They say that thanks to the smartphone, the cheap camcorder is dead. But that doesn’t mean it has to be dead for your little ones – or anyone who just really likes Barbie. With that said, the Barbie Fabulous Glam Video Camera from Digiblue isn’t all that bad actually. The device is able to film at a 720 x 480 video resolution. Think DVD-like quality. It’s also able to take 3MP image stills and is capable of 4X digital zoom. Ok, so that is hardly anything to write home about. But it also features a 1.4″ LCD flip screen and it sports a slide-out USB connector, an SD card slot, and it will even work as a webcam.

Did we mention that it’s also fabulous and pink? All jokes aside, for $47.85, the Barbie Fabulous Glam Video Camera isn’t half bad.

But if pink isn’t your thing, yet you still appreciate some glitz and glam on your laptop, check out the new Geometric Black model which is covered in shapes, shadows, and various tones that create a stereoscopic effect. This design was also created with layers, so that when you look at it, “it expresses a shining ripple across the top of the casing”.

To complete the package, the Stony Store is also offering a free laptop sleeve when your purchase a C series laptop through February 4th. Pricing begins at $759.99 for the Core i3 models.

But it’s not just all about bling, there is a bit of magic too involved in the way that the time can be completely hidden behind crystals.  The watches are also water resistant up to 50 meters and feature a wide viewing angle so that you can show off your bling properly from every angle.

The Phosphor Appear Bracelet watch is available with an outer rim of gold, silver or black, with a choice of black or white bands. It’s also available with features pink, white/amber, clear/amber and black band styles, and three men’s styles are set to debut before the end of the year. The women’s Appear Bracelet range in price from $199 to 225.

Take a pseudo Flash mob, lots of magenta, and T-Mobile, and you get a pretty sweet viral video that the wireless carrier has just produced in time for the holiday season. T-Mobile’s Home for the Holidays video features a public performance of 100 women wearing magenta dresses as they sing and dance, flash mob-style, through the floors of a stereotypical American mall somewhere outside of Chicago. Of course, the T-Mobile girl makes an appearance in the video. The super skinny brand ambassador almost seems out of place in this swarm! And that is despite the fact that she is also clad in a magenta dress.

The video is produced by director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon and musical director Paul Mirkovich, so it’s no surprise that the video is well done and quite entertaining. Furthermore, these women have got plenty of talent, and we love that they are singing a non stereotypical holiday song. Instead they are singing an updated spin on the holiday classic, “(There’s No Place Like) Home For The Holidays.” Also, these are “real” women singing and dancing, not Barbie dolls – and that is something that we can always appreciate.

The year is almost over but that doesn’t mean companies can’t squeeze in just one more Android smartphone before the year is up. Huawei Honor will begin shipping in December to select markets with an enhanced Huawei-customized Android 2.3.5 user interface – the Huawei Android Platform 5.1. If you think this phone looks familiar, that is because it is… The device originally debuted in September and now it will be officially launching in December. The Huawei Honor platform will feature exclusive icons and widgets along with 3D transitions on music tracks. Furthermore, Huawei will offer a sophisticated backup feature allowing users to backup and restore data to and from the Honor’s SD card.

There will also be a Smart Data Traffic Manager that enables better management of the phone’s data usage. This way you will know exactly how much data that YouTube video cost you to watch.

The Honor will come in an assortment of colors from Glossy Black, Textured Black, Elegant White, Vibrant Yellow, Cherry Blossom Pink and Burgundy. Each color may not be available in all markets though. And unfortunately for the moment, if you must have this latest Android smartphone, you’ll have to take a trip to obtain one, because so far is scheduled to be available only in Russia, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia Japan and China.

Our pals over at Netbook News have spotted a new version of the popular Samsung Galaxy S II, and this one is colored in bright pink! The colorful handset will only be available in Korea. Of course, pink is quite a popular color for females in Asia, so this special edition of the Galaxy II makes a lot of sense over there. That said, we know that plenty of women here would love to have a pink version of the Samsung Galaxy S II.

We’re not going to get into stereotypes, but at the end of the day, many women do love pink phones. Samsung has a long history of coloring phones pink, though since they started focusing on smartphones, their selection of pink phones has dwindled.  Manufacturers just need to understand that while there are many women who do like pink a lot, most women look at the form and functionality of the device first, and the color second. That said, it’s nice to see a very powerful and popular smartphone like the Samsung Galaxy S II get painted pink, even if it might come across as a bit patronizing.

