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Filed under: Rumors, iPod nano, iPod touch

From Berlin with love: Hama cases for rumored iPod touch with camera

It's no secret that next week's Apple event is built around the iPod, and all signs point towards new iPod touch and iPod nano models with a marquee new feature: cameras. As the cavalcade of case manufacturer leaks continues, Engadget visited with case builder Hama at the IFA trade show in Berlin and got plenty of pictures of the new cases for both models, complete with camera ports.

Even allowing for the possibility of mass hysteria among scores of accessory vendors, one thing to keep in mind here is that this same firm -- Hama -- was among the first to show new cases for the iPod nano 4G, last year at this very same event. Check out the gallery of images from Germany and let us know what you think.

Filed under: Rumors, Odds and ends, Apple, iPod nano, iPod touch

Rumor: Chinese manufacturers building cases (with cameras) for new iPod touch, nano


Here's a story that, strangely, makes sense. Cult of Mac is saying that these cases above are already being made by Chinese manufacturers, in advance of what they call the "worst-kept secret in China": that Apple will be announcing new versions of the iPod touch and the iPod nano in September, complete with cameras on both. These aren't cases comissioned by Apple, they're Chinese companies that have supposedly heard about the dimensions and feature placement of Apple's next products, and are making third-party accessories to match, even before the official announcement here in the US.

Apparently these guys heard about the dimensions back in May, and they're so certain of the information that they're shipping samples and taking orders from US retailers. True or not? We have no idea -- certainly there's enough photos of the new cases on Cult of Mac's site to be convinced, and that Apple would release new versions of popular iPods right before back to school and the holidays isn't just believable, it's business as usual.

But the camera on there is the interesting move -- is it a video or still camera? Why is the iPod touch's camera centered instead of offset like every other iPhone camera? Will there be new software capabilities for taking and sharing pictures on these devices? That's all still up in the air. We guess we'll find out in a few months.

[via Silicon Alley Insider]

Filed under: Accessories, Road Tested

Road Tested: Tom Bihn Checkpoint Flyer laptop bag

After I traveled to Africa in February with a Tom Bihn Western Flyer bag loaded with geek gear, I wrote a post talking about how I packed that bag for the trip. It was the perfect bag on that vacation, as it allowed me to pack all of my gear into various little nooks and crannies, and it converted to a backpack for easy lugging through airports. However, it wasn't the best bag for my many business trips in the USA.

Happy with the products that Tom Bihn makes, I decided to get their Checkpoint Flyer briefcase for my business travel. What makes this bag so special is that it is specially designed to take advantage of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) rules that allow you to keep a laptop inside a case as it's going through the x-ray machine, provided that case contains nothing else. That, of course, can be a huge problem if you're carrying backup drives, cables, backup cell phones, an Amazon Kindle 2, and other digital effluvia.

Continue readingRoad Tested: Tom Bihn Checkpoint Flyer laptop bag

Filed under: Accessories, iPhone, iPod touch, Road Tested

Road Tested: Otterbox's serious iPhone case

I bought my 4GB iPhone way back on June 29th, 2007, release day for the US. Upon removing it from its box, all shiny and smooth, I thought, "I need a case for this thing." I'm what you call scratch-phobic. But then I saw the rigorous torture test that PCWorld subjected their unit to, and was persuaded to go commando.

Here it is nearly two years later and my iPhone's display still looks great. There's a single nick next to the earpiece but other than that it looks fantastic. The back is another story.

I have two kids aged 4 years and 6 years. Occasionally, I'll hand over the iPhone to keep them entertained. For instance, at the end of a day of boring errands when their patience is at an end, I'll whip out a little Wheels On The Bus [App Store link] or Pocket God. As any parent of young kids will tell you, one of the things they love to do is drop stuff.

My iPhone has seen the floor of the mall, Dunkin Donuts and my Saturn Vue. It's been in sand and sun. In other words, it needs protection. I picked up an Otterbox.

Continue readingRoad Tested: Otterbox's serious iPhone case

Filed under: Accessories, iBook, PowerBook, MacBook, iPhone

A tweet for a case

We're not sure what someone has been putting in the water lately, but two separate vendors pinged us with case giveaways within minutes of each other. They're both using Twitter as the entry mechanism for the giveaways.

