Gear Patrol

Manufacturers would prefer to regularly pillage your wallet by selling you a screen for every situation — but it doesn’t have to be that way. The Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover ($80+) can transform your favorite Apple tablet into a laptop-rivaling email burner — and spare you the hassle of lugging a Smart Cover too, since it doubles as a magnetic cover.

So you managed to score that shiny new iPad Mini. Next step: a case. We’ve saved you hours of SafeSearch Googling by rounding up 30 of the best iPad Mini cases at a variety of price points to help get your new Cupertino buddy from birthday suit to warm and cozy. Whether you prioritize looks, function or insurance for your butterfingers, each of these iPad Mini cases has a forte — and a price. We’ve ordered our selections starting with the most affordable and will update this article as better entries come along. So peruse, hone in, and for god’s sake, cover your shame man.

To the inexperienced, the words “techie” and “guy” seem synonymous. Sure, most guys do like technology these days — but like does not true a techie make. So while this list can absolutely be applied to any modern man, its real target is the hardcore gadget nut. The one who scours the blogs and refreshes…

Tis the season for galas, charity balls and swanky get-togethers galore, which is why MR PORTER’s new Tux App (free) is impeccably timed. The free iPad app is packed with plenty of tips for navigating black-tie events, starting with lessons on how to wear a tuxedo and tying a bow tie. The lifestyle-minded team at…

Steve Jobs had a lot to say about the market for 7-inch tablets back in October 2010: in his eyes, it boiled down to a conflict of hardware and software. “Apple’s done extensive user-testing on touch interfaces over many years, and we really understand this stuff… there are clear limits of how close you can…

You do the pocket dump every day after work… keys, wallet, smartphone, coins, sunglasses, knife, watch, etc. And somehow, they all end up in different places causing you to scramble the next morning. Well, you can park your precious EDC in the simple but ingenious Office Originair Table Island (~$49), which doesn’t just house your…

The new iRig Mix ($100) is packaged with the promise of portable party prowess to help you move the crowd. Whether you’re only rocking an iPhone, or packed your iPad too, IK Multimedia’s latest iTool will process your playlists and allow you to scratch and fade with any iOS device. Twist some knobs to fiddle…

A wise man uses his smartphone on vacation for rare occasions only — ok, and maybe some Angry Birds slingin’, too. The National Parks app by National Geographic (free, $1 per park guide) has us reconsidering that though. With its comprehensive and stunningly beautiful design, exploring 20 of America’s most popular parks has never been…

In the age of smartphones, data plans are a mobile provider’s ticket to profits and margins. It works because we sign up for generic buckets of bits, without a clue about how much bandwidth we actually blow through in a month. Onavo Extend originally launched back in 2011 for iOS users with the promise of…

Apple previously described its foray into the living room as a “hobby”. Now that the tiny black puck has been launched side-by-side with the new iPad, it seems more like the ultimate tablet accessory. Given the new iPad’s crazy-retina display, the new Apple TV finally matches the 1080p output of competing set-top streamers like the…

Right on schedule, Apple has announced their latest iteration of the new iPad. Yes, that’s its official name and it was the biggest surprise of the entire announcement. You can guess that the most important upgrade to the third generation of Cupertino’s market-dominating tablet lies in the ridiculous 2048 x 1536 retina display packed with…

A new season of baseball is upon us and with it comes the latest update to one of our all time favorite apps. In its latest iteration, MLB.com At Bat 12 delivers the avalanche of baseball stat goodness you’ve come to expect, but is now available on the iPhone, iPad, Android and Kindle — seriously,…

The Simple.TV is aimed at frugal households looking to save on cable costs without missing their generic investigative dramas. After connecting to a coax cable or HD antenna, a USB hard drive, and a home network, the device allows users to watch live shows in 1080p on their main TV, as well as on a…

The DODOcase has been a favorite accessory for iPad users looking to add an old school literary feel to their cutting edge gadget. While this isn’t the first collaboration by DODO that we’ve seen, this iteration created in partnership with eco-conscious upstart Vicarious by Nature still deserves a mention since it does a fine job…

