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NewerTech's NuGuard KX iPad Air sleeve: Perfect for throwing your tablet down the stairs
Most people won't intentionally throw their new iPad Air down a stairwell, but it's comforting to know that if they wanted to, there's a case that could protect the tablet from damage. NewerTech's NuGuard KX case for the iPad Air (US$49.00) provides video proof (see below) that it's going to keep your Air pretty well protected in case of an accidental drop. The NuGuard KX uses a tough outer shell with a soft gel material inside, providing your iPad Air not only helmet-like protection against drops and hits, but absorbing and distributing the shock so that it's not damaged. The protection doesn't add much in terms of weight, with the case weighing only 6.7 ounces (189.9 grams). Likewise, it adds just .3" (7.6 mm) to the thickness of the svelte iPad Air, although that is actually doubling the thickness of the entire iPad/case assembly over the unprotected Air. The NuGuard KX comes in only one color, referred to as "darkness." It also comes with a lifetime warranty, although that warranty does not include coverage for damage to your iPad -- just the case. Installing the NuGuard KX onto an iPad Air was quite easy; sometimes similar one-piece sleeves like this can be a real chore to install. The patterned back provides an extra grippy surface to hold onto. The screen isn't protected in the NuGuard KX, so you'll still need to make sure that you don't drop the iPad Air onto rocks or other protruding surface that can shatter the display. The iPad Air is so nice and slim that it's great to see that NewerTech took the time and effort to make a sleeve that protects your investment very well, but doesn't add so much bulk that it detracts from the design of your tablet. Conclusion While it's rather plain, NewerTech's NuGuard KX sleeve provides an impressive amount of protection to your iPad Air. The X-Orbing gel material inside the case does a very good job of absorbing everyday drops and bumps, keeping your tablet in one piece. Pros Quite thin and lightweight Does an impressive job of protecting your iPad Air Easily installed or removed Reasonably priced at just $49.00 on OWC's website (ignore the $89.95 price tag shown on the NewerTech site) Cons Doesn't protect the screen Only one color, black. We'll expect the Realtree camo and pink versions next year, NewerTech... Who is it for? Anyone who wants serious protection for their iPad Air without a lot of weight, thickness and cost Giveaway Okey-dokey. We know that there are a lot of you out there who are still walking around with undressed iPad Airs, and that's ... well, it's just not right. We're going to make sure that one of you is able to give your iPad Air at least a little modesty through this giveaway. 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 23, 2013 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected and will receive a NewerTech NuGuard KX sleeve for iPad Air valued at $49.00, whatever the real price is... Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
NewerTech crams an optical drive in the miniStack Max, combines SD reader and up to 4TB storage
It's no secret that Apple is trying to push the optical drive the way of the Dodo, but if you have a need for the legacy technology, then you might consider going all out with the miniStack Max from Newer Technology. Like other products in the miniStack lineup, it shares the same footprint as the Mac Mini, which makes for a perfect stackable solution. There are a number of options for configuring the miniStack Max, starting with the optical drive, which extend from a DVD writer, to a Blu-ray drive or even a Blu-ray burner. Likewise, the base configuration lacks storage, but can be configured with drives that range in size between 500GB and 4TB. Rounding out the miniStack Max, you'll find an SDXC reader, three USB 3.0 ports, one eSATA port, two FireWire 800 ports and a Kensington lock slot. The miniStack Max is available now for $249.99 with a DVD burner and 1TB storage, and ranges in price from $149.99 for a bare unit (sans optical drive and storage), to $569.00 for the model with a Blu-ray writer and 4TB storage. %Gallery-187869%
Hubs du jour: A couple of USB 2.0 offerings
A pair of USB 2.0 hubs arrived at TUAW Central today for testing and review. If you're thinking that I may have mistyped USB 3.0, unfortunately I didn't -- for some reason, Mac accessory manufacturers seem to forget that new Macs are equipped with the faster USB 3.0 ports. For a USB 2.0 hub, the Satechi Premium 4-port Aluminum hub is actually quite striking in looks. It's an unpowered USB 2.0 four-port hub, styled to perfectly match your Apple keyboard or MacBook Air. As you can see in the photo above, Satechi's offering even has round burnished aluminum disks on the sides like those that you see on the Apple Wireless Keyboard and Magic Trackpad. It's a pretty little thing and I quite like how the ports naturally lie within easy access. You can pick one up for $28 at Amazon. That's a bit pricey for what it is -- an unpowered four-port hub after all -- but gosh if it isn't lovely to look at, convenient to use and super-nice to feel. This is, basically, Apple candy and it would make a perfect gift for the Apple aficionado in your life. The NewerTech 7-port USB 2.0 powered hub ($28) offers 4.0 Amps, delivering a full-powered solution for most users. It's an absolutely standard-looking hub, and its big feature is its dedicated high-powered charging port, built for both iPhones and iPads. I plugged my aging first-gen iPad in the NewerTech hub and it had no problems charging up, even after I connected a bunch of other items to the other available ports. NewerTech's offering seemed to be better built than the cheap no-name seven-port hubs you normally find on Amazon, and the iPad-friendly super-port is a nice feature to have. So there you have it -- two USB 2.0 hubs that might come in handy for use with your existing Mac. Stay tuned to TUAW for a future look at hubs that work with more recent Macs featuring the newer USB 3.0 ports.