What we would really like to see from Samsung is a serious smartphone designed for women from the ground up. HTC did it recently with the Rhyme, so we would love to see what Samsung has to offer to women past just coloring a device pink.

(Via)

The dress is supposed to celebrate Barbie’s fashion heritage, and in particular, her fondness for this specific pink color. It certainly seems like Mattel might be running out of ideas for new Barbie dolls, either that or perhaps it’s that Pantone is really pimping itself out anyway it can – Ed Hardy style. After all, you can find everything from Pantone mugs to Pantone colored socks nowadays.

Either way, at $52.99, Barbie Pink in Pantone Doll is definitely a Barbie that is designed for the adult collector and it would make a heck of a gift for the graphics / print designer in your life too. The Barbie Pink in Pantone Doll will go on sale in January 2012.

Sometimes you just can’t redesign a classic, but if you just add a new coat of color to it, it makes a classic piece of headphone gear look spanking new. That is exactly what Beats by Dr. Dre and Monster have unveiled today with five new colors for the Limited Edition Beats Studio Over-Ear Headphones. The new available colors include pink, blue, red, white, orange, purple, and silver.

Not much has changed overall in regards to specs, but apparently the need to have different colored Studio’s was very important to consumers. Companies like Colorware have been customizing Beats by Dr. Dre headphones for awhile now and have been successful at it. So why not just make it that way out of the box, with a warranty to back it up?

If you thought you didn’t see enough of thee Beats by Dr. Dre headphones walking around the streets… get ready to see a lot more… just louder and more bolder than ever.

The Limited Edition Beats Studio Over-Ear Headphones will retail for $349.95 $299, and they go on sale October 16th.

Update 10/12/2011:

Here are more specs from the press release:

Chic Colors
Switch up your style with multiple colors to match any occasion.
Extreme Comfort
Plush ear cushions covered with ultra-soft breathable materials keep you cool, even during marathon listening
sessions.
Superior Sound Isolation
Active, powered noise cancellation to deliver pure audio performance.
Scratch-Resistant Gloss Finish
Advanced materials make Studios stand out from the crowd and the hard, scratch-resistant finish keeps them
looking good, even with heavy use.
Ready for iPhone®, Blackberry®, and Music Phones
Studios come with an additional Monster iSoniTalk™ headphone cable with built-in call answer button and
microphone so you can easily stop the rock and start the talk.
Folding Design and Touring Case
Studios’ three-way folding design makes packing a breeze and the touring case features rugged construction
for enhanced protection of your headphones.

When it comes to sparkling things, like  most girls, you’ve at least got our attention. Such is the case with Native Union’s latest POP phones which they have covered in crystals. The new Crystal POP Phone is a sparkling handset that has been adorned in hundreds of Swarovski crystals. In particular this handset features a retro rotary style handset design. But besides for looking retro chic, what benefits does this handset have you ask? Supposedly it protects users from cell phone radiation by as much as 99%. 

“The Crystal POP phone is a truly lavish accessory for the user who wants to feel like a star,” said John Brunner, managing director, Native Union. “Users will experience luxury and glamour during each conversation, as well as a more convenient and comfortable talking experience, all while making a statement about their personal style.”

The handset is available in a choice of pink, black, red, purple and silver and it will work with most smartphones and tablets, including the iPhone, iPad, and BlackBerry’s, as it connects to them via a 3.5mm jack.

Are you sitting down? Good, because this accessory will cost you $600. So if you want to justify the price tag, comfort yourself with the fact that celebs like Lenny Kravitz, Heidi Klum, Courtney Cox and Daniel Craig have all been caught sporting POP phones.

The screen is far from impressive with its pixelated black and white display. The stylus is tucked neatly inside the device and will help you interact with the 30 touch screen activities that are included. There are also 8 different themes – Fashion, Design, Pets, Party and more to keep your kids busy.

Obviously this device is meant for the child in your home, but since it is Barbie, a true Barbie fan certainly wouldn’t want to miss out on typing on an all pink tablet.

