Case-mate

Build your own iPhone case

LAS VEGAS--It's been my experience that when there's a large crowd gathered around a booth at CES, it's either because of the booth babes or because a company is giving away free stuff. In Case-Mate's, err, case, it was the latter.

The cell phone accessories manufacturer had a station at its booth where attendees could build their own iPhone cases using interlocking pieces. Much like walking into a Lego store, there were canisters filled with different-colored parts that you could pick through to build the iPhone case of your rainbow-colored dreams. Non-CES goers shouldn't be too green with envy, though, as you can create one yourself with the Case-Mate Quartet case. … Read more

Case-mate's new tough case is no ghost

Case-mate's latest tough iPhone 4/4S case, the Phantom, just started shipping, but it's worth calling out because Case-mate is officially launching it at CES in Vegas.

This is a "two-piece" case, but it doesn't include an integrated plastic screen cover like some tough cases do (it comes with a stick-on screen protector).

As noted, the Phantom comes in multiple colors and retails for $50. When I get my hands on one, I'll see if it's worthy of making it onto our Top 20 tough iPhone 4 and 4S case list.

Case-Mate ships new Kindle Fire cases

A steady stream of Kindle Fire cases have headed to stores and Case-Mate has three new ones: the Venture, Tuxedo, and Hampton.

Here's a quick skinny on all of them, ordered by size, least to most expensive.

The Tuxedo ($40) is a slim folio case that Case-Mate says is equipped with built-in and reusable MagicTape, "a double-sided adhesive that doesn't leave residue and never loses its grip." This one folds up into a stand with multiple viewing angles and also includes smart magnets that "put the Fire to sleep while not in use and awaken … Read more

Case-Mate Tank: Hard-core iPhone 4S protection

There's a new kid on the tough iPhone 4/4S block and it's name is Tank.

Case-Mate, the company behind Tank, is touting how protective the new "military-grade" case is, and thanks to a partnership with the folks behind the SharkEye cases, it has a unique retractable window that covers the screen but also gives you full access to the screen when needed.

The Tank comes in a few different colors, including the color you see pictured, as well as a simple black-and-white with pink trim. It's got a nice textured finish, and while it'… Read more

Case-Mate briefly posts 'iPhone 5' case gallery

In a peculiar move, accessory maker Case-Mate briefly posted renderings of a new line of cases for Apple's next iPhone, which has not yet been announced by the company.

Included in the renderings were depictions of Apple's next device, which was shown as having a similar design to the iPad 2 and latest-generation iPod Touch, with a rounded aluminum backing. By comparison, the iPhone 4's backing is made out of glass.

The accessory gallery was pulled down shortly after its discovery, BGR reports. In its place, the old gallery page redirects to a page where users can … Read more

15 must-have iPad cases

The biggest change to our on-the-go computing habits in 2010 has been the introduction of Apple's iPad tablet. While ultraportable and Netbook laptops are still very important, there's a pretty good chance that meetings, day trips, and coffee shop work sessions are now conducted with the help of an iPad instead.

Picking the right case for your iPad is important, and we've gone through dozens to compile this roundup of useful ones. We're still searching for the holy grail of the perfect iPad case, but many of the examples collected here are either solid all-around products … Read more

World's ugliest iPhone case gets artsy

Perhaps you remember Case-mate's 99-cent cardboard iPhone "recession" case, which we wrote about back in September and deemed one of the better product publicity stunts in recent memory. Well, Case-mate is now hosting a decorate-your-recession-case contest with users submitting photos of their creations. The pic with the most votes wins a Suzuki moped from the '80s.

We gotta say, the entries are pretty amusing, and while cardboard is never going to look upscale, the decorated cases are pretty hot in a sort of avant garde way.

Check out the slideshow below and feel free to let us … Read more

Case-mate's enlightening Kindle cover

We've seen a few Kindle cases that offer built-in lights so you can read in dimly lit environments, but Case-mate's Enlighten is unusual in that it features a lighted acrylic panel that sits on top of your Kindle instead of an LED light with a flexible neck.

Due out in December, Case-mate's billing the $79.99 Enlighten as "the first case on the market equipped with a LED-powered light for nighttime reading as well as an interior side pocket for storage."

Here are its key features:

Clear acrylic panel with integrated LED light with two … Read more

Case-Mate I.D. adds extra pouch to iPhone

I'm not a fan of protective case for gadgets (which, as long as they function, are fine the way they are, even with a few scratches). For this reason, the only things I've put on my iPhone 3GS so far, and only when I travel, are the Mophie Juice packs, which add more battery life to the phone.

I just, however, found a new protective case that I actually am going to use more regularly, for the sake of convenience. It's the Case-Mate I.D. case.

Unlike other protective cases that try to be as slim as … Read more

World's cheapest, ugliest iPhone case

Marketing and PR folks take note. In one of the more brilliant publicity stunts in recent memory, iPhone accessory maker Case-mate is going downscale. Really downscale. And green, too.

It's created a 99-cent cardboard "recession" case along with free "Sharpie Script" personalization (yes, some dude or dudette will inscribe your case by hand). And these babies can be bought in bulk: Case-mate is offering 10 for $7.99.

I'm impressed. This is something you'd expect to see from the Onion News Network, not from a real tech company. And while the recession has … Read more