The first giveaway is from our buddies at Evernote, who want you to win one of ten Griffin Clarifi iPhone 3G cases every Friday in March. The Clarifi is pretty sweet, with a built-in closeup lens for taking snaps that are perfect for Evernote.To enter, all you need to do is send a Twitter message containing the #EvernoteClarifiGiveaway hash tag.

Not to be out-cased, RadTech is doing a giveaway of 5 NeoCases. These are sweet form-fitting sleeve cases for MacBooks, iBooks, and PowerBooks. How do you enter? Tweet @radtech with a clever statement including the word "Neocase", and you're entered. The drawing will be held Monday, March 9, 2008, and you'll be able to choose the size of NeoCase for your favorite Mac notebook.

What are you waiting for? Get tweeting and win a case!

Filed under: Accessories, How-tos, Odds and ends, Reviews, TUAW Tips

TUAW Tips: Packing your gadgetry for travel to faraway lands

In case you've missed me, I've been in Africa for the last couple of weeks. On top of all the business traveling I do, I also love traveling to exotic or fun locations with my wife several times a year.

One question I often hear from friends, clients, and TUAW readers is "How do you pack all of your techie gear for traveling?" The Africa trip gave me the perfect opportunity to answer that question, since I not only had to take a computer with me, but two digital cameras, two iPhones, a backup drive, a snakes nest of cables, power cables and plug converters, a handful of memory cards, an Amazon Kindle, and an HD camcorder as well. The picture at the top of this post shows you just about everything I needed to pack.

Click the Read More link below for tips on how to travel with all of your stuff... without going crazy in the process.

Continue readingTUAW Tips: Packing your gadgetry for travel to faraway lands

Filed under: Desktops, Hardware, Software, Hacks, Cult of Mac, PowerBook, PowerMac G5, Mods, Leopard

MacMods of the Year for 2008 announced


MacMod.com has announced their honorees for the best mods on Macs that they saw last year, and you can see all of the hacks and mods over at their site right now. Most of the mods are case modifications, like the very slick iPhone custom, and the "Xbox G4," as seen above, which is a Powerbook G4 modded into the case of an Xbox 360 (with working ring of light!).

I find it interesting that despite all of the slick case designs and gadget melds, the winner ends up being a software hack (well, it's actually more than a software hack, but still, you won't find any neon tubing in this mod, just a beige case): Leopard running on a PowerMac 8500. The mod itself ends up being a fine trip over the history of Apple's current software, its past machines, and all of the gooey chips and hardware inside. Very cool. Kudos to all the modders for their work -- we can't wait to see what 2009 brings to the mod community.

Filed under: Macworld, Multimedia, Odds and ends, iPhone, iPod touch

Wazabee brings glass-free 3D to the iPhone

At Macworld 2009, I've seen some cool stuff, but Wazabee's 3DeeShell for the iPhone wins my show pick for most unexpected cool product. The pitch sounds cheesy; it's an iPhone case that lets you view stuff in 3D, no glasses required. This is why it isn't cheesy: it works.

We're working on getting the video edited and working properly (because seeing really is believing), but I was most impressed with this technology. The 3DeeShell consists of an iPhone case (and it's actually a nice case) with a removable screen. The screen, when viewed at the right angle (and I found it very easy to get on the right angle) will show movies, pictures or games that support its 3D processing technology in 3D.

Right now, Wazabee has several apps in the App Store: 3DeeCamera [iTunes link], 3Dee!oader [iTunes link] and 3DeeVUsion [iTunes link] that allow you to view and encode your images so that they are viewable in 3D. These apps support 3D glasses right now, but they'll work with the 3DeeShell when it launches in March.

Additionally, developers can contact Wazabee to get access to the SDK, so that apps and other games can be built with support for 3D viewing.

The 3DeeShell is scheduled for release in March 2009 for $50 US. This summer, Wazabee will be introducing a screen attachment for the 13" MacBooks (larger series to follow) that will allow for viewing of 3D content on your MacBook screen. It utilizes the iSight cam to make sure the screen is always aligned for the best 3D view.

Video is on the way, but this was too cool not to share now.

Filed under: Portables, Reviews

TUAW Review: RadTech Sleevz and ScreenSavrz

If you're like me, then you always have your notebook with you. Personally, I don't like carrying those bulky looking bags, or sling packs; but I do want my notebook to be protected. I settled on using a sleeve case to help protect my friend MacBook Pro. In the past, I've used sleeves from MacCase and Tucano, but I jumped on the opportunity to review the RadTech Sleevz (which is now available in a MacBook Pro late 2008 flavor). In addition, I took a look at RadTech's ScreenSavrz, a piece of fabric that protects the screen from dirt and oil from the keyboard when the lid is closed.

