Follow on after the break for details!

I have to let you know how excited I was to try out the SmrtCase Glide and I was not disappointed. So how does it work? The small groove in the back makes it easy to place cards inside and the hole on the back means you can use one hand to slide the card out to swipe or remove. Worried about scratching the back of your iPhone? Well, the people at SmrtCase have already thought of that. The SmrtCase Glide comes with a clear protective sticker for the back of your iPhone.

If you're worried about the card falling out, well, I was too but a combination of the curvature of the case and the iPhone provide a snug fit for the card (and I gave the case a good shake to make sure -- see the video below!).

Of course, how many cards you can fit inside the Glide depends on the exact thickness of each card. SmrtCase states that the case can hold 2 plastic cards comfortably, one credit and one ID, however I found this combination was too snug if I wanted to easily slide one of them out to swipe.

To really put it to the test, I asked my husband, (who has a great disdain for cases in general) to try out one of the sample cases and give me his impressions. I have not seen the case since. He loves that he can put his metro passes (5 in all) in the case and not have to take out his wallet to get to them.

And, oh yes, the contest:

Head on over to the TiPb forums and tell us how a SmrtCase Glide would come in handy for you. We'll pick 10 of you at random, and each person picked will get a FREE SmrtCase Glide. The give-away starts now and ends Thursday, February 18, at 12pm PT

The Smartphone Experts (SPE) Book Case for iPhone 3G is available from The iPhone Blog Store for $29.95. If you are looking for a case that folds closed and can store the basics such as a license and credit card, then this case might be for you. Let’s see how it measures up after the break!

Design

The SPE Book Case for iPhone 3G allows you to carry your iPhone in a convenient flip-open design that not only is practical but also protects your iPhone. The bottom of the case unsnaps exposing the 30-pin connector. This allows you to plug in a cable for syncing/charging, or you can place the iPhone 3G on its charging dock. If you like variety, this case also comes in variety of colors from red and black to beige.

Daily Use

The first thing you need to know is that this is not a "pocketable" case. It is meant to be carried or placed in a purse. Though technically you could place this in your jeans pocket, the size is prohibitive. Having said this, for a case if this type, it is really quite good!

I typically keep my case/iPhone in my pocket when I am not using it. Needless to say, it took some adjustment not keeping it in my pocket. I was able to carry the bare essentials in the case; my license and credit card (I am not a cash type of guy, so that part was not a big deal). This was somewhat liberating since I then did not have to carry all of my wallet possessions with me; I could take only what I need.

The case is sturdy and the leather feels good. The inside of the case where the iPhone lives is not leather, but a soft felt. The buttons at the bottom were very easy to remove but where not so tough as to think I would break them and the iPhone was definitely secure inside of the case.

There are openings around the case to access headphone jack, sleep button and camera. I found with the case that I was using these fields were well placed, but I would have issues with the camera; the hole opening was just a little off. Not a huge deal to resolve, I just nudged the iPhone a little and it would no longer be obscured. My bet is that this is not an issue with every case, just mine. The volume controls are not accessible since they are obscured by the flip-open cover; I did not find this to be horrible troublesome.

Conclusion

Overall, I had no real issues with this case other then having to use it outside of my comfort zone. I think there is a specific target market that will find this case useful, especially due to the excellent protection and sleeves for cards. However, if you are a big gamer, I think you will find that the flip-open design is not the best to allow maximum game playability.

Pros:

• Nice leather finish
• Protects the the iPhone front and back
• Convenient flip-open storage of credit cards or license
• Multiple colors are available

Cons:

• Not very pocketable
• Some leather cut outs are not aligned flush with the iPhone 3G
• Can get in the way of playing games

TiPb's Rating:

The iPhone 3G has plenty of case options that range from hard polycarbonate cases to soft rubber options, from colorful designs to more understated lines. The Marware Sport Grip for iPhone 3G ($19.95) is a soft rubber case that incorporates subtle design and offers superb protection. How does it perform?

Read on for the rest of the review!

Design

The Marware Sport Grip for iPhone 3G is a silicone rubber case that protects the corners, the entire back, and even the home button on the iPhone. The Marware Sport Grip also comes with an adequate adhesive clear screen protector that covers the entire front face of the iPhone 3G. There is a quirk in design that exposes the multitude of sensors on the iPhone 3G but this oddity is due to maintaining the function of the sensors.

