The device isn't even in shops yet, but gadget accessory makers are already preparing suede, leather and prettily tooled plastic to receive Apple's sleek iPad. We covered some iPad cases here, and Waterfield the San Francisco bag makers just announced two additions to their range of high-end 'Pad covers.

Available in suede, plastic and (I love this) "nearly indestructible ballistic nylon shell", these cases are a mix of luxury and fighting batter-proof plastic.

The Waterfield thing is customisation - so you can alter your order on the site - adding shoulder straps, pouches and the orientation of the buckle to the chunky Sleevecase for example.

Four styles are available:

iPad Ultimate SleeveCase - $55-9: this is the ballistic nylon one, with a screen protector and a buckle.

iPad Suede Jacket Sleeve - $19-25: this is a thin sexy one to protect your iPad from the minor bumps and bruises of daily use.

iPad Smart Case - $59: multilayered padding makes this thin but protective

iPad Slip Case - $29: a thin, protective case with light internal padding with impact-resistant plastic keeps your toy safe and sound. Waterproof.

Available in different colours see them all here on SFbags

I knew the iPad would change men's fashion irrecoverably. The portable 10" screen tablet computer is either going to have men toting man-bags or it will do something very strange to men's pockets. Today I saw a vision of one of those possible futures, it's above. Some beautiful photoshop work from ohno!doom! has brought us the big ass pocket jeans - trousers capable of carrying an iPad. I won't say it's stylish, I'll just say that it would definitely carry it. I'll also add: don't sit down with that expensive machine on the wrong side of your buttocks.

The other alternative is a kangaroo style pouch at the front of a hoodie or shirt that the Pad could just nestle in. I'll post that as soon as I find a picture.

On other matters: nice model right? They should do some glamour shots of macboys posing with iPads. I'd buy the calendar..

Sadly the design collective behind ohmy!doom! have no plans to make these beauties, but if anyone does, let us know. They have our full support.

[via ohno!doom!]

Sony Ericsson's Co-Creation strategy puts User Generated Content back at the centre of their mobile phones and signals a challenge to Apple's locked-down iPad.

At the Mobile World Congress, Sony Ericsson pledged a commitment to Co-Creation. Okay so "co-creation" sounds like woolly term that doesn't mean very much - but SE's statement does mark an interesting shift. Sony Ericsson wants its mobile handsets to become publishing platforms. It wants to get everyone using its mobile phones and apps to make fun content - text, films, music, pictures - instead of just consuming it.

Mobile devices have always been products to consume content on - music, pictures, text on the internet - but making them into devices that you produce serious content on is a step in a new direction. Sony's idea of mobile phones as devices to "create" on might take a while to take off - especially when it still involves typing into a keyboard smaller than your hand.

But as technologies like Swype (an intelligent touch-pad that means you only have to slide your finger over the keyboard to make words) and voice recognition improve, writing on mobiles will get easier. Wifi and good internet will mean sharing is easier. And apps that let you edit video and photos will let people create higher quality work and encourage serious photographers and film-makers on board.

Plans are still in the embryonic stages and Sony Ericsson wants content to be collaborative, they're encouraging developers to get on board too to create apps to facilitate this kind of creation.

An emphasis on co-creation and user-generated-content puts Sony Ericsson in a different field to Apple, who was criticised for ignoring the basic principle of web 2.0 with its iPad.

By making the iPad a device without a keyboard or camera and with a controlled-content feed through iTunes: Apple has made it easy to consume but harder to contribute: taking us away from read-write web - the essence of web 2.0 and back to web 1.0. (read web).

Is this just a token gesture from Sony Ericsson? Will they back it up with the tools needed to make creation possible on handheld devices? Will they offer any financial incentives for writers, photographers and so on to produce on their platform in the same way they do for developers? we're interested to find out.

See the Sony Creations site

So, we finally got the measurements, and case makers have already got busy and there are at least two ranges out already that I've heard of.

The iPad poses an interesting dilemma for the casemakers - smartphones get tight-fitting skins, laptops get bags - what will the half pound, 10" iPad get? Looks like skins are winning so far. Protect that capacitive touchscreen with some tight fitting rubberised plastic or a sleeve or jacket that you can then slip in a rucksack or handbag.

Griffin Technology have already launched a "for iPad" range and as well as "sleeves" and "jumpers" they've also opted for an interesting "passport" style case which opens up like a book to reveal the screen (see full range here; pricing to be confirmed).

