A basic, functional envelope style case at a reasonable price. The felt outer material gives it a nice non-standard look.

Product: underGROUND for iPad

Company: Incipio

Price Paid: 29.99

First Impression

This is a pretty straightforward case. It is simple in design, with a few nice touches that show that some care went into its creation.

Intended Use

This case is intended to be used in conjunction with a bag or backpack. It is not intended to be carried as a stand-alone item for any real distance.

Features, Design & Fit

The design is quite simple, an envelope style case that closes with a loop and tab that join in the middle of the case. This horizontal opening design may work better for people with messenger-style bags rather than backpacks. With a vertical backpack, you’d need to remove the case entirely to get the iPad out.

The tab design has a nice, subtle feature. It’s connected just at the edges, which allows the top of the tab to raise up from the flap for easy manipulation. This design makes it easy to both insert the tab and remove it from the loop to open the case.

The fit is very good; snug but not tight. It feels secure.

I carried this case for a week while traveling and felt it performed quite as expected.

Craftsmanship, Material & Protection

The outer material is felt with a micro-suede inner material. In your hands it feels like felt covering leather. The inner material is soft and shouldn’t mar the iPad’s finish. The stitching is even and the overall fit and finish is very professional.

The case is loosely structured with the only structure provided by the stiffer micro-suede lining (or material in between the felt and the lining).

It provides some light protection from dings and scratches, but no crush protection. The fact that the stitching pinches the front and back together does result in a bumper-like effect around the edges of the case.

Order Process & Delivery

Standard Amazon Prime shipping experience: no hassles and quick delivery. The case was well packaged without fanfare.

Value

I paid about $30 for this case on Amazon and I think that’s a fair price. The current price on Amazon ($20.32) is about 1/3 less than I paid for it, which makes it an excellent deal.

Conclusion

The Incipio underGROUND for iPad does exactly what you would expect from it. The felt styling sets it apart from the crowd a little, while providing a nice, secure feeling in your hand. The design is subtle, yet shows thought and care. If you’re in the market for this type of iPad case, this is recommended.

The Griffin Elan Sleeve, iFrogs Envoy and Tuff-Luv Veggie cases are all vertical pull-tab cases for the iPad. They are designed to be used inside another bag or case, and have a pull-tab at the top for easy removal of the iPad from the case.

Ultimately the Griffin Elan Sleeve separates itself from the other two based on superior materials, additional protection, visual styling and a more practical fit (less snug, easier in and out).

Product: Envoy Case for iPad (Snow)

Company: iFrogz

Price Paid: 22.68

vs.

Product: Elan Sleeve for iPad

Company: Griffin Technologies

Price Paid: 44.94

vs.

Product: 'Veggie' faux leather Pull-tab case for Apple iPad

Company: Tuff-Luv

Price Paid: 33.98

First Impressions

The Griffin case made the best first impression. It was well packaged and just felt nice coming out of the plastic.

The iFrogz made a good impression as well. The embossed design is nice looking and the white is very bright. The realization that it closed with velcro was the only negative.

The Tuff-Luv was not as positive. It didn’t look bad, but my initial concerns about the design of the ring were not put to rest, and the case opening was a bit wavy and uneven.

Intended Use

These cases are intended to be used for protection while being carried inside other bags, backpacks, etc. and provide moderate protection and quick access to the iPad.

Features, Design & Fit

These cases are all slim to avoid taking up much space and provide a pull-tab to make it easy to remove the iPad from the case. The pull-tab feature lifts the iPad out of the sleeve case so that it can be easily removed without requiring you to squeeze against the screen and pull it out forcefully.

The iFrogz case was the tightest fit. I assume it will have loosen a little over time, however I didn’t use it long enough to notice too much of a difference. Using the pull tab is a requirement to remove the iPad from the iFrogz case.

The pull-tab of the iFrogz case is secured with velcro. I’m not a fan of the sound velcro makes when you separate it, so I wasn’t keen about this design decision. The strap is a thin nylon that had to be pulled rather hard – it was a little uncomfortable to be pulling so hard, though the case never showed any signs that this was a problem.

