Calabasas, Calif. – May 7, 2012 – Musubo, the creator of mobile accessories that seamlessly merge fashion and protection, today announces four new additions to its collection of unique, eye-catching carrying solutions. Designed for iPhone 4/4S, the Ripple, Sexy, Eden and Double X cases bring fresh and exciting designs to your device, allowing you to showcase your distinctive style and taste while keeping your phone perfectly protected. Inspired by Tokyo street fashion, Musubo cases turn the real into surreal, ignite the imagination and spark conversation.

“Just in time for summer, Musubo accessories bring color and freshness to case design that hasn’t ever been seen before,” said Jeff Galant, CEO of Smart IT USA, Musubo’s exclusive U.S. distribution partner. “The cases are truly original and imaginative without compromising functionality or protection.”

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Once I saw this press release, I was off to the Musubo booth at CTIA, where Jeff Galant gave us a tour and description of the entire new line.

Enjoy!

Toronto, Ontario, May 18, 2012 — iSkin, a premium brand for fashion and technology lifestyle accessories, announced today two brand new protective cases for the iPhone 4/4S that fuse strong protection with sexy style: the fuze and fuze SE.

iSkin once again raises the bar in premium protection for iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S by designing & engineering a case that fuses shock and impact protection into an elegant, low-profile package. The fuze and fuze SE represent months of engineering and research & development, along with the development of an iSkin exclusive interlocking system that combines outstanding protection in a slim and fashionable form.

Protection

Unlike other hard cases, the fuze and fuze SE both feature a soft inner core that cushions the iPhone while its hard exterior absorbs impact. Both fuze models are finished to provide a sure grip on the iPhone, giving owners confidence while holding it. The fuze and fuze SE cover every vulnerable edge of the iPhone. The fuze and the fuze SE feature protected power and volume buttons, as well as a removable charging port (30-pin) cover to keep unwanted dust, dirt and spills from causing damage. In addition, the fuze SE has extended iPhone frontal protection with integrated home button coverage.

Fit and Finish

With aesthetics keenly in mind, the fuze features a modern tri-tone color scheme. It pairs a black matte-finished body with a blue, pink or grey front that’s accented with a white trim around the screen—for a look that’s akin to the sophisticated superhero. The fuze SE steps it up with an über-sophisticated black and grey color scheme that’s accented with a brushed aluminum front plate. Both cases are designed for those seeking robust protection without the bulky, industrial look.

Works with Speaker Docks

The new cases are thin enough that they may be used with speaker docks and the Apple Universal Dock (with cradle adapters removed).

Altogether, the fuze and fuze SE distinguish iSkin as a continued industry leader in providing advanced protection with premium style for the discerning iPhone owner.

Availability & Pricing

With all features and benefits considered, the fuze retails for an affordable 49.99 USD (MSRP), while the fuze SE retails for 59.99 USD (MSRP). The fuze is available online at iSkin.com and will appear at exclusive iSkin retailers in the weeks to come.

The colors pop, and most of their cases are textured, so they feel good as well as look good. I really liked the ease of changing the back plates to quickly give your phone a whole new look.

Lewis showed me some hot covers that fit on the MacBook Air, but explained they didn’t have Macs to just leave sitting out. Lucky for him, I happened to have a Mac in my purse! So I took it out and he tried on the cover. Even though I had a skin on it, the snap cover fit quite well, and looked really nice.

You can check it out for yourself later, but the gist is, they wrap this guy’s hand in this orange goop and bash it with a hammer – and he doesn’t feel a thing. Are you as intrigued as I was?

What makes Impactology™ unique is the secret ingredient D30^® Impact Fabric used within our designs. It’s composed of a non-Newtonian polymer with an intelligent molecular structure. So clever in fact, that it has been adopted worldwide by the military for its power in impact protection on the battlefield.”

Take a look at the video below as we are introduced to the science behind Tech21 and Impactology, and the cases that are born out of this science.

Next up, we see how Tech21 cases are not just impact resistant, but scratch proof. Watch what happens when you use a metal brush on the back of a Tech21 case. In a word – nothing!

