Twelve South

This is the kind of thing we like to wake up to. Designer, producer, video director and virtual NYC “it” girl Va$htie is a fan of Twelve South, and was kind enough to feature several of our products on her recent segment on VH1′s Big Morning Buzz, hosted by Carrie Keagan. She talked mainly about her love of BookBook — how family members pick hers up, thinking it’s a “photo album or something” only to discover it’s her laptop — but supporting the BookBook on display was our own Compass stand (in Candy Apple Red). Here’s how it looked. (VH1 doesn’t let us show the video, though.)

Get your own “Big Morning Buzz” on with BookBook — for iPhone, iPad, MacBook, or MacBook Air — and Compass now.

Every now and then we get an email from a Twelve South user that we’ve just *got* to share. This one came in just last night — and while we’re very sorry to hear that a MacBook Pro was stolen, we’re happy to hear that our BookBook kept a new iPad safe and sound!

Here’s the email:

“I just thought I’d drop you a line concerning your iPad case. I purchased the new iPad and immediately ordered your “book book” case for it because I thought it looked cool. Yesterday I had to run into an office for a few minutes, so I left my laptop bag and my iPad in the back of my car. When I returned to my car I was horrified to see my window had been smashed and my laptop was no where to be found, but sitting right where I left it was my new iPad!! I read the marketing telling about how my new case would deter theft, but I thought that was just marketing BS. So, I guess I have you to thank that I still at least have my iPad to stay connected. It’s a good thing most thieves aren’t big readers. Thanks. — Finn J.     Sent from my iPad”

Get your own super-Lo-Jac-non-reading-thief-deterrent BookBook for iPad (or your laptop, for that matter, provided it’s a Mac) today. It’s ready to go for your new iPad, and ships free in the US — and for a low flat rate most everywhere else.

If you’ve followed Twelve South for a while, you’ve heard some of this before: We create Apple-centric products because *we* need them and will use them. And while it sounds pretty simple to do that, one magazine reporter got to the bottom of our process last year, Play-doh models and all.

Here’s more from a Charleston Magazine piece on the co-founders of Twelve South, Leigh Ann and Andrew Green:

“…just how do these designers turn their brainstorming brilliance into innovative tech accessories? Surprisingly enough, not on a computer. Their ideas come to fruition through good old-fashioned craftsmanship. For each viable concept, the Greens build a prototype by “any means necessary”—straws, Play Doh, chopsticks, you name it—to visualize the concept. (They fashioned an origami paper version of the Compass iPad stand using a cut-up manila envelope and a brad.)”

And about whether we are really only twelve people? Well, yes, really. When the article was written we were only eight:

“The model then gets passed around the eight-person office for feedback and tweaked as needed. “We react to touching, feeling, and seeing it in the space, something you can’t get on a CAD program,” says Andrew, who thinks their lack of formal design training has not held them back. “The final product has to be sleek, simplistic, and beautiful. If it isn’t beautiful, it’s not the solution that we want.” “

Read all about it in Charleston Magazine.

Hey, everybody! (We couldn’t resist that opener, having watched more than our fair share of The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.) Here’s something adults and kids alike will appreciate when dining at Disney’s The Hollywood Brown Derby: The restaurant offers a special menu, housed in an extra-special case, for those with allergies or specific food preferences.

As the video below shows — handily in our BookBook, no less — the restaurant caters well to vegans and people with nut or egg or other allergies by offering visitors an iPad with an App that re-orgs its menu based on the user’s stated allergies or avoidances. How’s that for a user-friendly menu? (We say ALL restaurants should do this. And you should, too — get your own iPad from Apple today and then make sure it’s housed in a lovely old BookBook.)

We can certainly relate to Unplggd’s idea of “smarter homes, fewer wires.” After all, who wouldn’t like to use tech to make their home work smarter…yet without all that ug-ug-ugly wire-ishness? (Is that even a word?) Since we can relate, we’re happy they included our BookBook for iPad in their roundup of “iPad and Kindle Covers for the Literary Guru.”

In their words:

“If you’re looking to give someone a high quality leather case this is your best option. This case doubles as a stand, is made from a durable brown leather, and is designed to look like a book you just salvaged from a pirate ship or something. Come to think of it, this could also work well for any of your steampunk friends. It is also advertised as offering additional protection since your iPad is totally concealed within the case when its closed so no one would think to steal it. This fits both generations of the iPad.”

Get your BookBook here and bring that literary guru in your life to their grateful knees, why don’t you?

With Christmas only 25 days away, blogs all over the web are checking their lists for their favorite gifts to give this holiday season. The latest comes from The Art of Manliness, a blog that dedicates itself to “reviving the lost art of manliness.” Among their “manly, useful, and classic” gift suggestions (that include everything from wilderness survival training courses to a vintage Swiss Army flashlight) is our very own BookBook for iPad! In their words:

“If you’re a man fond of scotchy, scotch, scotch, leather-bound books, and the smell of rich mahogany a la Ron Burgundy, then might we suggest the Book Book iPad case to protect your iPad? The Book Book case is designed to make your iPad look like an old, leather-bound book you’d find in the distinguished library of a gentleman scholar. The case zips up to protect your iPad when you’re not using it. The Book Book’s real book feel will make reading on your iPad even more enjoyable.”