NewerTech cradles your Apple TV and Mac mini in the NuStand Alloy (updated)
NewerTech has just announced two inexpensive new additions to their line of accessories, and if you're an owner of either the current generation of Apple TV or Mac mini, you're going to want to pay attention. Update: NewerTech says that the Mac mini NuStand Alloy stand works with the newly announced refreshed Mac mini. The first item is the NuStand Alloy stand for the Apple TV. Priced at just US$17.50, this tiny accessory props your Apple TV up in a vertical position so it looks more like an important media center and less like a rectangular hockey puck. That's not the only new NuStand Alloy from NewerTech (how's that for alliteration?). There's also a version for the Mac mini priced at $19.99, used to hold your mini vertically next to a monitor. As noted by Andy Marken of NewerTech, your Mac mini is less likely to be used as a soda can coaster if it's held vertically. Both NuStand Alloy products are shipping, and TUAW will be reviewing them in the near future.
Newer Technology's GripBase and GripStand an iPad dynamic duo
There are plenty of iPad cases on the market right now, as well as iPad stands by the droves. In that respect, the Newer Technology NuGuard GripStand (US$29.99, left in photo above) is nothing really new. But the handy iPad protective case / display stand / hand grip does have a unique quality -- with the purchase of the NuGuard GripBase ($19.99), the case can be transformed into a solid desktop workstation base or iPad kiosk. Newer Technology sells the two products as a bundle for $39.99, perfect for those who are looking for a way to keep their iPads protected and close at hand both when mobile or seated at a desk. Read more for a look at how this protection system works, and be sure to browse the gallery below for photos of the GripStand and GripBase working together. %Gallery-124575%
Mac mini mounting madness
If you have a new Mac mini that you'd like to mount somewhere, like under a desk or entertainment center, there are two new solutions you can look at. The first, which we received in the last week from NewerTech, is the NuShelf. This mount comes in two versions. One has a single shelf for holding one Mac mini or a Time Capsule. The NuShelf Dual Mount (see photo above) is slightly deeper for holding two Mac minis, two Time Capsules or one of each. The NuShelf is made of clear PETG thermoplastic, with a circular hole in the bottom to hold the newer Mac mini "memory door." There are also two cutouts in the back to make it easy to reach the SD card slot and power button. The single shelf version is US$39.95, while the Dual Mount is slightly more expensive at $44.95. The NuShelf is predrilled for mounting and includes four screws to finish the job. Unlike some of the metal shelves that are available, NewerTech notes that the plastic NuShelf is transparent to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signals.
iPad folio case roundup: Three great ways to protect your iPad
Some pundits were calling Macworld Expo 2011 the "iPad Case Expo" since there were so many vendors on hand with either "me-too" products or totally unique ideas. While I think that label is somewhat unfair, there were a lot of iPad cases on display at Macworld. A number of those designs showed up at my office during the show, so I decided to do a quick overview and comparison post of three of the best for TUAW readers. All three of these are what we refer to as folio cases in that they have a front and back cover, much like a book, and they generally provide a way to prop up the iPad in a number of positions. The latter trait of the iPad folio cases makes them the flexible yoga instructors of the iPad case world. Now, let's take a look at some of these cool cases.
NewerTech adapter turns eSATA into USB 3.0, makes legacy external HDDs feel young again
There's a powder-blue USB 3.0 port on the side of your shiny new computer, whispering your name, but you simply can't afford to replace your perfectly good eSATA external hard drive for the sake of compatibility. You could simply resist the urge entirely, but if you have the need for speed, there's a USB 3.0 to eSATA adapter with your name on it, and it just might come in a NewerTech case. Sure, Addonics, Siig and Bytecc sell similar, but as Everything USB points out, NewerTech did the legwork here, benchmarking the cable to be sure it could handle 206.4MB / sec writes and 247MB / sec reads. That's enough to handle most solid state drives, and you should be completely covered when it comes to anything with spinning magnetic plates. You'll find it for $30 this week at the likes of OWC.
