No doubt you’ve dropped your iPhone from a height that warrants a broken screen or cracked back.  But like many, you’ve gotten lucky despite being engrossed in a state of fear induced frenzy.  That’s why we recommend that all those with a penchant for buttery fingers invest in case that will extend the iPhone’s life, and yours, by more than a few inadvertent drops to the concrete.

G-Form, a company that’s products protect beyond any rational need (see the videos here and here), is back in the lime light with a new iPhone case that can shield Apple’s handset from even the hardest of slaps, literally.  What are we talking about?  Hit the above video to see, but to paraphrase, G-Form is so confident in their iPhone case that they launched Apple’s handset into a hockey net at 82mph off the back of a hockey stick.  If the company is to be believed, and we don’t see why not, the stick achieved over 30,000psi of force on the case, enough to shatter your face.  The result is a fully functional iPhone with a slight, snowy dusting.

Safe to assume that we’ve seen just about every type of iPhone case that has managed to escape the confines of a Chinese sweat shop.  That is until we received an email today pointing to a case called the WipeCoin.   Honestly, we didn’t know what to expect, but what we found was actually surprising, despite the fact that their pitch is slight flawed relative to their product offering.

The WipeCoin, as we mentioned is a case for the iPhone.  Simple enough.  It protects the edges and back of the iPhone.  But what makes it unique is the circular coin shaped protrusion at the lower left corner.  Drag your finger over it and you’ll unhinge a thumb sized plastic dot that sports a microfiber cloth adhered to its underbelly.  This allows you to easily, or painstakingly, clean your iPhone’s screen without dirtying your shirt.

Now, the reason that WipeCoin’s pitch is a bit flawed, is that they emphasize, at least in their chosen videos, that handsets tend to attract bacteria like a moth to a flame.  Unfortunately, this microfiber cloth, while it will clean the fingerprints and grease from your screen will do nothing to remove the dirt that adheres to your iPhone.  Furthermore, most of that dirt resides on the rear of the device, a place their microfiber cloth isn’t necessarily designed to reach.

Nonetheless, we tip our hats to WipeCoin for a unique product and hope to them all the success.  You can grab the WipeCoin case for $20 in black or white.

The “Matrix” will forever have a place in our scifi hearts.  While we won’t go as far as to say it’s on par with Star Wars, it most certainly runs a second to Lucas’ movies.    And that might explain why we find the Matrix Decal Skin Covers so darn attractive.  The skin attaches using an adhesive and should protect your tablet from minor scratches and dings.  According to Etsy maker “stickitskins,” they’re compatible with most cases.  Unfortunately, they’re only available for the 7-inch and 10-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.  So keep dreaming iPad loyalists.

You can grab one for $20.

Fashionistas and hipster would argue that their clothing is as valuable as a life.  Tumi seems to agree as their latest line of luggage, the TEGRA-LITE, utilizes body armor.

The material is called Tegris, a polypropylene thermoplastic composite material created by Milliken.  It’s long been used in body armor, NASCAR cars and protective equipment for NFL players.  At the end of the day, Tegris can takes a serious licking without all the added weight generally experience with hardside cases.

Tumi, who acquired the exclusive world wide rights to this material, sells the cases starting at $595.

So there you are, in your hotel room, surfing the web on your iPad.  You’d like to crank up the tunes and get Will Smith jiggy with it, but that tiny speaker on Apple’s tablet just won’t suffice.  That wouldn’t be the case if you had got yourself the Sound Cover, a case that can boost the volume of your iPad by as much as 300%, or so the manufacture claims.

Unlike other all-in-one devices, which generally shine in one area and suffer in another, the Sound Cover looks legit when it comes to protection, style and audio quality. There are three colors to choose from (red, black and blue) and they’ll even have a Bluetooth wireless version for those that don’t want to resort to plugging in using a 3.5mm headphone cord.  All the ports will be left exposed allowing you to charge your iPad or increase the volume, and for those that are looking to catch a flick or watch a show on Hulu Plus, there is a aluminum kickstand to prop things up.  The NXT stereo speakers of the Sound Cover are powered by a built-in rechargeable battery, which means no pesky AAA batteries to fiddle with.

The Sound Cover is a Kickstarter project.  If you’d like one you’ll need to drop $100, which will net you a $29 discount over the retail version.

Getting your iPad home in one piece is a no brainer, provided of course you don’t live in a war ravaged area, such as Afghanistan.  But for those of you that have to remain weary of mortar fire, explosions, dust and water gushing into your work spot then you might want to take a look at Pelican’s i1075 case.

