cases

Speck Products' FitFolio is one of our favorite iPad and e-reader cases, and now it's available for the Kindle Fire.

What's nice about it is that the device fits securely in a form-fitting hard-shell case and your screen is protected by a "vegan" leatherette book-style cover that folds back and converts into a stand (yes, "vegan" leather means faux leather in PC speak). A small bungee cord keeps the cover closed.

This one comes in black, red, and teal versions. Speck also makes the $29.95 BookWrap. However, that case doesn't convert into a stand. Also on tap: the soon-to-be-released WanderFolio for Kindle Fire, which is similar to the FitFolio but incorporates some hideaway pockets for "cards, cash, and more" in the cover.

We have a WanderFolio in the office and it's a little thicker than the FitFolio but still is pretty slim. No word on exactly when that one will be available, but we suspect that it should go on sale within days.

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There's something magical about the 1980s and Apple computers. The fashions sparkled. The computers were lovably chunky.

Hop into the DeLorean of your mind and go back in time by inserting your iPad 2 into Thumbs Up World's Padintosh cover. It instantly transforms your svelte modern machine into a classic Macintosh, right down to the dingy off-whitish color.… Read more

It doesn't look like iSkin will quite make the arrival of the Year of the Dragon, which kicks off on January 23, but it's trying to get close with its new "dragon-themed" iPhone 4/4S Aura cases, which were spotted at CES in Las Vegas.

iSkin was also showing another new line of cases for iPhones and iPads that will be released "by Spring" with a kind of ruggedly smooth leathery look that got a lot of good feedback at the show. That line will be called Vintage.

The Canadian accessories company has also … Read more

Want to mount your iPhone on a tripod? There are lots of third-party accessories that can help, but few are as practical or affordable as the Kungl iPhone Tripod Mount.

Lest you think it sounds crazy to connect a smartphone to a tripod, consider this: the iPhone 4 sports a 5-megapixel camera and can capture 720p video, while the 4S raises the bar to 8 megapixels and 1080p--and even brings image stabilization to the table.

The latter might seem to obviate the need for a tripod, but if you want the sharpest photos and smoothest video, nothing beats one.… Read more

LAS VEGAS--One of my favorite parts of CES is getting beyond the shiny new smartphones and tracking down the quirky mobile accessories that hide in far corners of the enormous show floor.

Sadly, I had to wait until the last day of CES to start exploring, so I was very fortunate to bump into the founders of CaseInity at the CNET stage (I guess they figured it was a likely place to find CNET editors lurking about).

Based in Philadelphia, CaseInity is developing a unique and very convenient case for the iPhone 4 and 4S called Cord-on-Board. Beyond just protecting … Read more

LAS VEGAS--It's been my experience that when there's a large crowd gathered around a booth at CES, it's either because of the booth babes or because a company is giving away free stuff. In Case-Mate's, err, case, it was the latter.

The cell phone accessories manufacturer had a station at its booth where attendees could build their own iPhone cases using interlocking pieces. Much like walking into a Lego store, there were canisters filled with different-colored parts that you could pick through to build the iPhone case of your rainbow-colored dreams. Non-CES goers shouldn't be too green with envy, though, as you can create one yourself with the Case-Mate Quartet case. … Read more

LAS VEGAS--We've had positive dealings with custom PC maker Digital Storm over the last couple of years. Its first custom case design should help raise its profile in the high-priced world of boutique PC vendors.

Too many "custom" PC vendors simply grab off-the-shelf parts and sell them as their own computers. You can still get a decent desktop from those sellers, but I take a brighter view of companies that design a chassis to their own specifications. It's a sign that a vendor is truly committed to selling custom desktops. It also suggests an investment in mastering the thermal, material, and compositional specifics of the end product.

A custom chassis brings no guarantees, of course.… Read more

Case-mate's latest tough iPhone 4/4S case, the Phantom, just started shipping, but it's worth calling out because Case-mate is officially launching it at CES in Vegas.

This is a "two-piece" case, but it doesn't include an integrated plastic screen cover like some tough cases do (it comes with a stick-on screen protector).

As noted, the Phantom comes in multiple colors and retails for $50. When I get my hands on one, I'll see if it's worthy of making it onto our Top 20 tough iPhone 4 and 4S case list.

G-Form, the company behind those videos showing an iPad surviving a drop from a plane inside a G-Form ultrarugged protective sleeve, is finally going small: yes, there's now a G-Form iPhone case, and it looks like it means business.

No word on when this will actually be available, but we do know a price: $39.99. When we get more info, we'll fill you in. For now, have a look at this video of an iPad going up to the edge of space in a G-Form Extreme Sleeve.… Read more