We got some one-on-one time with it recently, and while the device is far from being a ‘real’ tablet, it is still fun for all ages, and brings a concept of a pricier gadget to children in a more affordable medium. The Barbie Fashion Tablet retails for $49.95 at Oregon Scientific.

The case itself promises to be protective while also providing “hi-fidelity” sound. Somehow, we doubt that the speakers on this case can provide a cinematic experience, but just about anything is an improvement over the super weak speaker that is built into the iPad 2. Really, that speaker is such a pain to use – in semi noisy environments, even at its loudest volume, it is pretty unusable. Which is why a case with a built-in speaker helps kill two birds with one stone.

The case also requires four AA batteries to operate. Pricing is TBD. Oh, and Samsung Galaxy S and Galaxy Tab owners rejoice – a similar case, called the iSP230 will also be available for the Tabs, however it will only be available in a choice of pink or black.

There is a good reason that Loewe has named one of their latest TVs, the “Individual 3D”. That is because this TV is all about individual customization. To that effect, you can choose the color of the TV’s insets. Available colors include metallised chrome, neon pink, ebony, blue, and more. You can also choose how to integrate the TV into your living space – you can hang it rather traditionally on the wall, or place fit on a screen lift,  or perhaps on one of Loewe’s racks.

But it’s not just the customization options and neat design that makes the Loewe’s Individual TV impressive. The TV also packs plenty of features under the hood. For starters, it’s a 3D TV that will work with Loewe Active 3D glasses, and it can even convert 2D content into  3D. It also features a built-in DVR with a 500GB capacity, it sports a display with LED technology, and a Loewe Subwoofer for lively bass, along with Loewe Sound Projector for 7.1 sound from a single speaker. But who are we kidding, you had us at neon pink!

The Loewe Individual 3D TV is available in several sizes including 55″, 46″, 40″, and 32″. Unfortunately the TV is only available overseas in Europe.

chicBuds Pink Fauvette Bird Speaker isn’t just a portable speaker, it is a speaker worth tweeting about. That is because it is designed to look like a little birdy, or rather a sophisticated bird covered in a lovely gold motif. The speaker itself is a 2-watt speaker that can connect to mostly any portable music device via a standard 3.5mm jack, and it will last for up-to four hours on a single charge. The chicBuds Pink Fauvette Bird Speaker will be available in August for $34.99.

Sony has two new series of laptops coming out, and both are quite lovely. In particular, we’re super fond of the new C series. The C series is available in two bold colors – neon red or thunder blue. Not only do these colors pop, but you’ll love their complimenting backlit keyboard. You also get to choose between 14″ and 15.5″ displays, and a Core i3 or i5 processor. The 14 inch model boasts a battery life of up-to nine hours with the standard lithium ion battery. The system can also be configured with an AMD Radeon 1GB graphics card and a Blu-ray player. Pricing begins at just $730.

Sony has also revamped their E series. Like the new C series, the E Series also includes both a 14-inch and 15.5-inch model which comes in a choice of midnight blue, glacier white, charcoal black and blush pink. There is also a 17.3″ model that comes in a choice of charcoal black or glacier white. But what makes the E Series design especially unique is the geometric patterns that appear on the lids, and on matching palm rests. The laptop is also fingerprint-resistant so that you wont see any unsightly finger smudges on your shiny new toy. Some features of the E Series include an LED backlit LCD screen, HDMI out, a choice of a Core i3 or i5 processor or an AMD E-350 Dual Core Processor. The system can also be configured with a Blu-Ray drive and Remote Play for PS3, which lets uses access content stored on the PS3 over the internet. Pricing for the E series begins at $550.

The E Series and C Series will be available at SonyStyle starting June on 19th.

Sony has revamped their VAIO S Series, and the already sexy S series is now looking more enticing than ever. For starters, the new S Series is available in burnished brown, jet black, platinum silver, as well as pink or blue – with magnesium and aluminum materials. This laptop really is a beauty to behold in person. This is the first time that the S series has offered so many cool options, and we know that plenty of you will be digging the pink one. But don’t let the pink color fool you, this is a powerful ultraportable. The laptop manages to pack in a 13.3″ display with a 1600×900 resolution, yet it measures just 0.95″ thin, and weighs just 3.6lbs. Speaking of the display, Sony has decided to deviate from their traditional glossy displays by going with a matte display this time around. Sony is also promising a battery life of up-to 15 hours if you choose to get the optional sheet battery. However, the sheet battery will up the total weight to about 5 lbs.

