Cases

I always keep my iPhones in a case, and I've never broken a phone. And increasingly, the case I use comes from Catalyst. At this year's CES, Catalyst gave me an Impact Protection Case ($39.99) to try with my iPhone 11. In the past, I've alternated between the case company's waterproof versions and its regular ones, and they all have the same rigid perimeter that protects all along the edges, including where the Lightning port and speakers are. In addition, the new Impact case has a wide opening for the different cameras and flash in the latest iPhone 11 series. The Catalyst Waterproof Case for iPhone 11 ($89.99) adds a hard-coated optical lens so you can take underwater photos and videos while still having protection!

I have been a fan of Catalyst's iPhone cases for some time, in large part because the company made iPhones waterproof long before Apple attempted to. I was able to try the Waterproof Case for AirPods Pro ($29.99) when I visited the company's booth at CES. They've done it again, this time for AirPods Pro. Keep in mind that the AirPods Pro case is considered water resistant but not waterproof. This is an important distinction that you don't want to find out the hard way, given how expensive those earbuds are.

If you prefer a leather folio case for your iPhone that has slots for credit cards, but also prefer a more compact case, the folks at Hex have a 4-in-1 iPhone Case ($99.99) they'd like you to try. They sent me one and it's got a lot going for it. It has three (or four in the case of the iPhone 11 Pro Max) slots on the back for credit cards, plus an internal slot for cash or more cards. And when you want to go it alone, the protective polymer phone case is easily detached from the wallet folio thanks to the metal plate and magnets built-in.

I have been covering (and using) cases from Urban Armor Gear for several years, and the cases always had a military-grade feel to them, with a rigid exoskeleton design. It looks like the company now wants to appeal to the masses, based on the Civilian Series iPhone Case ($49.95) it sent me to try. While the traditional models were thicker and had lots of flat surfaces, the Civilian is thinner, smoother, and rounder. But this protective iPhone case still has a rigid design that doesn't skimp around the ports, which some cases do.

I have never reviewed cases from Caudabe until the company recently sent me the slim Synthesis iPhone Case ($24.95). Caudabe seems to have found a niche for slim, rugged iPhone cases that it calls "Minimalist Perfection," and I can't disagree. These ultra thin protective iPhone cases are slim enough that those who prefer naked iPhones shouldn't object. Yet they add grippability through a unique polymer, which should prevent drops. 

While kids may flock to PopSockets, the colorful collapsible stand that you may have seen on the back of people's iPhones, there's an alternative that may appeal to kids as well as older folks who need to keep a secure grip on their mobile devices. I had the opportunity to try the CLKR Phone Grip and Stand (starting at $14.99) as CLCKR sent me some versions to try. Like a PopSocket, they can attach to an iPhone or you can buy iPhone cases with the CLCKR built in. I tried both.

Longtime readers of my reviews know that I like the juxtaposition of traditional materials like wood and leather with the latest in technology. A great subscriber to that philosophy is Nomad, and the company has numerous technology products featuring their high-end Horween leather. Nomad sent me its newest example, the Passport Wallet (79.95). The higher priced option includes a slim Tile Tracker as described below.

I am all-in on the digital economy. I use my Apple Watch and Apple Pay and Apple Card to conduct commerce. I try to carry as few credit cards as possible. But my wife still uses a checkbook and assorted credit cards, including store-specific payment and loyalty cards. But she also needs her iPhone when out and about. A cell phone purse is a great way to combine her old and new requirements, so I let her try the sample the Mule Clutch Wallet ($66.50) that Allett sent me.

I have reviewed a number of gaming controllers from GameSir but the i3 Gaming Case ($39.90) the company sent me to try breaks the iPhone Bluetooth game controller mold. Instead of a plastic Xbox-like controller fitted to work with and house an iPhone, GameSir started with an iPhone case and added buttons to it. 

With the vast variety of iPhone cases to choose from, companies have the opportunity to refine their solutions to specific market segments. Some focus on aesthetics, others on utility. In the case of Shuttercase, the company has targeted the photography/videography market with its rechargeable battery case shaped in the style of a DSLR camera back. Does this form factor help or hinder the encased iPhone's camera performance? Read on to find out.