The Griffin case fits a bit more comfortably. It’s easy to slide the iPad in and out of the case. Without having the pull-tab closed the iPad would fall right out of you held it with the opening facing downward. The

The pull-tab on the Griffin case is quite nice to use. It’s more substantial than the others, and returns to it’s retracted position once the iPad has been removed from the case (I assume, via elastic). The straps on the other cases are returned to their retracted position when the iPad pushes them back down on its insertion into the case. The Elan’s strap doesn’t extend the iPad as far from the case as the other cases, however the looser fit makes it just as easy to remove.

The Tuff-Luv case fit pretty well, but had an odd wave at the top which I tried to show in the photographs. It just didn’t sit flat against the top of the iPad, which makes it feel somewhat cheap and unrefined. The ring that holds the strap in a closed position is a real pain in the arse. It is difficult to open and close without the strap snagging on the nub on the closing arm. Like the iFrogz case, the nylon strap that lifts the iPad from the case is returned to it’s contracted position by pushing it back down when you re-insert the iPad into the case.

Craftsmanship, Material & Protection

The Tuff-Luv and the iFrogz cases are available in other colors besides the ones shown here. The iFrogz case is also available in black, and the Tuff-Luve case is available in an attractive pink/brown combination.

The Tuff-Luv “Veggie” gets it’s name (I assume) because of the faux leather material used for the body of the case. This material feels quite nice, and in causal use or observation I’d imagine most people would think it is actual leather. The interior of the case is somewhat soft, but not particularly plush. There is little padding in the case itself – a trade-off for size. The case provides good screen protection, but should definitely be used inside another bag.

The iFrogz case appears to be faux leather as well, and is fairly rigid. The interior is cloth, but is not very soft (perhaps nylon?). If a pebble or other hard material were to get inside the case and the iPad screen were to slide against it, I think it could scratch. With the snug fit and rigidness of this case, this is the only one of the three I’d have this concern about.

The Griffin case is faux leather as well with a microsuede interior. The interior is markedly softer than the other cases and there is more padding in the walls of the case than the others as well. The exterior material is very soft and feels like leather – it also feels like it will pick up scratches easily and is a serious dust magnet.

Order Process & Delivery

Each of these cases was ordered from Amazon, with the iFrogz and Elan qualifying for Amazon Prime 2-day shipping. The packaging and delivery of each was standard – everything arrived in good working condition.

Value & Conclusion

It’s interesting to me that at the time of this writing, two of these cases are available for significantly less than I initially paid for them. The iFrogz case can be had on Amazon for $13.20 (a 41% discount) and the Elan is available at Amazon for $25.23 (a 44% discount from what I paid on Amazon and a 50% discount from the price on the Griffin website). I thought that the ~$25 price point on the iFrogz and Tuff-Luv cases wasn’t too bad, but for under $15, I definitely think the iFrogz case is a nice deal.

I wasn’t a big fan of the Tuff-Luv case, and since it’s now the most expensive of the three, there is really no reason to recommend it (unless the other color combinations really sing to you).

The Griffin Elan is the nicest case of the three to use, and given the choice at the current prices I’d grab the Elan and not look back.

This is a creative case that has some very cool thinking behind it. Temple Bags also does an amazing job with the unboxing experience. Unfortunately, there are some functional flaws with the case that could have been easily avoided by smarter design decisions.

Product: Waxed Canvas and Leather iPad Case

Company: Temple Bags

Price Paid: $156.95

First Impression

I was excited about this bag. From the website information it looked interesting, different and fun. When I received it I found it meticulously packaged (more below) and with some interesting information I hadn’t known: all materials in the bag are military circa World War II.

Intended Use

This is a play-through case – you aren’t expected to remove the iPad from the case in order to use it. It’s a little different than most play-through cases that take a book or folio approach. This case is somewhat rugged and includes a (removable) shoulder strap – it’s clearly something you can/should use as a stand-alone iPad carrying device.

Features, Design & Fit

The overall look of the case is very slick. The all-leather version has a real “Indiana Jones” quality to it, and the canvas and leather version I ordered has a very classic look and feel to it. The green color of the canvas is a little different than I expected from the photos here, however it looks great.

