The iPad Mini is the tablet Apple should have made all along. It’s thin, sleek, easy to hold, powerful and most importantly of all makes the regular iPad feel old fashioned and cumbersome!

With this in mind it comes as no surprise to us that purported iPad 5 cases suggest that the next generation 9.7-inch Apple tablet could feature an iPad Mini inspired design. The leaks from from case manufacturer MiniSuit, who have released a photo of the iPad mini case and current iPad 4 case along side the alleged iPad 5′s.

From the photos we can also see that the iPad 5 appears much narrower than the current iPad, possibly due to a thinner bezel, seems to have the same Lightning connector port and speaker placement as the iPad Mini and iPhone 5, and the hole at towards the top of the case could suggest a rear facing microphone.

With the iPad 5 launch not expected until Q3, we have plenty of time to see more leaks, which will either confirm or deny the redesign.

[ Source ]

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For all you Nokia Lumia owners, we have some great news. Nokia has released an official case for your phone so you aren’t forced to purchase a third party aftermarket case.

Nokia has two different cases available for the Lumia 920. One is a soft case that leaves your screen uncovered. The other is a leather flip cover that not only will protect your screen but also will prop your phone up on its side for landscape viewing of websites or watching movies. You will be able to get the soft cases in a variety of different colors, however red and cyan are the only versions ready to ship at this time. The rest are expected to follow very soon.

So how much will these set you back? They are marked at a reasonable $16.99 a piece. For the leather flip cover, it is ready to ship and will cost you $27.99.

[ source ]

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Mophie is usually one the first companies to release their battery equipped case accessory for any type of device.  However this time around, iBattz appears to be beating them to the punch with two cases for the iPhone 5.

Each of the two cases come with two interchangeable i9300 2200mAh Li ion batteries, which is nearly double the charging capacity of the stock 1400 mAh iPhone battery.  They are selling the Mojo Fuel for $90 and the Mojo Armor for $100 beginning in March.  The company has also stated it will be releasing a waterproof model with a detachable 2500 mAh aluminum back.  These cases have external battery chargers and can also be charged via a microUSB connection.

Will you pick up one of these first cases or wait for the Mophie version to drop?

[ source ]

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We know that you all love the camera on your iPhone 4S, but what if the device could also look and feel like a classic camera. The Gizmon iCA Military Edition case developed by Four Corner Store for the iPhone 4 and 4S will take you back to the era of military photographers and their Leica range finders.

The iCA Military Edition, which is a new variant of the Gizmon iCA iPhone case introduced last year, comes with a real optical viewfinder and a top mounted shutter button. It is made up of 23 durable polycarbonate pieces, which give it the Leica look while offering good protection from the occasional bumps and the case will allow you to attach a macro lens ($45) or a fisheye lens ($55) onto it for creating new effects. It also comes with a detachable tripod mount on the bottom.

So that’s a cool looking case that will feel like a real classic camera in the hands when you are taking snaps. But it appears like the new case won’t be a good fit for your pocket. And as for the lens on the case, it’s fake.

The iCA Military Edition case is currently available for pre-order and it comes with a price tag of $70.00. It will be shipping on March 17^th, which by the way is also St. Patrick’s Day.

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Although many believe that there is no need for a case for the iPhone, we think that’s a really bad idea. That is why we let you know whenever an awesome case is introduced. The new product that you see above is the AQUA TEK S case for iPhone 4 and 4S from Snow Lizard Products, and it does more than just protect your iPhone from falls and hits.

The AQUA TEK S is waterproof and boasts a dirt resistant poly-carbonate ruggedized casing, which promises protection for your iPhone during your roughest treks. You can dive with it up to a depth of 20 ft (6 m) and it will be comfortable in the hands all thanks to the rubber grips.

The new case also features a solar panel on its back that will recharge a built-in battery to ensure that your device has an extended life. Meanwhile, the phone can be recharged and synched by opening the thumb screw at bottom of the case. The case’s battery has not yet been finalized, so the unit’s capacity is not available at the moment. But all that protection will make your device a bit bulky, but that’s always better than a broken iPhone.

And there are the usual cut-outs which will allow you access to the device’s touchscreen, volume buttons, speakers and the camera. The case will be available in nine different colors including Signal Orange, Black Night, Urban Camo, Reggae Camo, Navy Camo, Desert Camo, Jungle Camo, Pink Camo and Leopard.

The AQUA TEK S is a kickstarter project and they are looking to raise $75,000. So far, the project has raised over $10,000, with 23 days to go. If it enters production, the case is expected to retail for $129.99.

The post AQUA TEK S iPhone Case Loves The Sun But Hates Water (Video) appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Our rampant consumerism isn’t exactly having a positive effect on poor Mother Nature. We could talk about using biofuels for our cars and solar panels for our homes, but what about something as small as a protective case? Covering this smaller but relatively important realm is Bioserie, with a new line of iPod touch 4G cases made of plant materials.

If you want to go green, this is probably the way to go. The bioserie iPod touch 4G case is meant to provide an “environmentally friendly option for Apple device owners.” You still get complete protection against a random bump or bruise, but you have the piece of mind that your protective case is made of a “unique blend of bioplastics which are all derived from plants and annually renewable resources.” This is not unlike the recent push toward bamboo-based products.