This tough as nails case has been designed to specifically accommodate the iPad or iPad 2.  It will protect your iPad from a 3-foot fall, water, dust and pretty much everything but a gun shot.  A watertight gasket creates a tight seal, while an automatic purge valve keeps water and dust out while balancing pressure.  There is also in integrated easel allowing you to view your iPad in landscape or portrait mode, an accessory storage area, removable should strap, cushion inserts designed to mold to your tablet and room for a Bluetooth keyboard.

You can grab one from Amazon for $63.

If you watch porn than you’ve probably heard of the Fleshlight. It’s a lurid tool only to be used by those desperate for sensations but not affections of a female. In short order, it’s a masturbation tool for dudes and if you ask us, we find it a bit creepy. Without going into too much detail, the Fleshlight is the inverted version of a woman’s vibrator.

Now that we’ve gotten that explanation out of the way, checkout this concept case that someone came up with. It incorporates the Fleshlight into a case for the iPad such that you can now fully immerse yourself in POV porn. Sounds like an intervention waiting to happen, or at the very least a healthy dose of psychological treatment, provided of course you some day would like to seek the attention of a female.

Getting your iPad to float mid air without wires will take some serious engineering skills and probably a magnetic the size of a car.  And even then we don’t know it would be possible.  So settling for second best, at least in this case, is what we’re willing to do.

The Magnus, from Ten One Design, is a beautifully crafted piece of iPad accessory glory.  It won’t make your iPad fly, but instead it will prop your iPad in up right position without using a slot.  In fact, it’s so minimalistic in nature that you can hardly tell when it’s in place.  You see the Magnus is a machine crafted pieces of aluminum that uses a set of high powered magnets to keep your iPad erect in portrait or landscape mode.  A set of rubber feet on the base keep it from slipping back, so when you’re ready, you just touch the rear of Apple’s tablet to the Magnus and shazzam, it stays standing.

You can buy the Magnus for $49.95, with shipping commencing 1/24.

iPhone 4 cases are a dime a dozen.  That said, we’ve seen other wood cases for Apple’s smartphone, but nothing even compares to Miniot’s iPhone 4/4s iWood 4 case.  Why?  The detailing is unparalleled, as it includes a set of wooden, yes wooden volume buttons, a refreshing cool camera port and a finish (available in a few different woods) that looks like it was crafted from a plastic mold – yup, it’s that tight.  But, and yes there is a but, it comes with a hefty price tag of $103.

According to Miniot’s website it will ship in 3 week’s times since each case appears to be made to order.

Few iPhone cases offer more than protection. If anything, they might prop your iPhone up such that you can watch it on a plane while placed on the fold out table.  But none offer more utility than the PopSockets iPhone case.

Now, we’re not totally wowed by the design, and in fact we sort of hoped that its maker, David Barnet, had incorporated suction cups into his Kickstarter project.  Nevertheless, it’s still a highly useful case that solves a many a problem.

First off, it can stand in landscape or portrait mode.  Thanks to the expanding sockets you can manipulate the angle at which they rest.  They can also double as a wrap for your headphone cord and from the looks of the video still maintain a slender enough form factor to slip into your pocket, that is provided your pants aren’t of the super tight cut.  But that’s not all they’re good for.

The sockets can act as a shoulder stand, you know, for when you have the iPhone wedged between your ear and shoulder – no easy feat thanks to the iPhone’s svelte build.  Lastly, expand one socket and it can acts as a clip, allowing you to hang the iPhone from your pants, though this seems like a precarious way to store your iPhone since it doesn’t have any built-in tension.  And finally, when the sockets aren’t being used, you can simply pop them back inside the case and walla, you’ve got a standard iPhone case, that protects the iPhone from scratches and the occasional drop.

As mentioned the PopSockets iPhone Case is a Kickstarter project.  It’s already funded, but you can still get in on the action for just $25, which will get you your own case.

Protect your electronic devices with the Liquipel that’s a clear coat, waterproof shield that will protect against any liquids. The Southern California-based company that specializes in researching and developing “innovative coatings for the past five years” (per their website) have come up with a clear coat that’s 1,000 times thinner than human hair (making it invisible to the human eye and virtually undetectable) and acts as a shield to all liquids. Starting at $59, the Liquipel permanently bonds on the molecular level to your device (both inside and out) so that if it does meet water or any liquid, nothing will happen to your device. It also won’t compromise the device’s performance or usability in any way, while still providing protection throughout the lifespan of the device. So far only nine devices are compatible with Liquipel, including iPhone, HTC, Samsung and Motorola devices.

There are scores of iPhone case. There are plastic ones, rubber ones, metal ones, carbon ones – and the list goes on and on and on. However, few of them do more than protect the iPhone 4 or iPhone 4s’ fragile glass body from drops, scratches and the drunken folly. And while that’s more than adequate for most of Apple’s devoted customers, it just doesn’t get our engine revving.

