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The New Year TUAW iPad mini case roundup and giveaway
Note: We're fixing an issue with the giveaway form and will have it back around 2pm EST. As we begin the new year, a lot of people wound up receiving an iPad mini as part of their holiday celebrations. Case makers are looking to make outfitting your iPad mini much easier, and we've gotten so many that TUAW Labs head mad scientist Steve Sande had to ship some of them out to the newly created iPad mini satellite office for us to then try to pass on to you guys! Celebrate your new year with a new case for your new iPad mini! BookBook for iPad mini We reviewed the revised BookBook in June, and BookBook for the iPad mini ($69.95) is a smaller version of its bigger sibling. Like Steve, I wasn't a fan of the straps that secured the iPad to the original BookBook, and it's what turned me away from buying one when I had a full-sized iPad. The leather enclosure protects your entire iPad mini, and you can unsnap it from the back to position it in a comfortable typing mode and viewing angle. It has the look and feel of a real book, and as you can see in the picture, I can easily shelve my iPad mini among my regular books if I want. It's the case I kept on my iPad mini the longest out of all the review cases to date, and the one I'm most likely going to buy for myself. Speck FitFolio The Speck FitFolio ($34.95) is a competitor for the Belkin cases you can find at most retail locations. The draw to the Speck for me is the colors, which I like better than Apple's selection and Belkin's. I like the viewing angle standing position for watching video, but not so much the typing position when you fold the case behind itself. If you don't do it just right, typing isn't comfortable at all. The fit was a bit so-so. The plastic case wasn't flush with my iPad around the earphone in the review case I received, but it doesn't impede with the protection. If you can live without the sleep/wake function and like the colors, give the Speck case a try. Gumdrop Drop Tech Putting the Gumdrop Drop Tech ($59.95) on my iPad was like encasing it in a tire, a sentiment that Steve shared when reviewing the iPhone 5 case. Like Otterbox cases, there is a rugged silicone exterior that surrounds a thin plastic case with a screen protector. Your iPad is sandwiched in between. Silicone covers all the ports, and you can flip the Lightning connector, earplug and side switch. The fit over the ports is good. Everything aligns perfectly, and the buttons you press through the silicone (home, power and volume) work like normal. I worry about the quality of the plastic frame and can see it easily breaking if you make a habit of inserting and removing the mini from this case. Also, if you're not careful in putting on the silicone cover, the four corners of the case can bulge out. If the case is put on correctly, it's a good one to use if you're carrying your iPad mini outdoors a lot. X-Doria Smart Jacket When it comes to looks, the X-Doria Smart Jacket ($34.99) comes fairly close to the Apple Smart Cover, but with a plastic, 3D-texturized back. It boasts the same viewing angles as the Smart Cover, but the built-in stand doesn't work at all. The cover doesn't hold its shape when you fold it into the viewing angle or the typing angle, so the iPad mini keeps falling over. If you want just a very basic cover with sleep/wake function, then the Smart Jacket is OK. If you want to do anything else with your iPad mini, spend your money on another case. X-Doria SleeveStand However, I liked X-Doria's SleeveStand ($29.99) far better than the Smart Jacket. It does what it says on the tin -- provides a plush home for your iPad mini with tabs in the opening of the jacket to hold your iPad mini in portrait or landscape mode. It's a sturdy viewing stand, but it's not good for typing. It comes with a carrying handle tucked into the front pocket, but I don't see the need for it. If you're swinging your iPad mini from your wrist, you're asking for someone to come rip it off. Giveaway Now it's time for these cases to go from my home into yours! Here's your chance to enter to win one of five different cases from TUAW and the manufacturers discussed in this review. Keep in mind, these cases are all for the iPad mini, so if you don't have one (or don't know someone who does), please don't enter! Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before January 5, 2013, 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time. You may enter only once. Five will be selected and will receive an iPad mini case (value of case varies, please see descriptions above) Click here for official rules Loading...
BookBook arrives for iPad mini, delivers a novella-sized tablet disguise
If Twelve South's BookBook for iPad is War and Peace, its new BookBook for iPad mini case is The Old Man and the Sea: a lot smaller, but no less appreciated. The black, brown or red shell protects Apple's tiny tablet with real leather in much the same way as its larger cousin, including a signature support frame for lifting the iPad to more natural angles. Photographers can also briefly peek the tablet out of its shell to snap photos. While there's only a $10 discount versus the full-size BookBook, we'll live with the $70 price if we can pretend we're engrossed with some light reading while we play Letterpress.
BookBook for iPhone 5 now shipping, rear camera hole and all (hands-on)
It took a little longer than some of those other cases, but Twelve South's BookBook for iPhone 5 is now shipping en masse. Some of those who pre-ordered began receiving their units as early as last week, but if you missed that wave, there's no need to gesture for the panic button. The outfit's newest wallet / iPhone case is actually more than just a resized version of the prior one; indeed, it finally figured out how to add a rear camera hole without worry of flash echo, and there's a new snap-in mechanism that holds your phone in place. The clever exterior remains largely the same, and there's still room for your most important IDs and credit cards as you flip it open. We were pretty big fans of the prior build, but the addition of the camera hole makes this one a no-brainer for fans of the style. The gallery below is completely free to peruse -- those who hit the source link, however, will be asked to fork over $59.99 to get one of their own.
