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Apple announces new iPad covers and cases
Apple today made a number of sweeping iPad announcements. Naturally, Apple also took the opportunity to announce new iPad covers and cases. First, Apple announced new iPad Smart Covers made of polyurethane that will be available for both the iPad mini and the iPad Air. Apple's iPad Smart Covers work well to protect the front-end of your tablet and will retail for US$39. Apple also announced new iPad Smart Cases, which protect both the front and back of your tablet. They're a tad fancier than the Smart Covers, as they're made out of leather. They'll be available on the Air for $79 and on the mini for $69. Both the iPad Smart Cover and Smart Case will be available in Product (Red) versions as well.
WaterField Designs: Protecting your 15" Retina display MacBook Pro with panache
As an admitted computer bag fanatic, I have a special affinity for the creations of WaterField Designs in San Francisco. I personally use one of their bags (the Travel Express) to carry either my MacBook Air, two iPads, or the MBA and an iPad. That bag has gone through a lot in the last three years, but it still looks like it just came out of the box. When Heidi the PR lady at WaterField Designs told me about the line of new bags that they've specially created for the Retina display MacBook Pro, I decided to jump on getting some review products to try out and to give away to TUAW readers. In this review, I'll talk about both the Smart Case (US$99.00) and City Slicker ($149.00) for the 15" Retina display MacBook Pro, and then at the end you'll have an opportunity to win one from TUAW courtesy of WaterField Designs. Smart Case Let's start with the Smart Case. While it's not a total "bag" for your Retina MBP, it's designed to offer protection to your baby while you toss it into a briefcase, backpack, or any other larger bag. What's great about the Smart Case (as with all of WaterField Designs' products) is that it has padding everywhere you can imagine. There are high-impact rigid plastic inserts to keep your MBP safe from bumps and bangs, and it's cradled inside an Ultrasuede liner. The outside of the case features water-resistant nylon in a choice of six colors -- black, pearl, pine (dark green), green, flame (orange), and copper (tan). There's no stitching visible on the outside of the case, and the sides are encased in distressed brown leather trim. On the back side of the Smart Case is a stretchable pocket for carrying your power adapter and other cables. %Gallery-161878% The Smart Case is designed to hold your machine so snugly that it won't slide out, yet it's easy to pull it out for security checkpoints or doing work. While the video below shows the version of the Smart Case that's available for the 11" and 13" MacBook Air rather than the Retina Display MBP model, it still provides a comprehensive look at the features of the Smart Case. City Slicker A case is supposed to be something you buy after you get a new MacBook or iPad, and the City Slicker almost makes me want to go out and buy a new MacBook Pro just so I can get the case! The top and front of the case are nicely protected by luscious leather. The sample case I received used distressed, naturally tanned dark "Chocolate" leather -- you also have a choice of black or lighter tan "Grizzly" leather. What's nice about any leather surface like this is that it gains character over time as it is bumped, spilled on, and otherwise abused by life. The City Slicker comes initially without a handle or strap. The handle (a $10 option) is a rather tight fit, even for my small hands, but allows you to carry the bag just like a briefcase. You can also get D-rings ($5) attached if you have a favorite strap already, purchase a "Simple Strap Mini" for $12, or go all out and get the "Suspension Strap" for $22. My suggestion? Go with the high-end strap -- it's very comfortable and allows you to juggle papers and iPhones with your hands while you're carrying the bag. %Gallery-161879% The protection built into the City Slicker is awesome. Just under the outside later is a hard plastic insert, then a layer of spongy neoprene, and then the interior lining of the bag. There's extra padding in the bottom, since that's the spot that gets the most abuse when you place the case onto tables, desks and other surfaces. For all of the other things you'll want to carry along with your $2,200 laptop, there are two pockets. They're made of a stretchy material that lets you see what's in the pocket while ensuring that the contents aren't going to fall out. The video below once again shows the features of the MacBook Air version of the City Slicker; just scale this bag up to the size of a Retina display MacBook Pro and you have a perfect idea of how it looks. Conclusion Sure, you can buy less expensive computer and tablet bags elsewhere, but wouldn't you rather purchase something that is going to last and also looks great? (Also, did we mention that $2,200 sticker price for the Retina MacBook Pro? Skimping on protection seems short-sighted.) WaterField Designs bags do exactly that; they're cases that protect your investment in Apple equipment for years and that will gain the envy of anyone who sees them. If you need a way to keep your Retina display MacBook Pro safe and protected inside another bag, the Smart Case is perfect and is also reasonably priced. But if you need a new case for that beautiful Retina MBP, seriously consider the City Slicker. It's