Cygnett ‘Lavish’ Case Review for the New iPad

Over the course of the next few weeks, we here at iPhone Alley will be reviewing a series of highly polished, quality cases from top manufacturers for use with the shiny, new iPad. The second in this upcoming lineup of reviews is for Cygnett’s Lavish case. Priced at the affordable price of $59.99, the case has a lot to offer your new device: a chic leather surface, a folio design with multiple viewing positions, and protection.
Whether you’re using your iPad at home, on a plane or at a local cafe, the Lavish case caters to your every needs. Converting your iPad into a stylish bundle of topnotch leather with a smooth finish, the case will never fail to satisfy.
The main thing to admire with Cyngett’s case for your new iPad is its fulfilling design. Flapping open to reveal the area in which your iPad will be housed, you’ll also be able to fold the flap under the case’s main body to create a sturdy stand. Cygnett have designed the folio case with the utmost care and attention paid to both detail and simplicity.
From the point when you initially set your eyes on the case, you’ll be captivated. The presentation obviously has had tons of love poured into it. There’s no questioning whether or not the quality of the materials used to make the case are authentic or not; they feel and look absolutely wonderful and are made to last from the stitching to the texture of the leather skin.
Installation of the case is simplified to the greatest extent. You slide your device into the slot and then seal it in using the velcro strap that’s attached. The bezel of the iPad is covered by a harder surface that is layered with a soft material. This border attaches to your iPad magnetically, which can be used hand-in-hand with the feature Apple launched in conjunction with their Smart Covers. When you open or close the case, your iPad will wake up or go to sleep, respectively. In the sample unit I was given, there was an issue that prevented the case from performing the above function properly. Fortunately, though, Cygnett have rectified the issue.
Due to the additional layer on top of the bezel of the iPad, it’s quite difficult to reach the volume rockets, the ringer switch and the headphone jack because those are physically in between the back of the case and the extra layer. Similarly, you’ll question whether or not you want to unplug your device once it’s finished charging because you can’t reach the base of the charge & sync cable for this same reason. You need to instead tug on the wire, which is a bit testy in truth.
The case doubles as a stand for use on flat surfaces as an additional bonus. You simply take the flap/cover and fold it under the iPad that will sturdily keep your device standing making it easy to watch movies, type or perform any other similar activity. You can also adjust the viewing angle.
While the case may seem like it won’t reliably safeguard your pricey iPad, it’s actually quite an optimal contender, to say the least. The leather is soft, yes, but there are multiple layers separating your iPad from any harmful surface. For substances and grit, though, the case doesn’t have the potential to prevent those from harming your device as all of your ports are left exposed. Regardless, Cygnett have paid a great deal of attention in the physical aspect of the case and with mastering its portability; it’s light, and it feels right, if you will, to hold. For $59.99, the Lavish Folio case certainly outdoes its affordable price tag by a considerable amount.

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‘On the Wind’ App Review

Many, if not most, of the abundant amount of casual endless running games on the App Store are simply variations of one another varying solely in graphical theme. There have been a few titles that have spun the genre wildly like the popular Jetpack Joyride and now most recently On the Wind ($1.99) that puts you in control of leaves with hopes of blowing in the wind throughout the course of all four seasons – it sounds different, and it truly is.
Your finger is the wind so long as you’re making contact with the screen. This is the driving force that directs the direction of the flying leaves. As you progress, you’ll have to collect leaves from appearing trees to replace the leaves that will imminently fall to the ground and quickly dissolve. If all leaves are lost to the ground or if you’re chased out of the left side of the screen due to the increasing variety of design within the gameplay, it’s game over.
The whole thing isn’t a new idea in truth, but the execution has been mastered artfully with the gameplay having a calming effect on the player. The art in coalescence with the humble background music creates a mood that would otherwise not be present within the game. Developer David Buttress’ focus on creating a relaxing experience outweighs the attention paid to creating a seamless game with tons of features and fun to boast.