The case is held close by a set of four leather flaps that slip over 4 brass nubs. The leather flaps have holes punched in them that are a somewhat snug fit and require a bit of force to secure and remove. These straps are attached to the back of the case and wrap around to the front of the case.

This system is different and looks really cool. However, it’s has some serious flaws. It takes some time to unhook 4 different straps to use the iPad and time again to reconnect them when you’re done. It lacks “quick draw” ability. I believe that the two bottom straps are really all that are necessary to keep the case closed, provide the easel functionality, and would definitely speed up the process of getting in and out of the case.

The placement of the straps is also a problem. The straps are attached to the back flap of the case and wrap around to the front. This means that when you are closing the case, you are exerting pressure directly on the iPad screen (pushing the flaps over the brass nubs). Having a closure mechanism that makes you put force onto a single point directly on the iPad screen seems like a Bad Idea to me.

CLARIFICATION: I never had a problem hurting my iPad when closing the case, but I did cringe when I saw a friend pushing really hard on the strap over the brass nub when closing it. As you can see from the “open” photos, no metal comes in contact with the iPad screen and I do not feel it is in serious danger.

Further, since the straps are attached the the back of the case they don’t swing out of the way when you wrap the front of the case around. They stay in the way, flopping over the iPad screen in a very inconvenient manner.

This is a serious design flaw. While the brass nubs and closing straps look really cool on the outside of the case, the case could retain all of this coolness by simply having the iPad attach to the front flap and face inward instead of attaching to the back facing outward. That simple change would make the case immeasurably better.

Since there is a fair amount going on with all the straps, using the iPad while in the case is a bit awkward. The two sides of the case do not sit flat against each other when you fold the front out of the way. The straps and brass nubs create about a .5-1″ area between the front and back flaps which is more pronounced towards the non-hinge end of the case. If you set the case on a flat surface like a desk or table in this configuration it doesn’t feel very stable. It’s acceptable if you’re using it on your lap.

One of the nice features of the straps and brass nubs is the ability to connect them with the case open to hold the iPad open in portrait. This works really nicely. Personally, I prefer using the iPad in landscape mode, and while the case will stay open in landscape, it’s upright at a 90 degree angle which isn’t idea for viewing. I’d prefer to have the case open on the long edge (like a book) instead of on the short edge so that it could be propped in landscape at a better viewing angle. This would make watching video, etc. a lot more natural while the iPad is in the case.

There is a cutout for the iPad home button near the hinge side of the case. This creates some issues that would have easily been avoided had the cutout been at the bottom (open) end of the case instead. In particular, if you use any iPhone apps on the iPad, you’ll note that you cannot rotate them – the bottom edge of the app (in portrait) is always at the home button end of the iPad. This results in iPhone apps being stuck upside down when the iPad is open in easel mode (in portrait) in this case.

There are two d-ring loops attached to the back flap of the case that the strap attaches to. The strap has very nice brass swivel hooks on it that clip easily and securely to the rings. The strap can be removed with little fuss. The strap has a padded piece for comfort and is belt-style adjustable with three different positions. Even at the largest setting, the strap is too short to reasonably be worn bandolier-style across your body – it’s basically an over-one-shoulder strap and does not support any other wear pattern.

On the inside of the front flap there is a slim pocket. This has a velcro closure along the top edge, which is a good thing. When the case is closed and worn over a shoulder, the opening of the pocket faces downward. Without the velcro, gravity would have its way with whatever you put into the pocket. The velcro closing limits the size of what can fit into that pocket by several inches. If the pocket was turned around the other way, it could be open at the top with no velcro and no concerns about things falling out. This would make the pocket much more useful for carrying papers, etc.

Craftsmanship, Material & Protection

I had no idea when I ordered that the materials in this case were all authentic World War II military surplus. Here is the quote from the tag that came with the case:

Every bag is handcrafted from materials formerly used in WWII. The fabric is found after hours of searching through dusty warehouses; it is then cut and re-purposed into contemporary designs.

Due to the unique process of salvaging military goods, each back is guaranteed to be one-of-a-kind.

These fabrics that were once used for defending our freedom now serve to protect what you value most.

This is remarkable and quite cool. The case feels great, the materials are excellent quality – as is the craftsmanship.

