cases

Apple's next iPhone hasn't even been announced, but that hasn't kept third-party case manufacturers from getting products ready to go.

Case in point (pun intended), this new crop of cases that have shown up on Shenzhen, China-based TVC-Mall. Spotted by jailbreak enthusiast blog Cydiablog (by way of Macrumors), these cases promise to fit Apple's next iPhone. That's complete with a rectangular cutout on the bottom, presumably where Apple's reportedly tweaked dock connector will be.

Buyers beware though. TVC-Mall, which makes accessories for numerous technology manufacturers, says there's no guarantee the case will work … Read more

iPhone cases come in all shapes and sizes. Well, OK, the shape and size tend to be pretty uniform, but there's certainly no end to the variety and versatility of iPhone cases.

Like the one that adds a tripod mount. And the one that adds a fold-out keyboard. And don't forget the licensed "Star Wars" iPhone cases and custom photo iPhone cases.

Now, for those people who feel the pen is mightier than the thumb, there's the binder-clip iPhone case. Designed for the iPhone 4 and 4S, it adds a mini-clipboard to your device -- ideal for those times when you want to jot a few notes, old-school.… Read more

On first read, the patent application (uncovered by AppleInsider) seems to underwhelm. Apple describes a form-fitted case that would contain an opening that aligns with the microphone on the device (in this case, an iPhone).

The opening would contain a thin mesh, foam, or featherlike screen that would reduce the amount of wind noise that makes its way to the device's microphone.

Apple leaves the door open for many variations of its case, stating that it could be made from rubber, silicon, polycarbonate, acrylic, or plastic.

The mesh windscreen would be embedded into the case and extend across the … Read more

The Samsung Galaxy S3 accessories keep rolling out, and iSkin's getting in on the GS3 action with its Aura and Vibes lines of cases.

For its Vibes line ($29.99), which comes in multiple colors, iSkin touts its Microban antimicrobial protection, which "helps prevent the growth of bacteria that can cause stains and odors." I'm not sure I've ever had a smartphone case with a B.O. problem, but hey, it makes for good marketing.

While I haven't tried out the Vibes on the S3, I did check out the Aura ($39.99), which … Read more

I'm actually kind of surprised we haven't seen an iPhone case like this already, but Ego is calling its Hybrid Series USB Case for the iPhone 4/4S a "world's first."

Yes, this one features a slide-in USB drive that's available in six color options and 4GB, 8GB, and 16GB storage capacities. The case itself also comes in different colors, and Ego says that when you add up all the possible color combination, the total comes out to 42. However, your color options for the USB stick vary by capacity.

The 4GB stick comes … Read more

Patent lawsuits seem to be getting more common -- continually there are daily headlines of this company suing that company over intellectual property rights.

A new study released today confirms that lawsuits are increasing and says the overall cost of these cases in the U.S. was $29 billion in 2011.

The study, which was put out by Boston University, specifically looks at "non-practicing entities" (NPE), or "patent trolls." How these trolls operate is by buying and licensing patents without making the products of their own. Many major tech companies, like Apple, Google, and Samsung, have been criticized … Read more

The Texas Attorney General seems unhappy with Google. What started as an antitrust lawsuit two years ago has now morphed into an investigation into the Web giant's alleged attempts to withhold documents from the Lone Star State.

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott filed a civil lawsuit against Google this week alleging that the search engine has redacted or refused to turn over documentation based on false attorney-client privilege, according to AllThingsD. Supposedly, Google has refused to hand over 14,500 documents claiming attorney-client privilege. Abbott said some of these documents are indeed protected, however, many others are not.

Here'… Read more

The folks from Lifeproof stopped by our office in New York and gave us a peek at some upcoming products, including new colors for its fast-selling $80 waterproof iPhone 4/4S case, a flotation accessory, and its much-anticipated waterproof iPad case, which is due to arrive in August and will fit both the iPad 2 and third-generation iPad.

The new iPhone cases are due to arrive in the next few weeks, though the orange and lime green cases (on the right) will be delayed a bit. The new cases will retail for the same price as the current Lifeproof cases (… Read more

I like to think I'm no germaphobe, but when I was recently handed an iPad whose screen was littered with smudgy fingerprints, a little voice inside my head stopped talking and started choking. I couldn't help but imagine what pathogens were thriving on that surface.

Enter the AirStrap Med, an iPad case designed by and for health care workers but well-suited to the germ-wary as well.

The $89.99 case, released this month by Griffin, is made of a two-piece polycarbonate and silicone frame that snaps around the iPad (also compatible with iPad 2) in such a way … Read more