iPhone cases - page 12

From bizarre accessories approaching Zoolander levels of parody to thieves stupid enough to snap themselves at the scene of a crime, selfies were one of 2015’s most unfortunate trends.

Unfortunately it looks like they’ll be continuing into 2016, too, with Beyonce’s celebrity stylist Ty Hunter recently unveiling her own contribution to humanity’s downfall: the Ty-Lite protective case for iPhone 6 and 6s, which basically turns your handset into a light-up dressing room mirror.

Someone named a narcissistic iPhone accessory after themselves? Why am I not surprised?

Best List: Wireless iPhone Charging System by Stacked

If there’s one thing I can never have enough of, it’s power for my iPhone. Even on normal, about-town sort of days, I’m always looking for ways to keep the battery topped off, in case I need it for something power-intensive later on. I carry around external chargers like some people carry around ChapStick and tissue, and I’ve always got a spare cable to share. All of that stuff can add up to a ball of wires and plugs, making for a nasty mess in my backpack.

I’ve long wanted an easier, wire-free charging existence, and that’s where the Stacked iPhone charging case comes in. It’s a clever system that’s a truly wireless solution to keeping my iPhone at the top end of the charged-up spectrum.

Best List: Overture wallet case by Moshi

I love wallet cases. I love the convenience of carrying everything together in one place. For over a year, I’ve exclusively used Overture folio-style wallet cases by Moshi — first a Sahara Beige model, now a Steel Black one.

I love the new one even more, because black goes with everything.

The consensus view of Apple’s newly launched hunchback iPhone battery case is that it should ideally be hidden from human view, spending its life in isolation ringing bells in Notre Dame.

Immediately upon release, the Internet filled with loud, angry protesters saying this kind of thing would never have happened in Steve Jobs’ day (and accusing Jony Ive of snoozing on the job). While I’m definitely no fan of Apple’s $99 Smart Battery Case, this isn’t the first time the company has released a less-than-stellar piece of design work amidst its usually gorgeous offerings.

Check out the list below for five of the worst pieces of design to come out of Cupertino since … well, yesterday, actually.

Yes, Apple launched a new battery case for iPhone 6s today, and yes, it’s butt-ugly.

All battery cases are, but because this one has an Apple logo on it, the Internet is getting all bent out of shape over just how ugly it is. There’s one thing nobody is mentioning, though: You don’t have to buy one if you don’t like it — and no one really cares what you think.

Caseology is a fairly new smartphone case brand and the company was kind enough to send Cult of Mac four different cases from its iPhone 6s lineup to test out. With the vast majority of Caseology cases on Amazon receiving 4-star and 4 and a half-star reviews, I was eager to see if they lived up to the hype.

I got to use a navy blue and rose gold Savoy series case, navy blue and gold Wavelength series case, the silver and black Vault series case and the clear and rose gold Skyfall series case. In short, all of them ended up being four of my favorite cases to ever grace my iPhone.

Best List: Scout iPhone case by Urban Armor Gear

No one would accuse Urban Armor Gear of being sleek or subtle. The company’s iDevice cases are loud and rugged. You might even call them masculine, although I know a few of my female friends would embrace the bold statement they make.

A nifty iPhone case-turned-VR headset has passed its $75,000 Kickstarter funding goal in just one week — promising users a snap-on virtual reality solution for their Apple handset for the low price of just $55 for early backers.

And, despite the goal having been hit, there’s still time if you want to hop on this Kickstarter bandwagon!

A good iPhone case protects your handset from the blunt force of a fall. Then there’s the case that protects the force of your blunts.

The iHit is a case for the iPhone 6 and 6s with a slide out odor-free compartment that can stash up to five pre-rolled marijuana cigarettes. It is the latest evolution of the iHit case, which started with a case for the iPhone 5 that had a spring-loaded chamber for a single joint.

Best List: Moshi iGlaze Armour

There are plenty of iPhone cases on the market to protect and/or decorate your beloved device, but very few come close to being Apple-worthy.

This one is.

I go through phases of different cases that I like to style my iPhone with. Back in the day I used to like clear cases just to show off the fact that I have an iPhone at all, but lately I’ve been really digging leather. That’s why I was particularly excited to try out the new Access Case 2 from Nodus, but it’s more than just good looks. It works as a compact wallet and dock for your phone as well. Yes, an actual dock.

Those iPhone cases that hold cash and credit cards are fine as long as you want to look like you’re carrying your mother’s wallet.

Luxury accessories design company Gresso has a solution to return your overriding need to be practical back to cool. It has designed a stylish aircraft aluminum iPhone 6 case that has a hidden slide-out drawer for your cards. Jony Ive might approve.

Best List: Otter Box Defender Case for iPhone 6 Plus

It happened again yesterday: My beautiful, coveted iPhone 6 Plus found itself airborne, tumbling through time and space. I think it knew where it was headed — I certainly did. I could hear the horrifying noise even before it happened. The inevitable bone-chilling sound of my iOS 9 goodness coming in Force Touch contact with the tile.

I do this often enough to know my cat is running short on lives. This time I lucked out again, but I know the shatter is inevitable. So I’ve turned to the grandfather of iPhone protection: Otter Box and its almost-bombproof Defender series.

