Apple iPad Gear

Soft-Touch Cases and Suntan Lotion Do Not Mix: A Gear Diary PSA

I love a minimalist iPhone case with a soft touch feel. among my favorites are the Feather cases from Incipio. I have one for my iPhone 4 and I also bought one for my iPad 2. They look and feel great. Here’s what Incipio has to say about them: Measuring less than 1mm in thickness, the feather® for iPhone 4 is a slim, form-fitting case that offers low-profile protection. Don’t like feeling the added bulk of a traditional case? Go lightweight and sexy with the feather®. With the largest variety of color selections to choose from, the feather® is the…


Summer Tech: Qi-wear by iharmonix Bluetooth Enabled Sunglasses

I’m someone who ALWAYS wears sunglasses when I am outside. I also always have my iPhone and am often either making calls or listening to music when I am out and about. As such the idea of sunglasses that can double as a Bluetooth headset for making calls or listening to music really appeals to me. There was something like that on the market a few years ago but by the time I went in search of them the line had been discontinued. That’s why I took note of the announcement of iharmonix’s Qi-wear Bluetooth Enabled Sunglasses. As the company…


Twelve South Introduces BookBook for iPhone

Twelve South makes some of the nicest accessories around. We reviewed their BookBook iPad case and loved it. (My father-in-law stole it for his iPad and still won’t give it back!) We bought and reviewed their Compass iPad stand and I still use it quite often. Now Twelve South is introducing the BookBook for iPhone and it look awesome. The BookBook for iPhone 4 is “a beautiful, pocket-sized wallet that holds both iPhone 4 and your driver’s license, debit card, cash and receipts”. As the company explains, Made exclusively for iPhone 4, this tiny vintage book replaces the need for…


Gear Diary Video Round-Up

  Last week saw us post a larger number of videos than ever. In them we took a first look at the AT&T Status phone running Android 3.2.2, Carly talked to us about the benefits of Chromebooks and why they might be a great choice for you and we launched not one but two contest/giveaways. Missed any of them? Well we’ve gather all of them together along with links to each post… Gear Talk: iPad 2 Case Roundup  Read It! Judie’s Orbino Padova for iPad 2 Has Arrived: Here’s a First Look  Read It! Gear Giveaway: Judie Attended Intel’s Upgrade…


Review: monCarbone iPad Portfolio

My phone often goes through many types of cases and protection. My only must have is that they do not make it feel large and clunky. Basically, I usually am not terribly particular. This is not the same for my iPad. The iPad just seems to deserve something more. Not only careful protection, but also style. The gorgeous design just seems to earn the right to be protected by something with matching design and quality. I also have grown to love portfolio style cases since they cover the large screen and bring me piece of mind. I recently began using…


Video Quick Look: Withings Smart Blood Pressure Monitor

I am really glad to see more and more “iOS app enhanced” devices being released. We’ve looked at a few clocks that offer tight integration with iPhone or iPad apps and now we are seeing a slew of new devices coming out. One of them, Withings Smart Blood Pressure Monitor uses your iOS device as the “brains” of a blood pressure monitoring system. I’ve been using it for the last week and a half and even had Judie, Carly and Elana take it for a spin. Here are some details and a video overview. From the Company: Designed specifically for…


Gear Talk: iPad 2 Case Roundup

We’ve long been talking about starting a Gear Diary Video Podcast and saw this weekend as a great opportunity to kick it off. In this first “episode” we talk iPad 2 cases. Below the video you’ll find links to our reviews of most of the cases we discuss. Powis iCase for iPad 2 booqpad iPad 2 Agenda for iPad 2 Aviiq SmartCase for iPad 2 The Joy Factory SmartGrip 2 The Joy Factory SmartSuit 2 for iPad 2 Yoobao Executive Genuine Leather Case for iPad 2 XtremeMac TuffWrap Shine for iPad 2 The Orbino Padova for iPad 2 


Judie’s Orbino Padova for iPad 2 Has Arrived: Here’s a First Look

With help from Michael Ventre, Orbino’s owner, we ordered a very special Padova case for her iPad 2. Judie’s case is hand-made from crocodile and it is… oh just take a look… You can check out all of Orbino’s cases on the company website. Prices start at $209, and they go up from there … as you’ll see.


Production on Judie’s One-of-a-Kind Orbino Padova Case for the iPad 2 Finishing Up

It seems like quite some time since we we wished Judie happy birthday with the promise of a very special gift — a one of a kind Orbino Padova case for her iPad 2. Thanks to the generosity of Orbino’s owner Michael Ventre, we were able to make arrangements to get Judie a case made of the leather of her choice. Judie’s choice? No surprise … Crocodile! The MSRP on this unique case is $689, and that’s for the “standard” handmade by Italian artists, crocodile skin version. It has been a while since production on the case first began, but…


Review: MusicSkins Music, Style, Protection

Phones, mp3 players, laptops, cameras, hard drives, headphones. We all have so many gadgets that may have a splash of color or chrome, but basically are simply black, white or silver products that may not be exactly custom or a representation of the owner. For many, these plain, boring gadgets need something colorful and stylish to make them their own. It could be even better if these customizations could also provide some protection. MusicSkins allows users to decorate their products with musicians, cartoons, artwork or even their own photos while also protecting the devices. MusicSkins sent me a few of…


