Official iCreate Blog > JFTB

Howdy partners, the sunny weather has disappeared, so why not treat yourselves by going out and buying some cool accessories for your Apple goodies. Here are a couple of my favourites that have come in over the last week:

LAbesace CLASSIC laptop bag for MacBook 13″

For pretty much anyone who owns a laptop, a laptop bag is essential for when you need to transport and protect your MacBook. Made by Be.ez this bag is both roomy and yet still compact. Its called LAbesace and it will hold your MacBook and plenty of accessories, including A4 documents. Its been built to act like a shell, offering good protection on all sides. Inside, the high density padding is up to 8mm thick offering you the optimum in protection for your MacBook. The LAbesace will set you back £35.99. For more information visit www.be-ez.com.

LArobe for MacBook 13′

If you’re not quite ready to buy a dedicated bag for your laptop but want to give your MacBook some added protection whilst it in your normal holdall, then take a look at LArobe from be.ez. This is a snug zipped cover for your MacBook that will stop it getting scratched and battered while it rumbles around with all your other gear. There are a range of colours to choose from and the soft foamy material will definitely offer enough protection for most people. The LArobe is also good value as you can pick them up for about £13. For more information visit www.be-ez.com.

Hello again, its been another week of checking out the latest products to go with your Apple lifestyle. This time around I’ve got an iPod case and some speakers for you to look at…

This offering from Gear4 is very good case for your iPod Touch. Its called the iVAk and as well as being made from very tough plastic its got a built in hard screen protector so there’s no fumbling around with flimsy bits of plastic and worrying about air bubbles getting in the way of your display. It does however mean you need to be a bit more forceful with your finger while navigating menus and using gestures. The iVak also features a built in kick-stand so you can set your iPod down to watch some video, this is great for when you’re traveling. The case itself is scratch resistant and has a nice thin profile. It will set you back £24.99 and is a great for overall protection, the built in screen protector offers massive piece of mind when your iPod is in a pocket or bag. For more information go to www.gear4.com.

For those of you who like to get their music out there as often as possible, portable speakers are a must. This impressively compact system called the BlackBox mini from Gear4 has a great sound for its size and will run off of four AA batteries, USB or mains power. Because of its tiny size there’s no dock but you can connect an iPod using the provided mini-jack lead. It also has Bluetooth, so you can stream tracks from your mobile phone. The controls are touch sensitive and the whole unit is a deep glossy black. The mini also comes with a carry case so you can easily take it wherever you want. A unit of this quality doesn’t come cheap, despite its diminutive size. This one will set you back £49.99 and you can get more information by visiting www.gear4.com.

Hello ladies and gents, we’ve seen some better weather down here in sunny Bournemouth, the snow has gone and the sun has come out. As a result Ben has been poncing about in a couple of questionable hats, made out of wicker or hemp or something…

Anyway, here are a some more bits of kit for you to take a look at:

Digital photo frames are becoming more and more mainstream these days, and why not? If you’ve got great snaps, this is the perfect way to get them in a frame as soon as possible. Despite the terrible name, the DF7220 from Parrot has some good features – you can connect it to your Mac or send pics via Bluetooth. There are a range of options for viewing including a couple of slideshow options and even some stock photos of random people for you to use if they’re better-looking than your friends and family! Unlike a lot of Digi photo frames, this one has a nice simple frame and decent resolution. Well worth a buy for £99 and a good reason to take your camera wherever you go so you can quickly upload those priceless snaps of people in embarrassing predicaments . For more information visit www.parrotshopping.com/uk

Agent 18 make very good cases, including this Touch Shield for the iPod touch. They’re made from very tough plastic and have a very thin form factor, so they’re not adding too much bulk to your iPod. They clip together in two halves, offering good protection against spills whilst giving you easy access to all your ports and buttons. The only failing with this case is that it doesn’t come with a screen protector, so unless you buy one elsewhere the most vulnerable part of your iPod is at risk. Still, for £13 you can’t go far wrong and you’d have enough change from a score to buy some separate screen protectors if you really want them. For more information check the Agent 18 website at www.agent18.com