Enter the Trexta Rotating Folio for the iPhone 4. Much like Hex’s version, this one includes a set of slots for credit cards and a protective leather finish that wraps the iPhone while it’s held in place by a plastic mount. But instead of 3 slots, the Trexta Rotating Folio only supports two cards, though you can easily stack two cards in one slot if need be. And unlike HEX’s version, this case’s plastic mount can rotate 90 degrees and be propped into a stand using the tab, which doubles to keep the case securely closed. This conveniently allows you to lay your phone down on a table and view it a comfortable 45 degree angle. Great for an airplane tray table or perhaps just viewing a quick YouTube video with a group of friends.

All the ports on the Trexta Rotating Folio case remain unhindered, opened or closed. And just like Hex’s version, the case suffers a bit from a bulky look when closed due to credit cards inserted into the slots. Of course this can be elevated by using the wallet sans cards, but this defeats the purpose of the case, unless of course you’re just seeking a wallet like look for your iPhone.

When I tested out Hex’s version, I discovered that after semi heavy use the fold, or hinge of the case was warped and stained, creating a some what unsightly finish. However, the Trexta Rotating Folio doesn’t seem to suffer from this shortcoming, though to Hex’s credit I did test a lighter colored leather, which by its very nature shows more wear and discoloration. In fact, over use it doesn’t seem to wear that much at all, maintaining that fresh new wallet look, which for some is an added benefit, while for those that seek that more rustic worn look may want to, well, look else where.

In terms of every day use the Trexta Rotating Folio is very practical, provided you don’t need more than a few cards with you at any given time. I can generally get by with one credit card and an ID, at least when I’m going out with friends for dinner and a few drink. But for those of you that need to carry an insurance ID card, debit card, credit card and ID, you’ll be a bit hard pressed to make this work for your needs. Furthermore, there is no official slot for cash, though you can just as easily wedge money between the iPhone and the case’s cover, though you’ll have to be anything but a germafobe to be comfortable with this notion, along with the possibility of losing your cash when openint your wallet.

Bottom line: The Folio case is most certainly the gentlemen’s iPhone case, it just might come up short in the storage department, making it a part time player.

Editor’s Rating:

3 out of 5 stars

Good

Pros:

• Includes a rotating case and built-in stand
• Leather doesn’t wear easily

Cons:

• Leather may never get that “worn” look
• Only stores two cards

12►

At this point we thought we’d had seen just about every iPhone wallet the world has to offer.  Needless to say, our penchant for style and utliitliy still hasn’t been fully satisfied when it comes to this type of case.  That is until now.  Say hello to the Madison iPhone 4/4s Wallet from Landmarks and Lions.

While we can’t say it’s the most practical of iPhone cases, given that it can hold up to two cards, includes a “slip pocket” (we assume this is for cash), holds any iPhone to date and looks beautifully crafted, we really don’t care how we have to access our smartphone.  Pile on top the fact that is it hand crafted in the good old USA and we really don’t know what else you’d when it comes to holding Apple’s most popular device along with other essentials.

For the sake of your pocket, you should know it measures 3.5″H x 5″L/ 9cm H x 12.7cm “L and is available in red, blue or green accents with your choice of brown or black leather.

The iPhone’s memory, while suitable for storing music, movies, pictures and variety of other things, is anything but useful when it comes to quickly and easily transferring data from one computer to another.  A shame, because back in the day, when the iPod first emerged, you could partition a section of the player’s hard drive, allowing you to store data of any type that could be transferred to a computer once it was plugged into a computer’s Firewire port.  But alas, that feature, along with Firewire is long gone.  But at least there is now a happy medium: the USB Case from Ego.

This case, like any other iPhone 4/s case, protects the back and edges from damage.  On the back, though, is a slot for a custom USB flash drive that can range in capacity from 2GB to 32GB.  The cases themselves come in a variety of colors as do the USB sticks.  You can opt to mix and match the colors or simply have one unifying color.  And it’s worth noting, the ports, at least the camera port, has been left unfettered.

Unfortunately, they haven’t solidified pricing or a launch date, but we’d expect them to launch sometime in Q1 of 2012.

Mission Workshop makes top notch backpacks.  We loved the Sanction Rucksack, but in retrospect it was missing that opulent quality to help it stand out from the pact.  Well, apparently MW can read minds, or at the very least blogs, because a few days ago they announced the Waxed Canvas Weatherproof Rucksack.

