case

One of digital technologies benefits has always been saving trees--or so we thought. It seems somewhat ironic then that such products as wooden computers, TVs and cameras appear to be on the rise.

Either way, we should have known that techno-fashion accessories wouldn't be far behind. Enter MoMA's wooden laptop tote, which is purportedly made from "ecologically thinned cedar," whatever that is. Shiny Shiny says you must pay for the privilege of being on the cutting edge, of course, to the tune of $265. But you'll be the envy of everyone at the next Gilligan'… Read more

It's a classic case of high tech meeting low tech. For the security-conscious listener, Japan's Elecom has a new line of locking cases for the iPod.

We're not talking about DRM kind of locks here, but the kind that we used to lock up our 10-speed bikes in junior high, complete with a four-digit combination. It even has a steel cable just like the old bike locks did too--which means it could be snipped just as easily with a pair of medium-sized wire cutters. (Not that we know any of this from first-hand experience or anything.)

Despite … Read more

Every day is like Christmas around here: it seems I'm always opening a package or three. This does somewhat take the shine off of the actual holiday, but I can't pretend it's not fun trying to guess what's in each nondescript box. Imagine my suprise at opening one such oversized package from Speck products and discovering that rather than a correspondingly large product, the box contained many, many small ones. Cases, to be exact. Lots of them. Indeed, it appears that Speck has created a protective sleeve for every variety of mobile gadget. This is, of … Read more

Here in the CNET editorial cube farm, we're usually not too fond of receiving random, unannounced packages from tech vendors. Not that I'm afraid of anthrax or suspiciously ticking boxes. No, it's more that I prefer to be aware of the products I'm receiving to ensure that they're not being sent to me in vain--there's not a lot this San Francisco-based MP3 editor can do with a digital camera accessory except ship it to the camera editors in New York. But every once in a while, I receive an unexpected package that contains something … Read more

The good news: I have found photos of what is undoubtedly the most awesome iPod case ever, thanks to Make Magazine's blog.

The bad news: Like most stuff featured on Make, you can't buy it anywhere.

Flickr user sirljohns has put up a sort of tutorial of how to make a fully functional iPod case out of an old Game Boy console, but you'll still need a good amount of technical know-how in order to build one yourself. Nevertheless, this is about as cool as it gets.

Hey, hippies! I know you probably carry your laptop around in an organic-cotton sack and would never think of switching over to a briefcase (that evil, chilly symbol of greedy corporate America and all its Hummer-driving Enron-clone zombies). But maybe this will change your mind. Treehugger recently featured the Eclipse Solar Gear Hybrid Notebook Case, which will charge your computer with solar energy thanks to an inverter and battery pack inside. In addition, it can charge your GPS navigator, MP3 player, satellite radio system, or BlackBerry. But you don't have a BlackBerry, of course. Those are instruments of Big … Read more

As part of our charitable holiday wishes, we've asked that people not neglect the MacBooks in the family while their iPod siblings get all the attention. The response, we're happy to say, has been admirable.

If you're looking for one more accessory to stuff in your laptop's stocking, the ever-fashionable Chip Chick has just the item: a "form-fitting leather wrap." The line of "Signature Suits" from Case-Mate come in various designs of black, white and red with contrasting accents.

The case covers are a bit on the high side at $149, but … Read more

If nothing else, Ministry of Sound deserves credit for combining two of the most hyperactive cottages industries in all of consumer technology: iPod cases and iPod speakers. The "Mi-Sound iPod Case" straps to your arm too, which means you can share your music out loud with the rest of the world--whether they want to hear it or not. But if you must offend others, at least this one doesn't have the hideous design of the "Blue Beatz."

Of course your PC enrages you from time to time, but you're not supposed to bang on it -- though you would be forgiven if it's housed in a Spotswood Custom Computers case, which is actually a kick drum.

Yes, it's a slightly odd motif for a PC (oh, let's be honest; it makes no damned sense) but the Spotswood folks say a drum enclosure makes for a very quiet PC case with flexible component mounting options. And to be fair, this is the hippest possible way to house a workstation PC in a recording studio … Read more