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Ultimate iPad 2 case roundup

Editors' note: Updated January 24 with nine new cases from Belkin, Camalen, Evio, Incipio, iSkin, Speck, and SwitchEasy. The original post published March 11, 2011.

We know that a lot of people who buy the iPad 2 are also going to buy Apple's Smart Cover. But then again plenty of folks prefer to shop for non-Apple alternatives, and we've got more than 70 iPad 2 covers and stands to show you.

Related link
• MacBook Air cases and covers roundup

Of course, this roundup only represents a fraction of the cases and stands available for the iPad 2, but we've tried to include many of the top cases available. It's also worth noting that while we've included a few sleeve-style cases and some back covers that are designed to work with Apple's Smart Cover, the majority of the cases are what we'd call "full" cases with protection for both the front and back of your iPad 2.

If you think we missed a good cover--or just have a favorite among the ones shown--feel free to post a comment. We'll update the list to include more covers and stands as they become available (we've added close to 20 new covers in the last month and have started to delete some of the less desirable cases as the list gets too long).

Click on any slide to begin the slideshow. Cases are listed alphabetically.

Protesters go after the wrong SOPA

When emotions take you over, your rational mind often books a two-week trip to Cancun.

This is surely what happened when some protesters discovered that SOPA, that dastardly piece of proposed legislation aimed at preventing the online world from owning Hollywood (in an emotional sense), had its own Web site.

So, as the Register legislates it, the Web's advance herd barraged the site with dozens of messages of something not akin to goodwill.

Some, indeed, included swear words. For example: "You pass and you\'ll be hated everywhere in the world! Why can\'t you fat f*** americans get more

Vimeo rolls out total Web site redesign

Vimeo, the freemium-model video sharing site for the artsy crowd, is undergoing a remake. And this new casting puts a spotlight on improved navigation, search, and privacy options.

Beginning Tuesday, users can sign up to test run the new Vimeo design and features, which are planned to fully launch by the end of the second quarter, according to Vimeo Chief Executive Dae Mellencamp. The new site retains the general color palette and ethos of Vimeo, but with new style elements and advanced uploading options. That, and the entire site's back end was recoded from scratch.

"I think everything gets more

In Super Bowl warm-up, Samsung laughs at Apple again

Samsung and Apple are like a couple of bickering sisters. "I hate you. I love you. I hate you. I can't remember whether I hate you or I love you. I can remember suing you."

So, in the run-up to the Super Bowl, Samsung has released another ad that pokes and pokes at Apple fanboys and fangirls.

There they are waiting in line for, who knows, the iPhone 4SS. They are watching a very cool unboxing video. Then along comes one of their roommates to toss them a charger.

Oh, and look. He has turn-by-turn, voice-guided directions as standard

Intel wants to give overclockers some peace of mind with its new Performance Tuning Protection Plan.

PC performance enthusiasts will know that Intel has always taken a hands-off approach toward overclocking. Among other reasons, by advising its customers to ramp the speed of its CPUs beyond their shipped settings, Intel would invite liability if the overclocking resulted in damage to the system or its components.

Instead, Intel has taken a more passive approach to overclocking. By shipping its "K" series CPUs, for example, with unlocked clock speed and memory bus settings, advanced users and boutique PC vendors are free to more

What mattered most on CES Day 3

LAS VEGAS--Day 3 of the Consumer Electronics Show made some companies very happy.

CNET today announced the winners of this year's Best of CES Awards. The winners included a top product in 10 categories; the People's Voice Award, given to the product with the most votes from CNET readers; and the coveted Best of Show Award. This year's top honors went to LG's absolutely beautiful 55-inch OLED television. The LG 55EM9600 OLED TV promises the superb all-around performance of OLED technology in an ultra-thin panel. And when we say ultra-thin, we mean it; it's a more

Now UPS fires courier for tossing Zappos delivery

'Tis the season to be a jolly courier and toss packages with gay abandon.

After the heightened enthusiasm that surrounded a FedEx courier who tossed a Samsung monitor over a rather fetching fence, I bring news of a UPS guy who not only tossed a Zappos package, but also really pulled his finger out: the middle one, which he offered to a security camera.

The footage was reportedly captured December 15 on Long Island. Unlike the FedEx case, where the company declared it would take its recalcitrant employee through a disciplinary process, UPS has been more forthright.

For, according to NBC New York,

CNET reporters go out on limb and offer their predictions about what to expect next year in the sundry segments of the tech world.

Five predictions for security in 2012

More security and privacy problems expected for Android apps, utilities, e-voting machines, and social media users, while hackers may get more political.
(Posted in InSecurity Complex by Elinor Mills)
December 23, 2011

Five startup predictions for 2012

There's a glut of startups--and also plenty of reasons for optimism going into the new year.
(Posted in Digital Media by Paul Sloan)
December 22, 2011

Mobile devices: Five predictions for 2012

Meet Mrs. Violence, your not-so-average gamer

"I have two 360s and a PS3. I need to be able to walk into a room and just... go."

That's Mrs. Violence, the 23-year-old who just scored $25,000 in The Controller, a taxing Battlefield 3-inspired competition put on by CNET sister site GameSpot.

There's just one catch: for much of the contest, she couldn't actually play the game.

Throughout the eight-episode contest, which began on October 21, Mrs. Violence and five other prominent gamers were paired with video game noobs playing Battlefield 3 for the first time.

While the pros coached their apprentices in preparation for tournaments, Mrs. Violence and her fellow gamers endured grueling physical challenges inspired by the game, such as crawling through mud, participating in mock firefights, and taking a crash course in bomb disposal. It wasn't until the last episode that Kelley got her hands on a controller, destroyed her final opponent, and split $50,000 with her noob counterpart, Severn.

Not surprising for the San Diego native, who averages 10 hours of gameplay per day and has competed in many gaming competitions, including MLG (Major League Gaming) and WCG (World Cyber Games). She's also the top female Gears of War player and mingles at the top of the MLG charts.

Growing up in a house full of male gamers, Kelley was naturally turned on to the world of hard-core gaming--hence her name, Mrs. Violence. She can't get enough, and she'll admit: she's pretty damn good.

How photo products (mostly didn't) evolve during 2011

The successor to the full-frame Nikon D700 and Canon's follow-on to the EOS 5D Mark II were widely expected to put in an appearance of some sort during 2011. They didn't.

It appears as if the D800 will be a 36-megapixel camera that will launch in early 2012. What Canon's prosumer follow-on (5D Mark III?) will look like and when it will debut is anyone's guess. The combination of the Japanese earthquake/tsunami and Thailand flood tragedies contributed to significant delays throughout the photographic industry.

Other cameras were announced but are still not widely available, apparently more