There are iPad cases out there that are every color under the sun, and made of many different materials. Including cork! The Kork iPad case is pretty much exactly what you would imagine it to be. It’s a giant piece of cork that fits snug around your iPad. It’s really tough and sturdy, yet flexible. We all have nylon, plastic, and rubber cases, but how many people are able to say that they own a cork case?
There is the obvious threat of it breaking in half, but there’s a good chance that’s only going to happen when your iPad isn’t in there. It does seem like it would be able to protect your tablet rather well, since the material should be able to take an impact. This only costs around $67 bucks, and you must admit it’s pretty spiffy, in addition to being eco-friendly
If minimalism is your thing, but you’d still like a tiny bit of extra insurance for your iPhone, you’re not going to find a simpler case than the ‘Just a Loop’ which is quite literally just a black elastic loop. For ~$13(€10) you actually get 4 of them, which can be wrapped around any of the iPhone models (it’s engineered to be completely backwards compatible) providing a simple bumper so there’s less risk of scratching when you set it down.
Oddly enough it’s from the same inventor, Konstantin Leonenko, who created the World’s Tiniest Drill from a year or so ago. But I suspect this venture could be a bit more profitable for him. Unless someone manages to crack his revolutionary manufacturing techniques for creating elastic loops, but that seems improbable.
Update: Konstantin Leonenko has gotten in touch with us with a correction. It turns out the ‘Just a Loop’ cords are not actually made from an elastic material at all, since they would slip off the phone too easily. Instead, they’re made from a more rigid material to always ensure a tight fit. If you’d like to see them actually being installed on an iPhone, please check out this video demonstration.
iLounge came across this totally awesome Game Boy inspired iPhone 4 case at Incipio’s booth at CES last week, and I almost feel like a tease even bringing it to your attention since due to licensing issues the company has no plans to put it into production. The realistic looking buttons, 4-way controller and even speaker grill are basically just a means to show off the company’s design and production capabilities, and to break the hearts of retro gaming fanatics.
One of the sleeker iPad cases unveiled at CES this year was JOBY’s GorillaMobile Ori. Made of thin, lightweight composite aluminum it almost looks like it can be used to chop veggies in the kitchen, but it’s actually designed to prop up the iPad in a multitude of different positions depending on how you need to use it. It also completely flattens down, protecting the iPad’s display with a microfiber screen cover so you can carry it around like other folio-type cases. $79.95, available starting January 26.
While they might inspire imaginations and creativity, LEGO blocks are not known for being particularly, um, ergonomic. If you thought those sharp corners were a nightmare to step on, imagine having them crammed in your pocket. Because that’s exactly the scenario you’ll be dealing with if you were to customize your iPhone 4 using this LEGO-compatible studded case. Just like with PENTAX’s questionable Optio NB1000.
On the other hand, the case would let you build and use one hell of an iPhone dock. Imagine watching Pirates of the Caribbean with this thing strapped to the deck of the Black Seas Barracuda! Available in black, white and a clear version not pictured for just $19.99 each.
Jack Spade, makers of some of the cleanest yet functional messenger bags you can buy, have applied their design aesthetics to yet another iPad Folio case. Like other offerings it allows you to prop your iPad up for hands-free viewing, and use it in a portrait or landscape orientation, but it includes a strategic cutout on the back making it compatible with an iPad dock. There’s also a couple of thin pockets on the inside of the flap for stashing documents or even your sync cable. At $69.95 you’re probably paying a bit of a premium for the ‘Jack Spake’ patch on the front, but I have no doubts you’re also getting a very well-made and high-quality folio.
We all love to doodle on an iPad with our fingers as it brings back memories of the simple times of finger painting and building blocks. However, a stylus can come in super handy when you want a bit more control whilst writing on your fancy tablet. A cumbersome problem upon purchasing said stylus is that you have no way of attaching it to your iPad to keep track of it. This can be a very expensive pencil to lose, as they usually run for about $15 apiece. Ten One’s handy dandy product called the Particle Case solves just such a problem for those of you that want to use a stylus, but fear you might lose it a little too easily.
This rubbery black rectangle keeps the most exposed areas of your iPad safe, and has a little grippy thing for your stylus as well. The open back keeps your iPad nice and cool, and doesn’t add much weight to it. There are four little rubber feet on the bottom to provide some distance from whatever surface you may have it on. It is a bit awkward to store if it’s not in use as it’s not paper-thin and made of rubber, but it’s not as though it takes up much space.
In my wildest fantasies I one day envision a world where people won’t have to carry wallets. At the most a single piece of plastic will take care of all our spending/identification needs, and maybe even that’s over thinking it. But there’s no point in getting caught up in dreams when we’re stuck living in this rip-off version of 2010 where ‘the man’ forces us to carry stacks of plastic cards wherever we go. But I rebel whenever I can, and to this day I’ve spent most of my free time on the hunt for the perfect minimalist wallet. And I think I may have found it.
The Mojito is from a Georgia-based company called Malcolm Fontier, and while I don’t remember where I first stumbled across it, I do know it instantly struck me as being a candidate for ‘Andrew’s perfect wallet.’ You’d think that since my only criteria is ‘slim & minimal’ finding an adequate solution would be an easy task, but over the years everything from clips to business card holders have failed me time and time again. But I think the Mojito has the potential to go the distance! And to make things even better it turns out that Malcolm Fontier makes an iPhone case embracing the same minimalist aesthetic, and I had a chance to check them both out. More after the jump.
For once here’s a post about a LaCie enclosure that doesn’t include any specs about gigabytes or capacity. That’s because their new ‘Tank’ case doesn’t come with a drive inside. You’re welcome to stick one in there, but it’ll be just as happy to protect other smaller electronics or valuables from dust, pouring rain, drops, shock and anything else that falls under the U.S. Military’s IP-63 specification.
A customizable foam interior ensures that what’s inside won’t bang around while in transport, which is important because LaCie seems to be positioning this as a safe way to ship or mail hard drives. Since it’s lacking in storage the Tank will only cost you ~$31 (£19.99) and even though it’s currently only listed on the U.K. LaCie website, I’m sure it will eventually make its way over here.
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