Apple iPad Gear

iPad and iPhone Accessory Review: i.Sound Power View Pro

I have an iPad, an iPhone and a nano. Each of them gets a serious amount of use and, at times, they all need to be charged at the same time. Up until recently I either had a number of different charging cords strewn across my desk or I used the IDAPT i4 we reviewed a few months ago. The iDAPT works great but I have always had a bit of concern regarding placing the iPhone on the adapter since it doesn’t have much support keeping the device vertical. There’s no ISSUE but I always worry that if I bump…


Review: i.Sound Portable Power Max 16000 mAh External Battery

Our mobile devices have become more powerful. The screens have become brighter and crisper. Our reliance on such devices has exploded. And battery technology seems to have hardly improved. Often times the best you can do to get longer battery life is to just increase the size and capacity of the battery. It is not a great option but it is what it is. Battery life was a huge issue at CES once again this year. As a result, since getting home we have gone in search of large, high-capacity batteries that would have kept our devices juiced with ease….


Speck Introduces CandyShell Wrap for iPad

Any of you who own an iPad know there are two main issues. Protection and how to hold it. Of course we want to carry the gorgeous device with us, but all of that screen real estate leaves plenty of room for mishaps and broken glass. There are probably thousands of options for both protection as well as stands, but few combines both. The problem with all of these options is finding good quality and well thought design. As you have seen with many of our reviews, the Gear Diary Team and editors love the design and quality of Speck…


iPad Accessory Review: Amzer Foldo Stand Up

There are a ton of different stands now available for the iPad. They come in different shapes, sizes and materials and all make using the tablet an even better experience. Some of the stands we have reviewed have been a bit pricy. For example, the Jadu Skadoosh stand has an MSRP of $69.99, and the ElementCase Joule has an MSRP that STARTS at over $100. Both are fantastic but both are pricy. So what are you to do if you want a good stand for your iPad but are on a tight budget? That’s where the Amzer Foldo Stand Up…


iPad Accessory Review: Inno Pocket Transformer Case for iPad

I know that there are tens of thousands of new iPad owners since early this morning for each and every new iPad app or accessory will bring a sense of wonder. And for good reason. There are so many applications and so many accessories available for the iPad and so many of them have their own unique way of bringing more functionality to the wonder device. We’ve reviewed a lot of iPad cases here on the site so there are many from which to choose but this particular case surprised me. While it has familiar features, it has a unique…


WaterField Introduces the Muzetto Man Bag; Call Me Useful, Just Don’t Call Me a Murse

When I got my iPad one of the first high-end bags for carrying that I got to review was the Waterfield Muzetto. I had wanted one ever since I had read Judie’s review of the laptop version of the bag. Her conclusion at the time: I have always been a fan of Vertical bags, in fact one of my favorite purses is the Louis Vuitton Musette, which this bag’s style greatly resembles. I really enjoyed carrying the Muzetto when I traveled to Seattle, and perhaps even more than that — I enjoyed all the comments I got from the other…


CES Snippets: Jadu iPad Stand

I did a full review of the Skadoosh iPad stand from Jadu Industries a short while ago. At $69.99 it is on the pricey side for an iPad stand but the build quality, ease of use and awesome industrial design make it one of the most desirable iPad stands I have seen. It is, in fact, the stand I personally use at home now. While we were at CES I passed by the Jadu Industries booth and stopped to chat with the owners/reps for a bit. They are some great people who are committed to bringing thoughtful quality products to…


CES Snippets: Wrapsol Offers Protection, Reduces Glare

At one of the evening events during CES Wrapsol was showing off their wares. The company offers protective skins for a wide range of devices. That is not big deal since there are a host of other companies that do the same thing. What was impressive was their Wrapsol Clean Screen Protection Kit. At $29.95 the iPad screen protector is on the pricey side for a kit that offers screen protection only but when you see it up close and personal it impresses. As the company explains, Wrapsol Clean screen protector film is the easiest to apply and the most…


CES Snippets: Speck Rolls Out a Host of New Cases at CES

Let’s get this out of the way- we love Speck Case. We love them on our iPhones. We love them on our iPod Touches. We love them on our iPad. We love the amazing variety they offer. And yes, we love visiting with Speck at CES because we get to try them all. 🙂 This year was no exception and we wanted to give you a quick look at some of the cases we had a chance to check out. First off we wanted to see what Speck has to offer for the Samsung Galaxy Tab. They have a bunch…


iKit Launches iPad Exec Leather Case for iPad

I love the thin protection of a folio-style case for the iPad but there are times when even that is too much. Then again, you still want to protect your iPad from life’s bumps and scratches. That’s where a form-fitting back shell can come in rather handy. iKit has released a new one, the iPad Exec Case, and it looks like a good value. As the company explains, The new iPad exec case combines a carved hard shell with an embedded brushed leather that gives you a stylish and sophisticated look and feel. Provides secure protection for your iPad. The…


PocketLabworks To Release iRiffPort Taking Mobile Guitar To The Next Level

I have several iPhone/iPad to guitar interface hardware products.  All of them work well and allow players to use their IOS device to plug in a guitar and add effects.  The products are awesome for practice, but the sound quality probably is not good enough for recording or true performances.  PocketLabworks is planning on releasing some hardware designed to improve the audio quality while using an IOS device for the guitar. About iRiffPortTM 24 bit Digital Audio Guitar Interface for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad PocketAmp and PocketGK work with several adaptors listed on our website. However, iRiffPort offers the…


