I got the Jesus phone and a Platinum Plus card. Isn't that enough street cred for you?
(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET)I'm not a fan of protective case for gadgets (which, as long as they function, are fine the way they are, even with a few scratches). For this reason, the only things I've put on my iPhone 3GS so far, and only when I travel, are the Mophie Juice packs, which add more battery life to the phone.
I just, however, found a new protective case that I actually am going to use more regularly, for the sake of convenience. It's the Case-Mate I.D. case.
Unlike other protective cases that try to be as slim as possible, the I.D. case deliberately bulks out at the phone's back to create a small pouch that's just large enough to fit two credit cards or, in my case, my driver's license and a library card (yes, I read).
Of course, you can swap these out for any two cards you want. The point is this is very convenient, especially when the iPhone is something a lot of us don't want to be separated from. And I would like to stress the inseparable notion, as you definitely don't want to lose the phone and the two important cards attached to it.
Despite the added functionality, the case actually only adds another 2.5 mm (about one-tenth of an inch) of thickness to the phone, compared with other purely protective cases.
Other than that, the Case-Mate I.D. is very much like most protective cases. It comes with an easily attached protective film for the phone's screen and another protective layer for the back of the phone (so the card won't mess up all the fingerprints you've gathered).
The Case-Mate I.D. works with both the iPhone 3G and 3GS. It comes in eight colors and costs $30, which is a little more expensive than other cases that add no extra usability to the phone.
Updated July 7, 2009.
While the Kindle--and now the Kindle 2--haven't created the huge accessories market that Apple's iPod and iPhone have, there's a small cottage industry of Kindle accessories forming. Here's a quick look at some of the top cases and accessories. In the comments section, feel free to suggest any products you think we missed. We'll add to the list as new accessories come out.
Slideshow (click any product image to begin):
1. Amazon Kindle 2 Leather Cover ($29.99)
2. Belkin Neoprene Sleeve Case for Amazon Kindle 2 ($24.99)
3. Patagonia Book Case for Kindle 2 ($39.99)
4. Mighty Bright XtraFlex2 Clip-On Light ($16.00)
5. iGo Everywhere Universal Wall (AC) and Auto (DC) Charger with retractable cable ($19.99)
6. Cole Haan Hand-Woven cover ($119.99)
7. Cole Haan Pebble Grain cover, Black ($99.99)
8. Cole Haan Pebble Grain, Saddle-Tan cover ($99.99)
9. Amazon Kindle 2 Replacement Power Adapter ($14.99)
10. GelaSkins Protective Skin for Amazon Kindle 2 (Bookshelf) ($19.99)
11. GelaSkins Protective Skin for Amazon Kindle 2 (Gold Flowers) ($19.99)
12. M-Edge Prodigy for Kindle 2 ($44.99)
13. M-Edge Platform Jacket for Kindle 2 ($44.99)
14. M-Edge e-Luminator light ($14.95)
15. Octovo sleeve ($21.95)
16. Oberon Design Kindle 2 covers ($75)
17. Decalgirl Kindle 2 skins (14.99)
18. CaseCrown Double Memory Foam Pouch Case with a front pocket ($21.21)
19. Incipio Technologies underGROUND Case for Amazon Kindle 2 ($19.99)
20. JAVOEdge Amazon Kindle 2 Flip Case ($49.95)
21. JAVOEdge Amazon Kindle 2 Book Style Case ($49.95)
22. M-edge GO! Jacket ($29.99)
23. OCTO Metal Stand ($14.99)
24. OCTO Splash Proof Case ($19.99)
25. Flex Neck Reading Light ($14.99)
On Sale Now: $29.99
View the latest prices for Amazon Kindle 2 Leather Cover
On Sale Now: $39.99
View the latest prices for Patagonia Book Case for Kindle 2
Following a long wait after my first blog, I finally got my hands on Mophie's Juice Pack Air for the iPhone 3G. The company announced the availability of the accessory Tuesday with a price tag of $79.95.
If you own an iPhone 3G, you know how bad the device's battery life is, especially when you have 3G, GPS, and Wi-Fi turned on. For this reason, extended batteries, such as the original Juice Pack from Mophie are a must. However, this juice pack is rather bulky and doesn't cover the top of the phone. This is where the Juice Pack Air comes into play.
The new Juice Pack Air is thinner, though not by much, and has a top part to make it a complete protective case for the iPhone 3G while doubling the phone's battery life.
Unfortunately, the Juice Pack Air comes with a Micro-USB port, instead of the Mini-USB port that's used in many handheld devices, including the original Juice Pack. This makes it a little inconvenient to use. Other than that I liked it.
Before making the purchase, make sure you read the full review of the unit here.
You have your iPod Shuffle 3G clipped on your arm when working out and it looks cool. So now, how about making it look yummy, too?
You can start by putting it in a ChocoShuffle, a new protective case for the iPod Shuffle 3G from SwitchEasy.
The first thing that came to mind when I saw the photos of the ChocoShuffle is that I just wanted to take a bite out of it. The case looks exactly like a piece of chocolate. It even comes in three colors, representing different kinds of chocolate: milk, white, and strawberry. It's made out of shock-proof silicon and offers a nonslip thumb grip.
Is it a coincidence that a tasty piece of chocolate happens to have the perfect size and shape to be a protective case for an MP3 player? Probably. But it's still a neat idea.
The ChocoSuffle is available now and costs a little more than a Hershey bar, at $9.
Now the problem is, will the ChocoShuffle make it harder for those who are on a diet? Or will the fact that it's not actually edible help with their willpower? I'll just stick with my iPhone for now.
The Kindle case sells separately for $30.
(Credit: Amazon.com)OK, I have to admit I initially missed these small--but potentially serious--omissions from the Amazon Kindle 2. But I just read the fine print in the specs and the new model doesn't ship with a protective cover or the memory expansion slot found on the original Kindle.
Many Kindle owners have complained about how mediocre the cover that shipped with the original Kindle was, but I think a lot of people are going to be disappointed to learn that the device arrive completely naked this go around. And while 2GB is ample for books and other digital print matter, if you want to use the Kindle 2 as an MP3 player, 2 gigs is a bit skimpy.
As we all know now, the price for the new Kindle is the same as the old one ($359). But when you tack on $30 for the case, the price goes up to $389. Sure, some third-party covers may come in at $15 to $20, but the good ones usually cost $30 or more--and the fancy real leather stuff comes in at more than $50.
Anybody else think this is a bummer?
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