On the manufacturing front, bioserie is working to keep its impact as minimal as possible too, “emitting considerably less greenhouse gas” than the regular process. This isn’t the first plant-based cover from bioserie either, as they already have cases for the iPhone 4, iPhone 3G/3GS, iPod touch 2G/3G, and iPod nano.

You have a choice of black, white, sky blue and pink; sadly no green for this model. The bioserie plant-based iPod touch 4G case retails for $34.95 and comes with free international shipping from Hong Kong.

[bioserie]

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Well, that pretty much confirms it. We already knew that Apple would be hosting an event tomorrow and we suspected that a new-generation iPod touch would be revealed. Well, Hard Candy is already announcing cases for the new media player today.

It’s one thing to come across some random generic cases being sold in China, but Hard Candy is a “legitimate” company based out of San Francisco. Today, the firm is proud to say it’s the first to market with protective accessories for the “iTouch 4G.” (It’s always irked me when people say iTouch; it’s an iPod touch, folks.)

Hard Candy Cases founder Tim Hickman said that their sources “learned the specs of the newest iTouch 4G about 30 days ago” and they started working on new cases almost right away. Hard Candy was also first to market with cases for the iPad and iPhone 4.

The new case for the iPod touch 4G is the Hard Candy STreet Skin. It uses a ruggedized TPU body, begins shipping in mid-September, and is priced at $29.95. They’re also releasing an iPod touch 4G version of the Bubble Slider line.

Hard Candy Cases [Hard Candy]

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The headless R2-D2 case for the Apple iPhone 3G and 3GS (iPhone 4 model will have a head?)

Just last week we caught a glimpse of the “special” Motorola DROID R2-D2 Edition. As it turns out, that bleep-blooping bot gets around. He’s found his way over to Cupertino for the iPhone, or at least tried to.

Before you get too excited not only about a white iPhone 4, let alone your dreams of a special Star Wars edition from Apple, you should wake up and smell the coffee. This is just a case, and for some reason the designers cut off R2′s head.  Regardless, it simply means that George Lucas and crew have no issue playing friendly with multiple teams. I can see Steve Jobs now calling up Mr. Lucas after he saw the Android R2D2 last week. Steve: “Um George, wtf? We gave you mad coverage on our trailer site for Clone Wars.” Mr. Lucas: “Listen Steve-o, it’s already a fricken Droid.” The designer however, is playing in outer space. Maybe they plan to launch an R2 D2 head expansion pack? Unless they really wan’t us to believe the front side is the head.

So anyone who felt left out last week (iPhone owners of course), not to worry. You can get in on the licensed Star Wars memorabilia. The bad news is that this R2-D2 case isn’t designed for the iPhone 4; they’re making it for the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS. After all, this is happening a long time ago in a galaxy far away.

Still no sign of C-3PO either.

R2-D2 iPhone Hard Case with Sculpted Details [$30 from the Star Wars Shop]

R2-D2 cheats on the Droid, shows up as an official iPhone case [MobileCrunch]

The post Apple iPhone gets official R2-D2 Star Wars case, with no head appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

iPhone 4 Bamboo Skin

Apple is trying to be all futuristic with its use of stainless steel and oleophobic glass, but perhaps you’re more inclined to look a little more natural. If that’s the case, you might want to check out the new wood skins from Karvt.

Karvt’s website says the skins are made of “100% real wood, which is both sustainable and eco-friendly.” I don’t know how cutting down trees for iPhone skins is “eco-friendly” but I guess it works for marketing purposes. This is a step above those plastic screen protectors, and they use professional grade 3M backing adhesive that sticks perfectly. It won’t do you any good against the death grip phenomenon, though, since they only attach to the front and the back of the iPhone; the metal outer ring remains untouched. If you did drop your iPhone 4 and the glass shattered, this would keep it in place and hidden from sight.

iPhone 4 Cherry Wood skin

[Gizmodo via Karvt]

iPhone 4 Pine Chocolate skin

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Case Mate Premium Leather Apple iPad Case - Photo: Mobile Magazine

We wrapped our iPad in Case Mate’s most elegant and finely crafted sleeve, the WalkAbout.    If Case Mate would make a sofa out of this, I would probably not ever get up and gain 200 pounds.  Think of it as Ferrari’s bucket seat for your iPad.  Magnets hold the straps down, magnets you say? Don’t worry, I haven’t lost any data yet.  Besides, I’m sure Case Mate put them far away from our memory chips.

There’s no access to your USB connector when all tucked away unless you keep the flap up.  This is more of a travel bag, slip it in and hit the road. It’s got a bit of extra room on the back side, I don’t know if this was a design miscalculation since no one really had an iPad before launch day. But it does give you a bit of extra room for you to slip your iPhone into, a few business cards, maybe even some scrap paper and pen.

The side your screen faces has a barrier, more along the lines of thick sturdy sheet of cardboard but not entirely sure. It seems to be delicate, and somewhat protective. You’re not going to be tossing your iPad around in this case anyway.   You hold it with pride and show it off.  One thing that cleared up after a bit of use was the dusty inside.  For some reason the leather had a tendency to apply dust on the screen of your iPad for the first few days, after that it all cleared up.

Bottom Line
At $80 (with free shipping) it’s well made and worth every penny for someone looking at a high-end premium leather case for their magically new Apple iPad.

Case Mate Premium Leather iPad Case Photo Gallery

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