Nothing makes people more paranoid than a shiny new gadget, especially if it’s an expensive-to-replace shiny new iPhone 3GS gadget fresh from Apple. Cases can’t work miracles, but they can go a long way towards helping you avoid dust and dirt, nicks and scratches, and — depending on how hardcore you go — cracks and breaks. Oh, and they can also stylize your iPhone beyond Apple’s iconic black and white, if that’s how you want to roll.

We’ll be rounding up some accessories for new iPhone owners in the coming days, and because we’re just as paranoid, we’re starting with cases.

Luxury Leather: Sena Elega Case

Jeremy loves the Sena Elega Pouch Case ($39.95 – TiPb Store link). Napa leather on the outside, velvet on the inside, with shock-absorbing padding and a belt clip, this top loader also has cut-outs so your speakers don’t get muffled when listening with the case on.

Get a Grip: Seidio Innocase II

Dieter still likes the grippy goodness of the Seidio Innocase II [$29.95 - TiPb Store link] because, let’s face it, the plastic backing of the iPhone 3GS might not blend, but it doesn’t exactly stick to the hand either. With a soft-touch, “rubberized” finish, and ultra-slim profile, the Innocase II provides just enough protection without getting in your way about it.

Layered Protection: OtterBox Defender

Casey called this one protection without compromise, and certainly if you need to keep your iPhone 3GS safe come rain or shine (light rain, not the pool!), Otterbox Defender [$44.95 - TiPb Store link] brings it like armor. Rather than chain and plate, however, a polycarbonate sheet covers the screen, a polycarbonate skeleton provides crush-protection, and a silicone skin finishes off the impact-proofing.

Charge and Go: Mophie Juice Pack

James still won’t leave home without the Mophie Juice Pack ($99.95 – TiPb Store link). What with push notification, video shooting and sharing, and faster, better processors, the iPhone 3GS is even harder to put down, and that means even harder to keep charged. If you need a case, and want to keep going, and going Mophie Juice Pack can give you 6 additional hours of 3G talk time and 8 hours of video watching.

More than Skin Deep: BodyGuardz

If you want some of the protection but none of the look or bulk of a case — high-tech applications to the rescue! Made from the same material that is used to protect the front of automobiles from stones and other abrasive elements, BodyGuardz [$24.99 - TiPb store link] is transparent, tough, and come two to a box should you need to protect more than one iPhone, or want a spare just in case.

Conclusion

From almost not-there, to full on hasmet suit-like coverage, from clear to colorful, if you want a case to protect or pretty up your iPhone 3GS, there’s a wide variety of forms and fashions to fit your needs.

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Top 5 Cases for the iPhone 3GS – TiPb Picks

We mentioned Bluetooth 3.0 before, and now it looks like the spec is getting a tad more specified. WMExperts has the story covered but suffice it to say it’s stronger, better, faster, longer. (Or at least it borrows 802.11 WiFi power when it needs to be).

Lot’s we still don’t know, however, including whether by some miracle Apple could have it ready — or at least ready to be upgradable — by the time we get some new iPhone hardware this summer. Also, whether or not we’ll be able to use BT 3.0 for wondrous things like wireless local syncing of ginormous media files.

With the new accessory access APIs announced as part of iPhone 3.0, however, it looks like we will be seeing some amazing new stuff coming our way… at some point.

What would you like to see?

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Bluetooth 3.0 Standard Announced – in Time for iPhone 3.0?

Okay, my first thought was “finally, they’ve figured out how to use the iPhone to power optic blasts!”, so I was ready to strap one on, grab the rest of the X-Men, and go take down known BlackBerry Storm user, Magneto.

Alas, turns out that while optic blasts didn’t make the final release, this new cable does support using the iPhone with a set of Vuzix 3D headgear. With more and more video making the leap to 3D, no doubt this opens the iPhone up to watching those leaps in even more realistic — and scarier — ways.

