cases

Otterbox has a teaser video out for a new iPhone 4/4S case that it says is the toughest case the company's ever made.

Set to ship June 24, the Armor Series case is dust proof, drop proof, waterproof, and apparently crush proof. No word on how much it will cost, but I'd been hoping Otterbox would have something new that offered increased protection while hopefully not adding any bulk.

Otterbox has been one of the big smartphone accessory success stories but it has faced increased competition from upstarts like Lifeproof that have put out more durable, slimmer … Read more

Moshi's Concerti case for Apple's new iPad and iPad 2 is a popular item in CNET's San Francisco office, where it was passed around, lived with, and fought over at least once.

The $55 fold-over case has many charms, including a soft microfiber material and the ability to trigger the iPad's sleep/wake mode. The case keeps a strong grip on the iPad with a silicone sleeve, and has an elastic band to keep it more tightly bundled still.

The Concerti also has a couple of quirks that you can read all about in my full Moshi Concerti review.… Read more

Otterbox has built a booming business out of its ultraprotective iPhone cases but today has a lot more competition -- and it's only getting fiercer.

Case in point: iSkin's just-announced Fuze case, which also comes in a special-edition model, the Fuze SE. What's nice about these is that they offer solid protection in a relatively low-profile case.

While they don't offer the same level of protection as the $80 Lifeproof case, which is waterproof and features an integrated screen cover, the overall concept and design are somewhat similar.

iSkin says the new Fuze cases took months … Read more

Once upon a time, only the coolest (and wealthiest) people had mobile phones, and those phones were the size of a large guinea pig. This magical time was known as the 1980s.

If you pine for the days when acid wash jeans and Phil Collins ruled America, then ThinkGeek's Retro iPhone Case is for you.

Slip your iPhone into this case and lose all pretense to having a sleek, modern telecommunications device. All of a sudden, you have a brick-sized 1980s phone to go with your "Miami Vice" pop-collar jacket and gelled hair.

This honkin' huge case … Read more

WaterField Designs makes some swanky cases for laptops, tablets, e-readers, and even the PS Vita. The company's latest edition to its catalog is the CitySlicker, a compact carrying case for the MacBook Air and presumably smaller Windows ultrabooks.

Although I haven't gotten my hands on one, the nice thing about it seems to be that while it's slim, it does offer more storage than a laptop sleeve, with a few pockets on the inside and one on the outside for storing the Air's AC adapter and charging cable.

The downside is the price.… Read more

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.

… Read more

Much as I'm loathe to diminish the beauty of a tablet by wrapping it in a plastic or leather case, I recognize the necessity -- not just for protection, but also for productivity.

For example, as someone who routinely reads books and magazines over breakfast, I like to prop up my tablet at a comfortable viewing angle. And I don't always want it in landscape orientation, either; sometimes I prefer a portrait view. (See you around, iPad Smart Cover.)… Read more

NEW ORLEANS--When Apple introduced the iPhone 4 in 2010, it sported a new radical design with a full sheet of glass on its backside. While striking, the design didn't take kindly to drops on the sidewalk and the wrap-around antenna presented some unfortunate attenuation problems.

Neither scenario was best for consumers, but it also created a boon for anyone eager to make an iPhone case. And at the 2012 CTIA, it was clear that there's a lot of innovation behind such a practical product.

I began my last morning at CTIA visiting with Tech21, a London-based company furiously … 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