In one of the more meta examples of self-referential design, this Kickstarter project plans to make iPhone cases out of – get this – wood from Apple trees. Each skin is laser-cut and matte finished, less than 1 mm thick, and attaches to the back of an iPhone 4 or 4S with an adhesive sticker.
Project creator Robert Magno (one letter combination away from being even more meta-fruit-like) wanted to keep things simple, a very Apple-like stance, to be sure.
Available exclusively at the Apple store starting today are these stylish new snap cases for iPhone 4S forged from a partnership between LA’s Incase and New York fashion house Marc by Marc Jacobs.
The Marc by Marc Jacobs Snap Case series is the first such design collaboration between these two leading internationally renowned brands. What they’ve done is couple the tough protectiveness of Incase’s hardshell snap-on cases with Marc by Marc Jacobs’ eye-catching feminine graphics.
There have been a handful of technologies touted over the past few years that would remove (or dramatically reduce) the need to carry our credit/debit cards, loyalty cards, and even cash. For the past couple of years, NFC has been the technology of choice for turning our phones into digital wallets. Google and RIM have built NFC support into their respective mobile OSes and a handful of manufacturers have built NFC phones, but the technology hasn’t lived up to the hype.
There’s something magical about the days of the original Macintosh and the first iPod. We were on the cusp of a new age in personal computing, and Apple was solidifying itself as a staple brand in the consumer technology market.
Some retro iPhone cases from a company called Schreer Delights replicate the original Macintosh, iMac and iPod with charming detail.
SAN FRANCISCO, MACWORLD / iWORLD 2012 — There are no shortage of iPhone cases being showcased here at Macworld/iWorld 2012, but only one grabbed my attention at last night’s media preview. It was a case called Flygrip, and it promises to keep your iPhone in hand so you can do other things without worrying about dropping your valuable device.
Macworld/iWorld marks the launch of FlyGrip, and I was given a unit to test out.
LAS VEGAS, CES 2012 — Four times bigger than last year, and now filling about half the massive north hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, the iLounge is home to an enormous plethora of iDevice accessories. I weaved and wandered through lanes of the iLounge pondering the products I was seeing, and out of all of what I found filling the massive space, these were the trends that stood out.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – Last night the Cult of Mac staff was given a sneak peek at the latest and greatest products at the CES Unveiled event. Here is a small sample of what was shown.
Trident’s new A.M.S. iPhone 4/S case is edgy. And maybe dangerous. It’s probably what Q would give Bond to protect his iPhone, except it doesn’t come equipped with rocket launchers or a laser.
Psst. Wanna buy Apple’s design for the iPhone 5? In the shadowy world of case manufacturing, leaks and rumors fuel a market worth more than $436 million annually. After one company lost a bet worth thousands of dollars on a supposed iPhone 4S design, competitors say guessing Apple’s next move can be an expensive gamble.
Review by Jordan Trimas
The iFunner iTur is a hard-shell iPhone 4 case that incorporates a wallet compartment, in which you can store a few credit cards and your ID, accessed through a hinged door. But is it really funner than other cases? Nope.
It’s difficult to find stuff made on U.S. soil these days. Heck, sometimes it seems like nothing is made here. But that’s not true of the elite, exo-skeletal Rockform Rokbed iPhone 4 case ($80), intricately machined from a solid block of aluminum: It’s designed and manufactured in the good ol’ U.S.A. (and it’s not shy about saying so), in Orange County, California by one of the most unlikely outfits to make an iPhone case — the motorcycle fanatics at Two Brothers Racing.
We haven’t seen too many manufacturers come out with a weather-resistant iPhone bicycle mount (what, no iPhone users ride bicycles in Seattle? C’mon, people). Luckily, Bracketron just announced their All-Weather Soft Case Bike Mount. In this case, the name literally says it all.
In the last few years a kind of cat and mouse game has evolved between Apple Legal and some of the more daring (and creative) members of the Cult of Apple: tempting fate by selling Steve Jobs collectibles, and risking the wrath of Apple. How long before your Cease & Desist letter arrives?
Here are some of the more popular items created in the past few years.
Remember last year, when Energizer debuted its iPhone 4 backpack battery at CTIA? It was actually made by PowerSkin, and it was the less-powerful cousin to the dual (Verizon and AT&T) compatible PowerSkin case just released.
Reviewed by Kelly Keltner.
When I first got my iPhone 3GS, I immediately wondered what it would look like in a nice tweed jacket. I’ve always had this thing for geeky professor types and my iPhone was so smart that it just seemed like a good fit.