Finally, we see the Submariner case from Tech21. Two cases in one, this case is practically indestructible, but allows you to still use your touchscreen smartphone. It also gives you a secure place to keep your drivers license and credit cards while you’re off diving.

Now that we’ve seen the videos, let’s take a look at two of the products up close. First we’re going to look at the Impact Mesh for the iPhone 4/4S.

Here, we’re looking at the Impact Mesh in pink. As you can probably tell from the above shots, the Impact Mesh doesn’t add much bulk to the iPhone. In fact, it continues to look slim, and while this case gives you a good grip, it slides easily in and out of your pocket.

It’s when we begin to look at the sides that you can see the thin strip of orange, that is the D30 Impact Fabric material.

You can also see how well the case fits. The volume keys are covered, and you can easily reach the mute switch. The color is actually quite complementary here, with the orange appearing almost as a darker pink.

You can see more of the orange D30 peeking out at the top next to the headphone jack. Notice how the power button is also covered for protection. The docking port is open, and so far all my plugs (OEM and 3rd party) fit just fine.

This is a beautiful case that offers extraordinary protection. It feels good in the hand.

Next, we have the iPad 2 case. We were told that this case fits both the iPad 2 and the New (3rd generation) iPad, but found it to be just a little too snug for the New iPad, and too difficult to get on.

This case comes to the edges of the front of your case, and is designed to work with a smartcover. I would have preferred this case come up just a little higher on the sides. While it’s a perfect fit, it always seems like the iPad is about to come out of the case.

It’s surprisingly slim for an ultra protective case. This is a dual layer case, with the D30 hidden inside and well out of sight – pity, because it provides a nice splash of colour.

As you can see, the docking port is open, as is the camera hole. There is a vent for the speaker so that it does not affect audio at all.

While I totally love the iPhone case, I’m not completely sold on the iPad case. They do have other models, though. Keep an eye out for Tech21 as their products enter the US market.

I’m really looking forward to trying some of their easy to apply iVisor screen protectors. They gave away a few of the iPad iGlaze cases, and they were wonderful. Totally thin and shiny.

Here is a small sample for your viewing pleasure.

Having spent two years in Taiwan as a teen, I find myself drawn to the Taiwan pavilion at CTIA, and it was there that I discovered Esoterism. Even the signage  in their booth was a mechanical drawing done by their artistic director, who happens to be a professor of art at one of Taipei’s most prestigious art institutes.

We will look at two pieces as they were presented to me.

Aluminum bumper cases for the iPhone 4/4S, you can tell there’s something special about them from the shine and the color choices. Notice that the case on the left is slightly smaller than the case on the right. The one on the left, which includes the ♀ on the side of the case, is designed for the smaller hand of a woman. The case on the right, is marked with a ♂, and larger to fit a man’s hand.

Not just a bumper, the curves are functional, and made to give your hands the perfect grip in both portrait and landscape. You have full access to all ports and buttons, and as you can see in the above photo, the opening to the docking port is wide so that you don’t have to remove the bumper.

I was first attracted to Esoterism’s booth by an iPad case with a handle. It’s the perfect presentation tool. The choices of color available in these milled aluminum cases is astounding, and there is a series made with (company approved) Swarovski crystals. It’s not bling – it’s art.

I’m going to leave you with a gallery of the products they had with them here in New Orleans. Once you’ve finished admiring these beautiful pieces of functional art, be sure to stop by their website. I think you’ll be as surprised as I was at the prices.

Notice in the above photo on the right, that this bumper is a single, jointed piece of aluminum with a watch-like screw in the top so that you can remove it without a special tool, or losing screws.

These last few images are still concept pieces, and not yet on sale – but I want that stylus!

This has been a fun project to watch, because the CellHelmet team has apprised their backers of every step along the way, every delay, every production move. Nobody ever wondered where they stood, because these guys have sent out an email every night with an update. This is one dedicated and involved team!

I was lucky enough to catch up with them at CTIA in New Orleans, and hear directly how excited they are about their dream coming to fruition.