The Marware Sport Grip is available in three opaque colors: black, white, and pink. What makes the Marware Sport Grip case stand out is that it protects as much of the front face of the iPhone 3G as possible—the home button and ear speaker is protected—leaving only the touchscreen open for 'direct' access. Few cases offer as much protection.

The volume buttons and sleep/wake switch are also covered via exterior rubber buttons—no worries, the buttons don’t lose much sensitivity with the protection, the molded rubber buttons are very easy to press. The silent/ringer switch is made available through a small cut out in the case.

Usability

Make no mistake, the Marware Sport Grip’s main purpose is to protect the iPhone 3G offering few frills and no gimmicks. Whereas other companies choose to sway consumers with eye-catching design, the Marware Sport Grip focuses on function. The design is simple—cover as much as the iPhone 3G as possible. And to that extent, it definitely succeeds. You can’t possibly cover more of the iPhone 3G’s exterior without losing some functionality, the protection that the Sport Grip offers is simply superb.

There is also a cutout for the speaker grilles on the iPhone so the sound won’t get muffled behind the silicone. There will obviously be some thickness added with the case but it isn’t bothersome. Overall, the Sport Grip performs solidly and the rubber used is thick enough for better protection but not too thick where it detracts from the iPhone’s form factor.

Even though the Marware Sport Grip is made from a silicone rubber, it doesn’t offer the tactile feel or grip of similar options. The case also attracts a lot of lint and dust but perhaps this is due to my testing with the black version. Also, though the holes for the iPhone 3G’s sensors are purposeful, it is still an odd design choice that clutters the front face of the iPhone 3G.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the Marware Sport Grip will fit anyone who wants a simple case that offers the most protection possible without sacrificing function. The case adds minimal thickness and the iPhone 3G feels secure and protected. Obviously, those looking for a more unique design should look elsewhere but the Marware Sport Grip is as solid a case as it gets with the iPhone 3G.

PROS:

• Superb, Complete Protection
• Maintains All Functionality of iPhone
• Adds Minimal Thickness

CONS:

• Attracts Lint & Dust
• Little Grip Added
• Cluttered Front Face

FINAL RATING:

The Griffin Wave for iPhone 3G uses a unique wave lock design to create a snug fit for the iPhone and offer solid protection. The hard plastic case was unique among competitor’s offerings because instead of choosing a slide mechanism to connect the case together, it uses a front piece and a back piece to hold the iPhone. Does the Griffin Wave succeed as a case? We think so. Read on to see why.

Read on for the rest of the review!

Design

The Griffin Wave for iPhone 3G is a hard plastic case that offers protection for the chrome rim, corners, and entire back of the iPhone. It comes in four color choices and allows accessibility to all the ports, switches, buttons and jacks on the iPhone.

As mentioned before, the Wave case comes in two parts. Unlike other cases which offer a top and bottom slide mechanism, the Griffin Wave opts to use a front piece and a back piece—held together via the interlocking wave design. To explain it briefly, the wave shaped closure overlap and inserts into each other to create a very, very snug and secure fit. It kind of looks like DNA.

The polycarbonate of the Griffin Wave is clear and the wave lock design is very pleasing to the eye. The helix design adds a certain amount of depth and improves the look of the iPhone 3G.  

Usability

I found that the material used in the Griffin Wave feels great in the hand. Though it is unmistakably a hard plastic case, there is a soft touch rubber feel to it and the iPhone feels safe inside. I believe that Griffin found a great compromise with soft cases and hard cases in the Wave. Whereas soft cases offer better grip, it often loosens over time. The benefit of a hard case is that it soundly protects the iPhone without wear and tear. But the main problem is it typically adds too much thickness and that the material doesn’t provide for much grip.

In the Wave's case, it combines both the sturdiness of a hard case with the tactile feel of a soft case. I loved the added depth and dimension of the material and found it very pleasing to hold. Also the clear polycarbonate material allows you to see the Apple logo on the iPhone and gives off a better look than an all plastic material would.

All the ports and switches of the iPhone are made available with the Wave case. The hole for the camera is exact. Because of such precise cuts along the ports and openings, it leaves little room for dust to settle and build up. Though it does add some amount of thickness, I didn’t find it to be bothersome.