Wrappers are offering some funky textile cases:

I particularly like the black and white check one, though it's by Ralph Lauren so comes with a hefty £38 price tag. Full Wrappers range here.

I'm sure we'll get many more of these..

iPhone and iPod touch apps will work on the iPad without needing to be rebuilt for the new format, Steve Jobs told us yesterday. You will be able to sync your iPad directly with your iPhone or Pod and get all the apps in the same place. But though the software won't need to change, surely some things are going to look a bit weird scaled-up to the iPad's 10 inch and 960-by-640 pixel resolution screen. The iPhone is half that size: 3.5 inches across with 480-by-320 pixel resolution.

So what iPhone apps are going to look good on this scaled-up screen and will benefit from the extra screen space as well as the more powerful chip? We suggest ten.

Click on the image below to start the gallery:

Could this be device that breaks Apple into the business market? Will the suits and office workers of the next five years be pulling iPads out of their briefcases? Yes argues blogger Matt McHugh brought to our attention in a Shiny comment. McHugh imagines an iPad-enabled office: his scenario - instead of getting a desktop in the office and a work laptop to drag around, your company spends £500 and gets you an iPad, you dock it at work and it's locked to your work server.

We quote:
"You start at a new job, and instead of a computer, they hand you an iPad. That iPad is tied to the company network -- getting all of its applications, data, web/e-mail access streamed to it from a secure wireless server managed by the IT department. On your desk, you have a keyboard and mouse you can plug into your iPad when sitting. Otherwise, you can pick it up, take it to meetings, use it as you like anywhere within Wifi or 3G range."

Makes sense huh? He also points out that this increases security so if you break, lose or pour coffee over your iPad you can just re-download all the company's data and software onto a new device. And of course it costs less for the company to replace.
"The iPad is a secure, mobile, wirelessly tethered computer perfect for a business user's daily needs. And, people love using it because it's cool and simple." Matt says.
A model like this would work in universities or schools as well.

The Problems
On the downside, I think that offices want something a bit more advanced than iWorks on their everyday computers. Like Excel?

Depending on the work they're doing, they may want more powerful chips as well. That 1ghz processor won't handle high-power programmes very well, and as for not running more than application at once, that's a bit of killer: couldn't have twitter, your email and safari open at the same time. Maybe when we hit iPad 3.0 this will be feasible. In the meantime that model is only possible for offices doing simple work.

I don't know whether the name endears it to women or just makes them think that they didn't get asked to the marketing team's focus groups, but it has certainly made it get some female attention, outside the crowd of Apple fangirls.

Why do I think this is going to be a good women's gadget? Let me give five reasons:

1. This is a sexy gadget. We were a bit non-plussed by the photos, I mean, we've seen that design somewhere before (ie on the iPhone, the iPod..) but it is a nice one and feedback from the hands-on confirm that this is a pleasure to hold and use. "Leo Laporte just said that it's an incredible device when you actually get your hands on it... beautiful, light, incredibly responsive screen." reports someone on FriendFeed. It's not just women who like a bit of intuitive tactility, but women do like it.

2. Focus on Books not Gaming: I hold my hands up here, I'm sure many women game more than they read novels, but *in general* lets say more women read books than men, and fewer women play games than men. You can game on the iPad sure, but with a 1ghz chip it's not going to be a rollercoaster ride. You'd stick to a more powerful computer or console for the big games. The iBook store is a big part of the iPad and magazines and newspapers are doing deals to have iPad-friendly editions loaded onto the device.

3. The iPad won't fit in your pocket - but it will fit in your handbag. Until men fully adopt the concept of manbags, they're going to find carrying the iPad around to be a bit of a hassle. For the average woman, it can just replace the 2 books and 1 magazine that they usually carry around, all the time. Interviewed on CrunchTV last night, MG Siegler said the first accessory he wanted for his iPad was iPants (pants in the American sense ie trousers). Until someone invents trousers with an iPad pocket (yes they'll look dodgy) men are going to find this less easy to carry around.

4.This has a lot of lifestyle gadgets on board: the calendar looks great. That's the sort of thing that's going to be pretty helpful and intuitive to use. This means I won't have to lug a diary across town every morning.

5. Apps, this is going to be an app-centric device. Speaking generally I think women really apps, they like to be able to customise devices - the software as much as the case. I think that's what has made the iPhone a big hit among women and the iPad will have the same impact.