Video: iPad dropped over 100,000 feet survives

By Wilson Rothman

G-Form, makers of shock-absorbing carrying cases for iPads, attached an encased iPad to a weather balloon, sent it up over 100,000 feet, then burst the balloon, letting the iPad hurtle to the ground. The iPad emerges from the case unscathed and "fully functional." You can see it for yourself in the video above.

Though there's clearly some weighted apparatus in place to ensure that the tablet lands cushion down and reasonably flat, I don't think G-Form is trying to pull a fast one. Still,?our own jury remains out on G-Form cases.

After all, as you can see in our video, below, when we wrapped up our iPad in the first-generation G-Form case and dropped it from a measly height of three stories, we ended up with a ? spoiler alert!!???broken iPad:

A toss from the roof of our HQ tells us all we need to know about whether to trust promotional videos for the G-Form Extreme Sleeve iPad protective case.

There have been some improvements in the G-Form design since then, and we almost did a second video. When we asked if we could try our test again, with one of their iPads, G-Form's reps said we had to subject the case to the same test we would give an OtterBox Defender. Fair enough, though to my knowledge the OtterBox has never been publicly dropped from a plane or a weather balloon by its makers.

If you are doing a lot of crazy stuff and need some padding for your iPad, then sure, this Extreme Edge case will cost you $45 that might save your $500 investment, and probably does a better job than anything else on the market. But it's not insurance. G-Form itself states:

We're happy that some of our customers' electronics have survived their testing of our Extreme products, but we don't encourage or recommend intentionally dangerous stunts, and although we are confident that G-Form provides the best protection available, we can't guarantee your electronics from damage from any specific drop or impact in our Extreme products whether accidental or intentional.

To put it another way:?Results may vary.

More iPad fun from msnbc.com's Gadgetbox:

Catch up with Wilson on Twitter at @wjrothman, or on Google+. And join our conversation on Facebook.

Source: http://gadgetbox.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/05/9985606-video-ipad-dropped-over-100000-feet-survives

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