This backpack is made from waxed canvas (duh), which by its very nature is waterproof.  It’s also a hell of a lot softer to the touch than the Sanction Rucksack’s waterproof material, at least that’s our assumption.  And for that, and that alone you’ll pay a premium, since this backpack, aside from the main material and colors, looks to be identical to the Sanction, right down to the pockets (room for a 15-inch laptops) and urethane coated zippers.

You can grab one for $219, which is $40 more than the Sanction Rucksack, in Natural, Charcoal or Brown.

Gone are the days of our youth, but that doesn’t mean we can’t and shouldn’t live in nostalgia.  And if you’re a kid from the 80s, then you’re all too familiar with the movie “The Neverending Story.”  It’s about a boy who is down on his luck, bullied at school (if memory serves correct), but is able to escape to a fantasy land that begins to blend fiction with reality.

Now thanks to Etsy artist GrimcatProductions, you can now score your very own Neverending Story eReader leather cover designed specifically for the Kindle and Nook.  For some added scratch they’ll also custom build one to accomodate an iPad or Galaxy Tab, but considering that they’re made from real leather and are hand crafted, we gotta say that at $56.95 they’re a steal.

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We’re not too emphatic about iPhone cases.  More often than not they don’t add all that much protection, break after a short period of time and only serve one purpose, which is to protect your iPhone from drops and scratches.  Pile on top of that a wallet and you’ve probably got a relatively unsightly set of bulges in your pockets.

While the CASELLET iPhone case is anything but svelte, it’s a reasonable caveat in light of its utilitarian value.  You see, the CASELLET has not only a slot for up to 3 cards and cash, but also protects your iPhone if it happens to take a dinger.  The original version called for a vanity mirror – clearly targeted at the ladies- but they’ve removed it in favor of a slimmer case that is 1/32″ thinner than the original – now just 8mm thick.  However, the rest of the design has virtually remained the same, calling for an open face so your iPhone’s screen is left unhindered, a set of port cut outs for the camera and sync dock, a quick release button to access your hidden cards and an aluminum finish for added protection and opulence.

Interested? The CASELET is a Kickstarter project so they need your help.  Right now they’ve achieved about half their goal of $22k.  Pledge what you’d like, but if you want your own you’ll need to drop $40, which is a $20 discount over the planned retail cost.

It’s a far cry from the Batman Motorcycle suit, but we’ll still take it.

The Batman Laptop Sleeves doesn’t sport any fancy pockets, gadgets and nor will it protect you from a robber, unless of course you wield the encased laptop like a bag lady out for revenge.  Nope, all it has to offer is a neoprene finish that will protect your computer (not you) from bumps, dings and scratches.  All together it’s a pretty unremarkable laptop sleeve, with the exception of the old school Batman logo that is further complemented by a set of Batman zipper pulls.  Those alone have to be worth something, right?

Until the Dark Knight Returns, you can get this for $19.99.

For kids, and adults, gaming gets kicked up a notch during the holidays.  It makes sense since there is more than enough down time.  And by down time, we mean avoiding the family feuds and the barrage of questioning from your aunt regarding your relationship status.

So it’s only fitting that we should see a new battery pack from Powerskin that caters to those that game on their iPod Touch and iPhone.  Inside the ergonomic case, which looks to be designed specifically for one’s hands, is a 2050 mAh battery.  That matches and exceeds the iPhone 4s’ battery by about 600 mAh, meaning it should more than double your iOS device’s play time.  To further complement your gaming, Powerskin has also added a set of stereo speakers, at least according to the press release (there is no mention of that on the product page).  But gaming isn’t the only benefit of this case.

Powerskin has outfitted the outside with a rubber silicone finish, that prevents it from slipping from your sweaty hands during intense game play.  And in case such a mishap is to occur, the Powerskin Gaming Case should provide enough of a buffer to prevent your device from going pear shaped.

You can preorder Powerskin’s Gaming case for $89.99 with an expected ship date of 12/15/2011.

We certainly did love the Cineskates.  We can only hope they send us one to try out.  Otherwise we’ll have to spend $150.  If that kind of asking price is a bit too rich for your blood, you can always opt for a watered down version, the Pico Flex Table Dolly.

Much like the Cineskates this device uses a set of rollerblade wheels, though it doesn’t include Joby’s articulating, bendy tripod or the same level of versatility.  However, you’ll be able to pan, tilt and zoom sort of like the professionals thanks to the adjustable arm (moves up and down) which uses a standard tripod screw.   So in theory it should work with any camera you have in your position, but you’ll probably want to remain cognizant of adding too much weight since it hardly looks built for the largest of SLRs. On the other hand, there seems to be an included iPhone mount despite the fact that there is no official mention of it.

You can pick up the Pico Dolly for $90 from PhotoJoJo.  Add $2.50 for shipping and handling.