With today’s extremely wide offering of iPhone cases, it is a difficult, expensive task to find a great one. While I was at CES talking to the group at the BodyGuardz booth I was introduced to the Mykase, an iPhone 4/4S case with an interchangeable back plate. With its quality build and new design, the Mykase is a breath of fresh air.

The Mykase is made up of three parts: the bottom, the top, and the back-plate. This trio fit together to makeup the case. The top and bottom piece slide together very similar to the way Incase’s (among other cases) slider case does. The shell (everything but the backplate) comes in two finishes; the black case is a matte soft-touch while the white case is glossy. In regards to ports and buttons, the case has cutouts for everything (no rubber button covers unfortunately) with ample space for finger pushing and wire connections.

As is with other hard-shell cases, the Mykase offers ample protection from drops and dings. The screen is partially protected by a rim along the sides while the rear and sides are completely protected by the case. I still wouldn’t reccomend tossing it down a flight of stairs, though.

What really sets the Mykase apart from the crowd it its interchangable backplate. Currently, BodyGuardz offers various colors for backplates, but in the near future one will be able to create his/her own with pictures and other imagery. This feature does cause the case to be a bit thicker than others, however most users would not notice the change.

There are but two downsides to the Mykase and both are subtle: First is its size which is just a tad bit thicker than the competition. Second is the price of replacement backplates which run $10 per plate –this comes out to a third the cost of the case.

In the end, BodyGuardz did a fantastic job creating the Mykase. Not only is it a stylish case, but also a safe one. I reccomend it to anyone looking to stand apart from the crowd with a safe, comfortable iPhone case. It’s avalible for $30 with extra backplates for an additional $10 each (link).

Today, MacPaw released the newest addition to its product line, Gemini. While it was announced a few weeks back, the only available information on the application was a vague teaser page. The company revealed what the application truly does after its release on the Mac App Store this afternoon. Gemini is a very attractive duplicate finder for the Mac.

“Everything started from an idea to create a simple one purpose application for removing duplicate files on a Mac. We made a research on what utility apps lack for and found that most of them might be more personal, usable and are not perfectly designed like day-to-day apps. So we created Gemini, the first application that brings perfection of a user interface and design to the utilities category. Gemini is a simple, fast and entertaining solution for finding duplicates, a task that once was considered boring and time- consuming”, said Oleksandr Kosovan, MacPaw’s CEO.

Check it out on MacPaw’s site here or download it from the Mac App Store for $5 here.

As computer peripherals move to being wireless, one begins to wonder the best means of charging all of said devices. Using batteries works, however it can be expensive and less than earth friendly. A while back Mobee came out with the Magic Charger, a means of recharging Apple’s Magic Mouse. Months later it released the Magic Bar, an appealing charging solution for Apple’s wireless keyboard.

Mobee’s Magic Bar is a dock for Apple’s wireless keyboard to rest on allowing it to charge while remaining fully functional. It does this with a battery replacement (included) for Apple’s keyboard which allows the wireless charging to work.

The Magic Bar is made mostly of aluminum matching Apple’s devices rather closely. However, it also features a lot of plastic which all feels cheap in regards to quality. Further, the bar’s power charging light is not pleasing in terms of aesthetics; in fact, it has more of a PC look to it.

The Magic Bar does do an impressive job in regards to charging speed and quality. In fact, the charge time for the 500 cycle (lifetime) battery is just 8 hours and it lasts more than 10 days for a heavy user.

In the end, I am impressed. Even though the design could use some improvments to make the product feel a bit more premium, the device works as advertised and delivers a greener, more efficent way of charging Apple’s wireless keyboard. For this, I fully reccomend Mobee’s Magic Bar to anyone looking for a better way to charge. It retails for $60 from Mobee’s website here.

MacPaw, the group behind applications like CleanMyMac has announced its newest project, Gemini. Not much has been released about it so far, but a lot more will come soon. Check out it’s pre-launch page here.

