The HandyShell for iPad 2 caters to those with a specific need. Some of you need to hang up your iPad, I suppose. Some want protection that can also serve as a stand. Some want a better grip. If that’s you, the HandyShell provides. If it’s not, this is just a pretty ugly case. Don’t get me wrong, though. The HandyShell is very well designed and very sturdy, just as you’d expect from Speck.

The ToughSkin Case for iPhone 4 breaks two or three of my rules for iPhone case design, but it does so with gusto, so I’m not going to fault it for that. It’s about protection, after all, and that’s pretty much it. And yet there are a few design elements here that clearly indicate the developers understand protection is kind of pointless if it renders the phone unusable.

Now that we’re a couple of months past the launch of the heavily redesigned iPhone 4, the number of available case options has finally reached the level we’ve come to expect. Before long, we’ll be inundated with options, so let’s stay on top of things with a look at soft shell options: Case Mate’s Gelli Case, Proporta’s Silicone iPhone 4 Reception Case with SteriTouch, and Speck’s PixelSkin.

Whether you’re looking to protect the back, the front or whole thing, Speck has at least one iPad case for you. In this roundup we’ll take a look at Speck’s iPad offerings including two cases (the Candy Shell and iPad Fitted), one screen protector (ShieldView) and one carrying sleeve (PixelSleeve Plus). They have plenty more options, of course, but we have to start somewhere.

What to choose, what to choose… Apple is offering seven cases as part of their iPhone 4 Case Program to allay complaints about the iPhone 4 antenna. But which one should you take? Well, we haven’t tried them out yet, but because we like to be useful, we’ve rounded up some details on each to help you make an informed decision. I know which one I want…

With the cooperation of the fine people at Speck, we’re giving away a total of five Fitted Artsprojekt Cases for the iPhones 3G and S. This is the final night of the contest, so get your entries in now. We’ll have three winners; a second place winner will receive one of the cases pictured above, while two first place winners will receive one of those cases plus a limited edition AOL sponsored SWSW 2010 Special Edition denim fitted case.

One of the features I consider in iPhone case reviews is whether it comes with a method to attach the case to a belt, pocket, purse strap, or what have you. Few of them do anymore, but thankfully there are a good number of belt clips designed to work with at least the slim iPhone cases. In this review, I’ll take a look at offerings from Belkin, Speck and Monster.

The staff at Appletell spent a good amount of time in 2009 using and writing about iPhone cases, but we know we were only able to cover a fraction of the options out there. We’re starting a new year, and CES has already seen many new iPhone case announcements. I expect there’ll be more come Macworld Expo 2010. To make sure we’re ready, we’re clearing our drawers of 2009 releases with one more roundup.

Last month, we took a look at iPhone 3G/S slim cases, as some people just don’t want to add much bulk to their iPhone. But the problem with slim cases is that, by design, they sacrifice protection and functionality. For those who who’d rather keep their iPhone safe than slim, here’s our latest roundup of hard shell cases built specifically for your peace of mind.

I’m extremely picky about my iPhone cases, but in an evolving way. Originally, I was all about balance between looks, protection and functionality. I still hover around that balance, but I’ve lately started the embrace the whole “less is more” ideal. Indeed, I often don’t even put my iPhone in a case. I’m tired of the bulk and the color that strip the iPhone of its identity. So, knowing that, here are a few iPhone 3G cases I’ve been using on and off for the past few months to see if any are worth full-time use.