The Perfect iPhone Camouflage

As I write this, envious onlookers are trying to figure out what is up with the glowing black notebook next to me. They are especially raising an eyebrow when I start to talk into my black notebook as if it were a phone. I’m half inclined to take off my shoe and start talking into it next just to throw them off my trail.

The Little Black Book from Pad & Quill literally turns your iPhone into a moleskine notebook. It is complete in every aspect from the smooth soft Italian bonded leather on the outside, to the layered “pages” of the rugged Baltic Birch wood, to the elastic strap securing the case shut, and the final coup-de-tate of the adorable cloth bookmark sticking out the bottom.

This case is all curves and style with its rounded edges and classic look. The new curves on the updated Little Black Book Vol. 3 make it easy to slide in and out of your pockets too. It’s bound like a book, and provides a very light and very safe home for your iPhone. It hardly weighs anything at all, and adds very minimal bulk to the iPhone. There is a cutout in the back for quick and easy photo taking, and the elastic strap works very well at securing it shut even when it gets jostled around.

Inside, the iPhone is held in place by a rugged wooden frame, carved within a millimeter’s tolerance. Soft rubber bumpers secure the iPhone into the case safely and securely. It’s so secure that you couldn’t remove it if it weren’t for the bookmark underneath which is actually used to help remove your phone. Not that you’d ever want too…

Now With A Hidden Pocket And Available In Pink!

The latest version of the LBB case features a very handy hidden inner pocket for your ID, credit cards, and cash. It turns your iPhone case into a nice little wallet for carrying around those bear necessities… (any Jungle Book fans out there?). It was the final string for us in deciding which was our favorite innovative iPhone 4S case!

And don’t miss out on the special edition LBB cases just for the ladies in this special season o’ love! Pad and Quill has recently added both Pink and Plum Little Black Book cases to their lineup for a grand total of 7, yes 7 different color options!

iPadAccessories.com’s iPhone 4S Case Of Choice!

Everybody we’ve shown this to is jealous. It is now the case of choice for our iPhones. However, as much as we love it, the Little Black Book won’t be for everybody. It does add some bulk to the iPhone and changes the size quite a bit. It’s not going to fit into a pair of skinny jean’s pockets any time soon. Also, if you use your phone a lot, having to open and close the cover repeatedly could become annoying. Thankfully, I don’t wear skinny jeans, and avoid talking on the phone as much as possible! Combine this with Pad and Quill’s very own Note Taking App and you’ve just completed the package!

Feed the inner artist, writer, note taker, and creative soul in you and put one of these babies on your iPhone 4! You won’t regret it, we guarantee it!

Made in Minneapolis, MN in the good ol’ US of A the Little Black Book comes in 7 jewel tones: Classic Red, Camden Blue, Paprika, Hickory, Pink, Plum, and Field Green. It is available for $39.99.

Get your Little Black Book iPhone 4 Case Today!

eSTYLE’s Stylish iPad Cases and Accessories

Just when we thought we’ve seen every possible evolution of an iPad 2 case, eSTYL comes out with something new and fresh with their new Stealth Grip Case for iPad 2. Part lightweight slim polycarbonate hard shell, part stand, and part storage compartment, this little case has all the earmarks of a very cool accessory! It has a slight bulge on the back that makes it perfect for holding in your hand. There is a secret compartment in it that lets you store your cables, stylus, and earphones. Also there are two brushed aluminum kickstands that pop out to give you a nice view stand as well. Though it’s not featured on their website yet, eSTYL also has a pretty cool looking iPad messenger bag in the works that will store your iPad and your iPhone in a very trendy looking way. We can’t wait to get our hands on these to give a full review! In the meantime, check them out at eSTYLE.com!

Liquid Armor’s Revolutionary New Liquid Screen Protector!