Not sure I’m ready to strap on a visor for my next plane trip though. How about you? Can’t wait for Monsters vs. Aliens or Avatar, or are you holding fast until they can just beam the stuff straight into your brain?

[via Engadget]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

iPhone Goes 3D with Vuzix

Let me start off by saying I’m not usually a fan of any protective skins for any cell phones that are currently on the market. I’ve found that Egrips for iPhone 3G have to sway me in a different direction, however, and I’ve found they can be quite valuable. If you’d like a more confident grip on your iPhone 3G, then Egrips available from The iPhone Blog Store for the price of $14.95, just may be what you are looking for.

For a more in depth look, keep reading after the break!

Design

Egrips are made from a specially formulated silicone elastomer that has an extreme amount of friction that prevents your iPhone 3G from sliding around on almost any surface, as long it is dry. You name it, it will stick — things like car seats, center consoles, counter tops, desktops, laptops and even your shirt sleeve. Egrips are only 0.5mm thick so if you decide these are for you, the days of bulky silicone skins and cases.

In the package you get 4 separate strips to apply to your iPhone 3G. The back piece, two pieces for each side of the home button, and one last piece for the upper right hand corner next to the handset speaker. You may be wondering, where is the piece for the left of the handset speaker? Well that’s an easy one to answer: there is none (it would cover the light sensors). Don’t fret just yet, you can still place your phone face down without it getting scratched. The three pieces do a fine job. Something else worth mentioning here is that Egrips comes in two variations: black (what I went with), or clear.

Usability

How many times have you set your iPhone 3G down on the passenger seat while you were driving only to take a turn and see your precious phone go flying off of the seat and crashing into the door or onto the floor? Scary moments, I know. I was a bit skeptical when I first received my Egrips but I put it to the test by placing my my iPhone 3G on the leather passenger seat in my car and took a nice quick ride. While I was nervous that my phone would go flying, to my surprise it didn’t move an inch. Success!

While some of you who don’t use a case may really enjoy Egrips on their own, I can understand there may be a concern for those who do use a case. I have eight or nine cases for my iPhone 3G, with the Egrips applied to my phone I was able to still use all of my holstered cases. Vertical or horizontal, it did not make a difference. For those of you who use hard cases or silicone cases, I am afraid you are out of luck. That add extra thickness of .05mm is just a bit too much for those types of cases.

A few more questions I had were: how long and how well would it stay on my iPhone 3G and would it stay clean? Honestly, I’ve only been testing out Egrips for about a week and I can say that I see no signs of them coming off anytime soon. None of the corners have peeled up or are showing any signs of that happening, which is a good thing. If you do want to remove it for whatever reason it does indeed come off without leaving any residue or damaging the phone in any way shape or form. Now the other all-important question: how clean would this sticky material actually stay over a period of time? Again, Egrips did not disappoint. What I expected was something similar to a silicone case. You put it in your pocket and when you remove it, it’s covered in lint. Not the case with Egrips, which was nice to see.

Conclusion

So if you are someone who likes the whole “naked” look of your iPhone 3G but you want a little more reassurance in terms of grip, Egrips are just the sort of product you should consider trying out. If you are someone who loves a hard case or simply wants the best protection you can get, you might want to pass on Egrips.

Pros

• Gives you excellent added grip
• Does not add much extra bulk to your iPhone
• Fairly cheap

Cons

• Does not offer the overall protection that a normal case can
• Hinders your ability to use some cases while Egrips are on iPhone

TiPb Rating

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Review: Egrips for the iPhone 3G

Unlike the snow, TiPb’s 2008 Holiday Gift Guide has come and gone, but while festivities pass, the gift of giving lasts all year long — especially when loved ones are expecting them some Valentine’s gift love! So, TiPb once again comes to the rescue with our 2009 Valentine’s Day iPhone Gift Guide!

Need something special for that someone special? We got’cha covered after the break!

iPhone

Carrier subsidies means you still can’t just walk into a store and buy your sweetheart an iPhone 3G, but Apple has thrown you a tiny, little bone with iPhone gift certificates, which, like Apple Store and iTunes gift certificates, fit neatly in a heart-shaped candy box and can help take the sting out of buying an iPhone or some content.

