kickstand

Swiveling iPhone 4 case's swell design

Got an e-mail from Greg at a start-up called Mycase, which is building new protective cases for the iPhone 4 and iPod Touch 4G.

He wrote:

Hello, David. I would like to introduce CNET with my new Swivel product line from mycase. Please visit my Web site at www.mycase.us. I believe that we have the most unique and coolest iPhone 4 protective case, and I hope you will have some interest after looking at our Web site.

Well, I went and took a look and though it may not be the coolest iPhone 4 case I've ever seen, The Swivel does have an intriguing design that allows you to swivel the retractable integrated kickstand into positions that allow you to prop your iPhone up horizontally or vertically. I would like to see something like this for the iPad 2, so get on it, Greg! (Note: An iPad 2 version is listed under the "coming soon" products on the site, along with versions for other smartphones and tablets.) … Read more

Apple patent shows built-in iPad stand

We're expecting a new iPad to be announced in the next few months, and it appears that it, or future iterations of it, could have a built-in kickstand. A new patent filed by Apple shows a stowable stand that folds into the iPad's casing, removing the need for cases with built-in stands.

The patent, detailed by Patently Apple, shows a dual-hinged stand that folds out to hold up the iPad in either portrait or landscape mode on a surface like a table. It might not be built-in; the patent says it might be optional, which means it might affix via screws, suction cup, magnets, or witchcraft.

No matter what, it's better than not having a stand. As anyone with an iPad will tell you, a stand's a good idea--apps like Hulu and Netflix are popular on the iPad, and unless you're watching them in bed, you have to hold the tablet up. That's fine for short YouTube videos of cats hitting people in the groin, but not for watching awesome movies like "Fletch." … Read more

The 404 585: Where we're having a 4G with the HTC Evo (podcast)

Three's a crowd and four's a party, but what do you call five tech geeks and an HTC Evo in a frozen meat locker? We'll just call it a 4G (pronounced fourgie) until we come up with something better. It's officially time for another Natali Del Conte Thursday, but we also have CNET smartphone expert Bonnie Cha in the studio to tell us all about her full review of the HTC Evo 4G from Sprint.

Bonnie just got back from a short trip to Philadelphia to test out Sprint's 4G network, since the limited coverage … Read more

Get a 3-in-1 iPhone case for $19.99

The Grabit 3-in-1 is a belt-clip case. It's a battery pack. And it's a kickstand for easy iPhone viewing. (It may also make julienne fries--I'll have to double-check on that.)

Geeks.com has the Grabit 3-in-1 iPhone holster for $19.99, the lowest price I've seen anywhere.

Alas, shipping will run you a fairly ridiculous $9, but you can save a couple bucks by applying coupon code GEEKBERT at checkout.

The Grabit features a swiveling, spring-loaded belt clip that can pop out to hold your iPhone upright on a flat surface. (It should also do well … Read more