More cool stuff from BoxWave!

Derek Gillette, a Marketing Coordinator at BoxWave, sent along two new tech items for my review. Thanks, Derek!


BoxWave Nero Leather Smart Nuovo iPad Case

The first is the Nero Leather Smart Nuovo iPad Case, created for the 3rd generation iPad. (I see there is also a red version, which I am craving, and a cool white one to match those of you that have the white iPad!) This leather case is available for $39.99, with free shipping, on their site right now. The regular price is $59.95.


This case was definitely created for the newest iPad. I have a couple of other tight-fitting, snap-on cases that were made for the iPad 2, and the new iPad does not snap in perfectly to those cases since it is a tad thicker.  The new iPad snaps firmly into  the Smart Nuovo case's back. I also have a skin on the back of my iPad and it still fit in tightly and firmly.

Inside of BoxWave's Smart Nuovo iPad Case

Smart Nuovo iPad Case with closure and cutouts

The case has all the cutouts needed for the sync cable, headphone jack, microphone, camera, access to the top and side buttons, and has a nice grill across the speaker area which keeps that area safe from scratches.

The Smart Nuovo case is called "smart" since the cover is a smart cover that turns the iPad's display off when it is closed and turns the display on when you open it. I use one of Apple's Smart Covers, but, with this case, there is no need to! This case truly protects the front and back of the iPad while adding very little size and "heftiness" to the iPad.

Smart Nuovo iPad Case in "stand" mode

The Smart Nuovo iPad Case closes with a leather flap, and the same leather flap is used when you fold back the cover and use the case as a stand. (I am not a big stand user, since I hate getting the inside lining that protects the screen dirty by propping it on a table.) However, for those of you that are not worried about that, the stand puts the iPad at the correct angle for viewing and typing on an external keyboard.

BoxWave Universal EverTouch Capacitive Stylus

Woven fiber tip

The second item Derek sent along was the Universal EverTouch Capacitive Stylus. As one who owns various styli, I was interested to see that the stylus tip of the EverTouch stylus was made of a woven fiber rather than the other types of rubber or felt-like tips on the styli I already owned. The cost online right now is $12.95, with volume purchasing available. The regular cost is $24.95. It comes in orange, blue, black, red, and silver.  The Evertouch Stylus body is aluminum and very light. 

 It also comes with three different types of lanyards. There is a lanyard to attach it to your keychain or neck lanyard, there is  a lanyard that allows you to plug it into the headphone jack on your device so you always know where it is, and the unique lanyard was one with the same headphone jack but it had a coil that allowed you to use it while it was plugged into the headphone jack. 

The third lanyard was the most handy and gives you the least chance of losing the lanyard. It worked best while holding the iPad in landscape mode.

Addendum: I got so caught up in the cool tip and lanyard I forgot to mention the stylus' performance! It worked easily and without fail for selecting, drawing, typing, and writing.


If you or your school is interested in educational/volume licensing, drop Derek Gillette a line!

Cool stuff from BoxWave

Derek Gillette of BoxWave recently contacted me and asked me to review a few items that I thought might be useful for schools. I went through their online catalog and picked out the items below. Please let him know if you are interested in purchasing any of these items yourself or need a quote or volume pricing for your school or district!



BoxWave In-Ear miniBuds

The first thing I looked at was the BoxWave In-Ear miniBuds. BoxWave has always been in the forefront of the retractable cable devices and I have used many different types of cables from them over the years. This set of in-ear, stereo headphones are retractable and come with three different size ear tips and a clip you can attach to the cable reel to hook it to your collar or jacket if you wish. 

BoxWave In-Ear miniBuds

With the one-to-one initiatives and laptop and tablet carts in schools, I notice many students using their own headphones in class. However, I also notice the amount of time it takes students to unwrap the tangled cables that are wrapped around the stuff in their backpacks or purses! The retractable cable on this headset solves that problem and saves precious class time.


The BoxWave In-Ear miniBud headphones are very comfortable, the sound quality is great, and very little sound would "leak out" to surrounding students with the in-ear design.


 Tri-Connect Mini DisplayPort Adapter

Tri-Connect Mini Display Port Adapter

The second item I asked to review was the Tri-Connect Mini DisplayPort Adapter. This under-$12 device provides three different connection types to your Macbook, Macbook Pro, or Macbook Air with the Mini DisplayPort. It includes the laptop to DVI connection, the one encountered on many external monitors and LCD projectors; the laptop to DisplayPort connection, the full-size version of the Mini DisplayPort on the Macs which is slated to become the the future VGA and DVI replacement; and the laptop to HDMI connection, to hook up the laptop to flat-panel TV's and many new LCD projectors.


For classroom use, you probably already have a laptop to VGA adapter for use with an LCD projector or flat panel TV or monitor. However, VGA is an analog connection, and use of a DVI or HDMI connection is so much clearer for the viewer! As schools get new devices in the classroom, they should consider accessories such as this Tri-Connect Mini DisplayPort Adapter to make sure teachers have the connection they need in their classroom, in the conference room, and in the auditorium for projecting their Mac laptop.



Manila Leather Envelope

Manila Leather Envelope

The third thing I asked to review was the Manila Leather Envelope for my 11.6" Macbook Air. (For those of you that follow my blog, you know I am a bag and case "connoisseur"...okay, junkie!)

Ever since these Manila Leather Envelopes first came out, I really wanted to see one in person and I was not disappointed! It is pretty much the coolest case on the market, IMHO. I was surprised at the quality of the leather and the soft inside lining. The Manila Leather Envelope also has reinforced corners which protect the laptop even more. 

These Manila Leather Envelopes are available for tons of devices-- the Macbook Airs, the iPads, the iPhone 4 and 4S, Amazon's Kindles and Kindle Fires, many brands of smartphones, all the e-readers, and Android tablets like the Motorola Xoom and Samsung Galaxy Tab. (You can find links to all the cases starting on this page.)


Are these the definitive case for school-owned or one-to-one initiatives? Well, they look like a school supply, protect the devices with a form-fitting case, and are just so "cool for school"!




  
Thanks to Derek Gillette of BoxWave for allowing me to have a day of fun putting the BoxWave products through their paces and coming up with ways they would be useful for the classroom, students, and teachers! Don't forget to contact him for pricing or a quote if you need one!