MOFT recently shipped me the crowdfuned X Invisible Foldaway Stand (starting at $17) for both phones and tablets. MOFT has been selling similar items for laptops for some time, so in spite of being a Kickstarter project, this is the real deal. So what is it? It's a compact stand that is so thin it could fit in an envelope, but it expands to support a three different angles and accommodates both portrait and landscape modes. 

It always amazes me that, despite Apple’s reputation for secrecy, new iPhone cases are designed, manufactured, and shipped by case makers before the phones are even announced. Maybe Apple is loosening up, or they can’t control every worker in their Chinese factories, but the result is I have received dozens of cases to try before my new iPhones arrived. Now that I have been able to test the cases with actual iPhone 11 models, here are my impressions, in alphabetical order.

As Apple continues to design its iPad Pro line as the laptops of the future, having a way to safely carry not only the tablet but also a variety of accessories is practically mandatory. And with the release of iPadOS, the variety of USB-C accessories that provide more accessibility, charge, and storage will continue to expand the iPad Pro accessory universe. Given the iPad's thin footprint and comparatively small charger, using a traditional laptop bag to carry an iPad collection will add unnecessary carrying weight and leave a large amount of bag capacity unused. To address this specific market need, Cocoon Innovations has designed a messenger sling that protects your expensive iPad Pro and various accessories while keeping the bag ideally slim for lightweight travels and commutes.

I wrote this review on the anniversary of the moon landing. It's about time we had a space dividend for iPad users! Enter the Capsule Case ($59.99) that Phoozy sent me to try. The case is sold in a gold or silver finish that looks like something an astronaut would carry. For those who don't want that kind of attention, Phoozy also has a modern camouflage design or basic black. I prefer the gold, myself.

If Indiana Jones needed to carry an iPad or MacBook, he'd probably use the Men's Fashion Genuine Leather Shoulder Bag ($99.99) that SupWatch gave me to try. It's made of buttery-soft brown leather and looks great draped across the shoulder or men or women, and goes with just about any outfit. I would like to see more color choices, but this is neutral enough pull off do full-time duty, at work or play. It's larger than a purse, but smaller than a briefcase, so it's fine for your airplane "personal item" yet there are multiple compartments for storage.

How many times do you find yourself without power and no outlet nearby? Well, if you're trekking in a sunny area, you have a nice and nice looking option. In fact, my daughter will be backpacking in South Africa this summer, so I was excited when I received the Solar Backpack ICONIC ($119.90) from SunnyBAG. It's a backpack with a solar panel built-in to the exterior.

Recently I picked up a set of ThinOptics readers at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and I wrote about them. One concern I had is that they were so small and light that they didn't have a full frame to rest on your ears. The company reached out and sent me its Frontpage Computer Glasses and Milano Case ($49.95). These ThinOptics readers do include a frame and more!

If you bought an iPhone XR, as I did, you probably spent some time deciding on a color (I chose red) and the last thing you want to do is cover that phone in a solid case. At least that's how I felt. Fortunately, X-Doria makes some very protective cases that have a clear back. The company sent me the Defense Air ($39.99) in several colors. I chose the red one, and it looks quite stylish with the red iPhone XR. But X-Doria also offer versions with silver or black or teal. Apple offers the iPhone XR in more colors than that, so I would hope X-Doria would match the others, but if not, you can still mix and match nicely.

I love the juxtaposition of the latest technology with traditional luxurious materials. That's why I'm drawn to leather smartphone cases. But the folks at Hitcase sent me the Ferra iPhone Case ($59.99) and it goes the extra mile. In addition to leather (black or light brown) the case also has stainless steel accents, for the volume buttons, logo, and surrounding the camera lenses. That last part is important, because Hitcase adds its own bit of technology to each case.

The folks at Mophie basically invented the battery pack case. Mophie sent me its new Juice Pack Access ($99.95) for my iPhone XR and it's clear that the company is reinventing the battery case, leveraging the Qi-based wireless charging capabilities of the newer iPhones. As with its original line of cases, you essentially double the battery life of your iPhone, but this version does not interfere with your Lightning port. It charges your phone using the phone's built-in Qi wireless charging capability. You can still use the Lightning port to charge or use accessories like Apple's headphone and HDMI adapters. Ironically, if Apple had focused on making phones with larger batteries, even if they were thicker, the tech giant might have been able to leave the headphone jack in, and we might not need battery cases. But Apple's focus on thinness has hurt battery life, and led to the loss of the headphone jack, so Mophie has an answer.