Reviews by The Church of Apple

Tag: cover

  • Maroo Drogo iPad Case Review

    The Maroo Drogo iPad Case is a leather iPad case. It is has a twist to it’s design. There is a cool dragon design on the case designed to celebrate the year of the dragon. The case is available from Maroo for $99.99. Let’s see if this investment of a case is the right case for you.

    Form

    Let it be clear, this is real leather. That may be what is driving up the price of the case but the fact that it is real leather is appreciated since real leather makes a very strong case. One of the things that caught my attention with this case is it’s neat design. You would have to see it yourself to appreciate it as I am certain that I could entice you with my descriptions of it. What I will tell you is that the design is that of a dragon in order to celebrate the year of the dragon. It’s main black color and yellow trimmings, however, give more of an impression of a Japanese ninja bike. No doubt about it though, this case has a great design, better than what I have seen in any other case so far. In addition, the case is made sturdy and well. The craftsmanship on this case is stunning. The iPad is held in by a tough silicon piece surrounded by yellow leather. The case also has a strap inside so you can strap the iPad to your hand. In addition to that, it has two pockets. One to put a credit card or two in and the second to perhaps store some papers. Don’t expect this case to be light, the leather with the silicon holder adds weight, and thickness. This is not without a return though. The added thickness protects the iPad very well. All in all, the case has strong aesthetics.

    Function

    As I mentioned, the case is strong and it will protect your iPad. There is no doubt in my mind that this case will protect your iPad well. The case also has a good stand. It can be put in the standard keyboard position or the viewing position. The case has easy access to all ports and does not block any of the cameras. I appreciate that the case has the pockets that it has for storage of notes and cards. The case has the magnet attachment that we have come to know and love since the introduction of the iPad 2 and the SmartCover. However, the magnets on it are weak and the case is too easily opened. The solution to this on the case is using the provided straps. These, however, are a hindrance and I personally do not use them. The problem with the case accidentally opening due to the weak magnets is the fact that when opened, the iPad will turn on and waste battery. Therefore, it is my recommendation when using this case to put the auto lock on 5 minutes if you are someone who has their setting on “Never auto lock” like myself. The price of this case is definitely a deterrent from buying this case though. The case is real leather and does protect the iPad well but $99 is a lot to spend on a case. The case does have it’s upsides and downsides but overall it is a good case.

    Conclusion

    Pros

    -Great design
    -Real leather
    -iPad is held firmly in place
    -iPad is well protected in the case.
    -The stand works well as it should

    Cons

    -Weak magnets
    -Straps provided to hold the case closed are a hindrance
    -Expensive

    Ways to improve

    The thing I would do to improve the case is to add stronger magnets since the ones in the case now are too weak to reach the magnets in the iPad due to the thickness of the case blocking it. The price is something that they may need reevaluate too.

    To conclude, this case is a strong one. It will protect your iPad and the design of the case is something to marvel at. There are a few main cons to this case like the magnets and the price. This case receives four stars from me.

    Also, please check out the following sites for Maroo. I was requested by Maroo to put these links.

    http://www.facebook.com/maroolifestyle
    http://www.twitter.com/maroolifestyle
    http://www.youtube.com/tvmaroo

    Thanks for reading,

    Joe

    Images courtesy: Maroo

  • RooCase Origami Dual-View Folio for iPad mini

    The RooCase Origami Dual-View Leather Folio for iPad mini is exactly what it’s name implies. It is a case for the iPad mini and a nice one at that. The case is only $9.90 at Amazon. Let’s see if this cheap in price case is cheap in quality or not.

    Form

    This case actually is very nice on the aesthetic side. The case is pretty solid. The front cover folds into different origami styles for different ways to stand the case. I really like this feature as it adds more possibilities for stands than the standard bifold or trifold cases have. The case is made in five colors, all leather. It is made in black, red, green, purple and pink all of which seem like great colors. The case is pretty solid in terms of structure and it is made well. There is definitely well-done craftsmanship on this case. The case allows for easy access to all the ports. The camera, also, is not blocked. In addition, there is a small flap that is on the case that you can put your stylus on. This definitely comes in handy for people who keep a stylus for their iPad with them. The quality of this case reminds me of the iPad cases that Snugg sells. Aesthetically, it’s one of the better cases I have reviewed.

    Function

    I am not usually a fan of folio cases. They have been too thin to provide any protection for my iPad. This case is an exception to that rule. Despite it being light, this case is very protective. It is hard cased enough to protect your device while still keeping it light. Another thing I like about the case is the unique origami stand. The stand allows for 4-5 different viewing angles, handy for typing or watching. Of course, the best angle is to hold the iPad yourself and the case makes it quite comfortable to hold. In addition, I appreciate the slot for a stylus as I do use one sometimes. I feel as though this case is a great value for the money.

