When it was first revealed at CES earlier this year, we were all amazed with the Spiderpodium Tablet by Breffo ($35). Somewhere in between a toy, and a multipurpose iPad stand, the Spiderpodium has an extremely unique design that is adaptable for almost any tablet device. I got the chance to play around with the unique stand over the last few weeks, and while I think that it’s incredibly clever, there are definitely some drawbacks.
This is rugged leather case is playful riff on all of the envelope cases available for the iPad. In keeping with the biker-y aesthetic, it comes with a handlebar mustache for a stand.
Looking for a cool new case to protect your magical iPad from slime, scratches, termites, and falling debris? Yesterday we published our review on the beautiful, wooden BrudaCase and now we’re giving our readers a chance to win a Cherry BrudaCase for free (retail value $150).
We’ll select one reader at random as the winner of the giveaway and have a BrudaCase mailed out to you. The contest will run from Friday, May 13th til Monday, May 16th at 12PM PST. Limit of one entry per person.
The BrudaCase for iPad 2 is a sleek, elegant case made out of wood to protect your iPad while still maintaining a classic look that is truly worthy of holding your favorite tech treasure. With its nod to the past, while still looking to the future, the BrudaCase is one of the most beautifully manufactured iPad cases I’ve come across. Handcrafted in the heart of Amish Country Pennsylvania, the case doesn’t set out to be just another piece of beauty, as it also brings a lot of thoughtful functionality with it.
The case is made from slabs of cherry or maple wood that have been precision trimmed, sanded, and finished by an Amish cabinet-maker. The two pieces are held together by two discrete hinges inside the case. Padding lines the interior cavity to protect your iPad 2 from scratching, while four magnets secure the two sides together to prevent the case from opening accidentally. One of the neat things about the BrudaCase is how they addressed the need for different viewing angles. Two different notches inside the case allow the user to adjust the viewing angle of the iPad based on preference or the need to do some typing. The typing angle didn’t feel that comfortable though as the angle of inclination was a bit greater than that of a SmartCover, and to achieve the typing angle the iPad is recessed a bit too far back in the case for my liking.
We’ve seen DIY versions of iPad necklaces, now one enterprising former robotics student hopes to bring this wooden version to stores near you soon.
Desmond D. Dixon designed, engineered and models (that’s him in the pic above) these iPad and iPod chains. The iPod chains will go for $25, the iPad chains $49 when they go on sale in fall 2011.
The Booqpad Agenda iPad 2 case from Booq is the perfect mix of past and future. It brings the futuristic technology of the iPad 2 and the old technology of pen and paper together making this the best iPad 2 case yet for note takers. It accomplishes all this in a package that is ready for the executive boardroom and beyond.
The Booqpad is a folio style case that is available in four styles. First, there are two models made from 100% recycled PET that come in Gray-Green and Sand-Plum colors that retail for $49.95. Second, one model made from a genuine Nappa leather exterior comes in Coffee-Cream and retails for $99.95. Finally, the last model the one that I am reviewing comes in black leatherette and grey and it retails for $49.95.
When people look for cases and other accessories for their new gadgets, they tend to turn towards name-brand manufacturers. Me? I head straight for eBay. For years, I’ve purchased dozens upon dozens of cases and screen protectors for extremely good prices on eBay, and the quality of most of them were quite exceptional.
For less than $17, you can order a faux-leather iPad 2 case (in white), an iPad 2 screen protector, and a stylus. After about 2 weeks of using all of them, I’m ready to give you my verdict.
The SuperTooth Disco is a portable speaker that will wirelessly stream 28 watts of sound for your next parties dance floor. Here’s a hands-on review.
It won’t take the place of a dedicated sound system like the one you might have in your living room with only 28 watts of power, but for a portable Bluetooth device it is pretty impressive.
With the iPad 2 being released for over a month and a half, the number of main-stream cases are increasing day-by-day. Proporta (based in the UK) has a few of their own. Available for a whopping $79.95, this aluminum lined leather folio case adds some great protection to your new iPad 2, as well as adding some extra functionality. Is it worth it? Continue reading to find out!
This variation on the book safe for iPad is aimed at keeping the device in your possession when it’s out of your hands.
If you’re reaction is: “Hey, I can do that!” Here’s an are some DIY instructions.
The guy who made the DIY version reckons the project will cost you about $10, including the book, plus you’ll need rubber cement, an Exacto knife tape – and “quite a bit” of patience.
The DIY version, courtesy www.carrypad.com
If you improve on the project – add magnets or a strap for a more secure hold – let us know.
Moshi’sMuse is a nice iPad-sized sleeve case that works with or without a Smartcover on your iPad 2. It looks great and feels good. Moshi made good use of thick microfiber fabrics when they designed the Muse along with the excellent tailoring and stitching. As a result the Muse feels great in your hands.
According to Moshi the Terahedron microfiber inner lining protects and cleans your iPad. It cleans your iPad’s screen and body as you insert and remove it from the Muse. During my tests the Muse was like most products that make claims about cleaning — it sort of worked, but not that well. I still prefer a microfiber cloth and some elbow grease.
As far as I’m concerned bubbles don’t have a place on my iPad 2 screen. So I’m pretty picky when it comes to placing a screen protector over huge display on my iPad. It seems that no matter what you do you’ll always end up with a bubble or two after applying a screen protector unless you are a professional installer. The Moshi iVisor AG is different. Moshi guarantees a bubble-free installation. It actually works because this screen protector is a lot different from others I’ve encountered before.
The Moshi iVisor AG adheres to the screen differently from other similar products. It only sticks to the edges of the iPad’s screen and that edge is either solid black or solid white to match the appropriate frame on an iPad 2. The adhesive is on the back side of that frame. This makes the iVisor AG a lot easier to install and remove. Once applied it acts like a bubble over the top of the display, but not a distracting one like other protective covers.