Plastic iPad screen protectors are so 2011. Liquid Armor seeks to reinvent the wheel with their awesome new spray on product that features nano-coating technology. Simply spray this stuff onto your iPhone or iPad screen and leave it overnight, and the spray bonds to the glass and forms an impenetrable armor that is as strong or stronger than any of the current plastic screen protectors on the market. This stuff looks awesome, and they showed us a demonstration at their booth. We can’t wait to test it out for ourselves and put it through the ringer! Look for a full review on iPadAccessories.com soon! In the meantime, check them out at DynaFloUSA.com.

Adonit’s Exciting Pressure Sensitive Stylus

Adonit already had our attention with their exciting Writer iPad case/keyboard combo and their Kickstarted Jot Pro Stylus which they call the “most precise stylus on the market.” We’ve been asking them for ages for a couple review units to do a full write up, but so far we haven’t heard back… (I’m taking to you David) HOWEVER, even though they keep ignoring us, we still love them anyway. Especially now that they have announced their new Jot Touch pressure sensitive iPad stylus! This little baby is the next generation in iPad styluses and features multiple levels of pressure sensitivity transmitted via bluetooth directly to your iPad (no additional widgets required). It also has 2 shortcut buttons, and an adorable charging station that docks in any USB port! This is the next generation in stylus technology folks! We are drooling over their accessories, and maybe one day we’ll actually get to review them in person! For now, you’ll have to check them out over at Adonit.net.

OlloClip’s Tiny Clip-On Camera Lens

This is another Kickstarted project that is just awesome. The OlloClip is a clip-on camera lens that is portable and fits in your pocket. Just clip it onto your iPhone and witness the difference. On one side you’ve got a fish eye camera lens, flip it around and you’ve got a wide angle camera lens. Screw that off and you’ve got your very own 10x macro lens for up close beautiful shots! With how beautiful the iPhone’s camera is (and how reportedly awesome the iPad 3’s new camera will be) this is a must have accessory for anybody thinking of using their iDevice as their primary camera. They were selling like hotcakes at MacWorld! Check out the OlloClip here!

Nomad Brush’s Awesome Brush Styluses

Last, but certainly not least is Nomad Brush, one of our favorite iPad styluses of all time. They had a hopping booth at MacWorld, and it was all we could do to fight the crowds just to get to chat with Don (the creator and CEO) for five minutes. This stylus combines the beauty and flow of a brush with capacitive bristles that work on the iPad. Between their traditional Nomad Brush to their exciting Nomad Compose dual tipped stylus to their newest addition: the Nomad Play iPad stylus for kids, there’s just no end to their innovations! We are looking forwards to what they are able to come up with next! We’ve heard rumors of a Nomad Brush carrying case in the works… whatever it is, you can bet that we’ll be all over it once it is released!

In addition to these cases, we also got a sneak peak at Pad and Quill’s new iPad and iPhone cases… it’s not quite time to show them to the world, but when we do they’re going to knock your socks off! There was a lot more at MacWorld but these were a few of the highlights on the iPad Accessory front. Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments!

The “It” Factor

We’ve said it before, and will probably say it again- Zagg has “it.” That elusive ability to identify problems and common place design flaws that we never knew existed and make products to fix them that combine quality, style, and affordability all in one beautiful package. The ZaggFolio for the iPad 2 is yet another outstanding evolution in the iPad accessory market. We’ve all seen the standard iPad case/keyboard combo before, but most suffer extensively from low quality keyboards and cheap ‘made in china’ cases. By and large their prices are inflated, their descriptions over-deliver, and the product under-performs.

ZaggFolio: This one is different

Quality is not something that has been sacrificed in the ZaggFolio’s construction. The keyboard is the best we’ve ever laid fingers on in the iPad 2 accessory market. It’s island key configuration makes for easy typing and an oh-so-satisfying tactile feel when you really start pounding out the prose. It has been tailor made for the iPad in every way. Starting with the aluminum body which keeps it light but sturdy, moving on to the black keys that are perfectly spaced (even for those with large hands), and traveling right on down to the iPad specific function keys that allow you to control all the essential features on your iPad with the press of a button. The internal battery of the keyboard will last weeks on a single charge as well.