Chargers

Tired of your sweet-talk cutting off after a full day of surfing and gaming the iPhone’s battery away? Not a problem. Just get your honey (and yourself) an extender. The Mophie Juice Pack works like a case, the Seidio Innocell fits like an extender, or the RichardSolo dongles off the bottom. And if you just want to plug in and re-charge, everyone at TiPb loves the Griffin PowerDuo. Check them out, and then chat the night away!

Cases

Want to protect the one you love? And their iPhone? Cases are the way to go. Whether it’s our favorite from last year, the Innocase II , the latest and most Barely-There from Case-Mate (yep, it comes in hot pink!), or the sheer goodness of a BodyGuardz Skin, nothing says love like an iPhone glove! And if you want full-on armor, check out ElementCase (now in hot Valentine colors!)

Bluetooth

What’s hotter than hands-free? Get your car kit on with the Parrot Minikit Slim for speaker goodness, or the latest from Motorola, the H15 if you prefer to take it anywhere, on the go. Bling your thing? The Jawbone 2 is still tough to beat, especially for whispering those noise-free sweet nothings.

Apps

It wouldn’t be a special occasion without every developer and their marketer pushing out the App Store Valentine tie-ins (iTunes search link), would it? We haven’t tried any out yet (we prefer to wait until the last minute, panic, and then desperately try to load up our true love’s iPhone with Apps before a vase gets broken over our non-romantic, terminally insensitive heads), but Apple has their “picks” (iTunes featured link), and we’d love to get your thoughts in the comments!

Your Recommendations?

What did we miss? Any killer apps? Must-have accessories? What does your secret admirer need to leave at your doorstep this Valentine’s Day? Drop some ideas in the comments, would ya? Make sure we don’t end up sleeping on the couch (again!) this year…

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb 2009 Valentine’s Day iPhone Gift Guide

Every week, the TWiT.tv network produces MacBreak Weekly netcast (podcast). Every week, the panel on MacBreak Weekly announces their “picks of the week”. This week, noted photographer Scott Bourne’s pick was a $15,000 iPhone accessory: the Mamiya DL28 Digital Camera System.

Okay, technically it’s a lot more than just an accessory. It’s a professional caliber digital camera, but Bourne chose it because it… works with the iPhone, with full multi-touch support!

Reportedly, you’ll be able to view pictures as they are taken (similar to how a laptop-tethered solution works) and perhaps do some manipulation of the images as well. Not sure if it’s a WiFi/Bonjour solution like the Apple Remote app, but seeing the iPhone’s interface potential being increasingly leveraged by technology like the Mamiya, SONOS, etc. is very exciting.

And, Bourne also informed us this was only the second most expensive iPhone accessory he’s come across. The most expensive, currently, is an iPhone compatible Mercedes Benz…

Anyone breaking out their American Express Black Card for a little shopping spree? And for those more budget conscious among us, what other devices would you like to control with your iPhone? Your Roomba? Your fridge? Let us know!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Got $15,000 for an iPhone Accessory? Mamiya Has the DL28 Digital Camera System!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Macworld: Day 2 Redux: More Apps and Accessories Gallery

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Macworld Day 2: Accessory Overload Gallery

The kind folks over at Element Case have hooked TiPb up for the holidays! That’s right, they were generous enough to drop off a pack of custom tricked-out iPhone cases not just for us to review — but for us to give away to you, the best dang blog readers, forum posters, and podcast listeners on the interwebs.

These aren’t just any cases, mind you. These are the hardcore high-end rigs of cases. Jeremy’s already gotten his hands all over them (and took some time out of his hectic holiday schedule to snap the pics above and below) and he says they’re well made and built for gaming, with the special bonus of making sure you don’t cover up the speaker when holding them (nice touch!).

