Techlada – Tech news and random reviews

As the latest fine leather cases from France's Noreve, the Tradition series continues the company's... tradition of modestly updating prior designs for new Apple devices. The iPad Tradition Leather Case ($84-$97) is a folio-style design that uses embossed leather-covered plastic to hold an iPad on its interior right side, while the left side has a flap with a magnetic tab to hold the case closed. Inside the flap are two paper-sorting pockets, four…

Almost like clockwork, shortly after the release of a new Apple portable product, a relatively young company appears on the scene with a modular case system designed to be paired with a variety of different attachments. Mophie did it with the first video-ready iPod and iPod nano back in 2006, companies such as Gizmac and Barefoot Innovations have done it with various iPhones, and now a company called ModulR is trying it with the iPad. The core of…

Macally's oddly-named Metrolpad quickly became our very favorite iPad case due to its smart combination of semi-hard opaque black plastic edging and a clear rear panel -- now it has a rival. Griffin's new Reveal for iPad ($50) is a different take on the same concept, replacing Macally's frosted back with a completely transparent, glossy version, using a rectangular loop rather than feet for rear stabilization, and more closely tailoring the Dock Connector…

Though they're sold under different product names, Griffin's Elan Form Graphite ($50) and Outfit for iPad ($35-$40) are very similar at the core: both hard plastic shells rather than full-fledged cases, they cover the iPad's back, top, bottom and sides, leaving the same gaps for ports and buttons, with no bezel or screen protection, and look identically bare when seen from the front of the iPad. Elan's graphite name comes from the faux carbon fiber…

Within a day or two of the iPad's release, we were dreaming of a way to mount the tablet in a car as a back seat entertainment system, and eventually improvised a solution. Now Griffin has released Cinema Seat ($40), its first stab at the same concept, and the results are mixed: the company has come up with an oversized gray faux leather and fabric frame that attaches to the metal pipes of a headrest with foldable, adjustable Velcro, functioning as…

It took only one look at a photo of Vaja's new Messenger Bag for iPad ($280) to set our tongues wagging: this is one of the nicest-looking iPad bags we've yet seen. Made from fine, soft leather, the vertical bag features a soft plaid fabric inner compartment large enough for an iPad and some other items -- together, not separated, save for an open pocket inside -- all covered by a magnet-sealed top flap. There are three outer pockets: two are sealed…

Booq makes some of the most stylish laptop bags in the industry, so it's no surprise that its latest iPad bag is a handsome little design, too. Drawing inspiration from the earlier Boa Skin sleeves, Boa Push ($90) mixes the hip, tweed-like nylon material Twylon with leather to create a cool vertical carrier for an iPad and small office supplies. The base of Boa Push is a U-shaped frame that's covered with either gray or light brown Twylon outside,…

As a welcome change from the company's lengthy list of sleeve and folio-styled iPad cases, Marware's ConvertibleShell for iPad ($60) is a hard plastic shell with the ability to transform into a video stand, keyboard stand, or a hand grip-supported case as you see fit. The core of the case is a hybrid of clear and opaque black plastics, the latter with four corner pieces that pop out as needed for video and keyboard purposes; a rubber hand strap is…

The price will pop your eyes, but Vaja's Leather Agenda for Apple iPad ($280) is designed in typical Vaja fashion to impress fans of luxury leather products -- and in some ways, it does. Once again, you get the choice of two colors -- one for the bulk of the exterior, the other for the interior and a matching front stripe -- plus high-end leathers that are used to form a folio-style iPad holder with a front flap. Floater leather is used for the outside,…

As with XtremeMac's rubber cases for iPhones and iPods, Tuffwrap for iPad ($40) sounds simple but actually brings atypically nice design to the table. Using a firmer rubber than most of the soft cases we've tested for iPads, Tuffwrap includes both button protection and bezel protection while leaving the ports and speakers exposed -- with relatively small, Apple-sized holes. Though the case doesn't include screen protection of any sort, the back has…