If you want to read more about this keyboard then check out our ZaggKEYS SOLO review where we did a full writeup of it. Spoiler alert: We love it.

Making The Case For The Case…

The keyboard is only half the fun of the ZaggFolio though, we would be remiss not to address the Folio case for the iPad 2 as well. This hard shell case is constructed to hold your iPad 2 firmly and securely while barely covering the tablet’s screen at all. Outside it is black with a carbon fiber pattern that not only looks cool but also makes it nice and grippy. Inside it is line with a luxurious feeling microfiber material that will keep your tablet from getting any scratches.

Old Latch Vs. New Latch

The previous version of the ZaggFolio had issues with the latch… in that it did not latch. However, this new version has completely fixed the latching issues. The folio case now latches as snug as a bug in a rug and feels incredibly tight and secure when closed. It’s not going to pop open unless you want it too. The folks at Zagg have been good in responding to all the complaints of the original buyers and sending out replacement cases promptly.

The folio case also features the auto on/off magnet for quick start up and shut down that we all know and love. It provides easy access to all the iPad’s essential ports and holes, and even turns into a stand.

ZaggFolio- Till Death Do Us Part

We seriously like the new ZaggFolio iPad 2 Case. It is is the best marriage of keyboard and iPad 2 case on the market to date. And in a market where so many similar marriages end in break ups and returns… this is saying a lot. You may begin to seriously consider ditching your laptop once you lay your hands on one of these. We didn’t think it was possible to top the stunningly beautiful ZaggMate, but we thoroughly enjoy being surprised again and again by the folks at Zagg.

Check it out for yourself! You won’t be disappointed!

The ZaggFolio is available for $99.99 ($129.99 for premium leather) to Order right now.
Score yours today because quantities are limited!

We’ve all heard the old saying “If it’s good enough for a Firefighter it’s good enough for me.” And if you haven’t heard this saying, check out this news report to see why we say it. The new Gumdrop Drop Tech iPad 2 protective case is surprisingly well designed and very protective. It’s the case of choice for fire departments everywhere… or at least in Oklahoma… It takes all of 1 minute to install, and once your tablet is ensconced inside of this protective battle armor, you can breath a sigh of relief.

3 Separate Pieces – One Minute To Install

The Drop Tech case consists of 3 different parts: a polycarbonate front, a screen protector frame, and a thick silicone skin. The polycarbonate front provides the rigid skeleton that the rest of the case is built around. It slides into place very easily on the iPad and wraps around the top right corner to give some extra protection at the camera hole. It takes all of 10 seconds to slide into place on the iPad and it snaps around it perfectly.

Next up is the screen protector frame. This is an optional piece that we just love! It consists of a thin plastic film attached to another small polycarbonate frame. This smaller frame then attaches right inside of the larger main frame and provides a screen protector for your iPad. The best part about it is that the screen protector doesn’t actually adhere to the iPad’s surface, it is a separate piece that stays with the case. Adhesive screen protectors are great and all… but sometimes they get a little old. It’s nice to be able to use the iPad “in the nude” if you want and not have to worry about a screen protector getting between your paws and the glass.

Finally you have the ultra thick silicone cover that wraps around the whole device. It’s got a cool tire tread on the back that lends to the grippiness and style of the case and it is held firmly in place with little silicone tabs that fit into the channels on the polycarbonate portion. There are dust covers on all the ports and buttons that are easily pushed or pulled back to provide access.

iPad Protective Nirvana

All in all, it takes about 1 minute to get this bad boy on and then you are in iPad protection nirvana. The silicone cover will absorb shocks and drops while looking cool at the same time. The polycarbonate shell will provide rigidity and strength, and the clever screen protector will keep your iPad’s screen clean and pristine even in the worst of situations. This case comes in 4 different color combinations and is a great affordable option if you are looking to get some serious protection on your devices. But don’t take our word for it, check out the over 200 4-5 star reviews on Amazon that agree!