It seems iPhone 6s customers are having a love affair with the new rose gold color option. Numerous reports indicate that it’s the most popular color choice for this year’s iPhone release. It’s all shiny and new as soon as you get it, but ten minutes later you realize you’re probably in the market for a new case. And yes, it’s about to completely shield the rose gold goodness.

You sit back in your chair, sigh and begin to question if there’s even hope left in this universe. The good news is there are more than a few cases that will let you show off that new rose gold iPhone, or even just your deep passion for rose gold as a color and fashion statement. Take a look at a few of your best options.

As a bonus, all of these cases are less than 25 bucks each.

An iPhone brought one of Europe’s busiest airports to a panicked stand yesterday — resulting in considerable delays as one terminal gate was closed for “security reasons.”

Why? A passenger supposed to be travelling from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport thought it was a bright idea to do so with his iPhone in a custom case made to look like a gun.

This is why we can’t have nice things.

If you’re taking your iPhone 6 Plus on vacation with you, and you anticipate being near a large body of water like, say, the Pacific Ocean, it’s a good idea to take precautions. One kayaker’s ounce of prevention worked out for the best when his iPhone ended up at the bottom of the damned sea.

Months later, a scuba diver found the phone and returned it, and they could do that because both the waterproof bag the owner had bought and the phone inside of it were still working perfectly.

Look, you wouldn’t put a “Git-R-Done” bumper sticker on a Lamborghini. So why would you muck up the chic of an iPhone with a garish or absurd case like the ones on this list?

Jony Ive understands self-expression and probably even appreciates when a person selects an iPhone case that puts them in touch with their inner selves. But when a case’s main function is to cushion a fall or fend off scratches, your next concerns should be how it fits in a pocket — and some taste.

And I don’t mean taste as in fried chicken. Apparently the Japanese are such big fans of Kentucky Fried Chicken, a product developer for the Colonel designed an iPhone 6 case shaped like a drumstick. Even better, it’s the size of one of those state fair turkey legs.

There’s no way you haven’t heard of “the dress.” The viral sensation that swept the world last week will probably go down as the most popular story of 2015, and it’s only March.

Naturally, it makes sense for you to be able to show your support for #teamwhiteandgold or #teamblueandblack with an iPhone case.

It’s time for another weekly dose of all the great stuff from our intrepid news hounds and reporters within the digital confines of Cult of Mac Magazine.

Buster has the lowdown on eight of the hot new features in Apple’s upcoming Photos for Mac, and he also takes a good long look at the mysterious vans owned by Apple that have been spotted around the San Francisco area. If you need to protect your precious new iPhone, Stephen drops a video spotlight on five cases you’ll want to consider for your fancy Apple smartphone. Rob digs deep into a new digital comic — companion to the Midnight Star video game — and how the award-winning team brings the game world to life. Jim drops in on a hip retro gaming shop in Portland, too, coming back with some stunning pictures of this old boys (and girls!) club.

All that and more in this week’s Cult of Mac Magazine – check out our top stories below, and then click on through to get your own copy for free.

You’ve got a brand-spanking new iPhone 6, and boy is it beautiful. You love looking at it and holding its tender, curved edges, but you’re terrified that you’ll drop it and scratch it up. Or worse: shatter the screen into a million tiny pieces.

You need a case that’s protective, functional, and most importantly, good looking. Something minimal and preferably made of quality material. OtterBoxes are great if you’re worried about your iPhone getting run over by a tractor, but most of us want something sleeker for everyday use.

The good news is that there’s already a handful of sexy iPhone 6 and 6 Plus cases worth checking out. We’ve collected the very best:

I’m torn these days between wanting a functional wallet-style case for my iPhone and something a bit more minimalist. I tend to switch cases as I need them because I haven’t found a one-case-fits-all solution that works for me.

The minimalist new AL13 metallic bumper case for iPhone 5 or iPhone 5s is quite a classy little addition to your important iOS device, combining good protection with looks that invite stares. It’s got all the great stuff of its ultrathin predecessor, but it’s also easier to put on and doesn’t have any issues with dropped calls due to signal loss.

It’s a bear to get off, though, so if you like to change your iPhone case as often as you change your mood, you’ll probably be a bit frustrated.

Loop Attachment is famous for making some of the best silicone cases you can buy for iOS devices, but the company’s latest effort for the iPhone 5/5s is a little different. It looks a lot like Loop’s Mummy lineup and carries over some of those cases’ greatest strengths, but it’s made from a mixture of rigid polycarbonate and soft polyurethane.

It’s called the Straitjacket, and it aims to provide your iPhone with excellent impact protection without completely covering its aluminum chassis and iconic Apple logo. It doubles as a credit card holder; provides full access to all buttons, ports and switches; and comes in a number of pretty colors.

What’s more, it’s the best Loop case yet for the iPhone.

The Snappgrip is a fantastic idea, with not-too-bad hardware to back it up. It’s an accessory grip for your iPhone that adds a Bluetooth shutter release, zoom buttons and control dial to the phone’s camera, as well as a wrist strap and a handy handgrip.

But in practice, you’ll be better off with the iPhone’s own volume switches if you want a hardware shutter release. Which is a shame, as I was super-excited to try the Snappgrip out.