The game that changed the gaming industry and inflamed parents across the globe thanks to its unabashed encouragement of senseless violence recently turned 10. To celebrate, Rockstar has re-released the classic for newer iOS (iPhone & iPad) and Android devices for a shocking price of $5. Essentially it’s the same experience most will remember, just…

Highlighting electronics accessories from a company like Restoration Hardware will always be a little difficult for us, since making furniture that both Dr. Evil and Dr. Jones could feel comfortable decorating their offices with is clearly their main focus. Still, this tasteful roll up travel charger ($50) packs too much convenience in such a classic-looking…

The third rule of Roadgo Dynamics dictates that the more gadgets you own, the more power cables you’re saddled with when it’s time to travel. Upon your arrival, finding enough available wall outlets is then about as easy as telling your better half she’s gained weight. The fine mac accessory makers at Twelve South have…

Shrouded in gleaming aluminium and molded rubber, the Revo K2 ($470) tower not only out-looks other, plebeian docks, but also offers access to virtually every radio signal under the sun including old-fashioned over-the-air and internet streaming stations including last.fm. Perfect for your morning dose of NPR. Besides a dearth of plastics, the K2 also features…

There are a handful of companies out there already trying to turn your smartphone or tablet into the universal remote of your dreams, but none of them has the home theater chops of Logitech. Now, after years of making the best universal remotes out there for the average consumer, the company’s new Harmony Link ($99)…

The coffee has been brewing nonstop here at GP HQ and for a good reason. Today, we’re excited to bring you the Gear Patrol iPad app, an entirely new (and better) way to read GP. The app features an all-new design that we think you’ll love, and thanks to our friends at Lexus, downloading it…

When you were a young boy, you could eat eight hot dogs at dinner, sleep two hours, run around for 12 hours without stopping, break your arm and heal in about fifteen minutes. As we mature that changes, and we are introduced to words like metabolism, prostate, ROTH IRA and hypertension. And in this culture…

IPhone, iPad, and iPod touch owners will receive a ton of new features in iOS 5. The bad news is that the latest and greatest mobile operating system won’t be available until fall of this year for consumers. On the up side, we’ve made getting a knowledgeable head start on what’s to come super easy….

The GarageBand app for the iPad 2 showcases the power of Apple’s darling of gadgetdom like few other apps. No matter how visually pleasing, or “delightful” the UI is, though, tapping out beats or virtual picking still just doesn’t feel right to practiced musicians. That’s where Pix and Stixs ($16) can help. Each pack includes…

2011 is the year of the tablet, no matter how hard we and our wallets squirm over having another gadget thrust into our lives. But why now? A discussion on that topic could take longer than the birther diatribe if explored in full, but the short answer is we have our smartphones addictions to thank….

Apple’s new smart covers do a lot of cool things for the iPad 2, but protecting the shiny aluminum back isn’t one of them. The Xgearlive iPad 2 Smart Cover Enhancer ($35) lets you still use that $38 magnetic flap while providing added security against back-stabbing encounters. Made from vaguely described “polycarbonate material” covered with…

Were you lucky enough to get a hold of the most talked about tablet since the pair handed down from Sinai? Or perhaps you had the saintly patience to wait for one after pre-ordering from Apple. If so, picking up Minoit’s Real Wood iPad 2 Cover ($70) will guarantee your sleek new gadget doesn’t get…

Sure, your iPad dock can play tunes. Maybe it even does so with gusto, but the Alesis iO Dock does far more. The dock enables the iPad to function with pro audio gear and instruments instantly transforming it into a portable production station for musicians, recording engineers and music producers. An abundance of inputs including…

Steve Jobs may believe the iPad is magical enough to replace a laptop for most users, but even as fond as we are of the device, there are still several glaring issues with it that need to be fixed. For example, just the other day we were debating how effective the iPad might be for…

The Just Mobile UpStand ($50) is the perfect accessory for those of you who just(ified) buying an iPad to your wallet on the premise that you really needed it to replace that netbook. That’s because its solid aluminum frame is the right height for desktop use and can hold your precious tablet in either landscape…

There are few greater ironies on this earth than buying a super sleek gadget like the iPad only to let the fear of scratching or damaging it cause us to mummify them in cases, sleeves, et al. Since we’re doubtful the trend will change or relent anytime soon though, we’ve scoured our offices, the web,…