a gorgeous bag that offers unparalleled protection as well. If you're not impressed with either the City Slicker or Smart Case, I suggest that you take a look at the other designs that are available for the MacBook Pro with Retina display. Pros Distressed leather highlights on both the Smart Case and City Slicker are both beautiful and protective WaterField Designs' multi-layer protection keeps your Retina display MacBook Pro safe from impacts and scratches The bag and case are surprisingly thin considering the protection that they offer Made in the U.S.A in San Francisco Cons The handle on the City Slicker is a bit tight on your hand; I'd recommend forgoing the handle for the top-of-the-line Suspension Strap. Who are they for? Owners of Apple's new MacBook Pro with Retina display who want the best possible protection while exhibiting some style Giveaway We're kind of in a giveaway frenzy this week, and the first two items we're giving away are these wonderful cases from WaterField Designs. 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 August 9, 2012 at 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. Two winners will be selected. One will receive a WaterField Designs Smart Case for MacBook Pro with Retina display valued at US$99.00, while the other will receive a WaterField Designs City Slicker (with optional handle) valued at $159.00. Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Apple seeks patent for Smart Cover with embedded secondary display
According to a patent application made public by the USPTO this morning (and originally filed a year ago), Apple believes it's possible to build a flexible display into an iPad cover in order to "greatly enhance" the functionality of the tablet itself. Taking power and data from a dedicated connector on the side of the slate, at least one segment of the name-deserving Smart Cover could be used to augment the main display with space for extra icons, or operate as a separate media control interface, or simply display notifications. Drawings collected in the gallery below also hint at using the entire inner surface of the cover as a keyboard (ala Microsoft Surface) or as a drawing area. As with all patent applications, there's nothing to say such an idea will ever see Californian sunlight, but it'd be crying shame if it didn't.%Gallery-161615%
Nexus 7's Smart Cover-like magnetic sensors
Google's Nexus 7 tablet appears to have a feature that isn't showing up in any of the official specs. Over on YouTube, user wwscoggin showed off an experiment in which he used a magnet to discover a sensor that puts the display to sleep. Does this sound familiar? Yes, it's a function that has been used in the last two generations of iPad to allow the Smart Cover to switch off the display when closed. The Nexus 7 is manufactured by ASUS, and the company has demonstrated a case for the device that is surprisingly like Apple's Smart Case. It's unknown if the ASUS case will take advantage of the magnetic sensor to pull off a Smart Case functionality, but if it does this may add fuel to the fire for yet another patent infringement case from Cupertino. The original video is shown below for your edification.
Google's Nexus 7 discovered to have Smart Cover-like magnetic sensor
You won't find this on its official specs list, but Google's Nexus 7 tablet apparently has a magnet-enabled sensor that'll automatically set the display to sleep -- it's hard not to think of the iPad's Smart Cover. YouTube user wwscoggin was able to discover and pin-point the functionality near the bottom left of the device by gliding a magnet along its bezel. As Android Police notes, the feature is seldom found on Android tablets, and there's no word on whether ASUS' decidedly Smart Case-esque cases will make use of it. We've been able to replicate the action on our end, but don't take our word for it, catch the video after the break.
iPad Smart Case hands-on
Surreptitiously introduced to Apple Stores in the midst of new MacBook introductions and hardware refreshes, the Smart Case is Apple's latest official option for iPad protection. It's teamed together the foldable Smart Cover of last year with a soft-touch rubbery shell to defend the other half of Apple's premier tablet. The case fits both the Retina display-decked new iPad and the iPad 2, so we decided to grab one to protect our iOS slab. Does it do the job? Well, it certainly protects the tablet from keys, spare change and other pointy objects, however, because it's made for two slightly different sized devices, it didn't fit as snugly as we'd hoped, with an especially wide rim around the front also reducing the premium feel of the Smart Cover-esque front flap. So, is it still worth the $50 price tag? That's a little trickier to say, so check out some more impressions and our verdict after the break.%Gallery-158414%
Apple intros new iPad Smart Case: clever enough to cover both sides, priced at $50
And we're still not done. A new iPad case has managed to sneak onto the Apple Store's online shelves, and it'll protect your precious slab on both the back and front. The Smart Case appears to augment last year's Smart Cover with an additional (polyurethane hardshell) coating for the back of your iPad. Priced at just under $50, the case fits both second and third-generation iPads and will arrive in six different color options. And yes, you can still get that ever-pressing message engraved onto it too. [Thanks Nikhil] For more coverage of WWDC 2012, please visit our event hub!
