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Engadget giveaway: Win a Samsung Galaxy S10 courtesy of Speck!
Samsung's just finished its recent phone-launch extravaganza leaving several new handsets to choose from. If you're not a fan of super-sized phones like the S10+, but want to spend that little bit extra, you may be angling for the Galaxy S10. It has many of the hallmarks you'd want in a handset: A quality camera, good battery life, a zippy experience and... a headphone jack! It's still a valuable item to be carting along with you on everyday adventures, so slipping it into a protective case like one of Speck's Presidio line is a no-brainer. In fact, Speck has provided us with a Galaxy S10, three of its cases and a GrabTab ($9.95) for one lucky reader this week. The Presidio Grip ($39.95+), V-Grip ($39.95+) and Pro ($39.95+) all have "Impactium shock barrier" drop protection and easy-to-hold exteriors. They're also a slim fit and allow for wireless charging without removing the case. All you need to do is head to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to five chances at winning Samsung's latest, along with the peace of mind that Speck cases can provide. Good luck! Winner: Congratulations to Carlos Y. of Canoga Park, CA!
Engadget giveaway: Win an iPhone XS courtesy of Speck!
In case you've been living under a rock, Apple just launched its new iPhone XS line. It's their best iPhone yet, and costs a pretty penny, so Speck has jumped in to save the day for one lucky reader this week. The mobile case and accessory company has given us a 64GB iPhone XS, along with a trio of its protective, IMPACTIUM-laden Presidio exteriors. Drop-tested from 8-10 feet up, these will help keep your handset safe and sound when gravity pulls off the inevitable. Speck's Presidio V-Grip helps you keep the phone in your hands, while the Presidio Pro's anti-microbial coating and soft-touch exterior keep your iPhone snug. If you want your case to keep a low-profile, the Presidio Stay Clear shows off the phone's style in a sleeker form factor. All you need to do is head to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to five chances at winning one of Apple's latest handsets and matching set of Speck's protective cases. Good luck! Winner: Congratulations to Gustavo S. of Lawrenceville, GA!
Engadget giveaway: Win a Samsung Galaxy S9 courtesy of Speck!
Samsung's recently released Galaxy S9 smartphones have received a good amount of praise, often listed among the best Android devices you can buy. The camera performs well in low light and you get speedy overall performance packed into a sleek design. These features do come at a premium price and anyone making the investment should know that a case is a wise move. That's why this week, Speck has offered a Samsung Galaxy S9 in midnight black along with its own Presidio Folio Leather case (also black) for one lucky reader. This is the company's first 10-foot drop protective folio case, so it should keep your handset safe in most daily scenarios. It also includes a hidden slot for three cards, helping your phone double as wallet and portable computer. (The case will also be available for the iPhone X, if Android's not your thing.) You have up to three chances at winning a Samsung Galaxy S9 and Speck Presidio Folio Leather case when you hit up the Rafflecopter widget below. Good luck! Winner: Congratulations (TBC) to Atif S. of Great Falls, VA!
Engadget giveaway: Win a Product Red edition iPhone 7 courtesy of Speck!
There's been plenty of chatter lately about the new Product Red edition iPhone 7, which finally breaks free from the muted metallic lineup with its brilliantly colored exterior. From what I've seen around NYC, though, you'd be well advised to protect any new phone or suffer the all-too-ubiquitous cracked screen. Case and bag maker Speck has just the thing to protect and show off this brightly hued handset, its clear Presidio iPhone 7 case. This protective shell cleared the 8-foot drop test with honors, offers scratch resistance and its custom-engineered material resists UV yellowing, since many users tend to walk around with their phones out and, you know, beach selfies. Speck has provided us with one of these enviable iPhone 7 handsets and a clear Presidio case to keep it safe for one lucky reader this week. You get up to three chances at winning this prize by entering in the Rafflecopter widget below. Don't let that stop you from making a purchase, however, the Product Red edition profits go towards raising awareness and fighting HIV/AIDS. Winner: Congratulations to Michael B. of Union Grove, AL!
Amazon and Apple out new iPhone 7 ahead of announcement
Looks like Amazon jumped the gun and accidentally posted its iPhone 7 accessories landing page ahead of Apple's actual event. While we can't guarantee that the page has the correct information about the yet-to-be-announced iPhone, it looks like at least Amazon and Speck are expecting to see the end of the headphone jack on the device. So many Bluetooth headphones. It also looks like the dual camera cases are only for the 7 Plus.
