iLounge

First Looks

Welcome to our new, continuously-updated First Looks - a collection of previews showing brand new iPod, iPhone and iPad accessories that we’re currently in the process of testing. Here’s what’s hot right now:

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Company: Speck Products

Website: http://www.speckproducts.com/

Model: HandyShell for iPad mini

Price: $TBD

Compatible: iPad mini

Speck HandyShell for iPad mini

Based heavily on the earlier HandyShell for iPad, Speck's new HandyShell for iPad mini ($TBD) continues to feature a prominent rear kickstand that roughly doubles the device's thickness -- and serves as a carrying handle should you want to hold the mini that way. The soft plastic frame wraps around all of the mini's metal, leaving only nicely-tailored holes for ports, the rear camera, and the side switch, with tiny dots to ventilate the speakers. Speck leaves the screen entirely exposed, apart from a thick lip of plastic around the front bezel's edges.

Company: Hard Candy Cases

Website: www.Hardcandycases.com

Model: ShockDrop

Price: $50

Compatible: iPad (5th-Gen)

Hard Candy Cases ShockDrop for iPad (5th-Gen)

In anticipation of the fifth-generation iPad's release -- which it believes will take place in June -- Hard Candy Cases is already manufacturing units for the unannounced but widely discussed device. We've just received ShockDrop ($50), and it matches what we've previously heard and seen about the dimensions of Apple's upcoming tablet. The design is based very heavily on previous ShockDrop cases, including the iPad mini model, which was notably the first case we received for that device. It's comprised of a hard plastic frame with a built-in screen protector, plus a thick, textured rubber skin that covers the back and comes around the front edges. Notably, this version is narrower than current-generation iPad cases, accommodating what's expected to be a smaller bezel around the new iPad's screen. The inner frame suggests that the iPad will be smaller in every dimension than its predecessor, with separate openings for dual speakers on the bottom, much like those on the iPad mini. Notably, the hard plastic frame's Home Button opening is sized just like the iPad mini's -- smaller than on prior full-sized iPads -- and the top corner positions of the buttons, side switch, and rear camera all precisely match the iPad mini's, too. Assuming that Hard Candy's dimensions are correct, the iPad 5 also appears to be just a hair thicker than the mini, which is to say much thinner than the third- and fourth-generation models.

Company: Belkin

Website: www.belkin.com

Models: Dyle Mobile TV

Price: $130

Compatible: iPad, iPad 2, iPad (3rd-Gen), iPhone 4/4S

Belkin Dyle Mobile TV for iPad + iPhone (Dock Connector)

Announced in January 2012, Belkin's Dyle Mobile TV ($130) is a TV tuner for the iPhone and iPad, arriving a year and a half later with some pretty serious caveats. Reliant on the all-but-discontinued 30-Pin Dock Connector to connect to Apple's devices -- but compatible with Apple's Lightning to 30-Pin Adapter -- the black plastic Dyle Mobile TV sports a telescoping silver metal antenna to pick up local over-the-air TV broadcasts, as well as a watch battery compartment for power. A carrying case is included to make it easier to tote around when it's not in use. Once you load the Dyle app, you're prompted for a bit of demographic information to help the software figure out the local stations you can tune, providing a clean-looking list of options on the screen. Unfortunately, Dyle's service for whatever reason is location-restricted -- a coverage map showed no service at all in our area -- so the app can't actually display anything here for the time being. We'll revisit the accessory in the event that local support is added, but we were surprised to find it useless here given the lengthy development time.

Company: Jison Case

Website: www.jisoncase.com

Model: Luxury Leather Smart Case for iPad mini, Quilted Leather Cover for iPad, Quilted Leather Cover for iPad mini, Vintage Real Leather Smart Cover for iPad

Price: $84-$200

Compatible: iPad 2, iPad (3rd/4th-Gen) + iPad mini

Jison Case Leather + Leatherette Cases for iPad 2, iPad (3rd/4th-Gen) + iPad mini

We originally passed on reviewing Jison Case's iPad protectors when we first saw them last winter, but a second and somewhat improved shipment has arrived. Luxury Leather Smart Case for iPad mini ($200), Quilted Leather Cover for iPad ($92), Quilted Leather Cover for iPad mini ($84), and Vintage Real Leather Smart Cover for iPad ($97) are all takes on leather or leatherette folio-style cases. They offer different folding lids, and different material textures, but have essentially the same iPad-covering body. The camera, headphone port, microphone, side switch, connector port, and speakers are all exposed, as they should be. Jison Case decided, however, to leave the Sleep/Wake and volume buttons covered with material -- not with properly elevated, padded shields, but just covered over as if they're not there at all. On some, pressing down with unusual force can activate the buttons, but at least one of the cases we tested had an unusable Sleep/Wake Button. This is the same issue that led us to pass on the original cases, but since the company has yet to fully remedy the issue even after receiving our comments, we present its offerings as they are.