IRL: Linksys E4200, Twelve South BookBook and Turtle Beach's XP400 headphones
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. Happy Saturday, kids. This week in IRL Dana and Darren each plunk down their hard-earned cash on some new gadgets, including a dual-band router for Dana, and BookBook's iPhone case for Mr. Murph. Rounding out the trio, Dan Cooper, a casual gamer at best, offers an informal mini-review of Turtle Beach's XP400 headset following some long-term testing.
Twelve South launches redesigned BookBook for iPad and BookBook for iPhone cases
During a visit to Twelve South's headquarters earlier in the year, we learned that its heralded BookBook lines would be getting a refresh for the iPad and iPhone. Today, we're able to actually talk about 'em. Both products are getting a gentle facelift, and better still, both products are shipping immediately to those interested. The star of the show is quite clearly the iPad edition, which has been "completely redesigned" in order to be some 33 percent thinner while weighing 358 grams. The interior is refreshed, too, with a rigid casing that hides a slip-in cover and a built-in stand. Reportedly in response to popular demand, a black and a red version are joining the classic brown edition, with each one constructed from leather and offering up a dual zipper system. The BookBook for iPad ($79.99) is built to support both the iPad 2 and the new Retina-equipped iPad, while the slightly tweaked BookBook for iPhone ($59.99; now available in brown and black) will comfortably house the iPhone 4 or 4S. Word hounds can find more where this came from in the PR past the break. %Gallery-158569%
Engadget speaks with Twelve South on keeping the company small
Engadget has posted a must-read writeup on one of our favorite companies here at TUAW, Twelve South, the makers of the popular BookBook cases and the PlugBug power accessory for Apple devices. It's long, but it shows how Twelve South is a lesson in focused vision: Making really great high quality products for the Apple audience. It doesn't hurt, of course, that Apple buyers tend to appreciate quality with their wallets, but Twelve South has carved out a really excellent niche for itself over the years. It's also wild to hear the story behind the company: They nabbed a sales deal with Apple even before a production deal was made for their products, and they only solidified that by happening across an extra contact in China. And Twelve South's philosophy of staying Apple is maybe the most interesting thing in the whole writeup. "Every time I'd walk into an Apple Store, I'd see heaps of 'Mac-compatible' accessories," says co-founder Andrew Green. "Mac users don't want compatible. They want exclusive." Twelve South made the commitment to serve Apple users on their own terms, keeping his company small and focused for exactly that reason, and that's partly why Twelve South has seen so much success with its products.
Opening the Book(Book) on Twelve South: between the covers of a Mac-exclusive accessory maker
The year is 2009. In history books, it'll widely be recognized as the year that most of America -- heck, the world -- would prefer to forget. Job after job was lost, bank after bank fell, and humanity as we knew it plunged into "the worst recession since the Great Depression." It's also the year that Palm attempted a comeback with webOS, and as it turns out, the year that yet another accessory company was born. While such an occurrence may be forgettable on a macro scale, economic researchers and lovers of technology alike have reason to take notice -- and, indeed, ask questions. So, that's exactly what I did. Beyond growing a technology startup in a me-too field during the worst economy that I've personally been a part of, it's also not often that I find compelling consumer electronics companies far outside of New York City and San Francisco. Twelve South just so happens to be located in a nondescript nook in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina -- just a beautiful trip over the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge from historic Charleston. Three years after its founding, the company now fittingly counts a dozen employees on its roster, and despite entering a market flooded with iAccessory after iAccessory, it has somehow managed to grab its own slice of an increasingly large niche. As with all good success stories, this particular outfit has plenty of twists, turns and run-ins with Lady Luck to tell about; for those interested in seeing how the "stay small" mantra is keeping Twelve South firmly focused on the future ahead, take a peek beyond the break.
TUAW Best of 2011: Vote for the best iPad case
The nominations are in, and the poll is ready to go! The TUAW Best of 2011 awards are all about you -- the readers -- and what you think is the cream of the crop of Apple or third-party products and software. To vote, select one entry from the top nominations made by readers. We'll be announcing the winner in just a few days. Vote early and often! TUAW is asking for your votes for the best iPad case of 2011. Very few iPad owners seem to keep their devices "naked," instead choosing to wrap them in a case of some sort. Much to my surprise, all of the cases were folio type cases, with the "book style" case being the most popular. Our nominees for this are the Twelve South BookBook for iPad (US$69.99), the Portenzo cases (Customized, Composition, Italian Bonded Leather and Premium Genuine Leather -- $59.95 to $124.95 depending on model, options not included), San Francisco's own DODOcase ($59.95), the Bear Motion folio ($59.95 MSRP), and the Zaggfolio keyboard case ($99.99). And now, let the voting begin! The results will be announced on December 29, 2011. %Poll-72320%
BookBook iPhone 4 case doubles as wallet, attempts to fool miniature luddites
So, you've finally accepted the reality that smartphones aren't a passing fad, but you're no less concerned that the special tech-hater in your life might get hip that you've abandoned reading books for flinging unhappy fowl. You're further concerned that you won't have space in your skinny jeans for both a wallet and an iPhone. Well, it sounds like Twelve South's BookBook iPhone 4 case has you and your ridiculous smartphone-conversion anxiety covered. The little leather-bound sleeve not only masks your iPhone in what looks like a miniature Bible binding, but also acts as host to your wallet's contents. If you're looking to fool folks into thinking you're really reading a tiny tome titled BookBook, the case can be yours for $60 at the source link. Full PR after the break.