The stitching is even and compliments the design of the case elegantly. The overall construction is very good and fits the iPad beautifully. There are nice touches like a thinning of the leather on the side straps at the attachment point in order for them to more easily fold back out of the way.

The shoulder strap and attaching clips feel very sturdy and solid. The straps that hold the case closed are thick and secure.

The case provides pretty good drop protection, with enough stiff material between the edge of the case and the recessed edge of the iPad. The case is open on the sides, so it does not fully protect the iPad from the elements, but for most purposes I’d have very few concerns.

Order Process & Delivery

I ordered the case from the Temple Bags website, choosing PayPal as they payment method. I received the case in a reasonable time period, well packed and in good condition.

I really have to hand it to Temple on their packaging. The case came wrapped in brown paper stamped with the Temple logo and tied with twine. The tag explaining the materials was attached to the twine. My colleagues at the office were standing around waiting for me to open it but I had to get a few photos of the wrapped package first.

First rate job all around on packaging and delivery.

Value

The workmanship is excellent, the materials are really innovative and I’m really glad to see people branching out from the same old case designs. That said, I think this case is currently a little over-priced. I think $100 would be a nice sweet-spot for it, maybe the $150 price tag would be fair once the issues I noted are resolved. It’s a unique case and a nice departure from the same old designs.

Conclusion

This case has some great features and some serious flaws. With the current design and relatively high price point, I have a hard time recommending the current incarnation. That said, Temple Bags has done too much right here to have produced a case with so many fundamental issues.

It seems to me that we need a version 2 of this case that resolves some of the issues I noted above. If Temple Bags does create such a beast, I’d love to do a follow-up review here accordingly.

A very high-priced canvas sleeve case with leather trim in an envelope style. The workmanship is top notch, but overall the case doesn’t quite live up to its price tag.

Product: Apple iPad Thinvelope Sleeve

Company: BeyzaCases

Price Paid: $160.27

First Impression

What’s this? I thought this case was leather…

Based on the photos (and price), I thought this was an all-leather case. Turns out only the trim is leather, with the rest a “soft canvas”. I had to go back to the website to double-check, sure enough it’s there in black and white in the description.

It was not a particularly good first impression as a result, but I guess that’s largely my fault.

Intended Use

This is a slim protective case that is intended to be used inside another bag (backpack, messenger bag, etc.). I did carry it to a few meetings by itself and it’s not uncomfortable to carry.

Features, Design & Fit

The design of the Thinvelope is very simple – a large, lightly padded envelope style sleeve case that is sized very closely to the iPad. The overall design is simple and refined. The BeyzaCases logo is stamped in the leather trim on the back of the case. This is a little larger than I’d have chosen (I’d have opted to have it smaller and to the side rather than centered), but the branding is not offensive.

There is a large flap with a magnetic closure which is the single access point to the case. I don’t think the magnetic closure actually gets fully lined up on my case, but the magnet is strong enough to keep it closed and I don’t worry about it opening on its own at all. Since the flap is rather large, you have to remove the case entirely from your bag in order to remove the iPad from it.

I felt most comfortable putting the iPad in with the screen facing the flap (as seen in the photos). It just seemed to fit a little better this way and it meant my fingers were along the back of the iPad with just my thumb on the screen when entering or removing iPad from the case.

The fit is quite good. It’s clear that care was taken to ensure that it was a good fit, it wouldn’t happen this well by accident. It’s snug enough that you have to pay attention when inserting the iPad in the case, but not in a bad way.

Craftsmanship, Material & Protection

Even though I had expected an all-leather case from the website photos, the soft canvas is a nice material in the hands. The stitching is even and refined and the trim is very nicely cut and even. This case definitely wasn’t thrown together – there is real craftsmanship here.

The interior of the case is a soft material (perhaps felt?) that should provide a nice, scratch-free environment for your iPad.

The exterior padding provides reasonable protection for a soft-sided case and is pretty slim. The envelope flap adds another layer of thickness to the case for half of one side, without that it would be about as thin as you could get for a padded case. If you’re using this case in a backpack or messenger bag, I’d have no particular concerns about the iPad being damaged.

