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Otterbox iPhone 4 / 4S Defender case with iON Intelligence launching April 18th for $130 (video)
It was at CES that we were first introduced to Otterbox's Defender case with iON Intelligence, which promises to keep phones alive in two ways: by shielding them from physical abuse, and by serving up extra juice whenever they're thirsty. Otterbox has now told us the new case is nearly ready to bounce off hit the streets, and will be launching on April 18th for the iPhone 4 and 4S. The case combines the familiar hard shell, rubbery sleeve and screen protector for laughing off falls, with a 1,450mAh battery -- that's a sliver bigger than the 4 / 4S built-ins -- to effectively double capacity. LEDs on the case let you know how much extra juice is left, and the companion iON Intelligence app automatically redirects power when it's needed, and monitors usage to predict how long 'til your next charge. The iPhone 4 / 4S model will be available from Otterbox's online den for $129.95, and others are in the works for "other top iOS and Android devices." Check out the promo videos below for a full product walkthrough.
Roundup of announced iPad mini accessories (updated)
Along with today's debut of the iPad mini came a tidal wave of accessory announcements for the littlest iPad. Here's a roundup of several of those new products. Update - 10/24/12 10 AM ET: Added Dicota Protective Covers at the bottom of this post X-Doria X-Doria actually pinged us before the announcement with enticing photos of a new series of cases for the iPad mini. The cases (from left to right below) include the bright and stylish SmartStyle (US$39.99), the SmartCase-like SmartJacket ($34.99), the Dash Folio ($39.99), the puffy and versatile SleeveStand ($29.99), another bright and stylish SmartStyle, and Engage back shell ($19.99). Otterbox You may be more likely to take your iPad mini out for a bike ride or on a hiking trip than your full-grown iPad, so Otterbox has announced that the Defender Series case will be available for the diminutive iPad for $69.95. They're taking pre-orders now, and you can get the case in Black, Crevasse (gray), or Blush (magenta). ZAGG invisibleShield Hey, these guys don't have to do much more than detailed measurements of a device to create the "invisibleShield" for a product, so this was a no-brainer that ZAGG would have one announced almost immediately. The full body (front and back coverage), original military-grade protection protector for the iPad mini goes for $34.99, while the Hi-Definition version is $39.99. They're back-ordered until the week of November 6-14, so order now. Incipio Incipio has come out with four new cases for the iPad mini. The mini NGP ($34.99) is an impact-resistant semi-rigid case that comes in pink, black or white, while the mini LGND ($34.99) is a premium hard-shell folio that folds into a stand. There's also the $39.99 mini Lexington, a hard shell folio case with a "vegan leather" exterior and a micro-suede interior. Finally, the mini Feather ($34.99) is a ultra-thin snap-on case in orange, red, pink, black, light blue, purple or gray. Check out the video below for details. That's about it for today's announcements. Many of the other manufacturers are probably queueing up their PR announcements for the next few days, so be sure to check back often for news of more iPad mini accessories. Dicota European manufacturer Dicota has announced the Flexi Back Cover and Hard Back Cover (see below) for iPad mini. No prices have been announced; visit the Dicota Web site for pricing by country when it becomes available.
IRL: Fujifilm X-Pro1, Garmin Edge 200 and Otterbox's Universal Defender case, revisited
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. If we've never explained where the idea for IRL came from, now might be as good a time as any. Our own Tim Stevens, a car nut in his own right and a one-time auto editor for Engadget, wanted to test gadgets the way auto mags do vehicles. That is to say, on an ongoing basis, over a long period of time. That mission rings particularly true this week: Jon's taken hundreds of test shots with Fujifilm's X-Pro1, Terrence has been commuting with the Garmin Edge 200 cycling monitor and Brian has owned the Otterbox Universal Defender case so long that he's actually taking back the praise he gave in a prior IRL. All that and more after the break.
