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iSkin solo Smart: an iPad 2 Smart Cover-compatible case
Today we'll be looking at the first in a series of reviews following up on our iPad 2 Smart Cover-compatible backplate roundup. If you want a case to cover the back of your iPad 2 that still allows you to use your Apple Smart Cover, then these are the cases for you. On the chopping block today is the iSkin solo Smart, which is a clear Smart Cover-compatible iPad 2 backplate case that covers more than most. Coverage The solo Smart not only covers the back of the iPad 2 like most Smart Cover-compatible cases, but also covers all edges and a front lip of the bottom of the iPad, stopping just short of the Home Button. This means that the iSkin provides some of the best coverage available for an ultra-thin backplate, covering the top, bottom and sides of the iPad well with cut outs for the speaker on the bottom, the microphone on the top, the side switch and the camera on the back. The dock port and headphones port are covered by built-in dust cover plugs (as you can see in the gallery below), while the volume and power buttons are covered by a thinner flexible layer allowing you to push them through the case without issue. Thickness and material The iSkin solo Smart is made from a pretty thin layer of TPU, measuring approximately one millimetre thick. TPU is a rubbery material and so the case might afford some impact absorption, but at that thinness, don't bank on it saving your precious tablet from dents and cracks resulting from drops of any decent height. It's good for preventing scratches though and provides increased grip over the smooth aluminium of the iPad 2. Features The iSkin solo Smart does one thing none of the others on the TUAW testing bench manage and that's lock the Smart Cover into place. The left-hand side edge has an inlay of polycarbonate that clips over the top of the Smart Cover's magnetic attachment edge holding it securely in place, while still allowing it to fold and move as it normally would. %Gallery-134779% Verdict The iSkin solo Smart covers all sides and edges, doesn't add much to the weight or thickness of the iPad 2 and will certainly prevent scratches and minor bumps. It covers the ports with pop-out plugs, which in my opinion is a bit overkill and hinders usage, but if you don't sync your iPad or listen to it through headphones much then why not have them covered up? The same could be said for the Smart Cover lock-in mechanism. I would prefer the option to remove the Smart Cover when not using it, which isn't easy with the solo Smart on. But if you never remove the Smart Cover, the iSkin works well. If you're looking for good coverage from a thin TPU case that's compatible with your Apple Smart Cover, then the iSkin solo Smart gets the job done admirably for around US$50.
iPad 2 accessories: The flood begins
No sooner had Steve Jobs bid farewell to the crowd at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco yesterday than the TUAW inbox began filling with news of iPad 2 accessories. While many of the accessories aren't as snazzy as the bath tub lid-inspired Smart Covers, I thought you might like to take a peek at what manufacturers have been working on under NDA. Booq is coming out with a nice looking folio case for the iPad 2 that includes a non-digital component -- a built-in and replaceable paper notepad. The Booqpad for iPad 2 (below) starts at US$49.95, with a "luxury option" available at $99.95. The notepad sheets are the same size as an iPad 2 screen and are perforated for easy removal. Knowing Dave Caolo's penchant for cool notebooks, I've been asked by his wife Mia to tell him to not buy one of these.
