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Jan 11

Pelican offers protection for Galaxy S III with two new cases

Amid the chaos of CES 2013, we discovered that Pelican is plotting to enter the mobile case business. The company was showing off cases for the iPhone 5 and iPad, but it also had two cases for the Samsung Galaxy S III on hand and ready to show off. The cases we saw for the Galaxy S III were certainly impressive, and if you find other protective cases a bit too bulky, you might want to give these a look.

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That’s because Pelican’s goal with these cases seems to be to protect the phone from all manner of damage while keeping the overall size down. That’s especially important with the Galaxy S III, which is a pretty thin phone – having a big, bulky case attached to such a sleek phone would ruin the aesthetic, so Pelican is trying to hit the protection bullet points while keeping a thinner form factor overall.

The first case we have is the ProGear Vault Series, which actually requires you that use screws to seal your phone within the case. While that will make removing your phone a bit more difficult than your usual case that snaps together, there are benefits in that it makes the case resistant to “wind-driven rain.” The case also offers protection against dust and scratches, thanks to the fact that its made from magnesium and engineering-grade polymer. This case really locks down every opening you can think of with your phone, with Pelican even placing acoustic membranes over the microphone and speaker openings to prevent water from getting in without hindering audio quality. The Vault Series, which is also shockproof from a height of 72 inches, will be releasing in April or May with a “tentative” price of $75-$80.

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Next we have the ProGear Defender Series, which is a little more accessible for folks who want to keep their phone safe without spending an arm and a leg on a case. The Defender obviously boasts fewer features than its more expensive brother, but it’s built with the same engineering-grade polymer and sports a rubber interior to make the case crushproof and shock-resistant. It also has a smooth plastic finish to make it easier to pull your out of your pocket. At the moment, Pelican is saying that the Defender series should launch in April with a price point of $35, but those could change by the time its release rolls around.

So there you have it, a duo of new cases from Pelican for your Galaxy S III. The cases seemed pretty solid when we checked them out, and the felt pretty light to boot, which means that they shouldn’t add too much weight to your phone. Expect to see more of Pelican in the mobile space as moving forward, but for now, be sure to check out our CES portal for all the news you need from the show!

Pelican offers protection for Galaxy S III with two new cases is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Jan 10

This Is the Most Badass PC Case

Posted in: Today's Chili

Need to protect your PC from earthquakes and catastrophic clumsiness? Not opposed to ridiculous design? In-Win’s D-Frame PC case might be up your alley. This little monster is so ugly it wraps back around to awesome. More »

Jan 10

Pelican ProGear Vault iPhone 5 and iPad mini cases hands-on

Posted in: Today's Chili

Pelican is mostly known for its line of rugged bags and large cases meant for photography equipment and other expensive belongings that you need to protect. However, the company has released a new line of smartphone cases here at CES 2013, and we ended up getting our hands specifically on the ProGear Vault cases for the iPhone 5 and the iPad mini.

The iPhone 5 variant offers protection from “wind-driven” rain, dust, and scratching. All the ports are protected with durable flaps that let the sound out (for the speakers), but don’t let dust in. The case also has insulating shock and impact protection, thanks to rubber shock absorbers inside the case.

The case is made out from a magnesium and high-grade polymer, and it’s held together using military-grade hex screws at the four corners. Acoustic membranes also prevent water access through the microphone speaker ports, without hindering the audio. The buttons on the side, as well as the silent switch, was a little difficult to press, but like most cases, added that extra layer will hinder some of the button performance. What’s odd about the iPhone 5 case, is that the silent switch on the case is actually a knob that you twist slightly to change it. It’s an interesting concept, and one that we don’t see very often.

The iPad mini version offers the same protection and technology as the iPhone 5 case, and it features a flap door cover that can be opened up and used as a kickstand. The iPad mini case is actually still a very early prototype, and the cover actually didn’t even close all the way when we tested it. Nonetheless, both the iPhone 5 case and the iPad mini case are planned for an April or may release. Both cases will be priced between $75 and $85 when they eventually launch.

Pelican ProGear Vault iPhone 5 and iPad mini cases hands-on is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Jan 09

Puregear’s Retro Game Cases Completely Justify Covering Your iPhone 5

Posted in: Today's Chili

We’ve already gone into detail on why you don’t need a case for your iPhone 5, but that was before PureGear unveiled its line of awesome Retro Game cases. Obviously, this changes everything. Come February they’ll be available in three different versions for $30 a pop: a traditional boxy maze, a circular maze, and a pseudo-pinball machine that works more like The Price Is Right’s Plinko. More »

Jan 09

Potty Training’s Way Easier When Your Kid’s Distracted With an iPad

Posted in: Today's Chili

CTA Digital never fails to disappoint at CES. In past years the company has delivered some of the craziest gaming and iPad accessories, and this year they manage to both raise the bar and hit a new low with the iPotty. More »

Jan 08

Lifeproof introduces Life Jacket, various mounts for iPhone 5 case

Posted in: Today's Chili

Lifeproof’s iPhone 5 case has been on the market for around a month now, so by now, a number of people are keeping their shiny new iDevice safe behind the company’s handy little barrier. Here at ShowStoppers 2013, however, the company is revealing a number of new accessories for its iPhone 5 case, with the offerings ranging from strange to practical. For instance, how do you feel about making your iPhone 5 a little more buoyant?