More iPad protection giveaways from TUAW and NewerTech
A while back we did a review and giveaway of some iPad protection products from our buddies at NewerTech. Just before I headed off to the high seas for three weeks, I received some additional swag from NewerTech that I thought would be perfect for our TUAW Independence Day holiday giveaways. While I won't review the products in this post, you can certainly either read the previous post or visit the NewerTech website for details. What we'll be giving away are three different products to three readers -- a NuVue screen protector, a NuGuard Carbon protection kit (seen at right, including a NuVue screen protector and a microfiber polishing cloth), and a NuGuard Leather protective casing. What do you need to do to enter the giveaway? Just leave a comment below telling us what your favorite iPad app is. We'll randomly choose three winners who will get one of the three NewerTech products. Here are the contest 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 naming your favorite iPad app. The comment must be left before midnight on Wednesday, July 7th, 2010, 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. Three winners will be selected. One will receive a NuVue Screen Protector (Value: US$9.99), one will receive a NuGuard Carbon protection kit (Value: $24.95), and one will receive a NuGuard Leather (Value: $24.99). Click Here for complete Official Rules. This is our last giveaway for the weekend, so if you're feeling lucky and want to protect your new iPad, be sure to enter!
TUAW First Look and giveaway: A flood of NewerTech iPad accessories
Judging from the number of questions I'm asked about cases for iPads, it appears that the second decision after "What iPad should I buy?" is often "What iPad case should I consider?" Thanks to Newer Technology, TUAW received a sampling of their new line of iPad cases, and we have a few to give away to TUAW readers. We'll start with the low end of the line and work up to the pièce de résistance. Now, there are some folks who want to feel the smooth metal and glass of their iPad and just need some protection on the screen surface. For those folks, NewerTech has come up with the NuVue Clear Screen Protector for iPad. It's US$9.99 and has a one year warranty. While it's not going to protect the back of your iPad from scratches or dings, it keeps the screen in pristine condition. You can use any of the other cases I'll describe to protect the rest of the device. There's also a version that can keep your data from prying eyes, which is important if you work in the healthcare business. It's called the NuVue Privacy Protector and costs $39.99. Many people are going to want to protect the iPad case, and that's the idea of the NuGuard line. First, there's the NuGuard Silicone protective casing, which is flexible and easy to put on or remove. It has a nice, non-slip surface, and it even includes a couple of indentations on the back to ensure a tight grip when your iPad is in your hands. The NuGuard Silicone casing sells for $17.99 and comes in green, blue, red, orange, black, or semi-transparent "arctic frost."
NewerTech releases the iFolio luxury iPad case
With just a few days to go before we can actually get our hands on an iPad, Newer Technology Inc., better known to us as NewerTech, has introduced quite a fancy custom handcrafted Brazilian leather protective carrying case for the iPad. It's made in the US and comes in either black or red at an introductory price of US $99.99 (down from the MSRP of $129.99), for shipment on April 5th. It seems to be built like a battleship and is backed with a lifetime warranty. It comes with a double stitched leather handle and a shoulder strap that extends from 24" to 48". The left side, sports a 7" X 10" hard backed document sleeve and two taffeta lined pockets so you won't mar whatever you decide to put in them. The right side features 4 elastic, non-marring leather restraining straps which give you enough room to hold an iPad that's already in a silicone case. Belt and suspenders might be overkill, but can you really be too safe? Probably not, since there's also a hard shell sewn in, surrounded by soft padding and a heavy duty nylon zipper to keep it closed. The only online seller of the case so far seems to be our friends at Other World Computing. I can see one of these in my future.
Become the master of many monitors with NewerTech's USB 2.0 Display Adapter
Some Mac users just don't want to be limited to one monitor, but would like two... or three... or more. Having only one display port on your Mac can put a real crimp in your plans to be the master of the monitor universe, so NewerTech has launched the USB 2.0 Display Adapter. The adapter, with a suggested retail price of US$96.00, lets users add an extra HDMI, DVI, or VGA display to their Mac. Up to four of the bus-powered adapters can be hosted on each Mac, and each adapter can support a maximum resolution of 2048 x 1152. The device also supports Windows, and can be used with Boot Camp. Cloning and extended desktop modes are supported by the USB 2.0 Display Adapter. A secondary adapter (VGA and HDMI adapters are supplied) must be attached to connect VGA or HDMI displays. Unfortunately, the adapter doesn't allow OpenGL acceleration, so applications that use Quartz Extreme, Quartz Composer, and other related frameworks are not full supported. This means that Keynote, iPhoto, and iMovie will not see the benefit of OpenGL acceleration. To use the adapter, your Mac must have an Intel processor and be running Mac OS X 10.4.11 or better.
