Choosing a Cover for Your Device When it comes to cases for phones, tablets and even laptops, you basically have to decide between two classes - those that are protective and those that are stylish. Generally, the more protection you want, the less style you get. If you want protection from a variety of elemental threats, you may want to go with something like the cases from Lifeproof, which add scant millimeters in thickness, but in addition to offering shock protection are also waterproof to six feet. They are available for a variety of Apple devices. If water isn't a concern but jolts are, there are cases made from "rate-dependent materials," which are polymers that are normally spongy but knit into an armor when whacked. G-Form demonstrates its cases and protective sleeves by dropping a sleeved tablet 100,000 feet (it worked fine), and by treating phones like hockey pucks. Tech21 makes cases of similar material for both Android and Apple phones. A common complaint is the speed with which phones drain their batteries. If that is your burden, you can lift it with a case that combines protection and a built-in battery. The problem with many battery cases is that they turn a sleek phone into a lumpish brick. But companies like Mophie have managed to combine low-profile designs with significant battery power, as in the Mophie Juice Pack Air. This case has a 2.5-ounce battery that nearly doubles the thickness of an iPhone, but its curved back makes it feel thinner. If you need really heavy protection, there are cases from Pelican, like the i1075 HardBack for the iPad, a variation on its weapons cases for the military that have proved on occasion to be - literally - bombproof. Most people do not need that much protection for their devices; they just want to avoid scratches and add some style. The choices for this kind of protection are legion. LightWedge makes book-like covers, like the Verso Scholar, which looks like a marble cover composition book. When it comes to groovy retro, it's hard to pass up the InCase Andy Warhol collection, which puts Warhol's pop artwork on covers for a number of devices. For the ultimate in personalization, companies like Case-Mate and Uncommon make covers that can be printed with one of your own photos. Just load the image online and the companies will print a scratchproof copy of your photo or design on a hardy plastic cover.