TwelveSouth today launched a new accessory for iPhone and AirPods owners: the Twelve South HiRise Wireless. It’s the latest incarnation of their popular HiRise vertical stand.
The vertical stand features a Qi charging pad, holding your phone upright on your desk whilst it wirelessly charges. The Qi ‘Power Disc’ is independent and can be removed from the stand if you want to take it without you on-the-go to charge your iPhone or AirPods.
AirPods are one of my favorite Apple products to come along in quite some time, and I use them every single day. I especially enjoy using them while traveling, because they’re completely devoid of wires, have all-day battery life, seamless device pairing, and are easy to stow away.
I was skeptical during their initial unveiling, but after using AirPods for the last year and half, they’ve become one of my favorite tech products of all time. Next to my iPhone, AirPods are easily my favorite tech-related travel companion.
I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with cases for iDevices. My general view is that we pay a lot of money for a beautifully-designed device, so it seems a great shame to hide them away inside a case.
On the other hand, there are some cases that are beautiful in themselves. For example, my iPhone 6 lived in a Mujjo Leather Wallet Case most of the time. That was mostly, though, for the convenience of being able to carry a couple of cards with me when I wanted to go out without my wallet. My iPhone SE travels naked.
My iPad spends a lot of its time attached to a Brydge keyboard, which also protects the screen, but doesn’t sit inside a case. My MacBook Air does still live inside a Burkley hardshell leather case because I’m a big fan of leather and think that looks just as good as the machine itself.
But the portability of my 2016 MacBook Pro means that this, not the Air, is the machine I carry with me when I need more than an iPad. That meant I did need to think about protecting it …
TwelveSouth, maker of stylish accessories for Apple products, is out today with new versions of its signature BookBook case fit for the slimmer iPad mini 4 and iPad Air 2. In addition, TwelveSouth’s also showing off the upcoming iPad Pro version of the BookBook case. If you’re unfamiliar, TwelveSouth’s BookBook line wraps your Apple device in a vintage leather book-like case which offers equal parts protection and disguise.
My first post for 9to5Mac is on a topic near and dear to my heart: best-of-breed Apple products and accessories. Why should you trust me? I’ve been a professional product reviewer for 23 years and an Apple user for 28 years. Last week, I finished an 11-year stint running the editorial side of iLounge, the leading Apple product review site, where I tested literally thousands of Apple accessories from every major company on the planet. Readers have praised my reviews as accurate and insightful, and I always put my readers’ needs first when testing new products.
A ton of great deals on accessories for iPhone, iPad and Macs have gone live today for Cyber Monday in addition to the many Black Friday deals still running from the weekend. Today is yourlast chance to get in on most of these discounts and in some cases might be your last chance to get your hands on these products before the holidays.
Head below for our roundup of the best deals available today on cases and accessories for your Apple device. Expand Expanding Close
TwelveSouth, makers of various popular Mac and iOS device accessories, today announced a new BookArc product for the Mac Pro. Much like its BookArc products for MacBooks and iPads, the BookArc acts as a desktop stand that allows the Mac Pro to lay horizontally opposed to its usual upright orientation.
As pointed out by TwelveSouth, the horizontal mount cuts down the roughly 14-inches vertical height requirement to 7.5 inches, allowing Mac Pros to fit in rack mounts and other places the computer normally wouldn’t fit. In a rack mount, for instance, that means 5 rack spaces when using the BookArc opposed to approximately 8 spaces for the vertical Mac Pro. Expand Expanding Close
TwelveSouth, the company behind the popular BookBook series of cases for Apple devices that we’ve reviewed several times in the past, today announced a brand new option for MacBook users. The new “Rutledge BookBook” for MacBook is the first new product in the BookBook lineup in almost three years and the company says it’s also its most unique yet.
While the overall look of the case is much the same as BookBooks that came before it, TwelveSouth says the Rutledge case features a new process of finishing the leather by hand that makes it look even more like an authentic old book. It also makes every Rutledge BookBook unique: Expand Expanding Close
We’ve reviewed and enjoyed a number of TwelveSouth products over the years. We were intrigued by the hollowed out book idea with the company’s original BookBook case for the MacBook Air and since it has brought out similar hand distressed leather BookBook cases for other Apple devices, like the iPhone and iPad mini. While maybe not the ideal option for Apple’s anti-skeuomorphic cheerleaders, I found the stark contrast to Apple’s sometimes cold industrial design a nice juxtaposition.
I tend to not use any skins, covers or cases when using my MacBook on a day to day basis. I slide my MacBook into a laptop pouch built-into my backpack or use a standard laptop case when on the go, and rarely do I actually leave the MacBook in the case when in use. A case was necessary for protection when traveling, but for me the average soft or hard plastic laptop case never quite does the pricey, Jony Ive designed Apple hardware inside justice. BookBook is different… Expand Expanding Close
Back when we used to write phone numbers down, the Little Black Book kept our “contacts” and contact information in one handy place. Twelve South today brings us up to date with the attractively styled black version of the BookBook iPhone case.
You can grab the Classic Black BookBook for $60 from Twelve South or Amazon now.
Product Features
Handmade, genuine leather case protects iPhone with style
Includes wallet pockets for ID, cards and cash
Unique book design disguises iPhone for added security
Dimensions
Size (LWH): 7.1 inches, 1 inches, 4.1 inches
The older brown version can be seen in the video below:
I took Twelve South’s BookBook for Air for an extensive spin through a bunch of everyday usage scenarios and in various urban and Mediterranean settings.
I have an admission to make: I’ve never been a big fan of protective cases for Apple products. There, I said it. I especially have an issue with notebook cases, many of which unfortunately can be brushed off as cheap-looking, overpriced gimmicks that don’t hold a candle to Apple’s industrial design. I didn’t cave even after the paint had started to come off of my first Apple notebook, a titanium-clad PowerBook G4, because I bumped it one time too many.
It is fair to say that in all those years I’ve never gotten my head around utilizing protective sleeves to keep my pricey hardware in pristine condition. To me, Apple gear is meant to be displayed, touched and marveled at. The BookBook case for Air has changed my preconceived notions overnight. Oozing style, premium quality, convenience and authenticity, it’s the first case I reckoned would actually protect my Air whilst keep those prying eyes at bay. It’s what notebook cases are meant to be, at least in my view.
If there ever was such a thing as the ultimate hollowed book trick, this is probably it.
