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tough

Gumdrop's 'layered' Drop Series case for iPad 2

Taking a cue from Otterbox, Gumdrop Cases has answered the iPad 2 call with the rugged Drop Series case, which features multiple protection layers, including a replaceable snap-on integrated cover screen. Gumdrop is calling it "the ultimate in iPad 2 protection."

The case, which comes in a few different colors, is listed for $59.95 and won't be available till May. But with iPad 2 shipping times continuing to slip (they're now in the four-to-five-week range), you may end up getting the case before the iPad 2.

Trident Aegis 'encapsulates' iPod Touch 4G

We don't write up a whole lot of iPod Touch 4G cases, but Trident's Aegis case showed up in our offices and we thought it was worth calling out.

It's a double-layer case, with a soft silicone interior and hard polycarbonate shell on the outside that's got a nice rubberized finish. The silicone interior is thicker on the corners, which provides a little extra protection should you drop your Touch.

The Aegis comes in six colors and ships with a "scratch and smudge-resistant screen protector" as well as an audio extender in case your … Read more

CES: OtterBox intros Reflex Series for iPhone 4

Expanding on its line of rugged cases for the iPhone 4, OtterBox unveiled its new Reflex Series case here at CES.

The company says the case was "inspired by the crumple zone of a car" and combines two materials--polycarbonate and TPE rubber--to form an "unprecedented" single-layer concept. We're not sure exactly what that all means, but the company claims the case recoils and springs back, "ready to protect again and again."

If that wasn't enough to sell you, OtterBox's marketing team adds that "a cushion of air" surrounds the … Read more

Another Otterbox competitor: Gumdrop Drop Series for iPhone 4

The success of Otterbox's Defender cases has a lot of smartphone accessory manufacturers scurrying to go rugged. The latest rival to say it's taking Otterbox on at its own game is Grumdrop, with the freshly announced Drop Series, "made to withstand gnarly falls and still leave the iPhone 4 as handsome as ever."

While the case certainly looks tough and has several layers of protection, what's amusing is that Gumdrop has included the Otterbox name in the Web site address for its new Otterbox case competitor. We assume that's for SEO (search-engine optimization) purposes, … Read more

Element launches new Ion, Formula iPhone cases

Element Case, the maker of high-end iPhone cases, including the Vapor case for the iPhone 4, is trotting out a couple of new "motorsport-inspired cases" for the iPhone 3G and 3GS: the Formula 3 and Ion 3.

According to the company, the Formula 3 is the successor to its Liquid case, and is a three-piece "slide on" case that has flared corners and rubber tone finish. Its bottom piece is designed to easily slip off when docking your iPhone.

Meanwhile, Element is billing the Ion 3 as the most durable case in the line. It's … Read more

Tough iPhone 4 cases duke it out

OtterBox claims you won't find a tougher case than the OtterBox Defender Series for iPhone 4. But a company called Ballistic is saying its HC case--the HC stands for Hard Core--is "better" than OtterBox's, offering four layers of protection instead of OtterBox's two.

Yes, never mind all this talk of free bumpers, anyone seeking real protection wants something on the tough end of the case spectrum--a place where there's clearly a battle brewing. Ballistic has even produced a video of an iPhone 4 being thrown around while encased in the HC, which definitely proves … Read more

Hands-on with Magellan's waterproof, shockproof ToughCase for iPhone

Consider for a moment that the upcoming iPhone 4 is like the Iron Man of the mobile phone world: sleek, sexy, and powerful. Then an iPhone 3GS wrapped in Magellan's ToughCase would be akin to Iron Man's buddy War Machine: based on slightly older, but still powerful, technology and substantially upgraded with third-party features. OK, so the ToughCase may not add guns to your iPhone or iPod Touch, but that doesn't make it any less ready to tackle almost anything you can throw at it.

Just looking at the ToughCase, it's obvious that this accessory adds considerable bulk and heft to the enclosed iPhone. At just less than 2 inches thick and weighing in at 7.5 ounces, you can all but forget about cramming this case into your pocket. Fortunately, Magellan will ship the ToughCase with a belt clip. There will also be an array of handlebar, windshield, and universal mounts available.

For the increased heft, the ToughCase adds weatherproofing, an extended battery, and--because this is a Magellan product--a more accurate GPS receiver to your iPhone. Starting with the shell itself, the ToughCase is shockproof and IPX-7 waterproof, which means it can be submerged in up to 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes without damage to the enclosed device. We tossed an iPhone encased in a preproduction example of the ToughCase down a flight of stairs and found no damage upon recovery. We were unable to test the waterproofing claim of the preproduction unit, but rest assured we'll be dunking the retail version when it becomes available.… Read more

Top 25 tough iPhone cases

Note: If you own an iPhone 4 or 4S for, please go to Top 20 tough cases for iPhone 4 and 4S. This article features iPhone 3GS cases.

How you choose to protect--or not protect--your iPhone is a matter of personal choice. Sure, plenty of people like to leave their iPhone naked, reasoning that any protective cover diminishes its sleekness. But the majority of iPhone owners realize it's probably a good idea to give your precious device some degree of armor, particularly if you don't like the idea of seeing your iPhone's lovely finish dinged and scratched … Read more

Olympus' Tough line is rugged, feature packed

To show that it's still a leader in the rugged compact camera market, Olympus on Tuesday announced two Tough series models. Available in February, the $399.99 Stylus Tough-8010 is shockproof to drops of 6.6 feet and waterproof to depths of 33 feet, while the $299.99 Stylus Tough-6020 is shockproof to drops of 5 feet and waterproof to depths of 16 feet. Also, both cameras are freezeproof to temperatures as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit.

Olympus does well with the rugged part of these cameras, but their feature sets were never very interesting. This time out, though, … Read more