BiKN will turn your iPhone into a homing device
There's an interesting hardware software product coming from Treehouse Labs next year that is a kind of reversal on the Find my iPhone service. It's called BiKN, pronounced like "beacon," and it allows you to use small hardware tags that hook to keys, cameras, pets or even people so you can locate them. The system also includes a special case for your iPhone that contains a receiver that interacts with the tracking tags, and of course an iOS app that makes the system complete. Up to 8 tags can be tracked at any time. The tags have a slider that reveals a micro-USB port for quick charging. Seems like an interesting idea, and we'll certainly look at it when it ships. There's no word on price, what distance restrictions there are (I can see some privacy issues surfacing), or an exact date for availability. You can see a video of the BiKN in operation on YouTube. [Via eCoustics.com]
Anymode's Galaxy Tab 10.1 case cops Apple's fashion sense (updated)
What's the difference between a case and a cover? The Korean company Anymode is provoking just that question with a Galaxy Tab 10.1 case (cover?) that looks awfully familiar. The Smart Case, as it's known, comes in multiple colors, protects the tablet's front, and folds into a triangular stand. You might be thinking that sounds remarkably like Apple's Smart Cover, and if so, you're not the only one. Ah, but the plot thickens: 9to5mac reports that the maker of this blatant knock-off has strong ties to Samsung. Family ties, even, as their tipster claims Sang-yong Kim, the Anymode CEO, is the nephew of Kun-Hee Lee, Sammy's chairman. We couldn't confirm any blood relation, which could mean we're dealing with a cover-clone conspiracy theory. Either way, we suspect this'll lead to more billable hours for Cupertino's lawyers. [Update: Samsung has responded on its official blog, distancing itself from Anymode's product: As a general practice, Samsung Electronics reviews and approves all accessories produced by partners before they are given the "Designed for Samsung Mobile" mark. In this case, approval was not given to Anymode for the accessory to feature this official designation. We are working with Anymode to address this oversight and the product has already been removed from the Anymode sales website. The product has not been sold. Thanks, Phil.]
iPad 2 Smart Cover-compatible cases: our roundup (Updated)
Apple's Smart Cover is a great, versatile screen cover for your iPad 2. It allows you to stand your tablet up, prop it up for typing in landscape and more; it even turns the iPad off automatically when you close it. But it leaves the back of the iPad 2 exposed, and as beautiful as it is, that metal can get all scratched up pretty quickly without some protection. So, here's a roundup of all Smart Cover-compatible back cases we could find.
CES Watch: Apple accessories from the show floor
CES 2010 is in full swing in Las Vegas, and while we aren't there, we have been able to scour the webs and bring you the latest, the greatest, and the weirdest new Apple-related peripherals and accessories from the show floor. Griffin has announced a few new devices, including a Display Converter ($40) to send your display out to HDMI or DVI video, a car charger ($30) that opens up another charging spot, and something called the TuneFlex Aux ($60), a cradle that sends iPhone audio out to an AUX port in your car. They've also got new versions of the RoadTrip and iTrip FM transmitters/cradles coming out later this year for the iPhone . IvySkin sent word of their Zappack unit, a battery backup for the iPhone available for $50, the SmartCase, a case with an integrated battery pack for $80, and the CardClip, a case for the iPhone with a money/wallet clip attachment for $20. Engadget posted a hands-on with Parrot's AR.Drone, which we mentioned yesterday. Short take: it's awesome. Geneva Labs has the most beautiful set of iPhone/iPod speaker docks we've seen yet. They're still useless, but they do look good. On the other hand there's the Trik / Triq iPod dock (above), a speaker dock so wild that Sony named it twice. Yeah, that is... wow. Pioneer announced a car nav unit that will stream Pandora via the cell connection on your iPhone. I'm sure there are induction power charging pads aplenty on the show floor, but this is the only one we're bothering to link to. Macally has announced another round of accessories, from earbuds to chargers. The most interesting is probably the PowerGo charger, which will use an AC adapter, a car lighter, or a USB plug, so no matter where you are, you can recharge your iPod. iPod accessories, everywhere! CES continues through the weekend -- we'll keep an eye on anything else Mac or iPod-related that shows up in Vegas.