Speck cases for iPhone 6: Review and giveaway
Lucky you! You're going to see a pile of reviews of new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus accessories over the next couple of months. One of the more respected names in the accessory business for Mac and iOS devices is Speck, and the company sent along four of their new cases for the iPhone 6. We're going to take a quick look at them here, and then you've got an opportunity to win one of these cases from Speck and TUAW. CandyShell Card This is one of the most useful cases I've seen for the iPhone 6 so far. The CandyShell Card (US$39.95) comes in three different color combos -- black and slate gray, Overcast Blue and Wisteria Purple, and Beaming Orchid Purple and Deep Sea Blue. As you'd expect from the name, it has a built-in slot for carrying three credit or ID cards on the back of the case. That doesn't mean it's just a one-trick pony; the CandyShell Card also uses a double layer design featuring a hardshell exterior or flexible interior to meet or exceed MIL-STD-810G drop protection standards. My only gripe? The hard shell exterior on the black model really picks up fingerprints. Other than that, the case has a good feel, the cards are held securely in place but easily removed, and it looks great. Rating: 3-1/2 stars out of 4 stars possible CandyShell Inked The CandyShell Inked ($39.95) cases are all about style and protection. Not only does it use Speck's tried-and-true combo of hard shell and soft interior to meet and exceed those same MIL-STD requirements at the Card, but it features bright and colorful prints on the outside of the case. There are seven color combos available: Lush Floral/Beaming Orchid (above), Color Dip Purple/Wisteria Purple, Rainbow Drop Pattern/Wisteria Purple, SuperNova Red Pattern/Tahoe Blue, Fresh Floral Pink/River Blue, Color Dip Blue/River Blue, and Fresh Floral Red/Boysenberry. Any of these will bring your plain iPhone 6 to life with a splash of bright color. No gripes here, as you can't really see the fingerprints on the exterior of these cases. Rating: 4 stars out of 4 stars possible CandyShell At $34.95, the CandyShell case is the best known of the Speck line. The cases are slim, less expensive than their siblings by five bucks, and still offer that MIL-STD-810G drop protection. Dang, I want one of these for my iPhone 6 Plus before I drop it! The color schemes are less sparkly and bright than the CandyShell Inked cases. Here you have a choice of Black/Slate Grey, Tahoe Blue/Charcoal Grey, River/Moss Green, Beaming Orchid Purple/Deep Sea Blue, Heritage Grey/Antifreeze Yellow (above), Black/Jay Blue, White/Charcoal Grey, Pomodoro/Black. As with the CandyShell Card, I feel that the two cases with black exteriors pick up fingerprints that are way too visible. That's not the case with most of the other color combos. Rating: 3-1/2 stars out of 4 stars possible CandyShell Grip Of all of the iPhone 6 cases from Speck, I think I like the CandyShell Grip ($34.95) the most. It's not overly bright and flashy, it meets those ever-important MIL-STD requirements, it's less expensive than the CandyShell Inked and Card cases, and -- most importably for owners of the big new iPhones -- it has raised rubber grips that make it almost impossible to drop. As with all of the CandyShell cases, these come in a variety of colors: Black/Slate Grey, White/Black, River Blue/Tahoe Blue, Lipstick Pink/Jay Blue, White/River Blue, and Moss Green/Black. The raised ridges on these cases not only keep the case and phone from slipping from your fingers, but they're also great for keeping fingerprints off of the glossy exterior of the Black case. Rating: 4 stars out of 4 stars possible Giveaway And now, the great Speck CandyShell Case Giveaway of September 2014! We have one each of these iPhone 6 cases to give away, in the colors that you see in the review. To have a chance to win one, all you have to do is enter. Be sure to tell your friends who don't usually read TUAW that this is their chance to win a free iPhone 6 case! 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 September 26, 2014 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. Four winners will be selected in a random drawing. Each will receive one of the Speck iPhone cases described above, valued at either $34.95 or $39.95. Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Two years to Tango: the race to finish Google's 3D-mapping tablet
Speck Design's clientele has ranged from Apple to Samsonite to Fisher-Price in its history, and now it can add Google to the list of high-profile companies. But Google -- or its Advanced Technologies and Projects (ATAP) division, to be more specific -- is no ordinary client. The group is modeled after DARPA, which divides its agency into teams, with each one given a limited time to solve a pressing issue. Nearly a year and half ago, ATAP reached out to Speck, led by industrial designers Jason Stone and Vincent Pascual, with one such task: Build a tablet like no other. The project is known as Tango. Its goal is to create technology that lets you use mobile devices to piece together three-dimensional maps, thanks to a clever array of cameras, depth sensors and fancy algorithms. As if that isn't enough of a challenge, Tango's team only has two full years to make this tech a reality. Those two years will be up in less than five months.