The actual gameplay is hindered greatly because of the inclusion of flawed controls. Your finger on the screen controls the movement of leaves, which often causes you to be blind with direction especially with the various areas of land strewn all around in the randomly generated game world that could potentially end your game if crashed into. It’s recommended to play with your left finer all the way to left side of the screen with the sensitivity of your touch cranked up to the highest possible amount, though that’s a disaster when used on an iPhone or iPod Touch. However, playing on the iPad offers some redemption.
With a main focus on alleviating artwork, On the Wind is populated with creatively designed sprites and UI elements. A mix of pixel artwork and more modern techniques produce highly varied environments that differ by environment and sport wonderful background that look absolutely stunning thanks to their optimization of the new iPad’s retina display.
On the Wind doesn’t hold much in terms of gameplay to hold a serious gamer in its grip for too long, but the mood it attempts to retain throughout deserves your $1.99. It’s a good departure from the usual endless running concept that has since become trite and overused. There’s no doubt whether or not On the Wind can be considered a graphical marvel.

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Review: Aeris Rail Bumper for iPhone 4/4S

Most bumpers of similar breed require an inextricable, complex process of screwing their two halves together with your iPhone housed in between to function properly. With the Aeris Rail ($109.99), however, there’s no nonsense when it comes to assembling the bumper on your iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S. Screw free, the bumper is constructed of aerospace-grade aluminum and is [almost] everything you need to reliably protect your phone.
Installation of the bumper is a piece of cake, quite simply. An inner layer of plastic will firstly grip your phone while the actual outwardly visible, aluminum portion of the case goes on afterwards; all you have to do is press each of the four corners of the bumper onto their respective corners on the iPhone. A reassuring click for each corner will signify that you’ve successfully installed the bumper without the risk of it falling off.
If you don’t know what bumpers are exactly, they’re essentially designed to fix around the bezel of the iPhone to provide a good looking solution. While providing a bit of protection, they also allow most of the iPhone’s simplistic elegance able to be seen, which would otherwise not be the case if a full case was used. Unfortunately, the Rail doesn’t come very cheap. In fact, it’s pretty expensive when you compare it to either other competitive bumpers or to full-fledged cases that provide an optimal amount of protection. For over a hundred dollars, you’re really only getting half of a case, but among other half-cases, this is definitely one of the better ones.

For the parts of the iPhone that the Rail actually does safeguard, it’s better than exceptional. The material used to construct the bumper is extremely heavy-duty and could easily withstand a fall. Though your sleep button is covered by a fitted piece of aluminum, the volume buttons are left exposed and are difficult to reach.
The Rail has been designed to give off strong first impressions. Bold colors make up the selection offered by manufacturer Aeris, and a soft coat of gloss is layered on the bumper to give it a shiny, sophisticated look. Currently, it’s available in red, blue, orange, green, pink, purple, black, or silver.
A number of accessories are sold on Aeris’ store to be used in conjunction with the bumper that augment its potential. Kickstands, screen protectors and more can be bought. The Rail bumper surely stacks up higher in comparison to other bumpers. Regardless of its $109.99 price tag, Aeris have designed a real winner here despite some minor qualms that we had.
*Note: The Rail will be discounted to $73 for two weeks soon. Stay tuned to the product’s page via the link below.

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Review: Spigen Modello Series Case for iPhone 4/4S

While most companies attempt to spruce up the pictures of their products to often depict something much more desirable than what they’re actually selling, Spigen SGP, made evident by the product page of their Modello Series Case for the iPhone 4/4S ($14.99), sticks to little or no alterations to the images they’ve posted of their seamless case. Even without these embellishments, the Modello Series Case is as brilliant and alluring as ever – not only do the pictures look great, so does the case itself offering reliable protection at an affordable price.
Available in two different designs each boasting their own bright colors, Spigen have delivered to the fullest extent with their Modello Series Case. Excellent designing and top-notch TPU have coalesced perfectly. Hands down, the case takes the cake for the best packaging. While the case doesn’t break the bank, considering it’s available for a mere $15 in comparison to the multitude of other expensive cases currently available, Spigen have wrapped the case up with the utmost care.
The case itself is soft to the touch but rather tough in truth when attempted to be bent making it imperceptible to snapping in half (it’s happened with a case in the past…). You’ll notice right off the bat that no additional bulk will be added to your phone when the case has been applied, if you will. Installation is fairly easy: you simply slide one end of your phone in and then gently press in the other. There are no complex steps nor advanced procedures to getting the case on your phone. Rather, it’s easy to put on and also to take off.