Twelve South introduces BookBook for Macbook Air
Twelve South, proud maker of nifty Apple-only accessories, has added the MacBook Air to its BookBook line up of vintage-looking protective cases, alongside the BookBook for MacBook Pro and iPad. The BookBook for Air is designed to fit your MacBook Air perfectly. While transforming your laptop into the guise of an old, hand distressed, genuine-leather bound book that not many would think was worth stealing, the BookBook offers formidable protection from the surrounding environment, too. Your MacBook Air is surrounded by two hardback covers, reinforced corners and a sturdy spine as well as padded protection on the interior. The BookBook for Air isn't all that much thicker than the device itself, so it won't bloat the ultra-thin profile you've come to love about your MacBook Air. Weighing only 13.5 ounces, it won't add to your burden. The BookBook for Air is available to order now for US$79.99 We've previously covered some of Twelve South's other accessories (MagicWand, BookBook for iPad and MacBook Pro, Compass, BookArc, SurfacePad and BassJump subwoofer), and we've been delighted with what we've seen. We're sure to expect the same from the BookBook for Air. If you pick one up, let us know what you think.
TUAW review and giveaway: Twelve South BookBook for iPad
When fellow TUAW blogger Dave Caolo teased you with the news of Twelve South releasing the US$69.99 BookBook cover for iPad, you knew that a review and giveaway couldn't be far behind. We're happy to say that you'll have a chance to win one of these beautiful iPad covers. But first, let's give the BookBook for iPad a test flight. It's rather ironic that the sleek glass and aluminum iPad is inspiring a lot of old-school cases. The first out the door was the Dodo Case, a leather-bound tome that resembles a Moleskine in more ways than one. It has a hand-carved bamboo interior shell to hold the iPad in place, and an elastic band holds the cover closed when the iPad is not in use. These $59.95 cases have resulted in a resurgence in the book binding trade in San Francisco, and there's a long waiting list for them. Minneapolis-based Pad&Quill also has a similar case called "The Case, Vol. 1" with a hand-carved birch interior lining. The Dodo Case has spawned a host of imitators, including a number of blog posts from people who are creating their own Moleskine-type iPad cases by hand. A lot of iPad owners, however, were waiting to see what Twelve South would do for the iPad. This, after all, is the company that started the whole retro case market with the BookBook for MacBook Pro. Well, the wait is over, and now Twelve South is shipping their beautiful distressed leather book binding case for the iPad. %Gallery-100141%
Twelve South joins the fray of high-end iPad cases
Twelve South got our attention in January with the beautiful BookBook case for the MacBook Pro. Now they've done it again by offering a BookBook case for the iPad. The BookBook case resembles a vintage leather bound book with a hard cover and bookmark ribbon. It's a real standout among the huge pile of cases and sleeves that have sprung up around the iPad. Besides its good looks, there's one clever feature that makes the BookBook case interesting. Inside the case's front cover is a short string. With the case half open, you can pull that string around the underside and attaching it to a button on the opposite side, creating a clever stand.The interior is lined with soft material and will hold your iPad firmly in place. Each one is stitched by hand, so have patience after ordering and bring your wallet -- they sell for US$69.99. It's pricey but beautiful. Let us know if you pick one up.
BookBook: A classy way to protect and hide your MacBook
Curse you, TwelveSouth! You keep coming up with ways to make me spend my hard-earned money. This time, it's a wonderfully unique sleeve for the MacBook line, the BookBook. This US$79.99 sleeve looks like an antique leather-bound book, but it wraps around your Apple-made pride and joy to give it a level of class it hasn't had since it first shipped from the factory in China. The attention to detail is, as usual for TwelveSouth, incredible. Not only does it have the distressed leather appearance of an old book, but the leather zipper pulls look like bookmarks. The BookBook comes in red (seen above) and black, and in both 13" and 15" sizes. It's practical as well as beautiful. The rigid spine provides crush protection to the MacBook, the hardback covers protect the exterior of your laptop, and the unique look provides a level of stealth that could keep your MacBook from being stolen. After all, who wants to pick up something that looks like an old book that you picked up at a library sale? TwelveSouth is going to be sending one of these beauties along for a full review and giveaway, so keep your eyes open for a future post where you can win a BookBook from TUAW.
