iphone4

I first posted this roundup not long after the iPhone 4 hit stores and it's been through several updates, and now only includes cases that fit both the iPhone 4 and 4S and carry the "universal fit" tag.

Update, May 15, 2012: Added Griffin Survivor and Gumdrop Drop Tech Series.

As I've said before, how you choose to protect -- or not protect -- your iPhone is a matter of personal preference. But if some heavy-duty shielding is what you're looking for, this is the list for you.

While I tried to pick tough, protective cases that look good and don't make your iPhone too bulky, a few of the cases have more extreme designs that aren't necessarily intended for everyday use. I should also note that some of the more rugged cases can be a bit of a chore to remove and aren't friendly toward iPod docks and certain charging accessories due to how recessed the ports become when the case is on.

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Apple's Siri virtual personal assistant certainly has said some rather interesting things in the past. But to diss its overlord seems a bit much, don't you think?

When iPhone 4S owners ask Siri which smartphone is the best ever made, the obviously disgruntled virtual personal assistant responds saying it's the Nokia Lumia 900 4G running on AT&T's network. It goes further, stating that the Cyan-colored Lumia 900 stands above all others.

Although it may seem a bit odd that Apple's own service would … Read more

iPhone buyers looking for a healthy discount on a new phone can find one at their local RadioShack store, the company tweeted this week.

The retailer is selling the 16GB iPhone 4S for $149.99, the 32GB edition for $249.99, and the 8GB iPhone 4 for $49, all three a full $50 off the retail price.

The promotion is in-store only, so customers can't score the lower price by ordering online. As expected, the sale price requires the usual two-year contract. Buyers can choose from among any of the three U.S. iPhone carriers: Verizon Wireless, AT&… Read more

Mobile subscribers of three more regional carriers will soon have access to the latest iPhones.

Kentucky's Bluegrass Cellular, California's Golden State Cellular, and Kansas' Nex-Tech Wireless are next on the regional list to carry Apple's iPhone 4S and iPhone 4.

Among the three carriers, Bluegrass Cellular and Nex-Tech Wireless spilled the most beans. Both confirmed on their Web sites that on May 18, each would start offering its customers all three models of the iPhone 4S, and at prices $50 less than those charged by the three nationwide carriers.

The 16GB version will sell for $149.99, the 32GB for $249.99, and the 64GB for $349.99, all with the usual two-year contract. Both carriers will also offer the iPhone 4 for $49.99.… Read more

If a report from Cult of Mac this morning is true, we may have our first good sense of what Apple's long-rumored and much-hyped HDTV looks like and what features it contains.

In the report, Cult of Mac cites an unnamed source who is said to have seen a prototype of the forthcoming device and who claims that it looks like "Apple's current lineup of LED-backlit Cinema Displays but is 'much bigger.' It [also] has a built-in iSight camera for making free FaceTime video conference calls. And it has Siri, the iPhone 4S' voice-activated virtual assistant." … Read more

Apple is cutting its orders of iPhone touch panels, indicating that it's preparing to transition to its next handset, according to the DigiTimes.

Apple's touch-panel suppliers, TPK Holding and Wintek, will see shipments of the components decline sequentially by 15 percent to 20 percent during the second quarter, according to Taiwan-based DigiTimes, citing sources. The publication's sources say Apple's current iPhone line is "moving into the final stage," and the company is moving to a new technology, called in-cell touch, for the iPhone 5.

In-cell touch technology has been rumored to be coming to the iPhone 5 for well over a month. … Read more

Last updated: 10:38 a.m. PT

Attention Wal-Mart shoppers: It turns out that word of a markdown for the 16GB iPhone 4S was a mistake.

Reports, including this one, had suggested that Apple's flagship phone could be had for just $114 at some Wal-Mart stores, which would have been a healthy discount from Wal-Mart's regular price of $188. It also seemed that the 8GB iPhone 4 had received a price cut to $34, but that too was in error.

Wal-Mart now says in response to CNET's inquiry that it had run into a glitch: "Yesterday, … Read more

At last, concrete specifics of the much anticipated and rumored Samsung Galaxy S III have been revealed. At today's Mobile Unpacked press event in London, Samsung officially pulled the tarp off of the smartphone and it looks like speculation about the device was right on the money. Find out how this Android superphone stands up against stiff competition from arch rivals, the Apple iPhone 4S and new HTC One X (AT&T). … Read more

There are several places where protective bumpers always belong: cars, children's bowling parties, and electronics cases.

Rubbery corners are a trademark feature in Ballistic's cases for a variety of smartphone makes and models. In its most recent line for the iPhone 4 and 4S, the Ballistic LifeStyle Smooth series, the case-maker brings the silicone inserts to a fairly fitted design for Apple's iconic phone.

How does the $30 case fare? Pretty well, actually. Check out the photos, the pros, and the cons in my full review of the Ballistic LifeStyle Smooth case, which will be available to … Read more