Hasta La Gadget!

Twelve South announced a new iPhone accessory today, one that probably looks familiar if you’re aware of Apple’s Smart Cover and Smart Case products. The SurfacePad for iPhone is a sheath of Napa leather that wraps around your phone and provides basic level protection while adding a minimum amount of weight and thickness.

The company is clearly selling this as a fashion accessory, given the way they’re marketing it. It’s a nice looking addition anyway, and the thin cover should protect both front and back from scratches and scrapes, something that the iPhone 5 could use. It adds only 1.77 mm to your device’s thickness, and sticks onto the iPhone with a residue-free adhesive to make sure it isn’t going anywhere once applied. The front cover also folds back and doubles as a stand, hence its resemblance to Apple’s Smart covers and cases for iPad.

The SurfacePad comes in black, white and red, and is available for both iPhone 4/4s and iPhone 5 form factors. It’s less bulky than most folio type cases, if that’s your thing, and it retails for $34.99, which hardly breaks the bank, especially for a genuine leather case. It’s available to order now from TwelveSouth.com.

It took a little longer than some of those other cases, but Twelve South‘s BookBook for iPhone 5 is now shipping en masse. Some of those who pre-ordered began receiving their units as early as last week, but if you missed that wave, there’s no need to gesture for the panic button. The outfit’s newest wallet / iPhone case is actually more than just a resized version of the prior one; indeed, it finally figured out how to add a rear camera hole without worry of flash echo, and there’s a new snap-in mechanism that holds your phone in place. The clever exterior remains largely the same, and there’s still room for your most important IDs and credit cards as you flip it open. We were pretty big fans of the prior build, but the addition of the camera hole makes this one a no-brainer for fans of the style. The gallery below is completely free to peruse — those who hit the source link, however, will be asked to fork over $59.99 to get one of their own.

Filed under: Peripherals, Mobile, Apple

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Source: Twelve South

Hot on the heels of its HiRise for iMac release, the Mac-only accessory maker known as Twelve South is outing a similar riser for MacBook products. Engineered to hoist MacBooks from 11 to 15 inches up off of one’s table, the HiRise for MacBook is a sleek, polished stand that serves a purpose much like the mStand from Rain Design. For avid MacBook users looking for a more ergonomic way to work, this is easily one of the best solutions out there. Unlike most rivals, Twelve South’s offering is adjustable, allowing you to raise and lower your MacBook’s keyboard and display to match the height of your eyes (or perhaps a nearby monitor). In our testing, we found the build quality to be exceptional, and it’s most certainly a piece that you’d be pleased to have sitting alongside your other work peripherals. It’s a bit heavy for travel — but then again, you can’t have that base being light enough to tip over — but those still interested can nab one at the source link for $69.99.

Filed under: Peripherals, Apple

Twelve South introduces HiRise for MacBook stand, shipping now for $70 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Nov 2012 14:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you’re looking for an easy way to raise your iMac screen closer to eye level, HiRise will do that. If you want a quick way to eliminate any trace that you use an external hard drive, or leave your keys and wallet on your desk HiRise will also do that. And because it’s machined from aluminum, it will do so in elegant fashion. More »

It’s almost silly to own an iPad or iPhone without a case — they’re such fragile devices. But not every case is a good one. In fact, we learned in this episode of Fly or Die that not every case even fits.

We decided to look at TwelveSouth’s BookBook iPhone case, Hard Candy’s BubbleSlider iPhone case, and the Candy Convertible iPad case by Hard Candy. Only one stole our hearts and minds, and even it is a bit bulky.

The BookBook iPhone case from Twelve South is the only case in the bunch that I’d even consider. It’s made of premium leather, looks like a slick little novel tucked away in your pocket, and holds your credit cards, ID and cash all in one place. It costs $59.99, which is a bit steep, but at the end of the day it’ll protect your phone and add a little flare to your daily accessories.

However, it’s a tad girthy for a girl’s pair of jeans (though presumably would do fine in a purse). If you’re holding the phone up to your face to talk, you have the extra credit card flap in your face, which is awkward, but that’s what headphones are for.

Then we move to Hard Candy’s offerings. In both cases, with the Bubble Slider and the Candy Convertible for iPad, the cases simply don’t fit the devices. Granted, the Bubble Slider is made for the iPhone 4 (which is why it makes zero sense that Hard Candy would send us the caes now), but even still it’s a bit pricey for what it does. The Bubble Slider is one of those plastic cases that breaks the fall by breaking. For $34.95, the value proposition isn’t good enough for me.

But where I get really frustrated is with Hard Candy’s Candy Convertible iPad case. It simply doesn’t fit. I like the idea of a card holder and the way it transforms into a stand, but if the case doesn’t fit and lets the iPad slip around within it, it’s probably not a good choice. Especially for $44.95.