Sena Keyboard Folio Now Shipping

It was a good number of months ago that the market seemed to suddenly become flooded with various keyboard/cases for the iPad. It really was something to see. One there were none and the next there were tons of from which to choose. Many of my iPad-loving friends and colleagues immediately grabbed one… Or three. I waited. I waited because these cases were running north of $75 and I wanted to lay out my money for one that would not only work well but that I WANTED to carry. I was thrilled to see that Sena, one of my favorite…


CES: Meeting with Timbuk2

At CES we met with one of our favorite gadget bag companies, Timbuk2. While with them, we got to see some of the bags and accessories they’ll be introducing this year. Not surprisingly, we were impressed with the continuing evolution and utility of their designs. We have reviewed several of Timbuk2’s bags over the years, and we were impressed anew by the design and quality of the bags being shown. Among the bags they will have coming out this year is the upcoming Command ($130, shown above). The Command won a CES Innovation award, and it is TSA-compliant so that…


iPad Accessory Review: EFO iPad Bluetooth Keyboard with Folding Case

One of my favorite gadgets of not only this year, but also all time is the iPad.  The hardware is elegant and the technology is amazing and cutting edge.  There are some limitations or concessions that must be made using the iPad instead of a conventional computer.  One of the main changes is the use of the software keyboard.  We have all learned to use software keyboards and I actually prefer them on a phone.  The iPad is somewhat different since it is able to be used for tasks commonly performed on a laptop or desktop computer.  Several options are…


iPad Accessory Review: Revena’s ELEMENTS AXIS Mounting System and iPad Accessories

When I first caught wind of Revena’s ELEMENTS AXIS system for the iPad I was intrigued. Rather than having a case, a stand, a wall-mount and a car mount the system gives you all of them in a totally integrated package. You get one shell/case and then can use the iPad on a desk, on a wall or in the car. It looked neat and I was thrilled when the company sent one out for review. You can buy each piece separately or buy a packaged system; so let’s take a look at each piece of the system and the…


iPad Accessory Review: Revena’s ELEMENTS EXECUTIVE FOLIO Plus

Since I got my iPad last spring I have increasingly moved toward working in a “paperless mode”. In fact, a few days ago I needed to write something down with a pen and it took me a good few minutes to find one to use. I am not, of course, in the majority. I know that most of the people who have iPads are not using them to displace pen and paper or reading “dead tree” books and magazines. For most people the iPad is another layer on top of the way they’ve worked previously. That’s where a case such…


Akron Portable Fold-Up Stand for Apple iPad Review

(Note: All the photos here but one are from Akron–since they matched my experience, and are of better quality, I used them instead.  Hope y’all don’t mind.) When I was planning what accessories–if any–to get for my iPad, one of the things I was pretty sure I was going to pick up was a stand.  I fly back and forth all the time between Austin and the San Francisco Bay Area, and while watching movies on my iPhone is okay, even with just an iPhone it gets fatiguing holding the durn thing up for two hours.  An iPad?  Nope; gotta…


iPhone/iPad Accessory Review: Speck and Zazzle Team Up for 1-of-a-Kind Cases

Inside this package is a one-of-a-kind iPhone 4 cases I have tried. It fits my iPhone perfectly, offers fantastic protection and… is completely and totally unique to me. It is a case that is an absolute please to use AND whenever I look at it it brings a smile to my face. What’s so special about this case? Read on to find out. The case is the result of a joint-project between Speck, maker of some of our favorite device cases, and Zazzle, a company that makes an assortment of unique, self-designed products. For all intents and purposes the case…


JAVOedge Editor Quantum Case iPad Case Review: Thin Is In

In case you haven’t heard, thin is in. Don’t believe me? Just look at the popularity of the new line of Mac Book Airs. The thinner a mobile device is, the easier it is to carry around. However, protection is important too. Not many of us want to sacrifice shock and impact protection for something that’s a little lighter in our gear bags. The JAVOedge Editor Quantum case seeks to satisfy both needs. It’s very thin and very light weight yet sturdy enough to provide ample protection from the dings everyday life throws your way. The outside of the case…


Just Mobile AluPen Wins Awards… Gets Color

We’ve reviewed a number of the offerings from Just Mobile in recent months. Among them are the Gum Plus external battery, the UpStand for holding your iPad securely and, most recently, Judie reviewed the AluPen stylus for touchscreen devices. Well the AluPen has now won some nice awards including the Spark Design Award and iF product design award 2011. The AluPen is a great accessory… or last minute gift… and it just got more interesting because now it comes in a variety of vivid colors. As the company explains… To thank all Just Mobile customers and friends, we decide to…


JAVOedge Editor Axis iPad Case Review

I reviewed the JAVOedge Axis case for the iPad back in July of this year. The case, which allows the user to view their iPad’s screen in either the portrait or the landscape position, is still one of the more unique designs on the market. The newly released Editor Axis Case builds on the original design and adds a few welcomed changes as well. The Editor Axis case is made from a synthetic leather that’s pebbled. In addition to looking good the pebbled texture offers a nice feel and added grip. It features a magnetic closure flap that secures the…