There are scores of iPhone case. There are plastic ones, rubber ones, metal ones, carbon ones – and the list goes on and on and on. However, few of them do more than protect the iPhone 4 or iPhone 4s’ fragile glass body from drops, scratches and the drunken folly. And while that’s more than adequate for most of Apple’s devoted customers, it just doesn’t get our engine revving.

Enter the Trexta Rotating Folio for the iPhone 4. Much like Hex’s version, this one includes a set of slots for credit cards and a protective leather finish that wraps the iPhone while it’s held in place by a plastic mount. But instead of 3 slots, the Trexta Rotating Folio only supports two cards, though you can easily stack two cards in one slot if need be. And unlike HEX’s version, this case’s plastic mount can rotate 90 degrees and be propped into a stand using the tab, which doubles to keep the case securely closed. This conveniently allows you to lay your phone down on a table and view it a comfortable 45 degree angle. Great for an airplane tray table or perhaps just viewing a quick YouTube video with a group of friends.

All the ports on the Trexta Rotating Folio case remain unhindered, opened or closed. And just like Hex’s version, the case suffers a bit from a bulky look when closed due to credit cards inserted into the slots. Of course this can be elevated by using the wallet sans cards, but this defeats the purpose of the case, unless of course you’re just seeking a wallet like look for your iPhone.

When I tested out Hex’s version, I discovered that after semi heavy use the fold, or hinge of the case was warped and stained, creating a some what unsightly finish. However, the Trexta Rotating Folio doesn’t seem to suffer from this shortcoming, though to Hex’s credit I did test a lighter colored leather, which by its very nature shows more wear and discoloration. In fact, over use it doesn’t seem to wear that much at all, maintaining that fresh new wallet look, which for some is an added benefit, while for those that seek that more rustic worn look may want to, well, look else where.

In terms of every day use the Trexta Rotating Folio is very practical, provided you don’t need more than a few cards with you at any given time. I can generally get by with one credit card and an ID, at least when I’m going out with friends for dinner and a few drink. But for those of you that need to carry an insurance ID card, debit card, credit card and ID, you’ll be a bit hard pressed to make this work for your needs. Furthermore, there is no official slot for cash, though you can just as easily wedge money between the iPhone and the case’s cover, though you’ll have to be anything but a germafobe to be comfortable with this notion, along with the possibility of losing your cash when openint your wallet.

Bottom line: The Folio case is most certainly the gentlemen’s iPhone case, it just might come up short in the storage department, making it a part time player.

Editor’s Rating:

3 out of 5 stars

Good

Pros:

• Includes a rotating case and built-in stand
• Leather doesn’t wear easily

Cons:

• Leather may never get that “worn” look
• Only stores two cards

The Detroit Auto Show is usually the place for all the hottest and newest car debuts, but this year’s show will unveil something a less automotive-based. It’s going to be the launch site for Craftsman’s new CTX-series of lawn tractors. While it may not be inside next to new rides from the likes of Chrysler or GM, it’s still going to pull in a crowd outside of the Cobo center where it’s being stationed.

The CTX series boasts some serious car-like specs, which is probably why Craftsman thought it wise to unveil its monstrous gardening machine at an auto show. All models in the line feature Briggs & Stratton motors that pack 30 HP and has a forward top speed of 8 mph or 3 mph in reverse. Other goodies include 54-inch cutting decks, a hydrostatic automatic transmission, electronic fuel management (goodbye carburetor), electronic cutting height adjustment control, digital instrumentation, tilt steering, cruise control, and automatic traction control that splits power independently between the rear drive wheels. As a bonus, it sports a 2-volt iPod jack and beverage holder (with the higher-end models). With its car-like specs, come its high prices with the new line ranging from $2,999.99 to $6,499.99.

It’s been roughly 25 years since the last time I can say with certainty that I’ve held a brand new Nintendo Entertainment System controller. The last time I held one was a couple of days ago, playing old games with my controllers so worn down that certain buttons don’t work right, that I cramp my hand slightly when making my character move left due to deteriorated responsiveness. When I saw the Retrolink USB NES controller, I knew instinctively from years of gaming that this was the real deal. No aspect of the now-antiquated yet refreshingly simple original NES controller was overlooked.

The Retrolink NES controller is precisely the same size and shape of the controller it’s modeled after, but the attention to detail doesn’t stop there. The directional pad is made out of the same plastic, the buttons are concave and red like its namesake, and the select and start buttons are still the same pliant rubber that they were always meant to be. But I had to know just how deep this homage to retro gaming’s commitment went, so I took to my toolbox for a comparison.

It should have been an obvious sign when the Retrolink used the same number and size of screw as my NES controllers did, that taking them apart was an identical process for both controllers. Opening the controllers, the only differences on the inside were the PCB boards and the wires, which really came as no surprise considering that one was USB and the other proprietary to its console. The wire even nested inside the box the same way. The rubber beneath the plastic and the d-pad and buttons were virtually identical, and enough so to be swapped between the two. Even if I couldn’t find a myriad of uses for the Retrolink controller, the idea that I now had a reliable source for replacement buttons for my NES controllers was a huge relief to me.

There are some differences between the two, but they are largely cosmetic. The back indentation where Nintendo left their model information and brand insignia was simply left blank on the Retrolink, the buttons are a slightly deeper red, and the rubber making up the start and select buttons is slightly different on the inside but still a solid fit in either controller. None of these things really stuck in me as a design flaw, but if you have to have everything exactly the way it was way back when, these changes might stick out at you.

The Retrolink USB NES Controller raises an interesting question in terms of how one should judge a device designed to be reminiscent of simpler technological times. In terms of what it does and what it can do, the Retrolink controller comes up short in every way imaginable to similarly-priced gamepads. It’s almost pitifully primitive, and while great for say, emulation, it requires a small degree of sacrifice for almost any other application. Yet, if you consider the intent and the scope that the company made designing this product, if they’d added more buttons, or analog sensitivity to the D-pad, retro enthusiasts would have been up in arms about how it didn’t capture the right feel, how it just didn’t compare to the real thing. Retrolink kept it simple, and delivered exactly on what they promised. It might not be the most ergonomic or functional peripheral, but if you want to feel like you’re back in the 80′s playing all the old classics, this is the perfect controller to do just that.

Editor’s Rating

5 out of 5 stars

Perfect

Bottom Line: With a purposefully retro feel, using the Retrolink USB NES Controller is going to limit you to any game that needs nothing more than 4 buttons and digital movement. You could make a strong case for this being a huge setback in terms of usability and function, but anything more would have betrayed the very design and feel of the controller, turning it more into a generic gamepad than something truly retro. In terms of form, the Retrolink is precisely the same in terms of dimensions and feel to an NES controller. The fact that it can be disassembled to repair your childhood controllers is just a cherry on top of an otherwise flawless product.

Pros:

• Perfectly replicates the feel of using an NES controller for any games or emulators on your computer
• Being made out of roughly 90% compatible parts, the Retrolink can also be used to replace failing aspects of genuine NES controllers
• Easy to hook up and get started with instantly, no hassle getting right into the game on any PC

Cons:

• Limited buttons in the design means limited functionality across a wider library of games
• Takes a bit more setup than just plug-and-play on Linux-based systems if you’re not already setup to use gamepads
• Not entirely identical to its namesake in terms of internals and colors; though it works perfectly fine it may be a sticking point for purists

The Retrolink USB NES Controller is available from ThinkGeek for $29.99.