Libratone is a Danish company known for creating premium AirPlay-ready speakers. After hearing how these speakers sound, I am already picking out which speaker to purchase. The price-tag, however might pose a problem for some. The company’s smaller speaker goes for $699.95 while the larger speaker is $1,299.95 (Apple Store link). If the price-tag isn’t a deal-breaker, I fully recommend checking these out!

Otterbox only released one new product at CES this year, a case alongside partner-in-crime LIVESTRONG. The case is an altered Commuter Series and will be sold exclusively at RadioShack and OtterBox.com.

Ferrari announced its new audio line in partnership with Logic3. More details here.

OWC announced a few new products this year at CES. Many if not most of the new released had to do with the technical side of things as well as with storage-related products.

OWC’s Newer Technology Power2U is a great way to charge your i-device without the charging box. It retails for $27.99.

The company’s new miniStack Max brings the optical drive back to the Mac mini as well as extra storage and ports. It will be out soon.

Basis looks like a great new health-related gizmo. Unfortunately even those at CES wouldn’t share its release date.

Case-Mate released countless new case designs and styles. Check out its lineup here.

XtremeMac’s new lineup looks great!

Kanex’s new Sydnee is an interesting take on the charging station. It’s expensive, too at $150.

BlueLounge was present at the show to flaunt it’s impressively beautiful lineup. Too bad some of its newer products were still under wrap!

AViiQ is continuing its mobile push. It’s products at the show, though were just non-working prototypes. Expect more on them later this year.

LG’s impressively awesome 3D setup. Glasses needed.

WeSC (WeAretheSuperlativeConspiracy) had a rather interesting setup. Looked great, though!

Urbanears had a ton of products on display. One (above) uses a metal band and magnets to create a fully-adjustable pair of slim over-the-ear headphones.

50 was present! Too bad he was also surrounded.

Skullcandy’s meeting rooms were by far the best looking in the show. To put it simply: stunning.

iFrogz is entering the gaming market with its Caliber headphones.

Samsung’s new TVs were beyond impressive. However, based on the word on the street, the price-tag is makes it unobtainable for most of us.

Sony had a lot of Playstation-related goods out. Nothing big elsewhere, though.

I really did enjoy taking a peak at Mercedes-Benz’ cars. Too bad the 100k+ price is going to stop me from buying one!

Panasonic’s was pretty blue. Sadly, it released no big products.

This is a new one for me. A Bob Marley brand.

CES this year was a blast. The products were amazing, booths were stunning, and crowds –for me at least– weren’t hard to handle. One booth, however, was the most memorable: Hub Innovations’. Not only were the people running it an amazing bunch, but so were the products. A prime example of this is from the closing day (Friday) of the convention at 4:30, a half hour past the show’s end. Many booths by that time had been taken down, Ferrari’s which had been being displayed were driving out and the carpet walkways were being torn up, however Hub Innovations’ booth was going strong and still gathering a crowd.

The most popular product appeared to be the company’s REV360, a soft iPad 2 case with a rotating hand strap on the rear. The cases cost $60 and are a great investment for those who frequently share an iPad’s screen (with colleagues, friends, ex-friends, etc). Check it out here.

Another pretty unique product at the Hub booth was its Couture Case, a Diddy-worthy, blinged out iPhone case available in three styles: Classic, Pretty Girl, and Punx. Best of all, the ‘bling’ is all placed by hand in Oregon! Price-wise, the Couture retails for $80 (link).

My personal favorite product at the booth was the company’s PRIZM stands, a transforming set of stands which can hold nearly any tablet or phone (two models). The PRIZM is actually comprised of two flat pieces of aluminum which slide together creating a stand. At $30 for the larger version and $25 for the smaller variant, the PRIZM makes the ultimate gift (link).

If it isn’t already, be sure to put Hub Innovations on your radar. A lot more is to come from this group which will interest even the blandest of people.