However, the case doesn’t seem to match up exactly where the front portion and the back portion meet. This is odd considering everything else about the Wave is so exact and beautiful. Though the slight opening might only affect the most nit picky of people, it is a design flaw nonetheless. The packaged plastic screen protector is a throwaway, it diminishes the iPhone’s sensitivity and is difficult to use. Spring for a adhesive screen.

Final Thoughts

The Griffin Wave for iPhone 3G is a subtly styled, great feeling case. Griffin really did a good job with the Wave and its unique locking system not only offers a secure fit but also adds to the design. I think if you were looking for a hard case for the iPhone 3G, you couldn’t do much better in regards to look, feel, and all around security than the Griffin Wave.  

PROS

• Unique closure system
• Great Design
• Adds minimal thickness
• All ports are accessible

CONS

• Back and Front portions don't meet up exactly
• Packaged Plastic Screen Protector is a throwaway

FINAL RATING:

Everybody has his or her own definition for the perfect iPhone 3G Case. Some may want a hard plastic case, others prefer rubbery silicone cases but most prefer a case that is non intrusive and more importantly, offers protection while adding minimal bulk. The Incipio dermaSHOT Silicone Case for iPhone 3G ($14.95) is a rubber silicone case that tries to offer a layer of protection without adding much thickness. How does it perform?

Read on for the rest of the review!

Design

The Incipio dermaSHOT Silicone Case for iPhone 3G is a fairly simple case that offers protection for the backside, side, and corners of the iPhone 3G. There are multiple color options and the case also includes a clear plastic screen protector.

The material used in the Incipio dermaSHOT is a very soft and malleable silicone. It is unique among competitive products because most silicone cases opt for the thicker, rougher material. This soft silicone design choice is both good and bad, it feels great in your hand because it almost conforms to your grip but at the same time is also susceptible to stretching and loosening.

The Incipio dermaSHOT covers the entire back of the iPhone 3G leaving a hole for the camera, headphone jack, and the silent switch. The volume controls and sleep/wake button are protected via a thicker rubber that offers protection but also easy access to its controls.

Overall, the design is extremely simple—it doesn’t offer home button protection and doesn’t attempt to over complicate things with a sophisticated design or gimmicky options. It is as straight forward as any iPhone 3G case can be and comes in what seems like every color of the rainbow.

Usability

The case fits really well around the iPhone 3G—it is made out of a softer silicone material that wraps solidly around the iPhone yet offers a certain tactile feel that most other rubber cases do not. Specifically, the case feels soft and has a certain amount of depth to it, there's a give to the case unseen in most rubber options. The extra grip that the case offers is a great touch and really feels good in hand.

Because of the softer, more malleable material of the Incipio dermaSHOT, it seems like it’d be more susceptible to stretching and loosening. Many silicone cases face this problem—the added grip of rubber cases is great but after removing the case a few times it no longer fits as exact as before.

The Incipio dermaSHOT avoids permanent loosening and stretching by using the softer material, it kind of bends towards your movement. Meaning, if you press the sleep/wake button the top of the case is pushed down as well. This is a well implemented compromise, though the case doesn’t offer skin-tight coverage, it also does not permanently stretch. If you’re expecting an exact form fitting case, the Incipio dermaSHOT isn’t that case—but if you want longevity in your silicone case, the dermaSHOT is perfect.

My only gripe with the case is that its cut isn't the most laser-accurate exact. There seems to be excess materials in the opening for the silent switch. The lines are also not as clean as I would like but that’s probably being nit picky. Overall, the design is fair and the protection is more than adequate. I would recommend passing on the clear plastic screen protector because it deters from the sensitivity of the iPhone 3G’s touchscreen.

Final Thoughts

The design of the Incipio dermaSHOT is simple and basic. There will probably be folks that complain that it is perhaps too plain, but the case does its job—it offers great protection and won’t stretch over time (compared to competing products). If you’re looking for an eye-catching product or head turning design, the Incipio dermaSHOT is simply not for you. But if you want a design that fits great around the iPhone 3G, offers above-average protection, and a multitude of color options at a very affordable price ($14.95), you probably can’t do any better.

PROS

• Feels Great in Hand
• Adds Minimal Thickness to iPhone
• Offers Above-Average Protection
• Many Color Options

CONS

• Plain and Basic Design
• Stretchier than Most Silicone Cases

FINAL RATING: