I just went through the case program for my brand new iPhone 4, but I'm still poking around to see if there's one worth buying that I might also pick up in addition to the free one. Like, for example, this awesome audio cassette case from a company called Fred and Friends. It looks like an old plastic audiocassette, but it's actually made of silicone, and it even comes with a little tape box (oh man, I had so many of those back in the day) that flips around into a video stand.

Very, very cool. It's not available yet, but the case is supposed to ship in October for US$20. Yes, if you have an iPhone 4, you've already got a free case from Apple, but man, something this cool might just be worth the extra money anyway.

[via Unpluggd]

iPhone 4 case turns your iPhone into an audio tape originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

iPhone 4 case turns your iPhone into an audio tape originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I spent the past week using the PixelSkin Case for iPhone 4. Speck has a lot of great accessory lines from iPhone cases and skins to everything iPad and iPod as well, but I was a little hesitant at first as I’m not a fan of cases that add bulk and most pattern or etched cases do.  I was pleasantly surprised with this one and still have it on my iPhone. 

I’ve never been a huge fan of textured cases, but this one is deceiving. It isn’t really “textured”. Most of the square pattern you see is actually smooth on the outside of the case. It feels nice in the hand and slides in and out of pockets incredibly easily. Part of the reason I have always preferred smooth cases is I’m not a purse girl by any means. I prefer keeping my phone in my pocket. I carry about a messenger type bag with me for all intensive “purse purposes”. Throwing my phone in there, it would take me 20 minutes to find it when I needed it. Pockets are quicker and easier. So I’ve always looked for cases that don’t fight me when trying to slip it back into my pocket. Finding smooth, thin cases and not sacrificing any protection is always a tough battle.

This particular case not only feels good in the hand, but protects the sides of the phone and allows the screen to be a bit recessed without adding extra bulk. I’m the master at dropping my phone and I dropped it once with this case on it. It landed face down on hard wood floor with no damage to be seen. Since the case comes up over the edges, it helps for those times when you’d like to set your phone screen down, or Jobs forbid it, you’re like me and just have the clumsy gene. Either way – if you’re looking for a case that provides a decent amount of protection without adding “too” much bulk, check out the Speck PixelSkin case for iPhone 4 in the TiPb Accessory Store. It’s available in purple, pink, and black. If you already have it, let us know your thoughts on it in the comments as well! Still not the case for you, browse the rest of our case selection in the TiPb iPhone 4 Accessory Store!

Pros

• Doesn’t collect dust or pocket lint

• Extremely smooth despite being silicone

• Rugged look but smooth in your hand

• Doesn’t add bulk

• Doesn’t get dirty quickly like many silicone-based cases

Cons

• Stretches out a bit after being taken on and off

• Some 3rd party chargers and accessories may not fit into the dock connector with the skin on

Speck PixelSkin Case for iPhone 4 – Accessory Review is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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The TiPb forums are naturally a great place to talk, commiserate, celebrate, get help, and offer advice to your fellow iPhone users. In order to create a new thread of your own or reply to any of the existing threads, you must be a registered member. Becoming a member is easy and free so if you haven’t already head on over and register now!

• Rumor is that sometime this month we may see some sort of iPhone 4 redesign to provide better reception. What are your thoughts on this?

• You know you want one of the four iPhone 4 Vapor cases that we are giving away… Here is your chance to win one!

• Official Apple 2010 Special Music Event predictions/reactions.

• Some of you are having some battery drain issues running iOS 4.0.2. While I’m not seeing this personally, how about you?

See you in the forums!

iPhone 4 redesign, Vapor case contest, Apple Music Event predictions/reactions, iOS 4.0.2 battery drain – From the Forums is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Reader Gerald spotted an iLuv case with camera cutout in the center in a local Marshall’s clothing store:

[The case] was labeled as an iPod Touch 2nd Generation hard shell case made by a company called iLuv. The reason i liked this case so much was because it had a spot for a rear camera, and the dummy cardboard example of the iPod clearly showed what the camera looked like. I snapped a pic as proof.

Now what could that have been doing there?

iLuv case with camera cutout in the center? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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First of all, we're giving away four Vapor cases in your choice of colors to four lucky readers. Second, the Vapor case is awesome. The Vapor bolts onto the edge of your iPhone 4 and cradles it in aircraft aluminum, complete with little rubbery grips on the inside to isolate the antenna and provide some shock absorption. It adds just enough width to the phone on the edges to make it a little easier to grip, especially if your hands are larger. The indentation allows for added grip, plus the larger edge makes it slightly more stable if you want to sit your iPhone on its edge.