Uncover that inner Anchorman by picking up your very own BookBook for iPad (or iPhone and even MacBook) just in time for Christmas from Twelve South. Start shopping early and get it to your door with free ground shipping for a limited time.

World famous fashion designer and icon Anna Sui has put her own touch on our BookBook…and you can have it in your hot little hands this spring.  The Anna Sui BookBook hit the catwalk in NYC, bringing a certain tech buzz to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week (aka New York Fashion Week) last month. Chip Chick made sure to point it out to her readers:

“Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week might be coming to a close, but along side her Spring 2012 collection, Anna Sui has taken to the runway to debut and preview a new Special Edition iPad and Macbook Case. Anna Sui has actually collaborated with TwelveSouth to introduce theAnna Sui BookBook. The Anna Sui BookBook combines Anna’s signature look to TwelveSouth’s style of cases that resemble old books. These news cases are made of distressed leather covers with layers of purple and black, including a romantic swirls frame for the cover.

Anna Sui’s signature butterfly and rose icons with gold leaf prints are also used to highlight the spine. Meanwhile, on the inside, the iPad and MacBook cases come with the same safety aspects of every TwelveSouth bookBook, including a strong spine, a padded interior, hardback book covers on both sides to make for safe storage, and dual zippers that are made to look like bookmarks.”

Jump the line and get on the list for up-to-the-minute info on this highly anticipated fashion + tech collaboration: The Anna Sui BookBook can be yours this spring.

We’ve heard from a number of ministers, priests, and rabbis about how our BookBook for iPad makes using an iPad in the pulpit more palatable. After all, some of the best apps out there are downright evangelical and so useful for sermons. So when Brandon Early of Youth Ministry Geek reached out with his review, we thought we’d share his thoughts with you. In his words:

“Twelvesouth’s BookBook is not the lightest or thinnest but its vintage appearance and feel are awesome and as a speaker it is comfortable to teach from.  I serve at a four generational church and I find that the BookBook conceals my iPad in a way that is less distracting to those around me.  In the past I have been confronted for texting during church when I was actually reading my iPhone Bible.  Now with BookBook no one knows I am on my iPad and I can get my Bejeweled on…jk.  For some of you this may not be a big deal but for others this could be the cover you have been looking for.”

He also mentions that our BookBook for iPad looks traditional enough that it can be used for all kinds of pastoral events — weddings, funerals, hospital visits. And while some might scorn the idea of an iPad for a hospital visit, some might say that a quick round of Angry Birds — or the ability to read lots of books without toting them around — makes a perfect gift for someone who is recovering from surgery.

Thinking of getting an iPad for your tech-obsessed youth minister? Consider BookBook for iPad the perfect accompaniment.

We really love to see people re-imaginging our products to make them their own. If you follow our blog, you’ve seen some examples of our BookBook for MacBook, BookBook for MacBook Air, and BookBook for iPad being modified by leather craftsmen to become notable tomes like a book of spells.

And now here’s another fresh approach to BookBook DIY. Scription, a Hong Kong-based blog written by Patrick Ng about all things stationary and cool, decided to take matters into his own hands when it comes to getting a camera hole on the BookBook for iPhone. (Notably he also puts a stylus into the credit card pocket, too.)

He did a great job — take a peek!

You can read more here about his conversion. If you’ve modified a BookBook in any way, we’d love to hear from you. Shoot us an email to marketing (at) twelve south (dot) com and tell us all about it!

We haven’t yet seen BookBook for iPhone modified with a book title. Get yours here, and see how you can make BookBook for iPhone your own! In stock and ships free in the US…but you’ll want to act fast!

Twelve South and Anna Sui Preview Special Edition BookBook Case for iPad and MacBook at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

The Anna Sui BookBook brings Anna’s distinctive look to the forefront of this iPad and MacBook case. Unique to this version are distressed leather covers in layers of purple and black, and a black velvety interior. Romantic swirls frame the lavender covers. Signature Anna Sui butterfly and rose icons with gold leaf prints highlight the spine. These features will be immediately recognizable as part of Anna Sui’s signature design known around the world. Like other BookBooks, each Anna Sui BookBook is hand-distressed, ensuring that no two are exactly alike.

“We’re thrilled to announce a partnership with Anna Sui. We look forward to bringing very compelling fashion forward technology accessories to Anna Sui fans and Twelve South customers across the globe,” said Leigh Ann Green, co-founder of Twelve South.

One of the benefits of BookBook is that it lets people express their own personal style and stand out from a sea of black iPad and MacBook cases. When it becomes available in Spring of 2012, all eyes in the coffee shops and classrooms will be on the people carrying the Anna Sui BookBook for iPad and MacBook. The new Anna Sui BookBook will be available for iPad and MacBook in Spring 2012. More info and images can be found at twelvesouth.com/annasui.

Click here to read the original release.