iChair is one of the new case companies that made its first debut in CES 2011 brining new cases with a twist for both the iPhone 4 and iPad. The iChair case has a built-in kickstand on the back on both the iPhone 4 and iPad case. The iChair for the iPad does feature a more robust stand system than the one found on the iPhone 4 case that also allows you to use your iPad for typing. We have the full review of these new and unique slider cases right after the cut.
The Cliq case for the iPhone 4 by Proof might look like another ordinary case with a simplistic design but interestingly enough, it puts it's Cliq name to good use. Why is this case better than others and should you pick one up? Find all this in the full review right after the break.
Incipio's NGP case for the iPhone 4 stands for "Next Generation Polymer", which is a fancy name for TPU or thermo polyurethane. The Incipio NGP case has a matte feel to it, seems to be a little bit on the bulky side, and offers a lot of protection, will it have what it takes to make it to the top of my favorites list? Catch the full review of the Incipio NGP after the break.
The Elago S4 Breathe case is a snap-on case for the iPhone 4 with a unique look and feel. The S4 is perforated all over the back and sides with many tiny holes which allow the glossy back of your iPhone to shine thru. The S4 has a matte soft-touch coating that provides good grip. Because of it's snap-on style design, the S4 is very easy to install and take off. I would recommend taking off the S4 case once a week in order to clean your iPhone from any dust that might be accumulating over time, you can also use compressed air. The S4's camera and flash cutouts are both circuler and do not interfere with performance at all.
I really like the slim feeling of the S4 while it's on the iPhone and the soft-touch feel it has. If you don't like bulky cases, the S4 is a really slim profiled case that offers good scratch protection. You won't find any sharp corners or edges on the S4, it's really well made. There is a very slight lip over that screen and covers the iPhone's metal band. The top and bottom are fully opened as well as the side volume and silent switch which are very easy to get to. There is also a slight lip at the top and bottom which go beyond the iPhone, however your iPhone will still remain exposed. If you're using any skins on the back or sides of your iPhone, you will need to take them off in order to get a complete and secure fit with the S4 case. The S4 isn't the best choice for someone who usually drops their devices. The S4 Breathe is available in white, silver and black. Price $24.99. Available now for $12.
Carbon fiber fans rejoice! Today l'll be reviewing monCarbone'sHoverCoat glossy and matte finished carbon fiber iPad cases. The HoverCoat is made out of real carbon fiber that provides a very unique and great looking sharp look to your iPad without compromising weight or bulk. The HoverCoat is extremely lightweight and slim. It easily snaps to the back of your iPad, but I found that if you use a back skin of any kind, the HoverCoat will not be sitted on very well and will easily pull back a bit if you place your fingers right on the edge of the case. I could barely tell I had a case on my iPad while using the HoverCoat, it's so thin that I felt like I was holding my iPad without a case on. The HoverCoat does flex and it isn't super hard. Corners are cut very precise and are rounded so there are not sharp corners or edges, which is great. I should note that the HoverCoat does not cover or provide any protection to the iPad's metal bezel. All the buttons and ports are easily accessible and uncovered. There are no logos on the outside only on the inside of the case which I was very happy about.
Both the matte and glossy HoverCoat finishes look beautiful, but if you really want to show off the carbon fiber pattern, the glossy does a much better job at showing the weave better than the matte finished HoverCoat. With that said, the glossy finish scratched very easily by just placing it on a table. For this kind of price I think there should be an anti-scratch coating added to the glossy finish. The matte finish does have an anti-scratch finish that works very well. The key differences between both matte and glossy HoverCoat finishes is that the glossy attracts fingerprints, it scratches more easily and it shows off the carbon fiber weave much better. The matte finished HoverCoat has a more grippy and rough texture to it. It's a much more stealthy looking iPad cover and will appeal to different kind of users. On the back you will notice a line of perforations at the top, this is meant for the 3G iPad model so it will not interfere with the reception. I have not noticed any signal issues on my WiFi iPad at all.
The HoverCoat looks stunning under sunlight. You can clearly see the 3D carbon fiber weave in good lighting. I really think that monCarbone did a good job on the design of the HoverCoat case for the iPad, but I would have liked to see an anti-scratch coating for the glossy model at this price. And as we all know, real carbon fiber doesn't come cheap. Price $89.99.
The iPhone 4's smooth and shiny glass back looks extremely good but without any fingerprints on it, and as you all know, it's a fingerprint magnet! So what we have here is a matte body protection kit from PhantomSkinz which makes these clear skins as do many other companies out there. With this matte skin not only will it give you that extra scratch protection but it also get rid of those everyday finger prints while adding this matte textured finish to your iPhone 4. Now even when this matte film protects against scratches and finger prints doesn't mean you can eat some oily fries and not have any finger prints show up. The PhantomSkinz require a wet installation which took me only a few minutes to flat out some air bubbles with a plastic card and I was done. It was a very easy installation and I was left with a great looking finish to my iPhone 4's back.
Depending on your choice of protection kit, I also installed the matte side band protection all along and that was a piece of cake as well. I would highly recommend getting the matte version as it helps with finger prints, give you some slight grip with it's grainy texture and it also looks pretty awesome. The film has a perfect cutout for the camera and flash so no need to worry about that. The PhantomSkinz do not come with any application solution, but you only need to dip the films it some water and dish soap and you're ready to apply them, you can also use a spray bottle if you have one around to make it even more easy. The PhantomSkinz are exactly what you would get from other similar known brands out there. The Matte Full Body Kit will run you $24.95 for a back, sides and front protection and $15.95 for just a Matte Back protection.
Wrapsol scratch-proof protection are a great way to keep your iPad scratch-free and also keep the original anodized aluminum look with Wrapsol's matte protection films. Applying the Wrapsol protection onto the iPad takes some time but once you get it on it looks amazing. In the process I've managed to get a few air bubbles that I could not squeegee out. However, you do need to let your Wrapsol set for at least 24 hours. And once I did, all the air bubbles have disappeared leaving a smooth and clear surface. There is only one issue with the Wrapsol protection film I got for the iPad, It was not cut to fit correctly and I had a very hard time aligning it because of that. It turns out it was a little shorter on the bottom but that should be fixed by Wrapsol soon.
Wrapsol are currently the only company to offer a matte finish to their protection films which I personally love. If you would like a glossy and non-matte finish to your device, Wrapsol also offers the Wrapsol Ultra. A Wrapsol protection is a must for your iPad's backside to help keep that beautiful aluminum from scratches and scuffs. Wrapsols are made in the U.S.A. and come with a lifetime replacement warranty. Every Wrapsol protection kit includes a fantastic soft microfiber cloth, a non-marking flexible rubber squeegee and a liquid spray application solution. Price $34.95.