iSkin's revo4 Special Edition has a ViSOR -- Answer calls and stay protected
I'll get this right out of the way -- I'm not a real fan of silicone gel cases or anything that covers up my beautiful iPhone 4 screen. On the other hand, I've been extremely fortunate and have not fumbled my phone onto hard surfaces. For those who do like the somewhat sticky feel and cushioned protection provided by silicone cases, iSkin has introduced the new revo4 Special Edition (US$44.99), now with a ViSOR. Paging Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge To The Bridge The ViSOR that iSkin has come up with for the revo4 SE is definitely different from the vision prosthetic that was a popular (except with actor LeVar Burton) prop on Star Trek: The Next Generation. While Geordi's VISOR was a high-tech tool that allowed the blind Enterprise Chief Engineer to see well beyond the usual visual spectrum, the iSkin ViSOR is a snap-on smoked plastic shield with a small window in it. That window sits over the "slide to unlock" area on an iPhone 4 display, and it is made of a material that allows you to answer or unlock the phone while still keeping the screen covered. The entire ViSOR can be popped off and then attached to the back of the revo4 SE if you want it to stay out of the way. The touch-friendly area responds as advertised to swipes, and answering the phone with the ViSOR attached is a breeze. %Gallery-118020%
TUAW holiday grab bag giveaway: Everything for the Apple fan
Can you imagine waking up on Christmas morning surrounded by a pile of accessories for the Apple devices in your life? Or even better, giving someone a pile of fun gifts? TUAW and the Max Borges Agency want to give two lucky readers the chance to win some holiday grab bags full of fun gear for the Apple fan. You'll have to enter by midnight tonight (ET) to be eligible, because the goodies will be express-shipped to your homes to arrive on Christmas Eve. To see what each of the grab bags contains and find out more about the giveaway, read on. Photo credit: Julia Freeman-Woolpert, sxc.hu
Trick or Treat with TUAW: iPhone 4 and iPad cases from iSkin
TUAW is giving away a gaggle of ghoulishly good gadgets over the next few days. Be sure to come back every day between now and October 31st for a chance to win. The good part of the giveaways? You don't need to wear a costume to win 'em. With the surprisingly active adoption of the iPad in the healthcare industry, as well as recent concerns about how microbes can live happily on iPad screens, wouldn't it be nice to have something that would at least keep bugs off of most of your device? And since the iPhone 4 is also apt to pick up germs when being used, how about having a way to keep it sanitary as well? iSkin has a line of iPhone and iPad cases that will make germaphobes happy, since the company has started to use washable silicone materials with embedded Microban antimicrobial protection for some of their products. The iSkin Duo case for iPad and revo4 case for iPhone 4 both use these materials to keep you protected, and they look darn good in the process. If you're not as concerned about the germs as you are about protecting your investment, iSkin has the great-looking iSkin Vu for iPad and iSkin Solo for the iPhone4. And for four TUAW readers, you're going to win one of these cool cases in a random giveaway. Here are the official rules: 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, leave a comment telling us what kind of case -- iPhone 4 or iPad -- you'd like to win. The comment must be left before midnight on Monday, November 1, 2010, 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. Four winners will be selected in a random drawing. One will receive an iSkin Duo Case for iPad (Value: US$49.99), one will receive an iSkin Vu Case for iPad (Value: $64.99), one will receive an iSkin revo4 Case for iPhone 4 (Value: $39.99), and one will receive an iSkin Solo Case for iPhone 4 (Value: $29.99) Click here for complete official rules. Good luck!
TUAW review and giveaway: iSkin Duo iPad skins
TUAW's holiday weekend giveaways continue, this time with protection for your iPad. We first talked about the iSkin Duo iPad (US$49.95) in a post a couple of weeks ago; it's the iPad skin with built-in Microban® antimicrobial protection. iSkin was kind enough to send three of the units to review and then give away to TUAW readers. The Duo gets its name from the two-tone color scheme applied to each of seven different models, but the fact that it protects your iPad two different ways (from scratches and from bacterial buildup on the skin) could have also factored into the product naming. Made of silicone, the Duo skins provide a non-slip surface. The bezel cover (which is black on all of the models) and the back of the lower back panels (about where you'd grip the iPad in your hands in portrait mode) are given a slight texture to make them even more easy to grip. The silicone is thick enough to protect the iPad from day to day bumps and scratches, and even covers the volume, power, and home buttons to keep moisture or dirt from getting in.
iSkin announces an iPad case for the germophobic
Are you a little OCD when it comes to germs? Do you feel like you need to wash your hands after you use your iPad? Did that report about the iPad screens in Apple Stores being hotbeds for assorted fungi and bacteria make you want to take a long, hot shower? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then iSkin has a new iPad case just for you. The only iPad case made with built-in Microban, the iSkin Duo (US$49.99) is a dockable case made from a hypoallergenic silicone that is given a finish to resist the tendency for cases of this type to collect dust and dirt particles. The Duo has a colorful back with an embossed pattern and special side grips that make for sure handling of your iPad. There are a rainbow of colors to choose from: yellow, purple, brown, blue, pink, red, and clear. To make sure that your fear of germs is negated, Microban is embedded into the silicone. This antimicrobial agent works constantly to kill fungi and bacteria that can cause staining and odors. Need to sterilize the case? You can wash it in hot water without distorting the shape and fit of the Duo. iSkin also announced the new iSkin Vu line of cases, and both it and the Duo will be available within a few weeks at retail outlets and online.
