cases

If you glance at your iPhone wish list, you may see things like longer battery life, expandable SD memory, a better flash, and an old school 30-pin connector for your shiny new iPhone 5. You can have all those things if you're willing to pledge $75 to the iExpander project on Kickstarter.

The iExpander is a jack-of-all-trades case that crams a whole lot into a relatively small size. You're still going to add 6.3mm of chunk to your sleek phone, but the trade-off is pretty tempting.

Let's start with the flashy stuff. The case has an ultrathin CAP-XX supercapacitor that powers an LED flash that can make a big difference in the quality of your low-light photos. … Read more

iPhone 5 owners looking for cases at their local Apple store may finally see some in the next couple of weeks.

Apple-approved third-party cases could reach store shelves the week of October 22, multiple sources reportedly told 9to5Mac. Though that time frame could change, the cases should at least appear by the end of October.

The iPhone 5 hit stores almost three weeks ago, but Apple has been slow in stocking cases, screen covers, and other accessories.

Why the delay? Apple has to certify and approve every product sold in its stores, including those from third parties. And that process … Read more

At least one accessory maker is hoping to pick up some business with what has been perceived as a shortcoming of the iPhone 5's camera.

Fotodiox, an Illinois-based company, has a new case out called the camHoodie ($24.95) that promises to "greatly reduce purple lens flare."

There's no magic behind that claim, just a piece of rubber that acts as a lens hood to keep stray light from coming in. It's held on by a case designed to keep the back and sides of the phone from getting nicked.

The issue in question is … Read more

Most iPhone cases serve exactly one purpose: to protect your iPhone.

Occasionally you find one that can pull kickstand duty as well, or perhaps open a beer bottle or add a tripod mount.

Pbbblllttt. Indiegogo project ReadyCase offers seven handy tools in one iPhone case. It's already well past the $15,000 goal the developers set, so now you just need to decide if you want to get one for an early-bird price.

Despite measuring just 3mm thick, the ReadyCase includes a removable USB flash drive (8GB or 16GB), a removable multitool (with standard and serrated blades, a flat-head … Read more

One guy has definitely found the ultimate gig -- shooting at inanimate objects with high-powered weaponry and monetizing the results through videos on YouTube.

That gentleman, known online as RatedRR (Richard Ryan), shoots up a Marudai bulletproof iPhone case with a high-powered sniper rifle for our enjoyment. The very thick iPhone case came out last April with tank-like aesthetics and the claim of being able to withstand a .50 caliber bullet. Aside from a boisterous weight of 4.6 pounds, the Japanese iPhone case costs 52,000 yen ($665). … Read more

Are you a self-righteous iPhone devotee? It's OK, we know you're out there, so why not flaunt it?

Like the iPhone 5 itself, this $34.95 forthright and obnoxious case is elegant, simple, and "just works..." at irritating the heck out of the Android fanboi next to you on the train whose Galaxy S3 just gave him a "force close" error.… Read more

Apple doesn't make life that easy for accessory makers before it launches its products, but after the unveiling it shares some of its secrets. Following the iPhone 5 launch, manufacturers scrambled to figure out the dimensions and feature placements so they could rush their cases to market. CNET's Daniel Terdiman was with Incase during the launch as the company monitored the live blogs covering the event  and gathered information in preparation for having iPhone 5 cases in the market by October 1.  Now they have all the information they need, as Apple published a detailed schematic … Read more

SAN FRANCISCO--As Apple CEO Tim Cook took the stage for his company's iPhone 5 media event yesterday, a group of hard-core Apple users a block away settled in to find out exactly what the new device had to offer.

With no less than nine Macs and eight iPhones in evidence, these ten people could easily be mistaken for a standard bunch of fanboys (and girls) eager to get their first official information about the iPhone 5. But they were hardly a normal group. This was much of the brain trust at Incase, one of the world's largest makers … Read more

If the iPhone case fits, acquit.

Last year, Hard Candy Cases released an iPhone 5 case before the iPhone 5 actually was announced and got a little mud on its face when it didn't fit the iPhone 4S. It wasn't even close. (Hard Candy chalks it up to faulty intelligence and perhaps even some diversionary tactics by Apple).

Well, after last year's small embarrassment, Hard Candy is at it again, announcing the ShockDrop case for iPhone 5. And I just got received the new Gumdrop Drop Tech Series iPhone 5 case ($44.95) in the mail about … Read more