TUAW First Look and giveaway: A flood of NewerTech iPad accessories

Judging from the number of questions I'm asked about cases for iPads, it appears that the second decision after "What iPad should I buy?" is often "What iPad case should I consider?"

Thanks to Newer Technology, TUAW received a sampling of their new line of iPad cases, and we have a few to give away to TUAW readers.

We'll start with the low end of the line and work up to the pièce de résistance. Now, there are some folks who want to feel the smooth metal and glass of their iPad and just need some protection on the screen surface. For those folks, NewerTech has come up with the NuVue Clear Screen Protector for iPad. It's US$9.99 and has a one year warranty. While it's not going to protect the back of your iPad from scratches or dings, it keeps the screen in pristine condition. You can use any of the other cases I'll describe to protect the rest of the device. There's also a version that can keep your data from prying eyes, which is important if you work in the healthcare business. It's called the NuVue Privacy Protector and costs $39.99.

Many people are going to want to protect the iPad case, and that's the idea of the NuGuard line. First, there's the NuGuard Silicone protective casing, which is flexible and easy to put on or remove. It has a nice, non-slip surface, and it even includes a couple of indentations on the back to ensure a tight grip when your iPad is in your hands. The NuGuard Silicone casing sells for $17.99 and comes in green, blue, red, orange, black, or semi-transparent "arctic frost."
Next up are the hard shell protective casings from NewerTech. While they're still called NuGuards, these are impact-resistant plastic shells that snap onto the back of the iPad. These hard shell casings come in two different types; there's the NuGuard Clear for protection while showing off the iPad, and there's the NuGuard Leather with a bycast leather back, which both sell for $24.99. I know I'd take the black one with the leather in a heartbeat!

At the top of the line is the NewerTech iFolio, which is a classy portfolio type case made in the USA from Brazilian leather. The $129.99 iFolio (also available from distributor OWC for $99) comes in executive black or fashionable red leather and has a leather handle and removable strap to make carrying the case a pleasure. The hardware is nickel-plated, and there's a nice zipper that surrounds the exterior of the case. Inside is a hard-backed compartment for holding notes, papers, passports, or other info, as well as two pockets for holding IDs or business cards. There's even a pen loop for holding your Montblanc pen.

The iPad is held into the iFolio using four elastic-backed leather retaining straps, one at each corner. The straps can expand if you want to put a NuGuard onto the iPad for even more protection when you slip it out of the iFolio.

The iFolio is extremely well made. The stitching is flawless, the leather has a wonderful feel to it, and the iFolio would be right at home in an executive suite. Be sure to watch the video for a hands-on review of each of the cases. NewerTech also has other iPad accessories that can make your life easier, such as the $3.99 Microfiber Pro towel for cleaning your iPad screen.

Now, about that giveaway. We have the following items that some lucky TUAW readers are going to win:

• NewerTech NuVue screen protector ($9.99 value)
• NewerTech NuGuard (Silicone) in Arctic Frost ($17.99 value)
• NewerTech NuGuard Leather ($24.99 value)
• NewerTech NuGuard Clear ($24.99 value)

Regretfully, we have to return that classy iFolio to NewerTech so that it can be reviewed by other blogs. To enter our giveaway, just leave a comment below with your choice of the four items listed above. Here are the official rules:

• Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, and Canada who are 18 and older.
• To enter, let us know which of the four NewerTech iPad products listed above you'd like the most.
• The comment must be left before midnight on Monday, May 31st, 2010, 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time.
• You may enter only once.
• Four winners will be selected and each will receive one of the prizes listed above.
• Click Here for complete Official Rules.

Good luck!
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