Hello girls and boys, hope you’ve been enjoying the great British weather over the weekend, you can’t beat a bit of snow in April. I’ve got a treat for you today, I must say. There are, as usual, two items in my little report and the first is one of the coolest I’ve seen…

iCovers - iPod Classic cover

iCovers are a new type of case for your iPod that allows you to choose from a massive range of artwork to spice up your favourite MP3 player. They are a very thin, (less than 2 mm) and made with premium 3M vinyl and adhesive technology. They’re basically super strong stickers that will give you scratch protection whilst keeping your iPod looking as slim and as cool as ever. They are crafted using the same process and materials used in making the stickers for F1 cars, which is pretty cool in itself. The stickers are finished with an ultra-clear, scratch resistant and anti-slip glossy coating for added durability and a photo quality finish. When you get these cases out of the packet its very clear that they will protect your device, the material has a tough quality and can be removed and reapplied easily, so you can buy more than one of these and change them around as often as you want. The lack of bulk also means you can use all your docking accessories without having to remove the case. The only downside to these is that they’re not offering any protection in a dropping situation, but most cases don’t. The case for the classic will set you back £15.99 and you can select your design from www.styleyouripod.com, there’s loads to choose from so get online and give them a look, and also watch out for more coverage in the magazine.

Incipio - iPhone Bikini case

If you thought the iPhone was lacking a little cleavage, then why not give it some extra sex-appeal with the Bikini from Incipio? The company is quick to point out that this is not a proper case, so don’t expect any protective value whatsoever here – as with bikini-clad beauties on the beach, it’s all about the aesthetics. So if you’re planning a trip to get some sun this summer don’t just pack your own beach togs, dress you’re iPhone for fun in the sun too. Check out www.myincipio.com for a range of colours, these cases will cost you £10.99.

Boo-hoo, Ben. I thought this blog was created for a bit of creativity and the like, not a place for the editor to complain about microwave meals for one. Loner. You need a good woman, son, to look after you, like my old mum looks after me. Chips on tap, that’s what I’ve got and the odd kebab thrown in when she fancies a walk.

Anyway, this week I’ve got a couple of cool products to chuck your way. If you love big cans and you’ve got an ear for a good choon then you need to take a look at the SK Pro’s from super-fashionable brand Skullcandy. These guys have a very cool reputation, so you know that once they’re on your head they’re going to look good. They also have all the specifications you’d expect from a pair of £96 headphones: 50mm drivers and a frequency response of 20-20,000Hz. Comfort wise, you won’t have to suffer for the fashion as these have soft leather earcups, and 90-degree swivelling action. A very nice pair.
For more information head to www.skullcandy.com

Portable speakers are all the rage these days. For iPod owners the sensible choice is one with a dock. However, if you want to look further toward speakers with just a line in cable then you should look at the Parrot PARTY. This cool looking speaker system can be battery or mains powered. It delivers a surprisingly good sound for its size, and as well as the line in you can stream music from a Bluetooth device, like your phone (sadly not your iPhone). Definitely worth a look if you can handle losing a dock. A smart little unit with a with a cracking sound. They’ll set you back £79.99 so they’re not cheap, but if you’ve got the cash then give them a go.
For more information head to www.parrotshopping.com

Alright, you lot? We’re talking protection today, not the kind you need on the mean streets where I’m from, but protection for your beloved Apple gadgets. So, the two products I’ve got for you are from PDAir, one for your Al Capone (iPhone) and the other for your fishing rod (iPod).

The first, called the Pouch Case for iPhone will set you back £14 and it’s not for the timid. Be proud, you own an iPhone – so wear it on your belt as a beacon of your technology bling. If you love your iPhone and want everyone to see you displaying it proudly about the hip, then you need this case. Premium leather, white stitching and a belt clip provide all the ingredients you’re gonna need. If you prefer to be subtle then you can remove the belt clip, but there’s not much chance it will fit in your sky rocket (pocket). This is a good all rounder that’ll stop you scratching the iPhone should you get in any scrapes or scuffles.

JFTB rating: Nugget – Score – Pony - Bullseye – Monkey

The next offering from PDAir is their originally named iPod Nano Case and it will set you back £12.50. In my opinion this is the best case they make. Flip cases are a bit hard to manage on the bigger iPods – there’s no cool factor when there’s tons of leather and plastic flying about while you’re trying to navigate menus on a packed tube train. On a small and compact case they’re actually very lemon-tart (smart). This nano flip case is excellent. It may look like one of those key rings that holds a picture of your cat, but it actually holds some swanky technology. Nice.

JFTB rating: Nugget – Score – Pony - Bullseye – Monkey

For more information on PDAir cases check out their website at www.pdair.com

This is a weekly column that I will be writing for iCreate so watch this space for more. You may get to hear from me on the podcast too…. Laters.