Peripheral vision

Peripherals for the iPhone started with a trickle at Apple and AT&T bricks and mortar stores, but are now building to a deluge as the handsets find there way into pockets across the nation. We thought in this "case" it would be somehow "fitting" (see what we did there? two puns in a row, we are off to an illustrious start) that the inaugural Peripheral Vision features what most users will likely grab first: cases, cases and more cases. Of course, we had to pitch in at least one non case-related item and found a sweet adapter that's "Shure" to fit the bill.

Case-mate flip for iPhone
The Case-mate flip is a practical leather case for your iPhone, providing decent protection for the face, bottom corners of the device, and easy access to all the phone's features. If you are willing to dish out a few more beans than the $35 this'll cost you, an add-on holster can be picked up to make quick retrieval a simple thing

We love thoughtful touches and the Case-mate folks designed this case with the ability for the base to swing far enough back to let it be plopped into the dock without having to take the iPhone out. While the flip case has a belt clip, it – we can't stress thankfully enough here – can be completely removed, leaving nary a bump on the back to bother you while in-pocket. A nice effort, a nice case, though we would've like to have seen a spot for a credit card or two under the flip, but hey, you can't have it all. Hit up the Case-mate site to peek at some of the other cases they have to offer.

Sport Grip Backwinder for iPhone
Marware has been in the cover game for ages and have been protecting iPods from just about day one. They offer a slew of cases for the iPhone after only a couple weeks – including a pretty sharp SportSuit Sleeve we aren't covering here – but picking out the Sport Grip Backwinder at $25 was a no-brainer.

What makes this silicone case a bit unique is the cord winding mechanism on the back, so when you're done listening to your iPhone, the cord and earbuds can be quickly spun away. While the rubber protects the sides, top, and bottom, the face and all function buttons are easily accessible. To be completely candid, we aren't too fond of silicone cases -- as they tend to turn your pocket inside out -- but we're definitely digging the headset management idea they have here. Perhaps they'll migrate this feature into another case in the future.

Vaja cases i-volution Holster
Vaja cases are the Ferraris of the case world; made from otherworldly-soft leathers and sculpted rather than just pitched together, they're almost always worth the cost of admission. The i-volution Holster for the iPhone is no exception and can be had in just about any color your little heart desires.

The case starts at $55 and the costs slowly add up if you include some personalization or one of two different types of clips. The i-volution case is a solid effort but the top of the iPhone is completely exposed, so if it slips out of hand, you're just gonna have to hope it lands on a cushioned bit.

Sure, it might be hard to justify spending that much on a case that only covers part of your device, but if you are all about the aesthetic -- and come on, this is the iPhone we're talking about here -- then this is where you need to be.

Shure Music Phone Adapter
We've heard – and written – about the design flaw concession Apple had to make with the headset port to keep the iPhone as thin as can be. Sadly, that just doesn't cut it with many, and thankfully Shure is stepping in to clear the water with it's very welcome Music Phone Adapter.

One end of the adapter plugs into your iPhone and the other side sports a female adapter for your own headset to plug into. Once coupled together, the Shure MPA can handle calls with its built in low-profile VoicePort microphone and your ears can relax and enjoy the sounds on your own set. Shure even one-ups Apple with a shirt clip and Send / End button on the adapter. No complaints here, we're definitely gonna run out to pick one of these up the minute we can get at them. Retail pricing is set at $50 and here's hoping a white version appears in the near future.

A pretty decent showing from the usual suspects, we're expecting to have more to cover off next week, so if you see something of interest in your wanders, drop us a line!