Engadget's recession antidote: win an iSkin Vibes BlackBerry case!
This whole global economic crisis, and its resulting massive loss of jobs got us thinking. We here at Engadget didn't want to stand helplessly by, announcing every new round of misery without giving anything back -- so we decided to take the opportunity to spread a little positivity. We'll be handing out a new gadget every day to lucky readers until we run out of stuff or companies stop sending things. Today we've got an array of iSkin Vibes BlackBerry cases on offer, perfect for keeping your Curve, Bold or Storm safe from the elements. Read the rules below (no skimming -- we're omniscient and can tell when you've skimmed) and get commenting! Hooray for free stuff!Big thanks to iSkin for providing the gear!The rules: Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but if you want to share your proposal for "fixing" the world economy, that'd be sweet too. You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.) If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine. Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad. Winner will be chosen randomly. Twelve (12) winners will receive one (1) iSkin Vibes BlackBerry case -- 4 for Curve; 4 for Bold; 4 for Storm. Approximate retail value is $32.99 each. If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen. Entries can be submitted until Sunday, July 26th, at 11:59PM ET. Good luck! Full rules can be found here.
Switched On: From Bluetooth to the bedroom and the backyard
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about technology, multimedia, and digital entertainment. Last year, Switched On discussed the KeySpan TuneView and the DLO HomeDock Remote, two products that allowed remote control of an iPod using small screens on a remote. One of the limitations of those products was that they each required their own docks instead of working with any of the scores of iPod docks already on the market. At CES 2008, though, a company showed a product that not only allows you to use your iPod -- and many other devices -- as a wireless remote with the iPod dock you may already have. Even more unusually, the company that sells it is not one well associated with these speaker docks, such as Altec Lansing, Bose or Logitech, but rather It is iSkin, a company that made its name selling silicone cases for iPods.iSkin's music product line is called Cerulean, the most flexible configuration of which is the $129 TX+RX (transmitter / receiver). The transmitter, like those bundled with iPod wireless headphones for years, allows you to use your iPod as a remote, sending music to any Bluetooth stereo speaker. But not only does Cerulean free the iPod from the dock, it frees the dock from the iPod.Plugging the Cerulean Bluetooth receiver into practically any iPod dock opens a door for many Bluetooth stereo music sources -- such as MacBooks and notebook PCs, digital music players from Sony and Samsung, and many cell phones. When used with a subscription service such as Rhapsody, the Cerulean lets you create playlists from thousands of songs or listen to YouTube music videos on your notebook with better audio quality, but there's even one more trick up its sleeve.
Peripheral vision
Well ladies and gents, this'll be the last iPhone-centric edition of Peripheral vision, from here on out we'll be rolling out whatever suits our fancy. But this week we did catch sight of a few treats to lavish on your sets including a couple cases, a stereo Bluetooth headset solution and we'll even throw in a rumored accessory for good measure. Carry on to get at the goodies and the pics.
iSkin releases Claro case for 5G iPods with belt clip/kick stand
Now here is one of the more interesting and functional 5G iPod cases I've seen in a while: a clear plastic case with a belt clip that doubles as a kick stand. This iSkin Claro easily shows up my clear agent18 case, but the $39 sticker price is a tad steep. If a plain clear case doesn't get your credit card numbers flowing, iSkin also provides Claro slims, 3-packs of colored skins for $20 USD that can spice up any oh-so-yesterday black or white 5G iPod. Oh, and don't forget to spend an extra $20 to succumb to your accessorizing obsession with iSkin CERULEAN XLR Bass Enhancing Stereo Earphones, with eight color choices to make sure you get as far away from Apple's trademark white as possible.The iSkin Claro is available at present only for 30 GB 5G iPods and can be had at iSkin's site.[via Playlist]
Not happy with the iSkin eVo3
Steve at The Sneeze waited weeks for his back ordered iSkin eVo3 iPod case to arrive. Now that he has it, he's not too thrilled. From his blog:"If I was featured in an iPod commercial, instead of dancing with joy you'd see my silhouette just sort of moping around against an orange background, fiddling with the hold switch and wishing I had my forty bucks back."The post is actually pretty funny, but if his main complaint is the lack of access to the hold button (sharp steak knife, anyone?), it may not be so bad. Still, I'd like to see his sad iPod commercial.