The Gumdrop Drop Tech Series iPad 2 Case is available for $59.95 now!

Saddleback Leather Company

If you are not familiar with Saddleback, then listen up and prepare to be overcome by an overwhelming urge to become their best friends. Saddleback is a different sort of company, they are built on the belief that true quality and workmanship should come first. All of their products are made from the highest grade materials, the best possible leathers, and hand crafted to meticulous standards. They trust their products so much they even back every one of them with a famous 100 year warranty. Saddleback has everything from leather luggage, leather messenger bags, wallets, backpacks, and yes: leather iPad 2 cases.

Top Quality Leather iPad 2 Case

Their new iPad 2 leather case is made from super thick boot grade leather, lined with pigskin (one of the toughest leathers on the planet), colored in the old world fashion that takes time and ensures full penetration, and stitched together with heavy gauge marine grade thread.

To call this case rugged and awesome is an understatement.

Similar in overall design to their original iPad case, this one has a front cover that is secured closed with two leather straps. These straps fold over and slide through two rings on the other side. It’s easy to open, and stays safely closed. The straps can also be folded back and used to turn this case into a stand. There are all the appropriate openings and cutouts for the new cameras and the enhanced speaker as well.

New Features and Design Changes

This new iPad 2 case has some significant design differences from the original. Overall it looks and feels more mature and stylish. One instantly notices that this case is smaller than the original. There is still a protective lip around the iPad, but it feels lighter, more streamlined, and less bulky feeling. Additionally the double stitching is gone, instead we see that all the seems and weak spots are reinforced with extra single stitches. The home button is still covered with a thin piece of leather, but this time the spot is highlighted with the stitches outlining it for easier location. The last major design change is the molded bed for the iPad to sit in. Instead of being a straight envelope with cutouts like the original case, the new one has a molded leather bed for the iPad 2, letting it sit nicely and securely. Since the port cutouts are now on the back instead of the front, it has an overall more streamlined and professional look to the case. Don’t get us wrong though… even though the case has matured, it is still every bit as John Wayne rugged as before!

Protection You Can Count On

As far as protection goes, this is case will let your iPad 2 take a licking and keep on ticking. It is designed with a thick leather lip around all the edges to absorb any impact and keep your iPad 2 safe. Additionally the super thick full grain boot leather on the front and back will protect it from any direct impacts (we have heard unconfirmed rumors that it can also stop bullets… but please don’t test this out…).

The leather is designed to age with use, and as you use the case, it will develop it’s own personality and markings to make it uniquely yours. Each scratch, dent, and ding on the case will add to its character and be a story you can tell your friends. Just imagine telling your pals about how you got that scratch while trekking to Base Camp 1 in Nepal, how you got that ding after a dangerous encounter in Borneo, and how you got that bullet hole from a seedy cantina in Juarez.

“I don’t always use a leather case for my iPad 2…

But when I do, it’s a Saddleback.” The original Saddleback iPad case was and still is in our top 5 most interesting iPad cases, it’s the second highest rated iPad case on our site. The new model is even better, more mature, and shows significant improvements an an already outstanding design. It takes the prize as the most interesting leather iPad 2 case. If you want a truly awesome leather case for your iPad 2, one that will take you around the world and back, one that will attract envious glares from everybody on the planet, then look no further! The rugged awesomeness of this case will increase your mysteriousness and interesting…ness factor to be on par with the Dos Equis “most interesting man in the world” guy… and hey, if it’s good enough for him, then it’s good enough for us!

The Saddleback Leather iPad 2 Case is available for $104 in four colors:

Hopefully this list has helped you find some great iPad gift ideas for that special someone in your life! Happy shopping!