Samsonite buys Speck for $85 million
It must be acquisitions week. Longtime luggage manufacturer Samsonite has acquired Speck for a cool US$85 mil. Speck makes protective cases for a variety of portable devices, including iPhone, iPad, MacBook and several Android devices. Samsonite Americas president Tom Korbas explained the move: "The acquisition offers Samsonite the opportunity to participate in the large and growing smartphone-case market, which in the U.S. alone is estimated to be worth $2.3 billion, as well as in the tablet-case market, where Speck is also a leader." It seems like a complimentary acquisition for a company that's been protecting travelers' belongings for years. Good luck to all involved.
Speck CandyShell AMPED iPhone case: Review and giveaway
Accessory manufacturer Speck has come up with something rather new and different for the iPhone 5/5s: a protective case that also promises over twice the sound output from your iPhone speaker. The US$44.95 CandyShell AMPED was released today and uses a unique case design to amplify sound from your iPhone without using any electronics or your precious power to do so. Check it out, and then enter to win one of two CandyShell AMPED cases we're giving away. Specifications Dimensions: 2.50 x 0.58 x 5.13 inch (6.35 x .9525 x 13.0175 cm) Weight: 1.2 oz. (34 grams) Materials: Polycarbonate shell, thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) interior Available colors: black/slate grey, cadet blue/Caribbean blue, bubblegum pink/flamingo pink Design Highlights From the outside, the Speck CandyShell AMPED looks like some of Speck's other glossy cases. But as with so many things, it's what is inside that makes all the difference. Rather than use electronic amplification that would help chew up your iPhone's battery life, the AMPED channels the output from the speaker through what is essentially the 21st century equivalent of one of those big horn speakers on late 19th century/early 20th century phonographs. A gradually expanding "horn" shape winds around the back of the case, with sound escaping through a series of holes on the left side of the case. Does it work? Well, you'll have to read the Functionality Highlights below, but Speck says that the AMPED sound power was tested to the ISO 3745:2021 acoustic sound quality standard, so there's certification that it does. The case also exceeds MIL-STD-810G drop test standards, so you're getting protection as well as amplification. Pass-through buttons help out with the volume toggle and on/off switch; the mute switch is left uncovered. Speck says that the AMPED case can help out in a lot of situations. They recommend using it for conference calls in small businesses that can't afford a Polycom conference phone, to assist the elderly or hard-of-hearing, to share videos and music with friends without an external speaker, and to actually hear a phone ringing at the bottom of a purse or backpack. Functionality Highlights To test the AMPED, I played a few songs and made a few speakerphone calls with and without the case installed. The volume on the iPhone 5s was left at about 50 percent for the tests. When listening without the case, I had the speakers on the bottom of the iPhone pointed towards me; with the AMPED installed, the speaker "holes" on the rear left side of the case were pointed in my direction. While the sound did appear to be amplified (and in fact, I could feel the back of the AMPED vibrating), it seemed to be somewhat more amplified on the lower frequencies than higher. That being said, music sounded less vibrant -- but louder -- to me when playing through the AMPED. Likewise, voices on the phone also sounded louder. If I have one complaint about the AMPED, it's that the glossy polycarbonate shell picks up fingerprints rather easily. It's also somewhat slick, which increases the probability of having the case drop out of your hand -- but then, that's where a protective case comes in handy. Conclusion If your iPhone 5/5s speaker just isn't loud enough for you, or if you have to do a lot of speakerphone calls with your iPhone, then you should give the Speck CandyShell AMPED consideration when you're looking for a case. It's lightweight, relatively thin, provides amplification and definitely protects your iPhone investment. Rating: 3-1/2 stars out of 4 stars possible Giveaway We have two -- count 'em -- two Speck CandyShell AMPED iPhone 5/5s cases to give away. One is your basic black and slate grey, while the other is the sparkling bubblegum and flamingo pink combo. 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 April 29, 2014 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. Two winners will be selected in a random drawing and each will receive a Speck CandyShell AMPED iPhone 5/5s case valued at $44.95 Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
The New Year TUAW iPad mini case roundup and giveaway