The S Series will come running on the second generation Core i7 Processor and it can be configured with a dual solid state drive in a Raid configuration! The system can also be configured with a powerful AMD Radeon HD 6630 1GB graphics card, a Blu-Ray drive and Intel Wireless display 2.0 technology. Other standard features include a built-in web cam with face tracking technology and an Exmor sensor which works well even in low light, and an LED backlit keyboard. This laptop can definitely go toe to toe with the likes of the HP Envy and MacBook Pro.

The VAIO S series is available for presale today, starting at $1370, with the optional sheet battery retailing for $150.

The Sony VAIO Y Series laptop was one of the first laptops on the market to sport the AMD Fusion chipset. Unlike netbooks which are affordable, but also underpowered, the AMD Fusion series is designed to power ultraportable laptops and make them affordable, without sacrificing performance. The VAIO Y Series configuration that we tested runs on an AMD Dual-Core E-350 1.60GHz processor with 3GB of ram and AMD Radeon HD 6310 graphics, and it packs in an 11.6″ LED backlit display along with a 320GB hard drive, 802.11n wireless, Bluetooth, a webcam with Motion Eye, and HDMI out.

Design

Available in with a silver body with a pink or silver cover, the VAIO Y series looks great. Like most of Sony’s laptops, it’s well made too. The system has no flex and it seems hardy too, yet it manages to weigh just 3.23lbs. This is a laptop that not only looks good, but you can also carry it around in your bag the whole day without feeling it much at all. The pink option is not an overly girl pink either, it’s more of a fuchsia color and being that its complimented by the silver and black accents, it isn’t overkill like so any other pink laptops can be. The circular power button that is located on the right side of the device also pimps out the device by glowing, which is a nice touch in a budget laptop. We also like that the included AC adapter is quite petite and that it comes with a long extension chord. Otherwise the laptop comes with a standard set of ports including ethernet, and two USB ports on the right side, and a front-mounted card reader.

Keyboard & Mouse

The VAIO Y series sports a full size keyboard. Th black chicklet style keys are super comfortable to type on and provide great tactile feedback without being squishy.  The keys are also well-spaced. We’re really enjoying the keyboard on this laptop.  The black keys also serve as a attractive Macbook Pro-like contrast to the silver colored chassis.  The mouse trackpad could really be bigger though in order to take advantage of Windows 7 gestures, but that isn’t a deal breaker.

Display

Unfortunately, the display might just be the poorest component on this system. The display is sharp and packs in a great 1366×768 resolution, and it does get adequaetly bright. And while it is superior too many other netbook displays, the colors are a washed out and they definitely don’t pop. The display’s viewing angles aren’t that great either.

Performance

The VAIO Y Series is running on an AMD Fusion APU with AMD Radeon HD 6310 Graphics. An APU combines the CPU and GPU (graphics processing unit) onto a single low power chip. That means that the system is powerful enough for some moderately serious gaming and it is even powerful enough to play DirectX 11 games. The APU enables the CPU and GPU to work hand-in hand, so that the CPU can off load multimedia intensive tasks to the GPU as needed. As a result, the APU ends up being powerful enough for gaming, serious multimedia tasks, and even HD video playback and video editing. In particular AMD fusion offers some other “bonuses” like the ability to accelerate apps lie Powerpoint, it can serve to auto-enhance Flash 10.1 video so that the video looks and plays better, it can dynamically help improve contrast and anti-aliasing on video, and it can also speed up photo and video tagging.

Compared to the netbooks we have reviewed and used in the past, the VAIO Y series is leaps and bounds ahead of them all in terms of performance. Where we often found ourselves tapping our fingers and getting frustrated when trying to multitask or watch an HD video on some other netbooks, the VAIO Y series handles these chores without issue. Overall, the VAIO Y system handles multitasking very well too. I was able to run Internet explorer, Microsoft Word, Skype and Watch a 1080P video simultaneously without any hangups.