Order Process & Delivery

BeyzaCases is based in Turkey so prices are listed in Euros. They boast flat-rate shipping anywhere in the world for 4.99 Euros – very cheap. I’m sure the cost of the cases are inflated a bit to accommodate the low shipping rates (which is an interesting marketing decision).

I pre-ordered through their website using PayPal, and got the case a few weeks later. I also got something about a premium membership and saw references to a discount for pre-ordering, but could never figure out how that worked exactly. To be honest, I didn’t try that hard – it was just a few percent off if I remember correctly.

Value

BeyzaCases aren’t cheap. They offer a high-end product at high-end prices. I paid $160 US dollars for the Thinvelope including shipping (thank goodness they take PayPal).

This is definitely a niche product, perhaps an executive gift. It’s too bad that they don’t offer custom logos and such on the case. That would definitely help support the high price tag.

With many similarly styled cases available for pre-order at about 1/3 of the cost of this case, I have a hard time arguing that it’s worth the price.

Conclusion

The Thinvelope doesn’t disappoint as much as it fails to wow. It’s very nice, with excellent craftsmanship and pleasant materials. The design is simple and it does exactly what you’d expect from a case like this. Ultimately though, it’s probably fair to expect more given the price.

The WaterField iPad Slip Case is a minimalist padded slip case (protective sleeve), with great attention to detail and smart design and material selection.

Product: iPad Slip Case

Company: WaterField

Price Paid: 36.00

First Impression

This is my first WaterField product, though I’ve checked out several friends’ in the past. I was immediately impressed by the solid feel, smart material choices and nice snug fit. WaterField has a good reputation, and my first impression of the iPad Slip Case did nothing but cement that in my mind.

Intended Use

This case is a simple protective sleeve for the iPad. It is intended to provide protection and quick access when you are carrying your iPad within another bag (messenger bag, backpack, luggage).

Features, Design & Fit

The fit is extremely important for a slip case/cover style case. The iPad Slip Case fit is just about perfect: snug enough that the iPad doesn’t fall out easily but not so tight that it’s hard to put in. When considering the variance involved from the padding and other materials, I consider this to be a pretty noteworthy feature.

The design is very simple: the top is open, and there is a pull-tab at the bottom that you can use to remove the iPad from the case. There is a stiffener sewn in to one side of the case, which helps the case retain its structure and not collapse on itself when you are inserting the iPad.

The pull-tab on the bottom is very useful as the Slip Case is a pretty snug fit. By using the pull-tab, you don’t have to exert too much pressure on the iPad when removing it from the case.

The open-top design is another smart design decision. This provides easy access if you want to pull out your iPad without removing the Slip Case from your exterior bag.

I chose the green color, which is a good balance between not too bold and not too boring. I’d have no qualms about having it seen in a formal business meeting or at a local coffee shop. It also goes nicely with my collection of mainly black and gray exterior bags.

Material & Protection

The material is an area where the iPad Slip Case shines, and where WaterField shows off the thought that goes into their products. The outer material is a soft but rugged feeling nylon that feels like you could hose it off if it starts to get dirty. It’s not too slick and not too grippy, and feels good in your hand.

The interior has two distinct sides to it. One side has a microfiber wall with an insert of some kind that acts as a screen stiffener and protector (you put the iPad’s screen against this side). The other side is a more fuzzy material that is a little more slippery against the backside of the iPad. This kind of attention to detail in a very simple case really impresses me.

As far as protection goes, the padding on the case is very adequate for a soft-sided case. Grab the iPad, throw it in the Slip Case, throw it in your bag and don’t worry about it.

Order Process & Delivery

I ordered through the WaterField website (sfbags.com) using PayPal checkout and the process was pretty straightforward. The checkout process is handled by a 3rd party provider that has web page templates straight out of the late 1990′s, but everything worked smoothly and I received proper email confirmations.

The Slip Case arrived as expected in good condition via ground delivery service and was wrapped in plastic inside a shipping container. Very standard.

Value

I paid $36 including ground shipping for the iPad Slip Case. I think this is a reasonable price for a good quality protective sleeve. All of WaterField’s products are constructed in San Francisco, CA.

Conclusion

There aren’t a lot of bells and whistles in this case, but there is a lot of quality and subtle attention to detail. If you’re looking for a sleeve case to protect your iPad when you throw it in your backpack or messenger bag, this is a good choice.