What makes a gift great? One, it is actually something the receiver wants. Two, it is useful and creative. Three, you don’t have to move into the poor house and eat only peanut butter on white bread for the next three months after you purchase it. An accessory for an iPad 2 is definitely a welcome present for any of it’s proud owners. Second, these accessories keep the device safe and enhance the use of many apps such as video chatting, typing, or painting. Third, they are no more than twenty bucks, so you and your retirement can rest at ease.

Click on the photo above of your favorite accessories to find out more info for each and purchasing options. And while you are in the gift giving mood, don’t forget to add yourself. After all, you’ve been working hard all year. You and your iPad 2 deserve a little extra pampering and attention!

When dressing your iPad 2, it is no time to be modest! Slap on something tight, show off those curves, flaunt it if you’ve got it! Go ahead… you know you want to… the best news is that most of these slim covers are available for bargain prices too: You can scoop up most of the cases in the list below for between $14-$25! Slim, good looking, and affordable! What are you waiting for?

DODOcase iPad 2 Case

This case proves that the Dodo is far from extinct. Hand made in beautiful foggy San Francisco, this bookbound iPad case is constructed using traditional bookbinding techniques. The outside of the case is designed to look like a classy moleskine journal. It’s black Moroccan cloth is soft and supple, while still remaining quite sturdy. An elastic band holds the case closed, and magnetic inserts activate the iPad’s auto wake/sleep features. For an additional fee, it can also be monogrammed with up to 3 initials in gold or black foil to further personalize the case. Inside, you will find a tray constructed from renewable bamboo that holds the iPad safely. You can choose from 7 different interior colors of interior cloth as well. This case has won many awards and even been spotted as the preferred presidential iPad case! However, their cases have been known to shatter when dropped, and there is no camera hole built in. The DODOcase for iPad 2 is available for $59.95.

The Good: Beautiful, looks like a moleskine, 7 color choices, optional monograms, presidential approval
The Bad: Bamboo can be quite fragile- if dropped these cases have been known to shatter, no camera hole, no pockets

Pad and Quill Contega Case for iPad 2

Pad and Quill is a family run company based in Minneapolis. Each and every one of their cases is made by hand with precision craftsmanship and lots of love. They are also excellent examples of interacting with their community, you can contact them on twitter or via their website and have actual conversations with real nice people. We have a soft spot in our heart for this Pad and Quill. Their cases are outstanding as well. Outside these cases look like Moleskine journals, even down to the little bookmark that sticks out the bottom (we love this feature!). They are bound with black Italian bonded leather, close with a nice thick elastic strap, and come in 3 different colors of interior bookbinders cloth. There is also an optional pocket that goes on the inside of the front cover for holding documents. The frame is made from rugged but lightweight Baltic Birch. They have a few different options- the Octavo case is very similar in style to the DODOcase (but it does include a camera hole) and is available for $59.99, the College Edition is a lighter version for a lighter price of $49.99. And then there is the Contega Case. Now this case is what truly makes Pad and Quill stand out from the pack. The Contega case doubles as a stand for the iPad 2 and even comes with a secret hidden pocket for storing important documents. It’s a beautiful that is totally unique in the bookbound world. The Pad and Quill Contega case is available for $89.99.

The Good: Excellent customer service, high quality cases packed with features, a variety of cases to fit any budget, has pockets, has iPadAccessories.com approval
The Bad: Not much… though they do lack some of the personalization options that Portenzo and DODOcase offer.