In 3DMark11, the system earned a score of p277 3DMark. 3DMark11 is designed to benchmark DirectX 11 hardware. In PCMark05, the system earned a score of 2684, and in 3DMark06 the system earned a score of 2218 3DMarks. The system also earned a Windows Experience score of 3.7, but a score of 5.7 for 3D business and graphics performance. The system also takes about a minute and a half to boot up. Overall, these benchmarks basically help prove that the processor in the VAIO Y series isn’t quite the fastest out there for an ultraportable, but it still manages to offer the multimedia, gaming and multitasking performance chops that you would expect from a more expensive laptop. And no matter what, the system trounces most netbooks in terms of performance.

The system also comes with HDMI out. That means that you can connect the notebook to an external HD display and the notebook is powerful enough to playback even 1080P on an external display. That is quite the feat at this price point. We cant help but imagine the possibilities here. You could transform the VAIO Y series into a portable media center PC or Boxee Box.

Battery life

With WiFi turned on, moderate use under a balanced power setting, we got about 4 hours of power before the battery drained.

Software

The system comes with a healthy suite of software including Microsoft Office Starter, a Norton Internet Security trial, Adobe Reader 9, Skype, VAIO Messenger, Evernote, the ArcSoft Webcam suite with WebCam Companion 4 Monitor Mode, VAIO media plus, AMD’s Catalyst control center for optimizing your system’s performance, and Remote Play which lets you operate your PS3 from Your VAIO via your home network.

Conclusion

There is a reason why netbooks are dying. Partly because tablets are taking over, but also because netbooks are generally underpowered when it comes to multimedia intensive tasks. It used to be that ultraportables would cost an arm and a leg, But AMD Fusion laptops have changed all of that. If you’re looking to buy a netbook, for just a $100 or so more you can pick up an AMD Fusion based laptop which will offer you tons more value and performance. Really, it’s kind of a no brainer and the benchmarks tell all. A year ago, it would have been a pipe dream to pick up a sub $500 ultraportable laptop that could offer some moderately serious gaming performance including support for resource-heavy DirectX 11 games, but AMD Fusion changes all of that.

The VAIO Y series that we tested feels so much faster than the netbooks we’ve tested and used in the past. It actually feels like a “regular” laptop in day to day tasks. Granted, the VAIO Y series is definitely not running on the the fastest laptop processors out there by far, but it offers tons of multimedia and graphics performance for the price. The VAIO Y series might also not pack in some bells and whistles like SSD or USB 3.0 like the more expensive ultraportables do, but it manages to still be a well designed, and well rounded, and capable ultraportable. This laptop is great for students on a budget or anyone who has lusted after an ultraportable but hasn’t been able to afford those price one until now. The Sony VAIO Y series is available in silver or pink, and it is currently on sale for $499 through May 7th – that is a $100 savings. This $499 configuration includes 4GB of ram and a 500GB hard drive. That said, there are other direct competitors to the VAIO Y series, like the HP Pavilion Dm1Z, which are also running on the AMD Fusion chipset, but are even more affordably priced at $449.

The Good: As portable as a netbook but significantly more powerful, very affordable, lightweight and sleek and pretty-in-pink design is feminine but not overly so, AMD Fusion chipset provides great multimedia and gaming performance despite low price tag

The Bad: Washed out colors on display are a bummer, touchpad area is small, battery life could be better

Cisco’s recent announcement about discontinuing their popular Flip video camera series was pretty shocking. After all, the Flip did start the pocket camcorder craze and inspired a slew of imitators. That said, the news wasn’t all that shocking since smartphones are replacing pocket camcorders. We recently got the opportunity to test out the Sony Bloggie Touch 8GB, and discovered that there is still plenty of life left in the pocket camcorder market yet. The Sony Bloggie Touch MHS-TS20 packs in the ability to record video at up-to 1080P at 30fps in MP4 format and its video format is compatible with iMovie, it can also take 12.8MP still images, and it features a 4X digital zoom, a Sony Exmor CMOS sensor, with SteadyShot image stabilization, along with a built-in rechargeable battery and HDMI out.