Note: We're fixing an issue with the giveaway form and will have it back around 2pm EST. As we begin the new year, a lot of people wound up receiving an iPad mini as part of their holiday celebrations. Case makers are looking to make outfitting your iPad mini much easier, and we've gotten so many that TUAW Labs head mad scientist Steve Sande had to ship some of them out to the newly created iPad mini satellite office for us to then try to pass on to you guys! Celebrate your new year with a new case for your new iPad mini! BookBook for iPad mini We reviewed the revised BookBook in June, and BookBook for the iPad mini ($69.95) is a smaller version of its bigger sibling. Like Steve, I wasn't a fan of the straps that secured the iPad to the original BookBook, and it's what turned me away from buying one when I had a full-sized iPad. The leather enclosure protects your entire iPad mini, and you can unsnap it from the back to position it in a comfortable typing mode and viewing angle. It has the look and feel of a real book, and as you can see in the picture, I can easily shelve my iPad mini among my regular books if I want. It's the case I kept on my iPad mini the longest out of all the review cases to date, and the one I'm most likely going to buy for myself. Speck FitFolio The Speck FitFolio ($34.95) is a competitor for the Belkin cases you can find at most retail locations. The draw to the Speck for me is the colors, which I like better than Apple's selection and Belkin's. I like the viewing angle standing position for watching video, but not so much the typing position when you fold the case behind itself. If you don't do it just right, typing isn't comfortable at all. The fit was a bit so-so. The plastic case wasn't flush with my iPad around the earphone in the review case I received, but it doesn't impede with the protection. If you can live without the sleep/wake function and like the colors, give the Speck case a try. Gumdrop Drop Tech Putting the Gumdrop Drop Tech ($59.95) on my iPad was like encasing it in a tire, a sentiment that Steve shared when reviewing the iPhone 5 case. Like Otterbox cases, there is a rugged silicone exterior that surrounds a thin plastic case with a screen protector. Your iPad is sandwiched in between. Silicone covers all the ports, and you can flip the Lightning connector, earplug and side switch. The fit over the ports is good. Everything aligns perfectly, and the buttons you press through the silicone (home, power and volume) work like normal. I worry about the quality of the plastic frame and can see it easily breaking if you make a habit of inserting and removing the mini from this case. Also, if you're not careful in putting on the silicone cover, the four corners of the case can bulge out. If the case is put on correctly, it's a good one to use if you're carrying your iPad mini outdoors a lot. X-Doria Smart Jacket When it comes to looks, the X-Doria Smart Jacket ($34.99) comes fairly close to the Apple Smart Cover, but with a plastic, 3D-texturized back. It boasts the same viewing angles as the Smart Cover, but the built-in stand doesn't work at all. The cover doesn't hold its shape when you fold it into the viewing angle or the typing angle, so the iPad mini keeps falling over. If you want just a very basic cover with sleep/wake function, then the Smart Jacket is OK. If you want to do anything else with your iPad mini, spend your money on another case. X-Doria SleeveStand However, I liked X-Doria's SleeveStand ($29.99) far better than the Smart Jacket. It does what it says on the tin -- provides a plush home for your iPad mini with tabs in the opening of the jacket to hold your iPad mini in portrait or landscape mode. It's a sturdy viewing stand, but it's not good for typing. It comes with a carrying handle tucked into the front pocket, but I don't see the need for it. If you're swinging your iPad mini from your wrist, you're asking for someone to come rip it off. Giveaway Now it's time for these cases to go from my home into yours! Here's your chance to enter to win one of five different cases from TUAW and the manufacturers discussed in this review. Keep in mind, these cases are all for the iPad mini, so if you don't have one (or don't know someone who does), please don't enter! 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 January 5, 2013, 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time. You may enter only once. Five will be selected and will receive an iPad mini case (value of case varies, please see descriptions above) Click here for official rules Loading...
IRL: Bowers & Wilkins P5 headphones, Speck SeeThru Satin and the Nokia N800
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. Of this week's IRL contributors, two have already tried out that replacement for iChat. For the purposes of this column, though, all three are waxing on about something very old, at least by early adopter standards. For starters, James still get the warm-and-fuzzies holding his Nokia N800 Internet Tablet, despite its crawling page load times. Joe, our resident audio guru, explains why he tosses a reference to Bowers & Wilkins' P5 into almost every one of his headphone reviews. And the object of Mat's affection -- a laptop skin -- slipped under our radar when it came out over a year ago. So is James actually still using that N800? What's Joe's obsession with B&W? And why would anyone spend $50 on a notebook prophylactic? Read on to find out.