At CES, a variety of products are announced from TVs to Cameras to cases. However, it seems child-related items are not nearly as frequent at the show. This year, Griffin went against the grain announcing a variety of new products including a large number aimed at children. Aside from its kid-friendly releases, Griffin also announced a few products aimed at audiophiles. I was given the chance to take a look at some of the company’s new products. A quick rundown follows…

Griffin’s Woogie 2 was announced at CES as “the original huggable case for iPhone and iPod touch.” Woogie, in partnership with the Woogie App for iPhone and iPod touch, features an interactive personality.

The app brings Woogie to life with 10 unique faces activated by a variety of actions, such as laughter when the Woogie is tickled, dizziness when the Woogie is shaken, the ability to repeat words and phrases spoken to it, and the tendency to fall asleep when left alone.

If only Woogie was available this past holiday season. It really looks like a lovable toy!

Alongside Crayola, Griffin created MyPhones which are available in two styles: earbuds and headphones. Both pairs have built-­in volume-­limiting circuitry designed to keep the sound pressure down to levels safe enough for young ears. Further, both products are durable enough to be used with children. The earbuds will be available this spring for  $14.99 alongside the headphones at  $24.99.

Griffin also released the HELO TC Assault, an iOS/Android controlled, helicopter –with real firing missiles– which appeals to the child in all of us. It works in part by an included Flight Deck module through the headphone jack of any iOS or Android device and HELO TC Assault app. To be honest, this would be the ultimate office toy. It’ll be available for $59.99 this spring from Girffin’s website. A non-missle-loaded copter will be available later this month from Griffin for $49.99.

Combining both audio and MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) recording into one compact device, the StudioConnect for iPad is Griffin’s new tool for musicians. StudioConnect takes recording music on the iPad to a whole new level allowing aspiring musicians to produce (relatively) professional sounding recordings easily. StudioConnect will be available in February for $149.99 from Griffin’s site.

From what I was told at the show, Twenty  is Griffin’s pride and joy of 2012. Through a low-­profile digital amplifier, Twenty brings Apple Lossless sound from iTunes or any other AirPlay-­enabled app (Pandora, Spotify, last.fm, etc.) to the user’s speakers. The device will come equipped with a power connection and mount for Airport Express and feature a 2.1 channel sound system with 20 watts output per channel and also support a powered subwoofer with an automatic active crossover at 80 Hz. The price and release date are still unknown.

Out of all the booths at CES, Griffin’s was one of my favorites. The products all look fantastic, especially the Twenty which I hope to get my hands on later this year.

I am not going to try and fool anyone by saying I am a car fanatic. To put it frankly, I know just as much about cars as I do Windows PCs. Nevertheless, I refuse to pass an opportunity to take pictures of things which are truly inspiring. A Mercedes-Benz photoshoot follows…

Moshi, a very simplistic and well known company in the Apple realm was in attendance at CES. At the show, the company announced a few new products including two new earphones, the Clarus and Vortex Pro, as well as Luna, a new wired keyboard.

With its steel alloy construction and DynaDuo two-way drivers, the Clarus is Moshi’s creme de la creme of its audio line. At $200, it has a price to fit.

Moshi Audio originally began with the Moonrock and Vortex. Now, the company has released the Vortex Pro, a new set of earphones featuring “high definition” drivers, a braided cable, and steel construction. Pricing on this will be available shortly, though it certainly will/should be under the $200 price tag of the Clarus.

Another new addition to Moshi’s lineup is its Luna keyboard which features laser-etched keys, Windows & Mac support, and an ergonomic design. Pricing on this, too will be available soon.

Moshi has always been one of our favorite Apple-focused companies and, with all its new additions, we love it even more.

When I was roaming the show, many companies were showing off one or two new products. XtremeMac, however, was introducing countless, including two new speakers, one being a Jambox-esque system and the other being a larger iPad compatible system. The company also announced multiple new iOS cases, stylish new carrying pouches (for both iOS devices and MacBooks), and matte MacBook hard-shells. Reviews will come alongside launches of the new products. Till then, some photos follow…

XtremeMac’s new products are really something to take note of. Check out its current lineup here.