What’s the catch you may ask? Nothing really. Spigen have simply aimed low in terms of price, but have exceeded expectations in the execution aspect. The Modello is made out of your ever day TPU material, which is seen in many other iPhone cases. There’s nothing revolutionary here except that Spigen have perfected a case for a slight $15 that can easily compete with other cases on the market that are retailing at whopping amounts that potentially go up to triple the amount Spigen are charging with this case.
The Modello Series adds almost no extra bulk to that of the naked iPhone. Instead, it feels sleek and easy to carry around. Although it only provides protection to the back of the iPhone, the portion of the case that layers the bezel of the device is raised slightly past the edge of the iPhone making it unlikely for a drop to seriously harm your screen. Spigen are irrefutably masters of design, however, the Modello case felt a bit sharp when held tightly. The edges were pointed beyond what they should have been which caused the case to dig into my palms and feel uncomfortable. Regardless, there are two styles that the Modello Series comes in, which look absolutely awesome due to their slight transparency that easily lets light through and illuminate the plus signs or alternatively the vertical bar designs on the back of the iPhone.
If you were to give me the Modello Series Case and have me guess what it may cost, I would never expect it to be so cheap. In person, the case reflects the qualities of a high-quality rather expensive form of protection and leaves no room for improvement other than the minor qualm I had regarding the edges of the case. For $15, Spigen have maximized the capabilities of the Modello Series Case for the iPhone 4/4S making it a sure recommendation from our side.

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Swordigo App Review – A Simplistic RPG Executed Flawlessly

Lacking all of the extra bulk included in normal role-playing games, Swordigo ($1.99) focuses on the main forte of said titles of similar breed: hacking and slashing through arsenals of respawning enemies. Though it doesn’t boast an inextricable system of deciding from one of three classes, choosing from a seemingly endless plethora of weapons, armor and magic, level grinding or the most realistic 3D assets, arguably for better or for worse, Touch Foo’s newest flawlessly combines platforming with RPG elements to bring you an overwhelming amount of enjoyable content.
Like most, Swordigo begins with introducing you to the back story while also explaining the basics along the way. There’s not all of that not needed jazz regarding picking a character or a class, like we’ve mentioned above. Instead, you’re stuck controlling the spiky-haired dude you’ll see in all of the following screenshots. After learning that a fellow villager has gone missing in a nearby forest, you go out in search for him.

As you traverse through the initial level setups, you’ll slowly be introduced to the controls. Left and right buttons will control left and right movement. The worlds are composed of many platforms for which you’ll need to jump and double jump to reach. There’s also an attack button and a magic button, which uses one of four spells that you’ll collect throughout the whole game. Once you reach the lost villager who has unfortunately passed away and ha snow become a wise ghost, you’ll discover that there’s no light at the end of the cave. In other words, evil is approaching.
Beyond this initial introduction, the game opens up with quests. You’ll navigate through a ton of areas, each differing from one another with unique environments including wastelands, forests, caves, snow peaks and more. A grid map will show the areas you’ve since discovered and will also display the amount of treasure chests located in each area; these will often hold valuable items such as the in-game currency that can be used at local merchant shops, items and also sacks of experience, and they’re always in peculiar areas that take strategy or the use of puzzles to reach. Portals in each area can also be used to quickly travel to other areas with portals that you’ve visited. They’re further used as checkpoints as such for when you die.
Swordigo also has the usual RPG leveling up system. As you kill enemies, you’ll gain experience points. Leveling up allows you to increase your skill in one of three areas. You can either increase your attack, your health or your magic energy. You’ll also notice that opposing enemies will have levels and a health bar that decreases with each blow.
As Swordigo aims to simplify the otherwise complex backend used for RPG titles, it pays homage to similar games of past day. One example that clearly comes to mind is the Zelda series. Environments, character sprites and sound effects resemble those of Zelda. Swordigo is a universal application, and it flows fluidly on both the iPad and the iPhone. While the artwork isn’t anything to be greatly complemented, it has its own style that’s hard to miss.
Though the story lasted a good 7-8 hours in total, it never felt like the game was being dragged on too long especially with the variation used with level design, included puzzles, many enemies with unique perks and fairly-occasional boss fights. Regardless of your playing level, hardcore gamer or casual, Swordigo has enough to whet your appetite and keep you coming back for more. It doesn’t have much replay value once you complete the story, but it takes time getting to that point; a few hours, at least, and ever minute is packed to the brim with action and fighting. Similarly, you can level up afterwards by once again killing bosses and can also go back to discover all of the chests hidden around the game’s large world.
If there’s anything that Touch Foo successfully proved with Swordigo, it’s that an RPG without the usual elements incorporated in games of comparative breed doesn’t have to be trite, to say the least. Swordigo still manages to please and introduces a new take on the common genre that I’m certainly looking forward to experiencing again in the near future. There’s surely no better option for the same $1.99 price tag.

