Category: News

The Case-Mate Gelli for iPad ($40) is a simple, thin piece of clear, flexible plastic that protects the back of the iPad from scratches. But there’s nothing premium about it except its $40 price tag. With cheaper, almost-identical, generic versions available, there’s little reason for iPad users to take a closer look.

The Gelli is made entirely out of a translucent, flexible plastic (called thermoplastic, according to Case-Mate) that is decorated with a subtle pattern of triangles that covers the entire rear of the case. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but we didn’t find it a particularly good-looking case. The triangles looked awkward against the iPad, especially with the text and Apple logo visible through the clear plastic. We found the overall aesthetics generic.

The Gelli a simple case without a lot of features or versatility, but there are a few things we liked about it. First, the case is thin and lightweight, barely adding any weight or bulk to the iPad. The iPad is just as convenient to carry around and use inside the case as out. Second, the case is easy to slip on and off. Third, it allows you to lay the iPad anywhere without worry of permanently scratching its back or getting it dirty. And fourth, it doesn’t interfer with using the iPad at all, except that, as with all cases, it won’t allow the iPad to be docked with Apple’s official iPad dock.

But in the end, the Gelli is really just an average, overpriced piece of molded plastic. With so many similar generic cases under $10 available online, there’s no justification for spending $40 on the Gelli.

Overall, except for its generic design, the Gelli is not a bad case—it won’t get in your way for basic, everday iPad use—it’s just an average case, if that’s a sin, and it’s hard to recommend with an expensive price tag. 6.8 out of 10, average.

The JAVOedge Charcoal Axis ($40) is a stylish, fabric-covered iPad case whose killer feature is that, as a stand, it supports holding the iPad in both landscape and portrait orientation. But it’s also not without some big flaws, namely a bulky, awkward shape that makes it uncomfortable to hold in normal tablet use. The case is ultimately a series of tradeoffs, but useful for those who primarily use the iPad on desks and tables.

Javoedge Axis in portrait orientation.

JAVOedge Axis in landscape.

The most compelling feature of the Axis case is that, when used as a stand, the rear part of the case can rotate 360 degrees, creating horizontal and vertical views for the iPad’s screen. To create the stand, the case’s front cover has three rectangular ridges of rubber on the inside that allow you to tilt the iPad at 6 total angles—3 for landscape and 3 for portrait.

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From a company known for its cutting-edge design and attention to detail, we were expecting a lot from the Apple iPad Case ($40). Putting it through its paces, we found that it does has a few nice features like the fact that it doubles and that it adds minimal weight and thickness to the iPad. But a few flaws make the case an underwhelming value for the price, especially in light of the growing selection of cases available. Chief among those flaws are durability issues, ungainly looks, and an uncomfortable feel.

At first glance, the Apple iPad case appears to be a soft, silicone rubber case, and indeed the entire outer layer made of the material. But hidden underneath are three pieces of hard plastic that give the case shape and rigidity. There are two separate pieces of this hard plastic on the front panel that allow the case to be bent into a wedge-shaped stand, yet give the panel a flat, hard-cover look when in normal book-like use. Inside, a hard-plastic rim surrounds the iPad’s screen, helping to keep the iPad stable inside.

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Sometimes the best bargains in iPhone and iPad accessories can be found in the realm of generic products found on websites like Amazon or MonoPrice.com. Going that route can have its risks too. We discovered one case, the Acase Flip Book for iPad ($25), that has garnered a lot of positive reviews on Amazon. But how would it stand up to testing? Pretty well, we found.

The Acase Flip Book’s official description say it’s a leather case, but it’s really a faux leather material. There’s no cause for the manufacturer to artificially inflate expectations though, as we found it a stylish, well-designed case that looks and feels professional. And it’s bargain priced if you get it at the $25 price we paid and not the $80 suggested retail price (we think it’s on a permanent “sale” on Amazon).

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Want to see just how far the iPhone has come in 3 years? Check out the video below.

Besides the various speed tests, the video really shows how much better the iPhone 4’s contrast ratio is (check out how black the screen is in comparison to the other iPhones when all the screens are on).

And who knew the first-gen iPhone would have the fastest shutdown?