The Timbuk2 T-Pack is a great option for an iPad bag. It’s versatile enough to be both a bag and a case/sleeve, allowing you to buy just one accessory to travel with. I used it as my only case for several weeks and look forward to coming back to it in the future.

Product: T-Pack Laptop Case

Company: Timbuk2

Price Paid: $30.00

First Impression

Two things came to mind upon receiving the Timbuk2 T-Pack:

1. this could be really good
2. I’m not sure about the foam/neoprene material

I was right about the first, and I’ve mellowed on the second – I’m still not a fan of the neoprene but I’ve generally been won over by its excellent utility.

Intended Use

The T-Pack is an extremely flexible bag. It can be used as a shoulder bag or as a sleeve inside another bag. It is not designed specifically for the iPad, but is sized beautifully for it and can carry a few extras for you as well.

Features

The T-Pack can function as a standalone shoulder bag or as a protective sleeve to be placed in a backpack or messenger bag. There is a main compartment that holds the iPad, and can also fit a few other small items. A few things I have put in there with my iPad include a knit hat and gloves, a cable accessory bag and a couple of granola bars. I put the iPad in facing the back of the bag with the screen towards my body, and put the other items on the outer side against the back of the iPad. No concerns about scratching the screen, etc.

On the bottom half of the bag is a smaller compartment. This is extremely handy. I’ve used this to carry my iPod touch, a pair of sunglasses, a cleaning cloth and even my Canon G10 (which is not a particularly small camera). Being able to pack these things separately from the iPad is very convenient.

The strap configuration for the T-Pack is quite clever. There are connector straps at all four corners of the bag, allowing you to set this up as a sling bag (configured for either shoulder) or as a more traditional shoulder strap bag. I mainly used the bag in a sling configuration, which was comfortable and held it pretty close to my body.

The zipper pulls have nice extended tabs on them, making it easy to find them when you’re reaching around your body.

Design & Fit

The look of the bag is a little odd. The ballistic nylon zipper compartments are attached to the foam/neoprene body of the bag in such a way that they don’t completely feel like they belong. There’s something off about the balance of these elements to me.

The main complaint I have about the T-Pack is that the zippers for the main compartment and smaller pocket go in opposite directions. It may sound like a minor issue, but it was a constant annoyance to me. I often went into both areas when packing up, unpacking, etc. and it always felt wrong that the zippers went in opposite ways.

Also, the way I configured the shoulder strap so that it was a sling bag over my right shoulder meant that the smaller pocket was open and facing downward when I unzipped it. I was a little concerned about things falling out. I could have reversed the bag to go over my left shoulder instead, but my configuration was more appropriate for someone who is right-handed.

A touch that I really like is a small handle at the top of the bag along the bag. This is very handy for grabbing the bag when getting in and our of the car, picking up the bag from the floor, etc. It means you don’t have to grab the bag by the strap (which will typically swing it around a bit, possibly bumping your iPad into things) or by grabbing the case itself (where you would put pressure on the iPad screen). It’s a minor thing, but a nice touch nonetheless.

The T-Pack is a netbook case, it’s not designed for the iPad. That said, it fits the iPad quite nicely. It’s not too snug or too loose. The fit is very functional.

Material & Protection

The ballistic nylon parts of the bag and strap will feel familiar to anyone who has owned a Timbuk2 bag in the past. The neoprene area will be a new experience. The neoprene is definitely a higher grade that what you may be accustomed to with cheap neoprene sleeves. It is also tailored with piping along the seams.

I’m not a fan of the neoprene, but it does provide a decent amount of padding for the iPad. I felt comfortable that my iPad was protected, and never really thought twice about it. The interior area is lined with a light gray soft mesh that did not leave marks on the iPad screen or body.

Craftsmanship

I’ve had a half-dozen Timbuk2 products and never seen a stitch out of place – the T-Pack is no exception. The workmanship is excellent here. My main complaint about Timbuk2 bags is that they never wear out so I don’t have an excuse to get new ones.