The Bloggie is available in two capacities – 4GB or 8GB, The 4GB model provides enough memory to record about an hour in 1080p while the 8GB model can hold unto about 2 hours in 1080p. That said, if you record at 720p, which should be good enough for most, you’ll be able to get even more footage in. The Bloggie has 3 modes for shooting video -1080p at 30fps, and 720p at 60 or 30fps. It also gives you the option of taking still images at 12, 8 or 2 megapixels. You can also choose to film in either landscape or portrait modes, although we don’t recommend filming in portrait, since that ends up being a pain when editing later on. The Bloggie U.I. is able to work in both landscape and portrait modes as well. In general you’ll have to remember to film while holding the Bloggie in landscape mode, which can be a bit disconcerting since it feels more natural to hold it in portrait mode.

Design

The Bloggie comes packaged in a compact and pretty luxurious box lined with a soft velvet-like material. The box is so nice that you wont what to throw it away. A carrying strap and a USB extension cable are included. However, an HDMI cable and carrying case are unfortunately not included, but that isn’t surprising at this price point. Weighing just 4.2oz, and measuring 2 1/8″ x 4 1/4″ x 5/8 with a flip-out USB arm, The Sony Bloggie Touch 8GB is on par with other pocket camcorders, but manages to also be a little thinner than some of the competition. However, the Bloggie Touch trounces a lot of the competition with a large 3″ LCD touchscreen display. The display is sharp and pretty colorful, bur the LCD itself is kind of low quality in comparison to most modern smartphone displays.

The design of the device is quite handsome with silver trim surrounding the camera lens. The 8GB model is also available in pink, blue, black or silver. The left side of the device holds the power button while on the right side there is a door which covers the mini-HDMI port, and located at the bottom of the device is a slot for mounting a tripod. Next to the tripod, the USB arm is stashed. You’ll need to press down on the USB arm for it to pop out. The USB arm is used of course to transfer files off of the Bloggie Touch. It’s also the only way to charge the device since it has a built-in battery.

User Interface

The 3″ LCD touchscreen display makes operating the device much more of a pleasure than its competitors. That said, the use interface isn’t all that intuitive but it’s easy enough to get the hang of quickly. You can also use the Bloggie to flip through stored videos and videos. That is done by sliding through thumbnails with your fingers. When it comes to starting a recording, the Bloggie is responsive and it only takes a moment to start recording.

Performance

The video produced by the Sony Bloggie Touch is excellent, making the Bloggie Touch one of the best pocket camcorders out there. Footage tends to be sharp, and bright with vivid colors. As a matter of fact, the quality is so good that you’d think it was coming out of a more expensive camcorder. The built-in auto-focus is also impressive and works well. That said, you’ll want to stay away from using the digital zoom since it really degrades the video quality. Audio on the other hand is just acceptable since the Bloggie Touch tends to pick up a lot of background noise. Also there is no option to add a dedicated mic, which is a bummer, but not surprising for this form-factor.

Still images taken with the Bloggie Touch are ok, but definitely not the camera’s strong point. That said, images are pretty sharp and colorful when taken outdoors, but forget about using the Bloggie Touch as a serious camera indoors since there is no built-in flash or optical stabilization – so photos tend to be grainy and blurry.

Software

Both Mac and PC users can drag and drop files off of the Bloggie on to their computers as if it were a disk drive. The Bloggie Touch comes preloaded with Sony’s Bloggie software for Windows. Mac users will have to download the software from Sony’s web site. The software is very easy to use and is designed to help users import videos and photos from the Bloggie onto your computer. It also allows for quick and easy uploading to Facebook, YouTube, Flickr and Picasa.

The Sony Bloggie Touch is definitely leading the pack when it comes to Pocket Camcorders. We love its compact and sleek design, easy to use touch-based U.I., and the excellent video that it produces. Some of you might be wondering why if you have a smartphone that records in HD, why would you still what a Bloggie Touch? The video quality produced by the Bloggie Touch HD is still better than what most smartphones can produce, at-least for now. Furthermore, the Flip camcorder might be dead, but long live the Bloggie Touch. The Sony Bloggie Touch retails for $169.99 and can even be customized with an engraving on SonyStyle.com. The silver model be found for as little as $149.99 on Amazon. There is also a 4GB version that is available for as little as $129.99 and the new 3D Bloggie HD camera was also just released for $249.99. Finally, there is a special promotion going on now which gets customers a free Sony Bloggie Touch when their purchase a VAIO C series laptop.