Sleevz
At first look, the Sleevz sleeve doesn't seem that impressive, but upon further inspection, it is well built and durable. The sleeve is made out of RadTech's own "Optex Super80 fabric," which feels like a cross between suede and silk -- it has a really nice feel. When you place the notebook into the RadTech Sleevz, it form-fits to the computer. Because the fit is so snug, when you pull the computer out of the sleeve, it actually wipes the finger prints off.

I found that you can also use the sleeve as a screen cleaning cloth, and a way to clean the aluminum (or al-you-mini-um if you're Jonathan Ive) casing. Because the sleeve is washable, you don't have to worry about getting it dirty. According to the RadTech website, this sleeve is TSA-checkpoint friendly because of its design -- I did not, however, have the opportunity to test this out.

Overall, this sleeve is nicely designed, well-built, and extremely functional. However, this sleeve lacks much padding. While it would definitely protect your precious computer from any scratches or dings, it won't help if you drop it. The Sleevz are available in several colors from the RadTech website. They range between $24.95 and $29.95 U.S., and are available for a wide range of Apple notebooks, including the Axiotron Modbook.

ScreenSavrz
ScreenSavrz is a small piece of fabric (the same Optex Super80 fabric that the Sleevz are made of) that keeps dirt and oil from the keyboard/trackpad from messing up your screen. You simply place it over the keyboard/trackpad area, and close the lid. In addition, the fabric can be used to keep your screen and MacBook casing cleaned. If you are thinking about getting the Sleevz, then this is a must-have accessory to go along with it.

Just like the Sleevz, the ScreenSavrz comes in multiple colors, and fits multiple Apple notebook models. They are available from the RadTech website for around $16.95 (depending on the size you need).

Filed under: Accessories, iPod Family

The iPod mount for your 'magnetic' personality

See what I did there? Eh? Eh? Magnetic! As in this product from iStik (warning: annoying loud background music) which uses neodymium magnets that let you attach it to workout shirts, jacket pockets, or your backpack.

Of course, neodymium magnets are very strong, and can damage hard disks. It works fine with the iPod nano's flash memory, however. You also might want to avoid wearing the iStik on your shirt front if you have a pacemaker or other cardiac device.

iStik is $25 for the second-generation iPod nano, and $27 for the third-generation "fat" nano. Terrible magnet jokes sold separately.

[Via productdose and Gearfuse.]

Filed under: Accessories, TUAW Business

Win portable goodies for your Valentine



Whether you've got a significant other who deserves something awesome for Valentine's Day, or you're just celebrating a certain Mac blogger's birthday, here's your chance for some free loot. We're giving away one of each of the following, courtesy Dr. Bott:

  • Marware Protection Pack Plus for 15" MacBook Pro
  • MacBook BookEndz Docking Station (13")
  • 12" iBook laptop case (red) from Melissa Beth designs
  • One pack of 3 Rubi silicone cases for the iPhone from MCA (black, clear, pink)
  • One clear Sport Grip for the iPod Touch from Marware
That means five people will win something, so please indicate your preference (trust us, the iBook case won't fit your 17" MBP and I couldn't get it to fit a 13" MacBook) in the comments. Again, to be clear, we've got ONE of each prize, for a total of five prizes, to be given to five individuals-- winning doesn't mean you get everything listed above. Got it? Great. Full details below.
  • To enter, leave one comment on this post and validate it (one entry per person, but you may indicate as many preferred prizes as you like in that one comment).
  • The comment must be left before February 10, 11:59 PM Eastern Time.
  • You may enter once.
  • Five winners will be selected in a random drawing.
  • Prizes: Clear Sport Grip ($15), MCA cases ($20), Protection Pack ($35), Melissa Beth 12" case ($150), BookEndz 13" ($160)
  • Click Here for complete Official Rules.
View the prizes here.

Continue readingWin portable goodies for your Valentine

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Retail, iPhone

iPhone, encased in leather

Michael sent us news of yet another iPhone case, this one made by Noreve. It looks pretty nice, and it's interesting that they created a flip that goes down instead of up-- they say that the camera is still usable with the case on, which is super nice. The colored cases aren't selling yet, apparently, but the black cases are in stock at €42.99.

