The new iPhone 4S will be available for pre-order on Oct. 7th, and will launch on Oct. 14th, 2011.

Some new features include:

• Dual-core A5 chip, making it a lot faster than the previous model.
• All-new 8MP camera and optics.
• iOS 5 and iCloud.
• And Siri, your personal assistent.

The new iPhone S will be available in black and white; 16GB for $199, 32GB for $299, and 64GB for $399. 64GB is the first time in an iPhone.

Also, iOS 5.0 will be a free update, releasing October 12th, 2011.

For more information, see live coverage from GDGT and Mashable. Also see Apple.com when the website is back up. ;)

Layers of Protection. The first layer is the polycarbonate front. This is an interior layer that protects the front edges of the iPad 2. It completely covers the front edges, leaving only cutouts for the Home button, front camera, dock port, and headphone jack. The cutout for the front camera has a thin film on it to protect it from any scratches. Before putting this layer on, you need to slide in the second layer, the screen protector frame.

The screen protector frame is nice because you don’t have to deal with any sticky situations. No adhesives to worry about, just simply place it in the first layer and put these two layers on top of the iPad screen. It protects your screen without any of the mess!

The third layer is the Polycarbonate back. This pieces is placed onto the back of the iPad and snaps into the front layer. This piece covers the entire back of the iPad 2 with cutouts for the headphone jack, mic, back camera, rotation button, volume buttons, and dock port. There are also some narrow holes in the back to add in some design. The speaker area has a cutout, but has a thin mess around it to keep dibris from getting into the speaker. The camera has a clear protective film so it doesn’t get scratched.

Finally, the last layer is the military green silicone skin. This piece completes the whole look of the iPad case. When you have all of the other layers snapped in place, put this silicone skin cover around it and push in the edges in place. The soft texture and grooves in this skin makes it easy and nice to hold. This layer covers up the Home button, dock, and headphone jack so no dust or dibris will get in.

Overall. With all the layers together, you have yourself a highly protective case. It protects both the front and back, and all edges and ports. The best part is that it doesn’t feel as clunky as some folio cases and other ones that have this much protection. And because theres a protective film layer, you won’t see as many smudges and fingerprints on your iPad.

There are two minor downfalls with this case. One is that a little difficult to remove once you get it in. It will take a little bit of work to take it apart. You probably won’t need to do this often though, unless you want to put your iPad in a certain stand. The other thing I noticed is that if you need to tap something on the edge of the iPad screen, it may not respond as quickly. You will have to press a little harder since that’s where the film and the interior case meet. There may be a small gap. Again, just a minor issue.

Overall, it’s an excellent accessory choice for your iPad 2, especially if work (or play) in a rough environment. The Military Edition is available in an army green color for $69.95. The Drop Tech Series iPad 2 cases are also available in other colors such as black, black/red finishings, white, and pink for $59.95.

Rating: 4.8 out of 5 · GumDropCases.com · $59.95 – 69.95 · Amazon

Disclosure: This product was sent by GrumDrop Cases for review purposes. This is part of Beatweek Magazine’s coverage of iPad products. Opinions expressed in this article are my own.

To use the Slide, slide your iPad into the holder and put the rolling pin behind the iPad. Set the rolling pin at the angle you would like your iPad to stand.

When in use, the Slide has a very nice elegant look. The iPad can stand in both portrait or landscape mode. However, in portrait mode, the stand does cover part of the Home button. Although still accessible, it is still partially covered.

If you constantly remove your iPad from the stand, you may find that this stand may not be the one for you. The moment you take the iPad out, the rolling pin rolls down, and you have to adjust it again to the right angle before putting it in. I find this a little frustrating since I change the direction of my iPad all the time because some apps only work in landscape or portrait mode. Besides this one point, it does look very nice and is small enough to pack away in a suitcase or bag if you travel a lot.

Although it’s marketed for the iPad and iPad 2, this stand also works with other tablets and eReaders on the market.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars · Xstand.net · $34.95 · Amazon ($32.49)

Disclosure: This product was sent by Just Mobile for review purposes. This is part of Beatweek Magazine’s coverage of iPad products. Opinions expressed in this article are my own.

The Concerti is a folio-style case made of a beautiful microfiber material from the inside and out. On the inside of the case is a silicone enclosure that securely holds the iPad in place. This soft silicone interior case covers the edges of the iPad, keeping it safe from everyday wear and tear. It has cutouts for the dock, speakers, on/off button, camera, headset jack, and mic. The volume buttons are not cut out, but the material is soft enough that you can easily press on the side.

This case offers many different functional positions. After you put your iPad in, you’ll notice that it’s on the left side, unlike most iPad 2 cases. This allows it to open up in a way where you can use the camera without needing a camera hole in the microfiber part of the case. If you’re holding it in portrait position, open and fold the cover to the left to expose the camera.

