Hasta La Gadget!

Why should iPhone owners get all the style? iSkin has now released its first cases for the BlackBerry Curve, Storm, and Bold.

The Vibes line of cases are available for all three BlackBerry models, and the Vibes FX line is available for the Curve. The difference is that the Vibes cases come in solid colors, while the Vibes FX cases have an argyle pattern and a screen protector that doubles as a mirror when your BlackBerry is off.

Not just eye candy, both lines offer high-gloss color with the look of a soft case, but the protection of a hard shell. They’re also embedded with Microban antimicrobial protection to keep your phone germ-free.

Vibes cases sell for $29.99 and Vibes FX for $32.99. See the whole lineup at the iSkin site.

Remember the iPhone Nano? It was a sure thing, based on designs of silicon cases leaked by a third party manufacturer. Oh, wait. No it wasn’t. The fire of speculation licked higher as the gasoline of rumor was sloshed and splattered around the internet, only to fizzle under the halon blanket of Apple’s silence.

Then again, you may remember the design of the iPhone 3G, itself leaked via a case design, although this time it was the actual molds that were the giveaway. These proved to be dead-on, revealing the curved back of the new handset.

So, take this latest story how you will, either choking it back with some hard-to-swallow skepticism or diving into the Kool-Aid flavored rumors as they lap the shores of credulity.

This time the silicone points to cameras in both the iPod Nano and a new iPod Touch (yes, cameras in iPods — yet another recycled rumor). The Touch case looks accurate enough, with a gap for both the lens and the Wi-Fi radio to peek through. Otherwise, the case designs of the iPods themselves do not vary.

We really don’t know where the truth lies. But we have a pretty good idea as to when it may lie: September, the traditional month for iPod updates. Expect analysts to begin “predicting” this soon.

Product page Touch [Uxsight via MacRumors]
Product page Nano [Nanocase]

See Also:

• Leaked iPhone 2.0 Case Photos Could Confirm New Design
• IPhone Rumors Gone Wild: Plastic Case Photos, UMTS ‘Test’ In …
• Another iPhone Nano Case On Offer

Yep, I’ve succumbed. After waiting since 2007 for the iPhone to come to T-Mobile or Verizon, I’ve pulled the trigger and ordered a shiny new iPhone 3GS during the first wave last week. Never mind that it took until Wednesday of this week to get to me, but that’s another story.

I acquired a few holster-style cases from various sources, and I can tell you this: the Compass/Magnetometer in the iPhone 3GS does not like magnetic closures on the cases. I first used Speck’s odd but very protective SwitchWay case, and after using it, I found that I had to recalibrate the compass  every time I took the iPhone out of the case. I also used a no-name holster that I’d used with an iPod Touch, and that also garnered the same results.

The no-name case uses two magnets to keep itself shut, and the SwitchWay uses four magnets (it can be worn vertically or horizontally). Apple’s support docs have warned against using magnetic cases since the iPhone 3G last year, but I’d used the no-name case with the first generation iPhone while I tried it out back in 2007 with no ill effects.

According to a review on iLounge.com, the SwitchWay was redesigned with a Velcro closure, and I’d certainly recommend one if you like a holster for convenience. In any case, I’m off to the Apple Cube to get a DLO HipCase, which I know has Velcro.

I should point out that calls, emails, and text messages came through fine in any of the cases, magnetic or not, so that’s not an issue, but it is exceedingly annoying to have to re-calibrate the Compass everytime I needed to use it (including in maps). It also took progressively more time to reclaibrate the Compass the longer I kept the iPhone in the magnetic cases. Buyer Beware!

The Apple iPod Shuffle has always been a model of simplicity. The latest version includes a clip, but no controls, on the Shuffle itself. You need to use buttons built into the earbud cord to change volume or advance the song.

That’s a clever system, but it’s not for everyone. That’s why Scosche introduced the TapStick case. Not only does it protect your Shuffle’s surface with a polycarbonate shell, but it also adds three buttons, letting you play, pause, and adjust volume from the Shuffle itself. One upside to that is that you’re no longer forced to use the Shuffle’s included earbuds, and are free to use whatever headphones you prefer.

The TapStick comes only in black or white. I’d like to see more colors and patterns in the future. Just because the Shuffle comes in only two color options doesn’t mean cases have to follow suit. It sells for $29.99, which is on the steep side, especially since the Shuffle itself costs only $79.00. The TapStick also includes a three-foot audio cable, to connect your Shuffle to your stereo.

If you’ve ever drained your cell phone’s battery in a single day (something that’s easy to do if you have an iPhone), you’ll appreciate the new Fuel cases from Case-Mate. While they’re similar to Mophie’s Juice Pack line of cases in that they provide extra significant charge, they have one big advantage: they have belt clips. Mophie Juice Pack cases are available for the iPod Touch and iPhone, while there are Fuel cases for the iPhone 3G and the Blackberry Bold.

The Fuel for iPhone 3G delivers up to 9 additional hours of talk time or 7 hours of Internet use. The BlackBerry case delivers up to 7 additional hours of talk time or 20 more days of standby. Both have racheting 180-degree belt clips. If the iPhone case protected the top edge, I think it would be perfect. I don’t love that it leaves so much exposed.

Each case sells for $79.99. If you need a little extra incentive, Case-Mate is currently giving away $5 Starbucks gift cards with each order.