The Good: Great design, large 3″ touchscreen display, easy to use interface, excellent video quality, fun color choices

The Bad: No option to add a mic, still images are mediocre

Your iPhone 4 is going into battle, you need it to withstand heavy shock, large drops, strong wind, crazy rain, extreme vibration, and the most fierce sand storms. Well, you’re in luck! Griffin has just released their Survivor Extreme-Duty Case for iPhone 4 that will literally make your iPhone battle-ready. The new case meets and exceeds US/UK Military Standards, plus it looks good and feels good too.

There are three parts to Griffin’s Survivor case, four pieces in total. There’s the swivel clip, which is completely optional. Then there’s the thick silicone outer shell, and on the inside is a two piece hard plastic padded case. The two-piece inner case snaps around the iPhone, and has a built-in clear plastic screen protector which also covers the front camera and earpiece. The shock absorbing silicone outer shell stretches over the inner case and provides button overlays for the volume, lock, and home buttons. The case has silicone flaps that plug the headphone, vibrate toggle, rear camera, and dock connector/mic/speaker ports. Unfortunately, these flaps prevent Survivor case from being 100% water-proof, though it’s still water resistant. The durable, thick plastic clip snaps on to the back of the case and can swivel 180 degrees, though it’s technically 360 degrees as the clip can be attached upside-down. The clip also doubles as a stand if you pull it back all the way.

You don’t need to take my word that this case makes your iPhone near-destruction-proof. There are videos on http://www.griffintechnology.com/armored of just how extreme you can get with Griffin’s survivor case. You can watch them chuck it as far as they can onto an asphalt parking lot as it bounces fifteen times, or watch them take turns hurling it as hard as they can against against a wall (until it goes through the wall). The iPhone is on the entire time and seems to work just fine. iPhone treks through every severe test unscathed, except for one: running it over with a Dodge Magnum breaks the case and cracks the iPhone. But hey, at least the iPhone still worked.

If you’ve made it this far, you may be wondering if this case is for you. Unless you’re working construction, or constantly drop, throw, and/or beat your iPhone, then it’s not a good everyday case. Though, it could very well pay itself off just as a case for the beach, camping, or any type of adventuring. It’s a very durable phone case, and the added size is pretty manageable–it’s quite lightweight and very comfortable to hold. The button overlays work very well at keeping sand and moisture out, but the flaps can get frustrating. The rear camera flap has to be physically held off to the side, otherwise it will get in the way of the picture (annoying!). Certain headphones may not fit because of the deep groove. The case protrudes a few millimeters past the iPhone’s face, this makes it tricky to register touch on the sides of the screen, especially while typing.

All in all, the Griffin Survivor is an awesome case, but only if you need it. The added size, cumbersome port covers, and tricky keyboard typing is enough to make you want to use a regular case. However, if you’re adventurous, on the beach, and/or need to make your iPhone near-destruction proof, the Griffin is comfortable, light, good looking, and does a bang up job at protecting your iPhone 4 from nearly anything. Our army green (olive) case looks as if it could be a limited edition Halo themed iPhone case. It is also available in black, pink/black, and white/black. Griffin makes their Survivor Armored Case for iPod Touch 4G and soon-to-come for iPad 2. The Survivor Case retails for $49.99, though the black version can be found on Amazon for just $25. At $25, it’s a nice case to have to have for beach days, even if it’s just the black version.

Specs from GriffinTechnology.com:
* Fits iPhone 4 models from all carriers
* Independently tested and certified to meet conditions outlined in US Department of Defense MIL-STD-810 and UK Department of Defense Def-Stan 00-35
* Integral Display shield deflects Wind/Rain (Test: Up to 200 mm/hr for 1 hour)
* Rigid internal frame protects from Shock/Drop (Test: Drop on flat concrete surface from 6′/1.8 m)
* Sealed ports block Blown Sand/Dust (up to 18 m/sec for 1 hour)
* Silicone cladding blocks vibration (18 hrs at 20-2000 Hz)
* Multi-position clip attaches securely to pack strap or belt

The Good: Comfortable, Makes iPhone near-indestructible, access to all ports and buttons, button overlays work well, Clip doubles as stand, lightweight

The Bad: Not “water-proof”, difficult to type with it on, difficult to take a picture using back camera, large