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Trick or Treat! Hard Candy and Gumdrop cases for iPad Air
The new iPad Air will arrive in stores the day after Halloween, so it's quite appropriate that the first iPad Air cases that we've received for review come from two companies with sweet names -- Hard Candy and Gumdrop. Today we'll look at a pair of cases from each company, and give four TUAW readers a chance to win a protective case for their new iPad Airs (and one can win a case for iPad 2/3/4 as well) Hard Candy Shockdrop for iPad Air Since I haven't yet had my hands on an iPad Air, the first thing that surprised me about this -- and all -- of the cases was how thin it seems. The Shockdrop (US$49.95) isn't exactly a svelte case thanks to an interior polycarbonate shell and outside silicone wrapper, but it's still amazingly easy to hold. The Shockdrop comes with built-in screen protection as well, so it's going to be able to put up with drops and bumps easily. I personally like the bumpy texture of the back of the Shockdrop, as it makes it quite easy to grab the otherwise slick iPad. The Shockdrop comes in both basic black and a bright, bold red. Hard Candy Squish for iPad Air The aptly named Squish ($34.95) doesn't have the interior polycarbonate shell, just the squishy silicone wrapper. As such, it doesn't offer quite the level of protection of the Shockdrop, but it still has a textured surface for good grip and can definitely keep your new baby from being damaged if it slips onto the floor. While the Shockdrop comes in just two rather normal colors, the Squish has colors as fun as its name: lime, pink and light blue. There's also a black case if you're not inclined towards those brighter shades. Gumdrop Drop Tech Series for iPad Air The Gumdrop Drop Tech Series ($59.95) is the equivalent of the Hard Candy Shockdrop, featuring that two-layer design for extra protection as well as a screen protector. The texture on the back is surprisingly like that of a good snow tire, and it keeps the enclosed iPad Air from sliding off of surfaces as well as firmly planted in your hand. You have a few more color choices with the Drop Tech Series than you do with the Shockdrop: there's black/black (exterior silicone and interior polycarbonate), black/red and army green. Gumdrop Bounce Skin for iPad Air What the Squish is to the Shockdrop, the Gumdrop Bounce Skin ($34.95) is to the Drop Tech Series. In other words, it's a silicone skin with no interior polycarbonate shell. It has pretty much the same tire-tread texture on the back as the Drop Tech Series, and comes in a larger variety of colors: red, black, clear (really more like "translucent"), light blue, grey, pink, purple, royal blue and teal. Conclusion If you're looking for a way to protect your new iPad Air, the four new case designs from Hard Candy and Gumdrop are inexpensive and offer a great way to keep that investment looking new. The Hard Candy Shockdrop and Gumdrop Drop Tech Series both provide two-layer protection with a screen protector as well, while the Hard Candy Squish and Gumdrop Bounce Skin are both silicone skins that offer a good grip and some air and silicone cushion from drops. And now, my gripe du jour: These cases are amazingly alike. The pricing is similar for the two-layer cases and the silicone skins. And despite the two different names of the manufacturers, they're both essentially from the same company run by founder and CEO Travis Hickman. So why mislead the public into believing that these are two different companies, considering that the only real difference in the lines is the color of the boxes and the name on the products? </rant off> Giveaway We're giving away the following items to TUAW readers: Gumdrop Bounce Skin for iPad Air (black) Gumdrop Drop Tech Series for iPad Air (black) Hard Candy Shockdrop for iPad Air (black) Hard Candy Squish Skin for iPad Air (lime green) Gumdrop Drop Tech Hideaway for iPad 2/3/4 (orange) 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 November 3, 2013 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. Five winners will be selected and each will receive one of the five cases listed above Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Gumdrop Drop Tech Series cases offer serious iPhone / iPad protection
Gumdrop Cases has been making cases for Apple devices since mid-2010, and now the company has created the Drop Tech Series of protective cases for iPhone and iPad. These cases are designed to serve in more severe conditions than the usual "pretty" cases that we see all the time, and with their "truck tread" silicone skin on the back, the Drop Tech Series cases look like they're made to survive. Read along for a quick look at the Drop Tech Series cases for iPhone 4/4S and iPad 2. Design To provide the best protection for your device, the Drop Tech Series cases are designed with several layers. First, your device slides into a polycarbonate frame that provides rigidity to the case. Second, there's a replaceable clear screen protector that is in its own frame. The screen protector keeps your iPad or iPhone safe from scratches or spills while it is in the case. Finally, a thick silicone skin covers the frame and back of the iPad, providing drop protection and a very grippy surface. The silicone skin has sealing rubber plugs in all of the right places -- where all of the buttons and major ports are. There are two exceptions to this protection, those being the camera / flash, microphone, and speaker areas. The lack of full protection in these areas makes the product splash resistant, but not fully waterproof. You'll still need to take care to avoid getting your device soaked in water, as it could easily leak in through the microphone and speaker holes or camera port. %Gallery-139227% With all of the protection, you might think the Drop Tech Series cases are difficult to install. You'd be wrong -- they're actually one of the easiest protective cases for iPad and iPhone that I've had the pleasure to work with. The cases do add some bulk and weight to your Apple devices; that's a necessity in order to add the padding and protection that you get with the Drop Tech Series. The iPhone cases weigh 1.7 ounces, while the iPad case tips the scales at 11.6 ounces. The cases for iPad are priced at US$59.95 and come in black, black with a red frame, white with a black frame, and pink with a white frame. The company also makes a "Military Edition" ($69.95) in Army Green-44 that adds a microfilm dust filter and extra protection for the cameras to the mix. If you really need that extra level of protection, the Military Edition Drop Tech Case for iPad 2 is probably the one you want to get (it also looks pretty cool, although I would have preferred camo instead of green). It's the one getting shot by a paintball gun in the video at the end of this review. The iPhone 4/4S cases are priced at $49.95 and come in the same color combos as the iPad Drop Tech Case. Sadly enough, Gumdrop does not make a Military Edition iPhone Drop Tech Case for the iPhone at this time (perhaps they'll make 'em in camo and Army green if enough of us ask for them). Functionality While I didn't offer up my body and iPad 2 or iPhone 4S as targets for paintball guns, I did carry around both of the cases for a day. The iPad 2 case is quite impressive in terms of how well it protects the device. I used it in the kitchen and felt no qualms about splashing a little bit of water on the screen and accidentally dusting the device with a bit of cornmeal. The Drop Tech Series Case did its job admirably, keeping the iPad 2 protected. I didn't deliberately drop the iPad 2 to see how well the case did its job there, but I am impressed with the thickness of the silicone covering, especially in the corners. The iPhone 4/4S case was equally protective. Note that if you're the type who likes to slide your iPhone into a front pants pocket to carry it around, the Drop Tech Series case is going to keep you from doing that. In my opinion, it was just too bulky to carry in pants without looking awkward. On the other hand, if someone was going to toss the iPhone into a briefcase along with pens, pencils, paperclips, and other scratch-inducing materials, the Drop Tech Series case would be perfect. I rate the Drop Tech Series cases as a value. The MSRP for the competing iPad 2 Defender case from OtterBox is $89.95; a full $30 more for (in my opinion) equivalent protection. Likewise, the MSRP for the iPhone 4S Defender is $49.95, $5 more than the Drop Tech Series case. Conclusion Gumdrop Cases has a winner on their hands with the Drop Tech Series. The cases are inexpensive when compared to the competition and offer protection that is equivalent or superior to other similar "construction site cases." If you're looking for a case that can offer ease of installation, great protection, and rugged good looks, the Drop Tech Series cases are what you want.