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Review: CM4 Q Card Case for iPhone 4/4S

To call the Q Card Case from CM4 ($39.99) a simple protective cover for your iPhone would be a severe understatement. Rather, it’s combined the functions of a wallet with reliable safeguarding for your iPhone 4 or 4S following a recent thread with such wallet + case combos. CM4 have produced a slim, minimal product by mixing the two making the case a sure recommendation.
While the wallet portion of CM4′s case isn’t anything new, nor is it substantial enough to replace your regular wallet, the hybrid has been executed seamlessly. You’ll have the main half of the case, the actual area where your iPhone will be housed, and one tight pocket on the back for storage.
The actual design of the case has been mastered skillfully: the case itself is made from a soft rubber material that feels really smooth when you’re holding the case. The pockets in the back that simulates the slots in your wallet is crafted from faux leather. Because of the smooth feeling of the linings of the case, sometimes it felt as if the case would simply slip out of my grip causing me to tighten my hold around my iPhone. Although you don’t want to be dropping your device often, I did a few times with the case and not purposely. Thankfully, none were the fault of the case’s smooth touch and were instead from accidents. On the plus side, it was a good way to support the notion that the case can reliably protect your phone considering mine returned with absolutely no hint of damage.
Installation of the case is fairly easy. Similar to that of any other case of the same breed, all you have to do is slip one end of your phone into the once side and slowly push in the other carefully making sure the edges fit nicely along the bezel of your phone.
CM4 clearly invested a ton of time perfecting the presentation of the case over all aspects. While the leather stitched to the exterior of the case can obviously be differed as fake, the rest of the case oozes polish. They’ve also focused on keeping the additional bulk added on by the wallet at a minimal; despite have cards and cash inside the case, not much extra weight of thickness was noticeable. The iPhone remained to be easy to handle and stow.

As we mentioned above, the wallet along the back of your phone certainly isn’t enough to make the need for another wallet obsolete. You can only store 3 cards in the pouch at one time, which really isn’t much. Fortunately, though, the pouch has been tailored to press tightly against the back of the case meaning your cards have almost no chance at all of falling out. Packing more cards into the slot could essentially expand it putting your items at risk.
Another downside to the case being accompanied with a wallet is the extra attention that you could potentially receive. If a thief did happen to get their hands on your phone, they’ve got a valuable iPhone and, depending on what the owner decides to use the slot for, credit cards that could be misused. But that’s really not the manufacturers fault.
Innovation is the beauty of the iOS world in terms of both applications as well as accessories. It doesn’t get much better than CM4′s Q Card Case for the iPhone 4/4S thanks to the clever addition of sleek wallet functionality included along with the sturdy case. We can easily recommend purchasing the case for a mere $39.99.
There’s only one color currently available with a white alternative coming this month.

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Burger Cat App Review – Clawing for Help