Thanks to everyone at Element Case for hooking us up, and stay tuned for your chance to take one of these custom TiPb cases home for the new year!

(To check out their whole selection, head on over to the Element Case Shop).

More pics after the break…

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb Give Away: Hardcore ElementCases for the Holidays!

What to get for that annoying iPhone owner who knows has everything? For that new iPhone user who’s just getting started? For that last minute drop in you never expected but suddenly have to render iSpeechless?

TiPb’s got you covered! Here’s our 2008 Gift Guide, jammed packed with iPhone goodness just in time for the holidays, after the jump!

Rene Recommends

Gift Certificates! Be they for the iPhone 3G itself, for anything at the Apple Store, or for iTunes and its App Store. Take the first two with you to the Apple Store for specialist, even Genius help, or shop in the comfort of your own iTunes with the last one, Apple’s made it easy to give the least assumptive gift of the season.

Dieter Recommends

• BodyGuardz Protective Skin is a scratch-proof transparent film for your iPhone 3G. Designed to custom fit each particular device, these protectors are made from the same material that is used to protect the front of automobiles from stones and other abrasive elements. Tough and durable, you can be assured that your device is protected by BodyGuardz.
• Motorola H15 Bluetooth Headset lets you enjoy pure sound quality on both ends of the conversation with CrystalTalk. The flip design is easy to use – open to talk and close to save battery.
• Griffin PowerDuo combines the redesigned PowerBlock AC charger and PowerJolt auto charger in one convenient bundle.

Brian Recommends

• Seidio Innocase II, which features their unique soft touch “rubberized” surface and is less than 1mm thick but provides a strong layer of protection and excellent grip for youriPhone 3G .
• The New Jawbone is the next step in the integration of best in class noise elimination technology with personal design that is both humanistic and minimal.
• Inno.dock junior desktop cradle from Seidio, which is powered through your computers USB port with the use of the included cable and the charging connector lets you adjust the docking position of your phone.

Casey Recommends

• Case-Mate Vroom, which Kicks it into high gear with a new tire-tread pattern iPhone 3G case. Made from 100% rubber, this sporty form-fit iPhone 3G case will protect your phone in style.
• Plantronics Discovery 925 Bluetooth Headset is your essential conversation piece, blending an elegantly simple design with crisp sound quality and lightweight comfort.
• Marware Sportsuit Convertible is the most versatile sport armband case for the iPhone 3G. The Convertible is really three cases in one: it transforms into an easily adjustable armband case, a clip-on case for a belt or shoulder strap, or a slim-profile sleeve for an extra layer of protection in a pocket, gym bag, backpack or purse.

Chad Recommends

• Apple iPhone Bluetooth Headset let’s you answer iPhone calls wirelessly with a compact and lightweight Bluetooth Headset. You also get an iPhone Bluetooth Travel Cable for convenient syncing and charging.
• Griffin PowerDuo can’t be recommended enough. I am very pleased with the quality and versatility of this accessory, and I can proudly say I use it every day.
• Case-Mate Naked Case with full touch-through access to your screen via an electrostatic membrane that will also protect your iPhone 3G screen from scratches, fingerprints and other mishaps.

Jeremy Recommends

• Case-Mate The Hipster a durable leather pouch that keeps your 3G iPhone safely and stylishly by your side at all times. With it’s fixed belt clip and a magnetic snap, your iPhone 3G will be protected against the elements wherever you go.
• Griffin PowerDuo includes a charge/sync cable for iPhone 3G, iPhone, iPod touch, or iPod Touch 2G with full-sized dock connector.
• The New Jawbone is a miracle of miniaturization and 50% smaller than the original Jawbone.

Your Recommendations?

What did we miss? Any killer apps? Must-have accessories? What does your secret gift’er need to wrap up for you this year? What are you telling Papa Jobs you really want left under your iPhone? We only started this list; didn’t even check it twice! Drop some ideas in the comments, would ya? Make sure we get this right!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb’s 2008 iPhone Holiday Helper Gift Guide