Toughen up that Tab

When you’ve  shelled out a fair  chunk of your  hard-earned cash on a  new tablet or laptop, the  last thing you want is for  it to become damaged. The  market is full of options  for protecting such equipment,  from plain, nondescript  padded covers to  jazzy skins and more.  If you’re after a wide  selection of covers, from  generic to lively, try Virgin  Megastore. Offering a  range of protective cases  from sensible padded varieties  to those with popular  characters — including  current favourites Despicable  Me — the stores are  likely to satisfy even the  pickiest grown-up child. 

The Mall of the Emirates  branch lets you choose individualised  decorations  for covers, while other  malls also have kiosks offering  quirky options such  as fake fur. For families  with small people known  to drop expensive gadgets,  a foam-padded cover  with handles may be useful.  iPad-compatible ones  are available at all stores  selling Apple-compatible  products, such as the stall  outside Galeries Lafayette  in Dubai Mall. Or, if you’re  one of those people who  can’t seem to keep devices  safe, take a look at the military-  looking, ultra-tough  cases on Lifeproof.com. 

If damage isn’t a main  concern and you want to  protect against scratches,  consider a skin. These  ultra-thin yet strong coatings  provide a protective  shield that doesn’t alter a  device’s shape. SkinJam  and InstantSkin offer a variety  of patterned designs.  For a jazzier threedimensional  look, Ibn  Battuta has a kiosk in  Persia Court offering  customisation services  with sparkly  accessories. Similar  offerings are  offered at the  You Bring It We  Bling It stall  in Madinat  Jumeirah, with authentic  Swarovski crystals to  adorn your device. If you’re on a budget, try  the dedicated blinging station  at Carrefour in Mall of  the Emirates.