When the brimstone rains down and hell freezes over (or whatever the heck is supposed to happen) on Judgement Day, making sure my iPhone stays safe in Griffin’s damn near impervious-to-everything, military-spec Survivor case ($50) means I’ll be able to tweet the whole thing. Assuming there’s still Internet and power and stuff.
We’ve seen our fair share of sleeves and cases in the past meant to graft new functionality onto an existing iDevice, the most obvious example being the Peel 520, which transformed any iPod Touch into a 2G iPhone 4.
It was only a matter of time, then, before we could expect accessory makers to make a go of transforming the iPhone 4 into the iPhone 4G. Now they’d made a go of it, but sadly, it’s South Korea only right now… but expect it in the United States soon.
Well that was quick: last week we posted about the Steve Jobs in Carbonite case for the iPhone, and quipped that Apple’s Cease & Desist letter was likely on its way. And in fact, indeed it was. Greg Koenig, the case designer, wrote on his Studio Burb page on April 27:
Well it was fun while it lasted. Yesterday, Society6 was issued a cease and desist from Apple’s lawyers. So I’m sorry to say that the cases and skins are no longer available. Sorry for the inconvenience.
As would be expected, the case has already hit eBay. Originally $35, current auction prices are averaging about $50 with a couple hitting $150 already. That’s a decent chunk of change for a small piece of plastic, but looks like it’s now a genuine collector’s item. One with a clever photo skin.
Now this is cute – and it likely won’t last. Society6 studio Burb is offering a Steve Jobs in Carbonite case for the iPhone. Very touching. Keep your iDevice clean and snug with the essence of Apple retained.
Available for iPhone 4 and 3G/3Gs, $35. Act fast, Apple’s next Cease & Desist is likely on the way…
[via TUAW]
With iPhones and other devices replacing watches as personal timepieces for most people, analog craftsmen of yore are looking for other ways to ply their trades. Juxtaposing timekeeping technology across the centuries, luxury watchmaker De Bethune has introduced a new iPhone case that incorporates their DB 1024 pocket watch mechanism directly into the back panel of an alligator leather sleeve. It’s rather… unique. For those who can’t decide whether you prefer analog or digital, now you won’t have to make the choice.
I’m not sure the watch would provide good impact protection during a fall, however – for itself or the iPhone’s rear glass. Would that require another case to protect the first one?
[via Born Rich] [Gentleman’s Gadgets]
For the adventurous spirit wishing to go back to the 80s and live on the frontier of national cellular service, all the while carrying around a phone roughly the size of a Korean War field radio, here you go: Thumbs Up’s ’80s Phone, a case for your iPhone 4 that is sure to make you look like Gordon Gekko sent hurtling forward in time. Yours for about $20.
LAS VEGAS, CES 2011 — Incipio had a hit on its hands here at CES with a free iOS app that allows you to make your own custom case.
Using Incipio’s Bespoke Case Customizer app, you can upload your own photo and have it printed out on a custom case — right from your iPhone or iPod touch. Normally the service costs $30, but Incipio was printing out free cases at its booth instantly. Here’s some video of the app in action.
LAS VEGAS, CES 2011 — The new iChair case for the iPhone 4 comes with a screen protector for both the front and rear screens.
The case includes two transparent screen protectors, front and rear, even though the case itself protects the rear screen. The idea, of course, is to protect the iPhone’s glass back from the case itself.
“Our customers were asking for it because of the Glassgate issue,” explained CEO Vindi Sedey. “We had to have it.”
Glassgate is the debatable issue of trapped dirt scratching or shattering the iPhone 4’s back when used with slide-on cases. The issue doesn’t seem to be real, but Apple is wary of it and has suspended sales of slide-on cases in its stores.
iChair is a new company based out of Dallas, launching its line of iPhone and iPad cases at CES. The iChair features an integrated stand built into the case that functions in both portrait and landscape mode. The cases are slim and well-made — and go the extra mile in protection.
LAS VEGAS, CES 2011 — Mophie’s newest case, launched yesterday, incorporates a credit-card reader and allows business owners to process physical credit card transactions through the iPhone. To interface with the case’s reader, Mophie recruited Intuit’s free GoPayment app, which is compatible with Inuit’s flagship QuickBooks small business accounting package.
Even considering Mophie’s reputation for cutting-edge iPhone cases, this one is pretty remarkable — and a challenge to products like Square’s credit card reader for iPhone. The case is available now, and sells for $180.
Made from American Rosewood treated with a variety of washes and finishes, I love the look of Trunket’s wood finish stickers for the iPhone 4, right down to the adorable elephant icon. If only the font of Trunket’s logo itself didn’t look like something that would be more appropriate on some terrible nu metal band’s debut CD jacket. $24 a pop.