Thus far, Ravenous Games have hosted a multitude of hardcore titles on the App Store that require the most amount of attention a gamer can give. With a distinctive difference in difficulty, in comparison to past tiles, Burger Cat ($0.99) boasts a numerous amount of less-demanding challenges.
Jovial throughout, despite the unfortunate fact that his burgers have been littered hopelessly throughout the game’s expansive world by a nitroglycerin explosion, you’ll be posed with the task of recovering his prized diet. Starting [very] easy, you’ll be introduced to the main mechanics of the game.
While the main character of the game can walk all by himself, he’s at a disadvantage; the contents of his barbecue gone wrong have been scattered in unreachable places. Hence, your job comes in. You’ll be provided with a limited supply of various equipment, each progressively introduced. Your supply of provisions consists of a mix extra blocks to add to the game’s tiled world, pickaxes, decoy mouses, dynamite and more. These will aid to augment the cat’s capabilities.
Although the game’s 60 levels have the potential to increasingly become a mind-puzzling challenge to the player, they’ve instead resorted to varying only slightly. While levels occasionally require a bit of strategy, most times the path is obvious from the beginning, and the game quickly became a mess of puzzles that aren’t executed properly at all. The aim of the game was evident: the premise was catered towards those without much of a liking for intricate puzzles. However, the levels have been quelled down to such an extent that I actively wondered whether or not the smarter of my two cats would be able to play through in a breeze.
The qualms don’t end there. A severely flawed control system plagued the gameplay at every corner. You’re given a certain amount of each resource. Placing these was a tricky affair due to the game either placing the items adjacent to the desired area or not registering your touch whatsoever. This often caused me to restart a level because of the lack of an undo button. Dragging to pan also resulted sometimes in placing of objects, also needing a full restart to undo.
Without doubt, Ravenous have nailed the artwork perfectly. Cartoon sprites glow vibrantly against the winding background enabled with parallax scrolling effects. However, there’s only one game world that the 60 game levels fall under, which quickly becomes old. If there’s one thing the developers can attest to when considering past history, they’re good with keeping their games fresh with new content via updates.
The coalescence of trite gameplay with a control system bogged down by faults and imperfections is really unlike the norm from developer Ravenous Games. Not only did Burger Cat contrast greatly from their other titles in difficulty, it also differed in replay value and overall appeal. The cartoon aesthetics may be the most alluring aspect of the game and we, for that reason, simply cannot wholeheartedly recommend Burger Cat to those seeking a challenge worth a dollar.

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Review: Cygnett Glam Folio Case for the New iPad

Chic, affordable and protective – this stunning case for the new iPad from Cygnett, namely the Glam case ($59.99), not only houses your iPad in a questionably attractive style but also doubles as a fully functional multi-view stand as well as a folio case ideal for typing on Apple’s tablet.
The case allows users to prop their iPads up at three different viewing angles when you need your hands free or are watching a movie. By folding its flap underneath the housing area, you can adjust the length at which it protrudes to lean your iPad further back or closer to a 90-degree angle.
Cygnett are masters of design, really. They’ve focused on appealing to essentially one main group of potential customers with the design of the Glam case with the overall style attributed to it. The portion of the case outwardly visible is coated with a slick material giving the case a glossy look. Although it may appeal to some, others may not be as compelled to purchase the case.
After simply sliding your iPad into the designated area, you can secure it in using a Velcro strap. This strap seemed to be pretty reliable. Opening and closing the case triggered the iPad’s integrated set of magnets that line its bezel, which is an extremely useful feature.
Unfortunately, the main issue with the case, personally, was its lack of attention paid to the ports and buttons on the iPad. Volume buttons, charge & sync port, sleep button and all of the likes were all difficult to quickly access
Due to the style used in the making the Glam Folio case, it would make sense that the case would only look desirable to a certain type of people. Don’t fret though. Cygnett has a multitude of other cases of similar design available for purchase; the Glam case simply being one among their everlasting lineup. It’s totally irrelevant, but the case is just a piece in their games – The Hunger Games. It’s completely affordable ($59.99) compared to other iPad cases, and it protects your pricey device just as well.

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LifeProof Armband Review for iPhone 4/4S

Used in conjunction with their case dedicated to the iPhone 4/4S as a whole, the Armband/Swimband from LifeProof ($49.99) takes the standard mount seen universally with all of their products and applies a wide velcro strap allowing you to easily stow your device on your arm whilst running, swimming or more.