[Update] Thanks to everyone who subscribed and commented, tons of really great comments, I had a fun time reading them all! The two winners are below, if you’re one of them, I’ll be contacting you via Youtube. Stay tuned for another great giveaway next Tuesday!
Winners:
AGreatDane123, against all odds, you got the first qualified comment in. I applaud you sir, you are a winner. Congrats!
Anthonypeter, it is for pity that I choose you, for no one should go through life not having won anything. Congrats!
Still rollerskating around in your short-shorts with tunes blaring on the headphones that came with your original Walkman? Tsk tsk… Everyone knows that’s a look that won’t be hip again for at least another 5 years.
A friend and I were talking today about the iPad 2, the Smart Cover, and the 31 magnets they contain today. We were pondering what would happen when we tossed the iPad 2 with an attached Smart Cover into our laptop bags right next to a MacBook with a standard hard drive inside. A co-worker of my friend had brought this up earlier leading us to the question, “Can the iPad 2 and Smart Cover magnets damage (or erase) our MacBook Hard Drive? ”
The clear answer is — No! The myth about magnets erasing data from hard disks or computers is mostly false and a hard one to shake since many of us were trained to keep the two apart. Let me explain why the myth isn’t exactly true.
The iPad's Smart Cover makes a great fridge magnet. Photo: Leander Kahney/CultofMac.com Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac
Thanks to its 21 built-in magnets, the iPad’s Smart Cover makes a great fridge magnet.
Just clip it to the fridge. It’s pretty sturdy. It clings to the fridge surprisingly strongly. There’s little danger of it coming loose, even when swiping your finger across the screen.
It’s another reason to invest in a $40-$70 Smart Cover when you get an iPad 2.
I made an interesting discovery today. I took my original Apple iPad case ($40), you know the black one, that the original iPad was inserted into making it kind of like a book or folio. It turns out that my iPad 2 with black leather Smart Cover (see my in-depth review) fits perfectly and tightly inside.
Wow I thought this a great opportunity to recycle something I didn’t know what I was going to do with after upgrading to the iPad 2. So hit the read link to find out how you can recycle your old iPad cover yet retain the unique Smart Cover and all its magic.
Apple's Smart Cover for the iPad 2. CC-licensed photo by N0fX: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nofx/5520596353/in/photostream/
Apple’s new iPad 2 is basically one big screen. So the very first accessory that many of us will look for is a protective case for our new iPad 2s.
On launch day I wasn’t aware of any other case options besides Apple’s very own iPad Smart Cover which was available for $39 (polyurethane) or $69 (aniline-dyed Italian leather). The Smart Cover isn’t even close to being a case since it just protects the iPad 2’s display. The sides and back are completely exposed and unprotected. It’s elegant, thin, and doesn’t add a lot of weight or bulk to the iPad 2.
The Smart Cover is very thin and fits the iPad perfectly. It’s so thin it feels like you haven’t really added anything to the iPad at all. Perhaps that is just an illusion after owning the first iPad, but regardless it just doesn’t add a whole lot to the iPad’s weight or thickness. That is how it feels without going crazy weighing it, measuring it, etc. It just feels right.
If you’re like me, and want to keep your Apple investments protected, then this early iPad 2 case by Griffin is just for you. It’s similar to the original and official Apple iPad case in terms of functionality, but it’s made of some pretty decent leather with a suede inner lining. It retails for $39.99, and it’s a perfect buy (considering the iPad 2 was only launched just yesterday). Continue reading to check it out!
If you can’t justify buying the iPad 2 because you recently purchased the original model, or you just can’t afford it, don’t despair. Instead, give your original iPad a mini make-over by purchasing one of these four cases. They are way cheaper than the new iPad 2 and won’t add anything to landfills.
Here’s how to give some new life to the poor old iPad.
The iPad is a lot heavier than it looks, isn’t it? Holding it with one hand can be unwieldy and make your hand tired, but holding it with two hands makes it hard to use.
Well we discovered a nifty little device that can help. It’s called the HandeHolder and it allows you to strap your iPad to your hand, making it much easier to hold and use.
You don’t have to be an artist to create one of the coolest DIY Apple accessories around, but if you want to use your iPad while working out on your exercycle, stairmaster or treadmill at home it couldn’t hurt.
Of course, you could drop a lot of dough on a commercial device that may or may not perform up to expectations in the real world, or even import top gear that looks like something out of a sci-fi fantasy.
But why not look around the house for a few simple materials that, with a bit of creative ingenuity, you can employ to do the job just as well?
Eileen Weinstein of Joby models their intricate new Ori for iPad case.
LAS VEGAS, CES 2011 — Joby released two new iPad stands yesterday. One borrowed from their line of bendable camera tripods, the other was more unusual, and took a page from the Japanese art of origami.
The GorillaMobile Ori ($80) for iPad is made from a material called Hylite — a blend of aluminum and polypropylene — which felt pretty light and is supposedly super-tough. The origami-inspired design gives the case an intricate look (so many cutouts) and allows for a continuous hinge that can adjust the viewing angle to practically any position within its range. it’s also equipped with a swivel hinge that allows the iPad to be easily switched between portrait and landscape positions — or even turn the iPad into a steering wheel for racing games. Pretty cool.
A company called Ten One Design has announced a $25 joystick for iPad called Fling that attaches to the screen with suction cups.
The Fling goes on top of the on-screen controls, and replaces your direct finger or thumb. The joystick is mostly clear plastic, so you can see through it.
Does this defeat the whole purpose of using an iPad for gaming, which is direct touch on an elegant surface? Or is this just cool?