True, at $79.95 the Vapor is not for everyone. It is a premium case. If you like finely-crafted accessories, you will love it. Apple's case provides similar protection, so if you're on a budget, you can afford to buy a cheaper case. Still, the machined power button and the cutouts for volume, SIM, cable connector and headphones are meticulously cut. There's clearly a lot of thought in the design of this case. If you appreciate great design and want a case that stands out from the rest, the Vapor is for you. You can even get custom engraving and several colors. The downside is that ElementCase, makers of the Vapor, are busy taking pre-orders and aren't currently shipping.**

(**Note: Since this writing, TUAW has learned that ElementCase is, in fact, shipping both current and back orders. Expected order processing time is currently less than two weeks.)

To put your iPhone in the Vapor, you'll need a little hex wrench that comes with the case. There's an optional carbon fiber back plate you can add, but I didn't feel it was necessary. Once the four screws are in place, the case cannot easily be removed. That could be a minus if you tend to use a dock, because you'll have to keep the wrench with you and unscrew those screws every time you want to dock the phone. Still, in my road testing I never felt I needed to remove the case. It made the iPhone feel sturdier, fit better in my hand and provided insulation from my antenna woes.

Details on the giveaway on the next page.

Continue reading Vapor iPhone case review and giveaway

Vapor iPhone case review and giveaway originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Vapor iPhone case review and giveaway originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This week I am looking at the Incipio Silicrylic Case for iPad. This is a two-part case not unlike the Case-Mate Hybrid Touch Case where you have a silicone inside layer and a hard outside layer. The goal being to provide extra durable shock protection.

As you would expect you have the typical openings in the case for the 30-pin connector, speaker, headphone jack and rotation lock. The power and volume controls are covered by silicone, but still function. I found putting on the case was a little easier than other models of this case type offering the same style and function. However, it also has the same weakness; the top and bottom portions of the silicone layer are not very secure and can easily be moved or nudged with little effort. Of course this is because it is difficult to add any rigidity to the silicone case covering the connecting port and speaker, but there has to be a way…

I did find the case to be quite protective and even covered the edges onto the screen to protect any accidental iPad face-plants. As a side bonus, the Incipio Silicrylic Case does come with a screen protector for iPad and a wipe cloth. These are nice additions that you don’t receive with other cases and in my mind sets them above the competition in this regard. The Incipio Silicrylic Case for iPad is available in four color combinations: Black/Black, White/Grey, Confetti/Charcoal, Lime/Charcoal for $47.95 in the TiPb iPad accessory store.

Pros

• Durable
• Easy to take on/off
• Nice color selection

Cons

• Does not fit in Apple Dock
• Top and bottom of case are still “loose”

Incipio Silicrylic Case for iPad- accessory review is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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This week I am looking at the Case-Mate Hybrid Tough case for iPad. This is actually a good case considering its goal; solid protection while staying reasonably thin.

The case is unique in that it has two layers. The first layer is a silicone skin that covers the iPad and all of its buttons. It also covers the lip on top of the glass screen. The other layer is a hard plastic shell that snaps on place on the bottom of the iPad, on top of the silicone. The concept here is that it provides dust free protection while giving you a little cushion for bumps. The combination of the bottom shell and silicone protect the bottom and sides of iPad.

The only exposed areas (besides the glass, of course) are the speaker and 30-pin connector on the bottom and the rotation lock switch on the right side of iPad. There is minimal but reasonable thickness added to the device between the two layers, but I feel it is acceptable based on what the case is doing to protect your investment.

The only real issue I had with this case was removing it when I needed to attach an accessory like the dock or the keyboard dock. You have to remove it very carefully as the case is meant to fit very, very securely in order t prevent any lint build up. If you never have a need to attach iPad to these types of accessories, then there is no concern.

The Case-Mate Hybrid Tough case for iPad is what it says in the name; two layers of protective goodness and tough. It’s available now for $47.95 from the TiPb iPad accessory store.

Pros

• Solid protection
• Access to all ports
• Dust-proof protection of the iPad controls
• Two available colors- gray and lime green

Cons

• Can be a challenge to remove
• Does not fit in Apple Dock
• Top and bottom of case are still “loose”

Case-Mate Hybrid Tough Case for iPad – accessory review is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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