We’re big fans of Loop Attachment here at Cult of Mac — they make some really awesome accessories for iOS devices. And this week they’ve made their terrific Mummy case available to pre-order for the full-size iPad. We reviewed the iPad mini model back in April and found it to be one of the best silicone cases available for the device.
The id America SmartFold is a leatherette folio case for the iPad mini which offers drop protection and a smart design that will fit in just nicely at your next board meeting. It protects your iPad mini from top to toe, with a reinforced back for impact absorption and a sturdy front cover that stays closed with magnets.
The SmartFold provides access to all of your iPad mini’s ports and buttons, and leaves its front- and rear-facing cameras exposed. Its front cover can be folded back into a stand for typing or watching movies, and it has a soft microfiber lining to prevent your device from getting scratched.
The SmartFold is available in black and white and it’s priced at $39.95. I’ve been using it for the past two weeks to find out if it’s any good.
Science! A 14-year-old girl has discovered that a regular old iPad Smart Cover can “accidentally turn off” a person’s implantable deibrillator… a device that might be the only thing keeping them alive.
I’m a big fan of Loop Attachment’s Mummy cases for the iPhone — they’re probably the best silicone cases you can get — so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the Mummy case for iPad mini when it was announced at CES back in January.
Just like its smaller siblings, it’s made almost entirely from a soft, coated silicone that provides impact protection from those inevitable dings and drops. It’s also the first envoloping silicone case that’s designed to be compatible with the iPad mini’s Smart Cover, and the Mummy’s built-in magnets will keep your Smart Cover pinned back while your device is in use.
The Mummy has been carefully designed to show off the Apple logo on the back of your device, as well as provide access to all of your buttons, ports, and speakers while still protecting your iPad mini from head to toe. It’s available now in black, blue, graphite, red, and teal, with a white model available for pre-order.
I’ve been testing the Mummy for around a month to find out whether it’s worth its $30 price tag.
Okay, this is interesting: Apple has published a patent for a Smart Cover with a battery inside, that would wirelessly charge an iPad when it was connected to it or used as a stand, and could also potentially wirelessly charge, say, an iPhone when rested on top of an iPad.
Office supply chain Staples began selling the Apple TV and Apple accessories via its online store in late February, and by the end of this quarter, it will also be selling them in its brick and mortar stores across the United States. The company’s CEO announced the move today.
We’re huge fans of the new SurfacePad case from TwelveSouth. It’s just like a Smart Cover, with just one drawback: it doesn’t turn your iPhone on and off automatically when you open it or close it.
We hated that, so we figured out a way to turn the SurfacePad, or any other wallet-style iPhone case, into a working Smart Cover just like the iPad has. The hack doesn’t take much work, and you’ll save yourself from having to unlock your iPhone every time you just want to check something really quick.
Here’s how to do it:
Out of all the junk that I own, there are a few objects which I love to use. And I mean “love” on a base, visceral level. These are the things that are so well suited to their tasks that they not only never get in the way, but they make doing that task better.
When I heat milk and cocoa in my small De Buyer saucepan, alone in my quiet kitchen late at night, I smile when I unhook the pan from its hanger and feel its durable heft; I smile again when I pour the cocoa into a thermos and feel the pan’s perfect balance. Even washing it and hanging it up again is a pleasure.
I also love to use my dented, stainless steel Klean Kanteen “Reflect” water bottle. It’s design is so simple, just two pieces of steel, a silicone ring and a bamboo disk, but it does its job so well that I really do take it everywhere with me. And it’s so trustworthy that I’ll toss it into my bag along with my iPad and never worry about it leaking.
Which is to say, some things are not just well designed, they’re actually wonderful objects in their own right. And Twelve South’s SurfacePad for the iPhone is one of those objects.
The biggest shopping day of the year is fast approaching. The day after Thanksgiving in the United States is Black Friday, and it’s the best time to begin you’re holiday gift shopping — if you can face the frenzy, that is. Retailers all over the U.S. will be offering big discounts on some of this year’s hottest gifts, and the Apple store will be no exception, having given Black Friday discounts to Apple Store customers for the last few years regularly.
Next Friday the 23rd is Black Friday, and while Apple hasn’t tipped its hand as to when
If you’re looking to save cash on the latest Macs, iOS devices, and accessories, then Black Friday is an ideal time to buy them. Based on Apple’s previous Black Friday deals, here’s what you can expect to see this year.
Apple has updated its YouTube channel with two new videos for the just-announced iPad mini and its Smart Cover. The first video features Apple design guru Jony Ive explaining the design process for the iPad mini, while the second video is a 37-second TV ad for the new tablet’s Smart Cover.
Ive talks about how the iPad mini is a “concentration, not a reduction.” If you have a friend who’s interested in learning about the iPad mini, then this is the video to show them. You’ll start seeing the second ad for the Smart Cover on TV.