And while my personal choice is probably to go with one of those cool wooden cases, if you really want leather, you'd be crazy not to take a look at the Vaja cases. Like TUAW's Dave Caolo, I've got a nice one on my iPod, and it is excellent. Like the Noreve cases, they're a little pricey but if you're going go all out and buy an Apple cell phone, you might as well go all out on the case, too.

Filed under: Accessories, iPhone

iWood cases for iPhone now shipping



Remember those iWood cases for iPhone we found the weekend of the device's launch? They may have just missed their original July shipping date, but the iWood for iPhone is now ready for its close-up. Available in Beech, Oak, Padouk, Cherry, and Walnut, these look like well-designed cases that fit an iPhone like a glove. Prices do indeed start at €60 (about $82.10 USD), but that's only for the Beech; all other cases are €70 (about $95 USD). A monogram or message engraved on the back is an extra €10 (about $13.60 USD), with a matching dock case for €20 ($27 USD) and protective screen for €10. Wordwide shipping is available via priority mail and FedEx.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in

Filed under: Accessories, Features, iPhone

iPhone accessory mini-review and gallery: Incase Protective Cover



When I purchase just about any electronic gadget these days, I usually factor in the cost of at least a $20-$30 case to buy right along with it. When I went to purchase my 8GB iPhone Friday night, I considered its price to be $630, not $599; there was no way I was walking out of the Apple Store without some way to protect my shiny new gadget, even if I had to get some kind of super-stretchy iPod case to hold me over. Thankfully, my Apple Store was ready to roll with a healthy dose of both in-house and 3rd party accessories, including some from one of my favorite accessory and case manufacturers: Incase (who just recently re-launched their website, finally). With a few different hard rubber and leather case options available, I settled on the $29.95 Incase Protective Cover in black, and here is a mini-review. For those who want the cliff notes: it's a great case that fits the iPhone like a glove, flawlessly providing access to all the phone's controls and ports. I definitely recommend it. Check out our gallery for images of the case in action.

To expand a little: this Incase Protective Case is designed really well, and once applied to your phone it hardly shifts in place, despite being slightly flexible, though hardened, rubber. This isn't like the silicon cases from iSkin - it's pretty rigid. One drawback of the case though is the lack of any clear protective cover for the iPhone's display. Considering that PC World has done a pretty good job of exploring how strong, durable and apparently un-scratch-able the iPhone's display is in this video, you might not have to worry about it. Another alternative for protecting your iPhone's display, at least for now, would be to leave on the clear plastic sticker; that's what I did, and my phone touch UI seems to function just fine. If you've already tossed out that sticker, a pack of Crystal Film from Power Support, also available in Apple Stores for $14.95, might do the trick. I picked up a pack of this stuff but I'm honestly wary of using it since I still have the original clear sticker on my iPhone. If anyone tries that film stuff out, please comment with your experience.

Getting back to the case though, it also adds a level of grip-ability to the phone's otherwise sleek and possibly too-slick exterior. For anyone concerned about dropping the phone during calls or carrying too many groceries in at once, this case should add all the grip you need. However, one unavoidable drawback to this case - and likely every case made for the iPhone - is that the dock won't be usable without removing the case. Anyone who has used just about any case on their iPod probably won't be surprised by this. You'll either have to deal with removing your Incase Protective Case each time you want to sit your iPhone in its dock, or simply stick with using the cable altogether.

Ultimately, I highly recommend the Incase Protective Case. It's another successful effort from an established Apple accessory maker that protects (almost) everything that needs it, while still offering unhindered access to the iPhone's exterior controls and ports. I give the $29.95 cases a 5/5 rating, and you can see more pictures and colors here, as well as the rest of Incase's iPhone lineup here.

Filed under: Accessories, iPhone

Wooden iPhone case

Less than 24 hours after bringing your iPhone home, it may have acquired its very first scratch. Oh, the horror.

Check out the iWood case for iPhone. Scheduled to ship in July, the iWood is a single piece of wood that features a polycarbonate sheet to protect the iPhone's face, a cutout for the camera and very nice looks. You can even have the back engraved with your own text and logo (if you have a logo).

Pricing starts at €60.

[Via MacMinute]

Tip of the Day

F11 moves all your windows off the screen so you can quickly glance at your desktop. F10 shows you every open window in an application. F9 shows every open window for every application that isn't hidden or in the dock.


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