Although it does require your phone to be using a LifeProof case, the LifeProof Armband/Swimband is among top contenders for accessories to use when working out in some way. Coming along with a long velcro strap already attached to the main housing area, it’s extremely simple to wrap the setup around your arm.
Like other bands of similar nature, LifeProof’s take allows you to clip your phone into an area tailored to fit the LifeProof case along with your phone inside. A swivel clip armed with a spring can be pulled back to simply snap your phone in; this can be locked in place using a concealed switch on the back of the housing area.
If you don’t already know, LifeProof cases are guaranteed to safeguard your iPhone against water, snow, dirt and shocks. Thanks to this and the fact that a LifeProof case must be used in conjunction with the armband makes sure you don’t have to go through all of the trouble to slide your phone into some protective pocket like other armbands. A plastic film already covers the iPhone’s screen. With any other armband, you have to squeeze your phone into a neoprene sleeve which are usually equipped with bubbled plastic screens that decrease the functionality and the sensitivity of the iPhone’s touchscreen. The LifeProof case’s ability to keep out water makes the armband usable not only while running but also in the water while swimming.
With a reliable docking system to keep your phone in at all times, a wonderful solution to use your phone universally and comfortably while working out and so much more, the LifeProof Armband is our number one choice for a product as such. If you already have the LifeProof case for the iPhone 4/4S, with which the armband goes hand in hand with, we recommend checking out the Armband/Swimband here for $49.99.

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PhoneSuit Elite Battery Case Review for iPhone 4/4S

Without doubt, the battery life of a naked iPhone is among the top in comparison to other phones of competitive nature. Still, most respectable case manufacturers host a variety of average cases meant to further extend the life of your iPhone – today we’ll take a look at PhoneSuit’s Elite Battery Case, and it’s truly a marvel.

In one of the slimmest and most attractive packages we’ve seen here at iPhone Alley, PhoneSuit presents to you their line of battery cases that easily surpass others. Dubbed the PhoneSuit Elite, the battery case houses your phone inside while it’s connected to the case’s integrated 30-pin connector. A switch lining the bottom of the case can be toggled on and off to activate the charging feature of the case.
All serious battery cases have to to add a significant amount of bulk to the iPhone. Although the PhoneSuit Elite is the thinnest we’ve seen in comparison to other battery cases, it does add some additional volume to your phone both lengthwise and in thickness. A portion of the case protrudes further past the bottom edge of the phone, which is where I’m assuming the battery itself is housed.
In terms of battery life, the case has the potential to truly double the life of your iPhone. While other cases falsely claim that their batteries are superior, the PhoneSuit Elite delivers to the maximum extent possible. With 2100 mAh (iPhone 4S’ battery is 1420 mAh), the case can provide about 1 and a half full charges of your phone’s battery. As such, according to my tests, the case does fully charge my phone in two hours after my phone completely dies thanks to the included 5-watt/1-amp output.
Many complained that the iPhone 4S had battery issues when it was initially released back in October of last year. Even though the problem was supposedly rectified thanks to a software patch by Apple, some still claim their phones don’t make them though a full day. That said, your phone can easily last you through the ordeals of your daily life with the PhoneSuit Elite installed – charging your phone the instant you toggle the embedded switch on, your phone will begin to be juiced up.
The case’s design itself is near excellent. Constructed of a soft-touch rubberized plastic, the case feels great in your palms. It doesn’t have any areas to reliably grip your phone, but it’s not so smooth that it would easily slip out of your hands to your phone’s demise. Consisting of two parts – a top and bottom – installation of the case is a breeze. You simply slide your phone into the bottom portion of the case and then attach the top making sure to line up all of the edges perfectly.
While installation is easy in retrospect, the top portion of the case doesn’t fit flush with the edges of the bottom. They were a bit separated from one another – from side to side – which didn’t look the greatest. Further, the top portion of the case consistently got stuck on the volume rockers both while installing the case and also while removing the case.
Along with the case itself comes a plastic screen film, a charging wire and a microfiber cloth. Since there is no protection for your screen built into the case, you can easily install the film for a fair amount of safeguarding against scratches.
Though the case wasn’t intelligent enough as to differentiate between when the case needed charging or when your phone needed charging, thankfully it’s easy to switch between the two yourself. The USB cable pre-included along with the case allows for easy charging. In lieu of the charge & sync cable that comes standard with the purchase of an iPhone, you’ll connect the included USB cable to a port lining the bottom of your phone. Using the switch, here too, you can toggle between charging the case’s battery or your phone. The cable can also be used in conjunction with iTunes to sync your phone.
Equipped with a killer battery and an alluring, attractive design, the PhoneSuit Elite Battery Case is undoubtedly the number one contender for an additional power solution for your iPhone. It comes in a slick package that runs thinner than other cases of similar breed, and it’s available for a price that doesn’t vary out of the norm by too much – $79.95. It’s available in both black or white and can be purchased here.

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