    Conclusion

    Pros

    -Great aesthetics
    -Solid Case
    -Great, unique stand
    -Slot for stylus
    -Cheaply priced but not cheaply made

    Cons

    -None

    How to Improve

    At this time, I see no reason to make any changes for improvement.

    This is a great case and for less than $10, you can not go wrong. If you have an iPad mini, even if you already have a case, get this one. It is on sale for $9.90 at Amazon from it’s listing price of $49.99. Five stars for a great case and a great price.

    Thanks for reading,

    Joe

  • Snugg iPad 4 Case Cover and Flip Stand in Blue PU Leather

    Here we have the iPad 4 Case Cover and Flip Stand in Blue PU Leather available from Snugg for $34.99. The case is actually the successor to a case that I used for my iPad 2 from when I first got the iPad 2 in 2011 until just recently. The case has changed for the better. Let’s see if it’s the iPad case for you for the price.

    Form

    For starters, before we even open the the case, it has a very nice feel to it. It feels soft to the touch even though it would protect it in a fall. The front of the case, of course, features the brand very cleanly and out of the way. From the get go, you can tell the case has a bi-fold, which I think tend to be better than tri-fold cases because of it being more easier to manage. The stitching also looks as though it was well done, just as your grandma would have it on the best sweater she ever made. It doesn’t have any loose ends and appears to be complete (I can’t say the same about the last iPad 2 case I had). Moving on to the back, you have a little fold that holds the cover to use as a stand, we’ll discuss that in a little more detail in the Function paragraph. Of course, that piece also has very well done stitching. There is a hole for the camera which does it’s job and nothing else, just as a camera hole should. When you open up the case, you have a left part, a center part, and a right part. The left part has a handle, held in nicely by an elastic material. It is useful should you want to hold it by one hand. The middle part is actually very important because it either lifts up the iPad when in typing stand mode (landscape), or it will be the stand that stands up the iPad in portrait stand mode. In addition, you have the right side which is the part that holds the iPad, which makes the appropriate cuts for the camera, home button and volume and brightness switches. All parts, of course, have the wonderfully done stitching, Grandma would be proud. There is one thing I haven’t mentioned yet. The case has a good blue color to it, not dark blue to where it’s almost black and not bright blue where it’s blinding my eyes. It’s just right, at least in my opinion on colors. Overall, the case is made very well.

    Function

    The case is a very well thought-out representation of the brand name, Snugg. The iPad is very “Snugg” inside the case. It’s comfortable for the iPad, while protecting against very hard floors that seem to attack it when it’s unprotected. Keep your iPad in the case and it will protect it against any reasonable fall (no, it probably won’t survive a 15 story fall but at that case the fault goes to the user, not the case). The case definitely does it’s job in it’s primary target. The stand also is very strong. The stand can be used for a typing angle or a watching a movie/widescreen view angle. It holds up no matter the surface, which is good considering that it is on my lap sometimes and I don’t want the stand un-standing when I am using it, unless of course I “un-stand” it. The strap that allows you to strap the case (and the iPad for that matter) to your hand is very functional. If you can’t hold it, strap it. Of course, you must have it standing upright and not down to your side for it to work, or it might slide off your hand. Of course, any practical person would not do this anyway so it is understood that this is not the case’s fault. There is one neat feature about this case that I like. If you own a stylus, which I do, you can attach it to the top of your iPad onto a tab that comes out of the case that folds in when not in use. Therefore, if you don’t use it, keep it tugged in and it won’t get in your way. Also, even if it’s not tugged in, it won’t get in your way. If you don’t own a stylus, it will fit a pen too. There is a beauty to the case, it’s simple and nothing gets in your way. If you don’t want to use the extra strap to strap it to your hand or you don’t want to use the stylus/pen holder, you can tuck it away while still being there anytime you want it to be. They are hidden but still there. Overall, the case excels in this category.

    Conclusion

    Pros

    -Great aesthetics
    -Great protection
    -Great stand
    -Included stylus/pen holder works and can be hidden when you don’t want it
    -Included strap to strap the iPad to your hand works well, there is also a headrest mount that is sold seperately that this will attach to

    Cons

    -For the second time ever, there is nothing that fits this category

    I have had a very positive experience with Snugg. I have owned their previous iPad 2 case and it lasted me more than a year, and it would have lasted me more than that had I not given it away to a friend recently (he is enjoying it throughly). It beats out the case that I have been using and it will last me a long time. I know that the case will protect my iPad for another year or hopefully longer this time. This case is a very nice case and it will serve you well. As you read above, I have nothing but good things to say about this case, therefore it is easily given 5 stars. Plus, it’s $34.99, which I think is a great price for this case. Great job Snugg on this awesome case!