NewerTech's Voyager Q converts SATA HDDs into hot-swappable external drives
Man, talk about a hasty refresh cycle. NewerTech just unleashed its original Voyager in early December, and barely a month later we're being treated to the Voyager Q. Delivered at Macworld today, the quad interface device (USB 2.0, eSATA, FireWire 400 and FireWire 800) sports a sleek, glossy exterior, hinged flaps to cover the gaps when your internal HDDs are being used internally and support for hot-swapping, too. Both 2.5- and 3.5-inch SATA I / II drives are supported, and yes, both OS X and Windows platforms are fully supported. If you've finally lost the inability to avoid procuring one of these type units, you can get the Voyager Q on its way to you this moment for $99.95.
NewerTech intros quad-interface SATA HDD dock of its own
It's amazing, really, that this meme has lasted this long. When we first noticed Brando's SATA HDD Dock, we figured it was destined to become a cute, one-off gift that only the hardest of hardcore storage freaks would bother with. Over a year later, we're having trouble counting the iterations available. Now, we've got storage mainstay NewerTech diving in with one of its own, as it has just revealed the quad-interface Voyager SATA hard drive docking station. As you'd expect, the unit turns any 2.5- or 3.5-inch SATA I / II hard drive (up to 2TB) into an external drive, and with FireWire 400 / 800, USB 2.0 and eSATA sockets, you shouldn't have any issue hooking it up. It's available now for stocking stuffing at $99.95.
NewerTech intros USB 2.0 Universal Drive Adapter
Sure, we've seen similar adapters in the past, but NewerTech's latest is quite a few rungs higher on the attractive scale than its most formidable rivals. The inelegantly named USB 2.0 Universal Drive Adapter allows users to easily connect any 2.5-, 3.5- or 5.25-inch HDD / optical drive to a computer via USB, enabling folks to transfer critical data or backup an internal drive altogether without having to hunt down some snazzy external chassis. Notably, the adapter plays nice with IDE, ATA and SATA (among others), has no qualms dealing with OS X / Linux and will set you back just $29.95.
NewerTech intros Mac mini-lovin' miniStack NAS
As if there weren't enough options to cram underneath your Mac mini, here's yet another. NewerTech is introducing its miniStack NAS enclosure, which can be pre-configured with as much as 750GB of storage, and should fit quite well above or below your mini. The box sports Ethernet / USB 2.0 ports, PC and Mac support, Ximeta's NDAS 2011 network chipset, LED status lights, auto power on / off, and "intelligent thermal monitoring for minimal fan power consumption." For those interested in adding their own HDD, the device itself can be snagged for $79.99, while ordering with a hard drive already included will run you up to $329.99 depending on capacity.
NewerTech's dual-bay MacBook battery charger / conditioner
NewerTech's dual-bay MacBook (and MacBook Pro, too) battery charger / conditioner is most certainly tailored for the authentic road warrior, as it allows users to "conveniently charge two batteries one after the other, or charge one battery while conditioning a second one." The device reportedly extends the maximum life and effectiveness of your batteries by doing the conditioning for you, but we're a bit bummed to see that it only charges the second Li-ion "when the first battery is done charging." Notably, NewerTech also seems to offer the device for owners of PowerBooks of days past, but the latest rendition will run you $149.95 for the convenience. Another shot after the break.
MacBook Battery Charger/Conditioner
Keeping your Mac portable's battery properly conditioned is something that most folks don't do (I know I don't, and I'm aware of the fact that I should). NewerTech, masters of all power-related Mac things, have just announced a Battery Charger/Conditioner for MacBooks and MacBook Pros. This $149 product intelligently charges two batteries at once (it charges one, senses it is done, and then starts on the second battery).
NewerTech's Guardian MAXimus: 1TB, RAID, ports aplenty
Not that there's some dearth of external RAID devices on the market or anything, but few and far between are those that have FireWire 800 and 400 ports, as well as USB 2.0. NewerTech's Guardian MAXimus -- which appears to be a rebadged Mercury Elite-AL Pro -- comes in with up to 1TB, two FireWire 800 ports, and one 400 and USB 2.0 port. Prices start at $320 for the 250GB version, or you can snag a BYOD $180 enclosure, if that's what suits you.
Macworld 2007 Show Floor Showoff: Newer Technology
Grant Dahlke from Newer Technology took a few moments out of his busy day on the Show floor to talk to us about some of his cool products. I especially liked the USB 2.0 Universal Drive Adapter,which I am going to have to order soon. Grant also showed off some replacement iPod batteries that'll keep your iPod rocking for hours longer than the stock battery.If you want to watch this on your iPod, or in QuickTime, check out the interview in iPod ready video.