Speck SmartShell iPad 2 companion case with magnetic strip enhances the Smart Cover
Today's Smart Cover-compatible iPad 2 backplate, the SmartShell, is courtesy of Palo Alto-based Speck and has a neat trick up its sleeve. Coverage Like many of the other backplate-type cases, the SmartShell covers the back and edges well. It has good sized cut outs for the ports, mic, buttons, camera and speaker, as well as a cut out in the side to allow you to lift up the Smart Cover a little more easily. It has all the important things covered, but that opening in the side could be a potential vulnerability. Thickness and material The case is made of polycarbonate and is available in six different colors including clear and looks pretty good once on the iPad. The majority of the case is just 1.2mm thick, meaning it's one of the thinner polycarbonate offerings available. At the edges, where the case meets the front of the iPad the plastic gets thicker and creates a noticeable edge around the smooth tapering of the iPad 2. Unfortunately there are also some sharp edges to the case, which feels cheap and makes the iPad uncomfortable to hold. This might be a one-off with our clear review unit, but it appeared to be a lack of finishing during manufacture, which we haven't seen with other polycarbonate cases in this class. Features The SmartShell has a nifty trick up its sleeve that we haven't seen in other backshell cases and that's a magnetic metal strip on the back side of the case that holds the Smart Cover in place then folded around the back. This is the kind of thing Apple should have built into the iPad 2 itself, as it removes the annoying flop of the Smart Cover when it's open and works wonderfully in the SmartShell. %Gallery-134782% Verdict The Speck SmartShell has good coverage, is pretty thin and comes in a decent set of colors to match your Smart Cover. The magnetic strip on the back is great and improves the Smart Cover no end. It's a shame then that the clear polycarbonate isn't as well finished as we would have liked, and those sharp edges that make the iPad 2 uncomfortable to hold aren't what we're looking for. Your mileage may vary and indeed the "matte soft-touch" finish of the colored cases may be different. For the clear cases we hope this is a one-off production error, but the rest of our review unit seems perfect so we can only conclude that it's cheap manufacture is to blame. If you can get one out in a store and check the edges, or buy it from an online retailer with a solid return policy, then the Speck SmartShell is definitely worth a look and will set you back around US$25-35 plus shipping.
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.
Rock Band Weekly: Johnny Cash, free Rock Band track pack
The next Rock Band DLC update will include a track pack from the legendary Johnny Cash and a free pack of various artists for Xbox 360 and PS3. The Cash bundle includes classics like "I Walk the Line" and "Folsom Prison Blues," while the free pack includes tracks featuring RBN and Harmonix go-to bands like Bang Camaro and The Main Drag. The update will be available next week on Xbox 360 and Wii, while the PS3 update will also include last week's DLC, which was not added due to the holidays.
Microsoft talks third-party Zune accessories
You can't run around launching fancy new music players these days without a secondary offensive of cases and car chargers following close behind, and Microsoft's new Zunes have a veritable cavalry behind them. In addition to the official accessories we've already heard about from J Allard and crew, the company's lined up a number of third-party manufacturers to crank out 60 different Zune-friendly products, including Polk, Belkin, DLO, Monster, Altec Lansing, Targus, iHome, Memorex and Griffin. Microsoft's new pals will be releasing everything from speaker docks to RCA cables, so it looks like you'll be able to build a happy little home for that new Zune of yours when it launches next month.
A nicely modded MacBook
Check out this nicely modded MacBook we noticed in our Flickr pool. Included on this 'book: A See-Thru shell from Speck The keys from a black MacBook (which the owner notes eases use with Ableton Live) An Airport Card from a Mac Pro, for 11n Airport spec goodness A custom rainbow Apple logo in the lid from iColours.ca We think it looks great, especially that cool keyboard. Well done!
SeeThru Hard Case for the 15 inch MacBook Pro
Speck has just released their newest product: the SeeThru Hard Case for MacBook Pro. The SeeThru is a polycarbonate shell for your MacBook Pro (a MacBook model is coming soon) which enshrouds your MacBook Pro. All the ports have cutouts so you never need to remove the case, unless you need to take out the battery that is.The SeeThru is available in red or clear, and costs $39.95.Thanks, TMac.
iPod and the SpeckTone
If the Hi-Fi was a little late-century minimalist for you, peep Speck's new SpeckTone, the only iPod dock with real-simulated 1950s design stylings to get your be-bop on, dig? It's not only old school on the outside; the $150 SpeckTone has analogue innards for a "richer" sound (somehow we have a feeling there ain't no tubes in there), a 4-inch sub and 28 watt speakers, as well as a green backlit volume knob to offset the glossy lacquered wood cabinet. It really was a different time, wasn't it?