    Thanks for reading,

    Joe

  • Switcheasy exec iPad case

    The Switcheasy exec case is an iPad case that is available from Switcheasy for $59.99 directly from the store. The case is available in 5 colors, black, orange, blue, green or pink. The case is made out of very durable materialand offers a stand and protectors for the different ports (we will discuss these in a minute). The case they sent me was pink (not entirely sure why, my name is Joe, how much more obvious could it get?) so I won’t be using it but I’m going to explain why it might be for you, just make sure you get it in the right color.

     

    Form:

    The exec case is made out of very durable polycarbonate and PU material. It is some of the strongest case material on the market making this one very protective case. The case comes in 5 stunning colors (even the pink looks good), black, orange, blue, green, or pink, my favorite being the black one since it matches well with a white iPad. Speaking of iPad, it fits the iPad 2 and the new iPad perfectly, using a very durable snap frame to lock into place. In fact, it grips it so tight, there is a certain way you have to put it on or it won’t even go on. The way to put it on is simple but it definitely is comforting to know this case is as attached to the iPad as an alcoholic is to his bottle. The stand is set up to where the front cover have groves in it, the one side of the iPad comes out and goes into the groves as a stand. It works well as a stand to make the iPad tall, but isn’t very ergonomically correct to type on. The texture on the case is very smooth and is “kind” to the touch. Again, it is very durable and does not bend but yet the case adds little weight. It does add a bit of thickness to it but that’s a tradeoff for one really protective case, perhaps one of the most protective on the market. The form of this case is perfect and should not be changed one bit (with the exception of the stand, I’ll discuss this in a moment). The case is attractive and appeals to the eye while still being made out of the materials to protect it from the worst of falls.

    Function:

    As made apparent in the previous paragraph, this case is very protective. It will protect it against falls that most cases would give little protection to. This is the main purpose of the case and it it exceeds it well. Also, as with most iPad cases these days, the case has the auto wake feature which in itself doesn’t make a case better than others but a lack of it certainly makes it worse, so I’m glad this case has it. All the ports and buttons are easily accessible, something that is a little harder to find in cases. However, despite it serving it’s main purposes, the case does has it’s flaws. For one, the port protectors are useful, but only if the iPad will sit and collect dust. The protectors are not attached to the case and that’s a huge flaw because you only have two sets of these things, once you lose them (which is very easy to do since there is no pouch or anywhere to put it), they’re gone and if you want them back you need to buy more. This, in my opinion, was a big flaw. The protectors, in order to prove useful, should have been attached to the case, just are the protectors are for the Otterbox cases. The protectors on those is probably what the company was striving for but missed it. In fact, I’d rather them not give them to you at all. Also, another thing was the stand. While it was a positive in my view that it had one, the case has a flawed stand. To put the iPad in a typing position, it could be done, very easily too,  but it was a little low for me. I would have preferred it a bit higher, and this isn’t such a big deal as compared to the “stand tall” stand. In order to have a tall iPad, you will need to take out half the iPad to put into a grove on the front cover of the case. There are a few issues with this. One, you need a flat surface because the front cover needs to be flat. Two, half the iPad is uncovered, should it fall while “standing” you might be in trouble, especially on high surfaces. Three, I found it a bit difficult to get the iPad out of the side to put it into a grove. While this isn’t necessarily a problem with me, people with weak hands won’t be able to get it out to make a stand. I feel that the stand is poorly implemented and needs improvement. I feel that if I were Switcheasy, I would make the front cover go into a slit in the back and make a stand out of that. Of course, I am not reviewing a stand, I’m reviewing a case, and as a case it does very well. However, because the case comes with a stand, it would not be fair not to include it.

    Conclusion

    Pros

    -Very protective

    -Auto-on function

    -Comes in great colors

    -Made out of smooth-to-the-touch, protective material

    Cons

    -Doesn’t need the I/O protectors

    -Poor stand

     

    As you can see the pros outweigh the cons and the case performs its main function of protecting the case but unfortunately doesn’t provide a sufficient stand. Therefore, if you don’t mind it having a not-so-good stand, then this case is perfect for you. If you want a stand, I would look somewhere else but I wouldn’t look far, this company has other great cases that may be for you, I have a few other cases from this company I think you’d really enjoy. As a stand-alone stand, it clearly earns a 5/5 but as a case with a stand I would give it a 4/5 with the power of the protection of the case saving it from a 3.5. I feel I should rate everything that it comes with so, with that,  the score is a 4/5.

    Thanks for reading,

    Joe