Order Process & Delivery

I ordered direct from Timbuk2′s website – the process was smooth. Local retailers that carry Timbuk2 products may also have this bag if you want to try it out. REI calls it the Small Fry for those of you that need to spend your dividend.

The bag was received in good condition, in a timely manner. The packaging was fairly standard – wrapped in plastic with a few tags.

Value

For $30, this bag is a tremendous deal compared to the prices for similar competing models. Timbuk2 is famous for quality, so there is certainly no trade-off there.

Conclusion

Though I haven’t had a chance to get too many reviews up yet, I’ve been evaluating a number of iPad bags and cases and the T-Pack is one of my favorites. It’s extremely inexpensive for everything it offers, and is versatile enough to be the only bag/case you need. Highly recommended.

The CaseCrown Zip Sleeve Case was immediately available from Amazon when the iPad was released (which is a bit of a red flag). I ordered it and used it along with a sling bag for a little over a week as the primary case for my iPad. I used it long enough to learn what it had to offer. When a better option arrived, I moved on and didn’t miss it.

Product: Faux Suede Zip Sleeve

Company: Case Crown

Price Paid: $17.20

Intended Use

This type of case is intended to be used primarily for protection while inside another bag – a backpack, messenger bag, etc. Typically for this type of case you want a combination of protection and compact size.

This case has a nice zipper opening and additional outside pocket, so it is also suitable for use as a hand-carry case for short trips to meetings, the coffee shop, etc.

First Impression

To be fair, I wasn’t expecting too much from this case. It wasn’t expensive, was available on day 1 of the iPad release, and was pretty much intended to be a stop-gap until the better stuff came along. So when I say that my first impression was that it met expectations, that’s a pretty luke-warm initial response.

I immediately saw that the size wasn’t a good match to the iPad, but other than that it seemed fairly well-made and was going to do the job.

Fit

The fit is the primary flaw with this case. It’s just way too big for the iPad. I’d bet that this was a case they either already had and just threw the iPad name on it.

While the height and width are way off, the thickness/depth isn’t as bad. However, for a case like this size matters – it should be no larger than it has to be. You aren’t going to be putting other things in the main area with the iPad, so it should be less thick and more form-fitting to the iPad.

Similarly, it should be about 2″ shorter and 3/4″ narrower to fit the iPad more naturally.

If you have a netbook and an iPad and want to share a case between them, this might be a good option for you. I’d guess that this fits most netbooks fairly well.

Material

The faux-suede outer material is a very nice choice for a case like this. It is comfortable in the hand and more importantly isn’t slick or slippery. It feels very secure as you hold it – no concerns about accidental droppage.

The interior material is a bright orange color and appears to be nylon or a similar synthetic material. There is a texture to the interior material that I feel is a bad choice to be right next to the iPad screen. When I brought the iPad out of the case I could see the pattern from the interior material on the iPad screen.

The bright color for the interior is a good choice in my opinion. It makes it much easier to see what is going on inside the case in lower light situations. You definitely don’t want to be putting your iPad screen against something that could scratch it while in the case.

Craftsmanship

This is a solidly made case. The stitching is consistent and edges feel smooth and even. The zipper pulls are smooth and true with no hesitation. There is enough material between the zipper and the interior of the case that there is no concern about the zipper rubbing against the iPad.

There are a few very minor inconsistencies in the trueness of the contrast stitching, but it’s something you have to be looking for to notice.

There is both a logo tag along the spine of the case and a screen printed logo on the bottom corner of the case. This is overkill and the screen-printed logo adds an aura of cheapness to the case.

Protection

The only area that the sub-optimal fit can be seen as a benefit is in protection. WIth additional material around it, I do feel like the iPad is better protected than it would be with a properly fit case. That said, that way the iPad can shift around inside the case makes it hard to predict where it is sitting at any one time (assuming gravity hasn’t had a single direction to tug on for a while).

The case certainly provides adequate protection given what you’d expect from a soft-sided case. Both sides have about an 1/8″ of padding that feels like it does the job adequately.

It doesn’t have a stiffener or hard-side to protect the screen of the iPad, and (as noted above) the interior material is a little harsher than I really liked for something I was going to put the screen next to every day.

Order Process

I ordered the case from Amazon and experienced the fantastic one-click order process I’ve come to expect from Amazon.

