Hasta La Gadget!

This week we’re taking a peek at the official Google Play sold Nexus 7 case for the rather popular 7-inch tablet. This case snaps around the tablet and flops down unto the tablet for a full all-around protection situation. While there is a magnetic sensor in the tablet, this standard case does not make use of it, just working as a much more basic bash-protectant instead.

The case itself will cost you $19.99 when you pick it up from Google and is made entirely of TPU. There’s no silicone here, which we’re thankful for as that stuff often picks up dust and hair galore, and the whole unit is high quality as we would expect from the makers of the tablet. ASUS is involved in the creation of this case as well as they are in making the tablet itself.

Above you’ll see Cory Gunther from Android Community applying the case to his own Nexus 7 tablet with white back from Google I/O 2012. As he notes, the case is durable, easy to apply, and certainly does “get the job done” without any frills. Cutouts exist along the back and sides for each of the device’s ports, mic, and speaker as well. The whole case weighs in at a measly 4.7oz and comes in one color: dark grey.

You needn’t worry about which model you’re getting here as both the 8 and 16GB versions of the Nexus 7 fit perfectly well. This case comes in a tiny box surrounded by a massive amount of packaging from Google and you’ll get it in just about as short a time as Google can possibly get it to you because they’re certainly not running short on supplies. The tablets themselves, on the other hand, that’s a different story entirely.

Don’t forget to check out our original in-depth review of the Nexus 7 and stick around for future tablet action with SlashGear as this device continues to take off!

Google’s official Nexus 7 case hits homes and hands-on is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Now that the Samsung Galaxy S III is out on the market not only internationally but with each of the main five carriers here in the USA, it’s time for the purveyors of next-level protection, Tech21, to grab hold. The group known as Tech21 lives in a world of Impactology in which they’ve demonstrated with us that the same orange mess we used to purchase as Silly Putty or Gak is made much more adult as a protection agent against – you guessed it – heavy impact. With this junk in the Snap Case for our Samsung Galaxy S III, we’ve nothing to fear from drops, tosses, or even bashes.

The case itself is rather simple, just clamping around the sides, top, and bottom of the device with a precise fit. It’s the technology inside this case that counts the most. Though we’re appreciating that the back of the case does indeed have space for the LED flash, the camera, and the speaker, it’s the orange stuff inside that counts – and in this case, you’ll never lay eyes on the orange stuff unless you’re taking the case off or putting it back on again.

Have a peek at the video below to see what we’ve seen – the CEO of Tech21 mister Jason Roberts explaining what the goop is and what it’s good for. The name of the orange substance is D30, and it’s been used for a whole range of products produced by Tech21 including military padding, of all things. You can also pick up cases for a whole range of technology outside the smartphone realm as well – check out the MacBook Air holder for a real treat.

And as for this Galaxy S III case: you’ll be dropping 24.99 in British pounds – that’s closer to $30 USD – then they’ve also got a collection of similar solutions that cost more such as the Impact Band and the Impact Slip Leather case. Tech21 also makes a Shell and a Mesh case for the Galaxy S III for you extra hardcore users. Grab em all, why don’t you!

Galaxy S III gets a taste of Tech21 orange goo protection is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

The design of the iPhone is something of a work of art on its own. But sometimes staring at the same thing can get boring. Accordingly, painter Jenny Vorwaller has turned 52 of her watercolors into multicolored cases. More »

Apple is working on making the iPad Smart Cover live up to its billing, considering fitting a flexible display and touch-input system to the case according to a newly published patent filing. The concept would turn at least one of the spines of the Smart Cover into a display strip, used to expand the working space of the tablet’s screen and potentially including touch-sensitive controls to navigate media playback and other features without interrupting the currently active app.

The new Smart Cover would attach via magnets as now, but also include a data and power connection similar to the MagSafe socket on MacBook computers. Apple’s application explores various combinations of functionality, from a single strip to all four of the panels being digitally-enabled.

That could mean the Smart Cover could be turned into a keyboard or even, as Apple’s diagram below suggests, a combo keyboard and touchscreen. We’ve seen similar from Microsoft with the Surface keyboard cover, but Apple’s system would go on stage further by implementing a flexible display, too.

Alternatively, the whole inner panel could respond to touch input, turning it into a digital sketchpad of sorts. Those panels might not actually flex to hold the iPad upright, instead having a stiffened keyboard section and a separate folding element to prop the tablet up at a more usable angle.

Of course, patent applications do not necessarily lead to commercial applications of technology, but even if it was limited to touch controls only this seems like a reasonable direction for Apple to go in. We’ve already seen flexible e-paper, such as from Plastic Logic, which would add little to the iPad’s power consumption but still be capable of color images and refresh rates suited to video playback.

[via Engadget]

Apple Smart Cover with touch and display development revealed is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

There’s been an abnormal amount of clues this season leading up to the idea that several new devices are coming from Apple, the iPad mini being one of the most-denied yet most-seen. What you’re about to witness here is a set of iPad mini cases, each of them appearing to come from Devicewear, a company that we’re pretty sure won’t be invited back to the Apple party any time soon should these renders be proven real. What they show is the iPad mini – or whatever it’ll end up being called in the end – complete with volume buttons, a back-facing camera and microphone, and the lovely new miniature dock connector for all to see.

This case is nothing too exciting on its own, but what you’ll see inside is a next-generation iPad that’s seemingly smaller than its predecessors. The front-facing render of the device does not seem as realistic as the back, on the other hand, appearing here to be more of a photoshop effort than anything. The back of the device though, again, looks to have many of the same features the iPad 3rd generation device does, including the ultra-thin profile the newest iPad works with like a champ.

The screen-lock is there, the volume buttons look fabulously black, and the back-facing camera once again appears without a flash. The lens for the camera does appear quite large, leading us to believe that it may indeed be working with the same technology that the iPhone 4S works with – great news for you iPad photo shooters out there. There’s also a top and back facing set of microphones for next-level noise cancellation.

The bottom of the device has the new dock connector we’ve been hearing so much about. This dock connector is much smaller than the current 30-pin port, this thusly making room for the speaker grilles to face downward rather than relatively backwards as the current model iPad does. Now we’ve just got to convince Apple to go all the way forwards somehow or another for some real front-facing entertainment action.

Check the timeline below for more iPad mini news bits to add it all up for yourself – with more on the way, to be sure!

[via 9to5mac]

iPad mini cases appear with tiny tablet details is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.