Another way to use the case is to turn it into a stand. The case allows three different stand positions in landscape mode. All great for web surfing, gaming, and video viewing. To use, open the case and have the iPad in landscape position (Home button will be on the left). Select a position to stand it in — there are three set of bumps on the interior of the case that will hold the iPad in the position you wish it to be.

Also, if you enjoy carrying your iPad around in your hand — like to take roll in a class or notes while you’re walking, there’s a built-in hand pocket to help alleviate wrist stress in the case.

To keep the case closed, there’s a convenient elastic strap that holds the front cover in place. Simply lift up the strap and wrap it around the case.

Overall, this a great case to dress up your iPad 2 in. It’s stylish, functional, and quite versatile. Not only does it fully protects the iPad 2, but it feels so soft in your hands as well. The Concerti is available in three colors — Tyrian Purple, Sahara Beige, and Falcon Gray. You can purchase it for $55.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars · MoshiMonde.com · $55.00 · Amazon ($54.95)

Disclosure: This product was sent by Moshi for review purposes. This is part of Beatweek Magazine’s coverage of iPad products. Opinions expressed in this article are my own.

This ultra slim iPad stand can hold your device in both portrait and landscape mode in eight convient viewing angles. The non-slip feet at the bottom of the stand holds your iPad securely on your desk.

With this stand, there’s just one thing you have to be careful of. When lifting your iPad out of the stand, you may pull onto the back of it and then unhook the stand’s back support. This doesn’t matter too much if you were taking the iPad out of the stand. But if you were just moving the stand onto another position on your desk, the back support could make the whole stand fall down.

Overall, the iTilt iPad stand is highly portable, functional, and quite affordable. It’s also compatible with both the iPad 1 and iPad 2., as well as most other tablets and eReaders on the market.

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 · Bracketron.com · $19.95 · Amazon ($9.46)

Disclosure: This product was sent by Bracketron for review purposes. This is part of Beatweek Magazine’s coverage of iPad products. Opinions expressed in this article are my own.

Read my complete review of the HP TouchPad on GeekBeat.TV

That’s where the Incipio iPad 2 Smart Feather Ultralight Hard Shell Case comes in! It’s a light back cover for the iPad 2 that works seamlessly with your Apple Smart cover. It’s form fitting, looks great, and you’ll hardly notice it’s there. It protects the back side of your iPad 2 very well, but what makes this back cover stand out is the side hinge holder (custom molded feather, as they call it) that holds your iPad 2 smart cover in place. Yes, that means no falling off when you don’t want it to. You can have the Apple Smart cover open and hold onto that, and it won’t shake off.

The Smart Feather also has cut outs so all your buttons and ports are available. In addition, the Smart Feather also comes with the Incipio^® Vanity Kit, which is one clear screen protector, applicator card, and cleaning cloth.

The Incipio iPad 2 Smart Feather Ultralight Hard Shell Case comes in an array of colors that compliments the Apple Smart Covers — black, gray, blue, green, orange, pink, red, cream, tan, navy, and frost (lovely if you want to see the Apple logo through it).

Rating: 4.5 starts out of 5 · MyIncipio.com · $34.99 · Amazon ($24.86)

Disclosure: This product was sent by Incipio for review purposes. This is part of Beatweek Magazine’s coverage of iPad products. Opinions expressed in this article are my own.

Toddy are microfiber smart-clothes that make cleaning your device simple, easy, and at the same time, is quite stylish! Without the need of any liquids, these clothes come in many beautiful colors and patterns.

Each cloth is 5″x7″ inches, small enough to carry around, yet big enough to clean with about two swipes. One side has a beautiful pattern on silk microfiber. The other side is made of a soft microfiber in a color that matches the pattern.

To use, simply wipe the screen of your iPhone, iPad, laptop, smartphone, or tablet screen on this microfiber side. This cleans the screen of dirt, smudges, etc. It may take 2 or 3 swipes before all the fingerprints and smudges are removed. Next, polish the screen up using the silk pattern side.

Although there are many brilliant patterns and colors to choose from, you also have the option of branding the cloth with your own design and logo! To find out more, see the branding part of their website.

Here is more information the company would like you to know about the Toddy smart cloth:

• Made of 100% premium microfiber for effective removal of dirt, smudges and grime from your iPad or any touchscreen device without the need of any liquid
• Perfect for Toddying smaller surfaces such as iPods, iPhones, Blackberry and Android devices
• Double-Sided screen cleaner: plush to clean and buff – silk to polish
• Environmentally friendly – machine washable, cold, tumble dry low
• Treated with AEGIS Microbe Shield® to protect it from germs, mold and mildew making it the perfect antibacterial touch screen cleaner

Overall, I think the Toddy smart cloth would make a great companion for any gadget lover. It’s both beautiful and functional! And note, a lot of us geeks also wear eyeglasses — they’re great at cleaning those too!

ToddyGear.com · $9.99 · Amazon ($9.99)

Disclosure: This product was sent by ToddyGear for review purposes. This is part of Beatweek Magazine’s coverage of iPad products. Opinions expressed in this article are my own.