Delivery

Delivery was the normal Amazon shipping experience. The case was packaged in plastic inside the box and arrived in great condition. Nothing special to report about the packaging or included materials.

Value

I paid a total of $17.20 including shipping when I purchased this case, I think it was a pretty fair price for it. Yes, the fit isn’t right, but it works as a protection sleeve and is pretty well made.

However it is currently selling on Amazon for $34.20 (including shipping) – just about double what I paid! At that price, I definitely do not think it’s a good value.

Conclusion

While this is a reasonable case that will provide protection for your iPad,at the current asking price I’d look at other options.

The fit of this screen protector is so bad that the other flaws aren’t really worth exploring in detail.

Product: Premium Crystal Clear Screen Protector for Apple iPad

Company: ChiTek

Price Paid: $7.90

I typically take the approach of using a screen protector but no body protection on my mobile devices. I find this strikes a good balance between protecting the important stuff and not adding bulk to the device.

I ordered the Premium Crystal Clear Screen Protector for Apple iPad from Amazon when I received my iPad. Granted, this means that the protector I received was probably sized based on measurements and/or on pre-production models, not on actually shipping iPads. Regardless, it is advertised as being specifically for the iPad.

Product Details

Company: Make Even
Price: $7.90
Purchased from: Amazon

Note that this is no longer available via Amazon Prime, perhaps due to it now having some poor reviews.

Installation

The packaging and installation is what you’d expect if you’ve been using this type of static screen protector on other devices. There is a protective film on both sides, you remove the device-facing side, affix the screen protector to your device’s screen, then remove the second protective film.

I’ve applied a half dozen of these in the past (original iPhone, iPhone 3GS, iPod Touch and Palm Pre Plus) as well as another half dozen Invisible Shields and going back to the days of WriteRight protectors for the Newton.

In other words, this ain’t my first rodeo.

This process isn’t easy with a screen as big as an iPad. I was able to get it situated fairly well on the screen, but it wasn’t sitting just right. I removed it and attempted to re-apply it several times, but at the end of the day it just wasn’t going to work – the protector is the wrong size for the screen.

A static protector may just be too hard to apply for a screen this big. An InvisibleShield style screen protector that gets applied incrementally across the screen may be easier.

The screen cleaning cloth that came with the protector didn’t help much. Instead of being lint-free, it left little pieces of cloth on the screen as I used it. Quite annoying.

The Fit

Fatal flaw.

A screen protector must fit nearly perfectly and this one doesn’t. I’ve had protectors that are too small in the past, but this is the first one that was too big. Too small means you are annoyed every time you look at the screen. Too big means you throw the screen protector away.

The protector is sized just large enough that it sits on top of the black rubber gasket on the edge instead of inside it. This prevents it from sitting flush to the screen along the edges. Again, this may well be because it was never tested on a shipping device, but it’s just unacceptable.

In the photos above, you can see how – even after settling for several days, there are bubbles around the edges that just won’t go away (because the protector is mis-sized). Also, the cutout area for the home button has no hope of actually matching the placement of the home button.

Screen Glare/Visibility

I’ve used both clear and non-glare screen protectors on my iPhone. I tend to prefer the non-glare, though it’s always remarkable how the colors pop after you take it off. This protector is of the clear variety, and actually seems to make glare and fingerprint retention worse.

I’m finding it harder to use the iPad with the protector applied, which is not typically something you look for as a feature.

Conclusion

Briefly, save your money on this one.

I was pleased I was able to return mine for a refund. Several other outfits like Griffin Technologies are prepping screen protectors that I’m hoping will be a better option. I’m guessing these will be better fits as they will (hopefully) be based on shipping iPad screen sizes.

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My name is Alex and I’m a gadget and bag-a-holic.

(Everyone: Hi Alex!)

Instead of fighting my addiction, I’ve launched this blog to embrace it. It’s no more than a thinly veiled attempt to rationalize the bags and cases I’d buy anyway, and to give me an excuse to buy a bunch more under the guise of research.

My plan is to get a new iPad bag or case every couple of weeks, use it extensively, and post an in-depth review here.

I’ve put in orders for several already. We’ll see how it goes