Review: Stem TimeCommand Clock-Dock

I’ve become a big fan of not having to physically dock my iPhone, iPod or iPad in order to get audio from it. That’s why I love using the Sonos system I reviewed a few weeks ago. At the same time, there is a lot to be said for a bedside dock/alarm clock. Sure, the Sonos system lets you set alarms, but it doesn’t have a clock nor does it charge your power-hungry iOS device. That needs to be covered by something else — something like a clock-dock (yeah, I wrote “clock-dock”!). The problem is, too often the available clock-dock…


iPad Case Review: HandyShell Case

Leave it to Speck come up with a simple shell for the iPad 2 that brings along a significant, and useful, twist. The new HandyShell case takes a minimalist approach to protecting the sides, top, bottom and back of the iPad while giving you complete access to the screen. But it does something more. Let’s take a look. From Speck: Endlessly useful and amazingly simple, the HandyShell case for iPad® 2 features a multi-function handle that gives you a firm hold wherever you go. Designed around a strong hinge to hold it firmly in place, HandyShell’s handle can be used as…


iPad 2 Case Review: Powis iCase 9 Position Case

One of the more substantial cases we reviewed for the original iPad came from a company whose wares were previously unfamiliar to us. Powis iCase reflects the company putting a great deal of thought into their designs. A close look at the original case revealed a company will to put in the small, easily overlooked, extras that add value and, in the process, created a case that had looks and functionality. Judie reviewed an early version of their iCase for the original iPad, gave the company some feedback, and then they sent updated versions of the case to both of…


I Reviewed It, and My Father-In-Law Still Uses It: The Pro-Clip Multi-Stand for iPad 1

My Father-in-law Mark is a great guy, a good friend and an even better sport. 🙂 He is also a big-time iPad-user and loves the first generation iPad we picked up for him prior to his trip to China last year. (Actually it is his second iPad. What happened to the first one? It is a long, sad story for another time.) A few months ago I swapped out the case he was using for the Pro-Clip Multi-Stand I had reviewed some time ago. Here’s the conclusion from my review: What I Like: It’s made from high quality plastic that you…


iPad Case Review: AViiQ Smart Case for iPad 2

As we’ve written previously on here on the site there is a lot to like about Apple’s Smart Covers. They are thin, they are light, they function as a two position stand, and they have the really neat automatic sleep/awake functionality built into them. At the same time, they do nothing to protect the back and sides of the iPad two. There are many who don’t worry all that much about scratching up their iPad. Their approach is simply this–the iPad is meant to be used and Apple slimmed it down for a reason. Why bulk it up unnecessarily. I…


iPad Accessory Review: Newer Technology NuGuard GripStand/GripBase

With all of the tablet focus on the iPad 2 (and new rumors about the possibility of an iPad 3 release coming less than a year after a second generation device) it is easy to forget just how many original iPads are in circulation and serving their owners remarkably well. In fact, there are many people who don’t feel the need for the FaceTime camera and are opting to get a discounted first-generation iPad instead. (We were out to dinner last night with friends who recently bought refurbished original iPads for that very reason and have no regrets.) As a…


iPad Accessory Review: Seagate GoFlex Satellite Mobile Wireless Storage

Storing information in the cloud is all good and well but with tiered data plans becoming the norm the idea of constantly streaming music and video becomes a bit problematic. After all, depending upon your plan, streaming just a couple of movies could all but do in your monthly allotment. That leaves just three possibilities. You can either constantly juggle the content stored on your mobile device (a royal pain), you can buy the largest capacity device possible And be selective about what goes on it (expensive and the iPad tops out at 64GB) or you can find some way to access…


Hitchai G-Connect Wireless Storage for iPad

Last month we brought word of Seagate’s new GoFlex Satellite portable storage. The Satellite provides 500GB of storage that can be accessed from a computer, iPad, iPhone or other connected device on the go without a physical connection and even when there is no WiFi network accessible thanks to built-in wireless connectivity. (We will have a full review shortly.) Today Hitachi is announcing their entry into this wireless storage market. The new G-CONNECT offers wireless storage and allows up to five people to access data on the drive simultaneously. As the company explains: Wireless storage for on-the-go access to content…


iPad 2 Case/Accessory Review: Joby gorillamobile Yogi

Back in February we reviewed Joby’s gorilla mobile Yogi for iPad 1. It is one of the most flexible and functional cases ever and is the case that is on my iPad 1 the majority of the time. I was happy to see Joby release an updated version for the iPad 2, and I liked the original version so much that I ordered the new one as soon as I could. The case came the other day, and I am loving it. Because the iPad 2 is thinner than its predecessor, the new Yogi feels even better in the hand when used…


Pre-Order MyPadLife iPad 2 Case From Kickstarter

If you are among the many people who now take their iPad almost anywhere, you probably have the same problem that I do. How do I use it when I get there? Whether it be in the gym or kitchen, there are few cases that allow the iPad to just be used in all situations. Saad Alam had the same problem and decided to do something about it. He created the MyPadLife case for the iPad 2 to make his device more versatile. If you head over to Kickstarter you can watch a video about the idea, read more information…


MacBook Air Accessory Review: Waterfield Keyboard Travel Express

This summer Elana will be moving between our home in New Jersey and our mountain runaway in Pennsylvania a few times each week. Each time she does she will likely take her 11″ MacBook air and a few key accessories: her Magic Mouse and Apple Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard. Waterfield’s new Keyboard Travel Express is the perfect accessory bag for her needs. It holds the keyboard and a few key accessories in a great-looking, well-made, protective case. From Waterfield: Go Fully Mobile. Be good to yourself—and your wrists—and pack along the Apple Wireless Keyboard for the road. The Keyboard Travel Express…