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With the Life Jacket accessory, your iPhone 5 will actually float. That has to be a handy little feature for those who take their device out on the water, though we do feel like we should point out that such an accessory sort of undercuts the waterproofing Lifeproof’s case brings to the table. In any case, with the big orange Life Jacket wrapped around your phone, you don’t have to worry about it sinking to the bottom of the lake or sea should your device go overboard.

Other accessories announced today include more standard fare, like an arm band, bike/bar mount, car mount, and belt clip. These are all relatively self-explanatory, with the arm band giving you a way to run or jog with your encased iPhone 5. The bike mount naturally allows you attach your iPhone 5 to your bike, though Lifeproof’s representatives also suggested that new mothers could use it to attach their phones to a baby’s stroller. Finally, the car mount is about what you’d expect – a suction cup that you can attach to your windshield or dashboard.

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It wasn’t all about iPhone 5 owners though, as Lifeproof also took time at the show to announce a new case for the Galaxy S III. Like the company’s case for the iPhone 5, the Galaxy S III case will be waterproof up to depths of 6.6 feet, dirt proof, and shock proof from heights of up to 6.6 feet. Expect to hear more about these accessories and the incoming Galaxy S III case soon. Check out our CES portal for much more from this years trade show!

Lifeproof introduces Life Jacket, various mounts for iPhone 5 case is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Jan 08

OtterBox Armor series hands-on

Posted in: Today's Chili

OtterBox is making a big appearance here at ShowStoppers during CES 2013, and they unveiled their new Armor series of smartphone cases. The company is known for durable and indestructible cases, and the Armor series definitely skimp on that. In fact, the Armor series is OtterBox’s most toughest case yet, and we ended up getting our hands on the new case.

OtterBox says that new Armor series case is waterproof, drop proof, dust proof, and crush proof. It can withstand water as deep as 6.6 feet for up to 30 minutes before it’ll give. It’s drop proof from up to 10 feet and it can withstand up to 2 tons of pressure. Plus, completely dust proof, and the company says that “zero” dust will get into your phone.

Actually, the phone is so dust proof that they put screens over the speaker ports so that sound will still come out of the phone, but no dust will get inside. We have to say that it’s really impressive, and users who want complete protection of their phone will no doubt benefit from OtterBox’s new Armor series case.

The case will be available for the iPhone 4/4S, iPhone 5, and the Samsung Galaxy S III. Technically, OtterBox says that the case is still a prototype, but it’s “very close” to being a finished product. It’ll be available starting February 22 at a reasonable price of $99.

OtterBox Armor series hands-on is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Jan 08

OtterBox Defender with iON Intelligence hands-on

Posted in: Today's Chili

OtterBox is here at ShowStoppers at CES 2013, and they’re just unveiling some new, updated iPhone cases. The Defender series is the company’s most popular product, and they just revealed an updated version that comes with an extra battery, as well as an accompanying mobile app that provides a user interface for monitoring the extra battery.

The case provides the same great protection that the Defender series has always provided, but this updated version, which OtterBox is still calling a prototype, comes with some extra new features, including an extra 1450mAh battery, which will provide double the power of the iPhone 4/4S, which comes with a 1440mAh battery on the inside.

The case also has ten LED indicators on the front, and each one represents 10% of the battery life, and clicking a button below the LEDs will turn on the indicators for a couple of seconds so that you can see what level the external battery is at without having to open up the OtterBox app.

Speaking of the app, OtterBox introduces iON Intelligence technology with this new Defender case. The app tells you how much juice you have left in both your iPhone and the external OtterBox battery, and will automatically determine when your iPhone battery needs more juice. Again, this is still an experimental sample, so some things may change, but the company said that we should expect it to arrive before the summer.

Jan 08

A Hefty Battery Makes Tylt’s Energi Charging Backpack Worth Lugging Around

Posted in: Today's Chili

Wouldn’t it be nice to travel with a reliable and portable power outlet for all of your mobile electronics? That’s the dream that Tylt has possibly made a reality with its new Energi Backpack that houses a hefty 10,050 mAh battery that’s accessible via three USB ports, allowing even the iPad and other tablets to recharge while buried in your bag. More »

Jan 08

Cygnett ICON cases customized by TATS CRU in person at CES 2013

Posted in: Today's Chili

This week at Digital Experience (during CES 2013) we caught up with the case makers at Cygnett where they had none other than the world famous TATS CRU joining the fun for fully unique customized iPhone 5 ICON cases. The TATS CRU is a set of mural street artists that’ve been using their graffiti style since the 1980′s with explosive results. This customizable case here has been customized not once, but twice, by the TATS CRU for none other than SlashGear – have a look!

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What we’ve got here is one of Cygnett’s most well-received cases, made to clip on to your iPhone 5 extremely simply with a single move and protect from top to bottom. At the same time you’ve got the giant space on the bulk of the back of the iPhone where any number of images can blast forth. In this case it’s the TATS CRU’s creations made right on the spot here in Las Vegas.

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Have a peek at the tools these three are using and imagine the possibilities. Also note that the TATS CRU have several hot graffiti-inspired cases up on the Cygnett that you’ll be able to pick up right this minute. The standard ICON case from Cygnett will run you a cool $29.99, more than reasonable for such a fantastic creation, bright and vibrant.

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Take a glimpse of the front and the back and recognize the talent in the artwork as well as the hardcore nature of the construction. At the moment the folks at Cygnett have not announced any customizable cases on their own as such, but sticking with the TATS CRU through the future will bring you the sharp lines and lovely street style you desire one way or another – grab one right this minute!