Nominate your favorite iPad case for TUAW's Best of 2011 awards
During December and January, The Unofficial Apple Weblog is soliciting your nominations and votes for the best products for Mac, iPhone/iPod touch, and iPad. We'll start with nominations in a category, and then tally your votes for the top-nominated products a few days later. The winner in each category receives the highly-coveted title of TUAW Best of 2011. The nominations are closed for iPhone apps and accessories, and now the TUAW Best of 2011 awards move to everybody's favorite tablet, the iPad. Today's category for nominations in the TUAW Best of 2011 awards is iPad cases. There are literally hundreds of different cases, most of which have been reviewed here on TUAW during the past year. Whether it's Apple's own Smart Cover (US$39 - $69) that is protecting the screen of your iPad 2, or the Otterbox Defender Series Case ($89.95) creating a zone of protection around the entire device, readers are sure to be vocal about their favorites. Of course there's the entire world of iPad folio cases and keyboard cases to think about. Could it be the luxurious Logitech Fold-Up Bluetooth Keyboard ($129.99) that is the Apple of your eye? Or maybe it's the IPEVO Typi folio ($79) with its removable keyboard and leather highlights? TUAW wants to hear from you -- what's your favorite iPad case? Leave your nomination in the comments below. Voting will start soon! Nominations close at 11:59 PM ET on December 24, 2011.
TUAW review and giveaway: OtterBox Defender case for iPhone 4
Judging from the number of entries for our recent giveaway of two OtterBox iPad cases, most of you are familiar with the excellent products made by the Colorado company. Shortly after the end of the iPad case giveaway, I was surprised to find another box at my door from OtterBox containing one of the "bullet-proof" Defender cases for the iPhone 4. No, an OtterBox Defender isn't going to save your iPhone 4 from a speeding bullet, but it can definitely keep your device clean and safe in a variety of tough conditions. TUAW reader Scott B. sent us an email today describing his experience with an iPhone Defender case, which reads "I received my Otterbox Defender Case for my IPhone 4, three days ago. It is great. I had one for my 3GS and it fell into a mud puddle. The case totally protected the phone. I now feel better having my IPhone 4 so well protected." It's not often that we get unsolicited reader love for an iPhone case, which tells you just how special the OtterBox products are. Read along for a short review of the Defender for iPhone 4, and see how you can have a chance to get one from TUAW. %Gallery-98301%
TUAW review and giveaway: OtterBox Defender / Commuter for iPad
Right off the bat, let me get the record straight -- I am a huge fan of OtterBox cases. I've used them on my last two iPhones and had used them pre-iPhone on a number of handheld devices. If you're into leather or style, then you probably won't be excited about the design of OtterBox products. But if you're the type of person who wants to protect an investment in an expensive device, then OtterBox is for you. The Colorado-based company has turned its attention to Apple's latest success story, the iPad, with two new cases to protect your device from dents and dings. As with the iPhone line, the cases come in two flavors -- the Defender and the Commuter. The Defender series is the Fort Knox of iPad cases, made for situations where you know that you could drop your iPad or otherwise expose it to conditions where it would probably break without protection. The Commuter, on the other hand, is much sleeker while still providing a level of protection that most other iPad cases won't give you. OtterBox was kind enough to send TUAW an early production model of one of each model to try out and then give away to our readers. Read on for the review, and how to enter our giveaway for one of these rugged iPad cases. %Gallery-97684%
Road Tested: Otterbox's serious iPhone case
I bought my 4GB iPhone way back on June 29th, 2007, release day for the US. Upon removing it from its box, all shiny and smooth, I thought, "I need a case for this thing." I'm what you call scratch-phobic. But then I saw the rigorous torture test that PCWorld subjected their unit to, and was persuaded to go commando. Here it is nearly two years later and my iPhone's display still looks great. There's a single nick next to the earpiece but other than that it looks fantastic. The back is another story.I have two kids aged 4 years and 6 years. Occasionally, I'll hand over the iPhone to keep them entertained. For instance, at the end of a day of boring errands when their patience is at an end, I'll whip out a little Wheels On The Bus [App Store link] or Pocket God. As any parent of young kids will tell you, one of the things they love to do is drop stuff.My iPhone has seen the floor of the mall, Dunkin Donuts and my Saturn Vue. It's been in sand and sun. In other words, it needs protection. I picked up an Otterbox.%Gallery-50564%