Portenzo iPad 2 Case

The Portenzo iPad 2 cases are made in the USA and feature many of the same features that the DODOcase and Pad and Quill offer. What makes them truly stand out is the shear amount of personalization options they have. We wrote an entire review on the Portenzo cases here, but will recap: They offer 4 different styles of case with just about as many customization options as you can shake a stick at. You can choose from around 9 different colors of cloth or leather for the outside, and there are around 11 different color choices for the interior. You can even choose what color you want the elastic bands to be from 9 different choices. But that’s not all! For an added fee you can choose to have a camera opening drilled into the case, you can get a personal embossing of your choice, you can choose either a magnetic closure or an elastic closure (or both), and you can even choose to get the case with a Stylus compartment that holds most standard sized styli! The choices are almost overwhelming! However, they let you make your case as unique as you are… for a fee. The Portenzo iPad 2 Cases are available from $59.95-$164.75. Check them out! At the very least, it’s fun to use their website to design your dream case!

The Good: Customizable doesn’t even begin to describe it… sooo many choices!
The Bad: Customizing ain’t cheap- these case can get very expensive, no pockets

TwelveSouth BookBook for iPad 2

The Twelvesouth case looks very very pretty. We’ve never been able to review it though since the company won’t return any of our emails. However, this case is a handmade hardback leather case that turns into an adjustable stand using a button and string. The outside looks like a vintage leather bound book, even the spine has the typical embossing you’d expect to see on such a tome. The case zips closed using two red leather zippers that look kind of like bookmarks. Inside the iPad is held in place by three straps- two on the bottom corners and one elastic strap along the top. There is also a soft velvety microfiber fabric on the interior to keep your iPad safe and cushioned. It has been featured (apparently) in Oprah’s magazine and in Vanity Fair. There is no camera hole and it is not smart cover enabled, but it is quite beautiful to look at, comes in two color choices, and virtually disappears on the bookshelf. The Twelvesouth BookBook is available for $69.99.

The Good: Beautiful exterior, vintage design, clever stand, excellent iPad disguise
The Bad: No camera hole, no magnetic on/off functionality, less than perfect iPad straps do not hold the iPad in place very well

So there are four choices for all you bibliophiles out there. Each has it’s own strengths and unique points. Here at iPadAccessories.com headquarters, we all use Pad and Quill’s cases on all our i-devices. We have a soft spot for their company and love their personal approach to customer service. No matter which one you choose, you can be sure you will end up with a great case that will protect and show off your iPad in style!

Have you ever been playing a game on the iPad and started to wish you could just plug in your PS3 controller and have at it? Well now you can with 60beat’s GamePad! Installing the GamePad is dead simple, just plug it into the headphone jack. The controller comes with a headphone splitter and 4 feet of cord so you have plenty of room to move about. Any game that supports it (there are 3 at the moment) has an option in their menu to turn it on, and then you are ready to go!

Duel Stick Bliss!

So how does it fair? Well we found the GamePad to be pretty darn nice actually! It is light, but doesn’t feel cheap, there is great feedback on the joysticks and the buttons all have a satisfying springy feel to them. It registers instantly in the game and feels great in the hands! It is a bit on the large size however, so those with small hands might find the controller a tad bit uncomfortable, but we found that any initial awkwardness was quickly forgotten once we got into the games.

The only real negative thing we could find with this controller was that since it plugs into the headphone jack of the iPad, audio won’t play through the speakers. However it does come with a headphone splitter, and you could pretty easily hook up a pair of speakers to it as well. I mean… if you are going with a game controller, why not splurge and get a set of speakers to complete the console experience?

Simple Setup and High Quality! What’s not to love?

The ease of use, dead simple setup, and high quality of this controller makes it a great accessory in our books! Granted, we’re not the most hardcore of gamers out there, but we do know our way around a joystick or two.

Currently there are three games that make use of the GamePad (Bugdom, Aftermath, and Caster), though hopefully more are on the way. The designers say it is very easy for developers to add GamePad functionality into their games. We are starting to see more of these kinds of devices hit the market, and it will be very interesting to see which ones gain traction and stick around!

60beat has made a great iPad accessory here, and they are a solid contender. Now it’s up to their outreach program to contact developers, and it’s up to you dear readers to vote with your wallets.

The 60Beat GamePad is available for $49.99