Reviews by The Church of Apple

Tag: iPad 4

  • 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

  • Hammerhead Capo iPad Case

    The Hammerhead Capo Case is a case for the iPad 2,3 and 4. The case is available for $39.99 direct from Hammerhead. Personally, this is the case I use everyday. Allow me to explain why.

    Form

    The case does not excel in the form section of this review. The case is available in 5 two-toned colors. All cases feature black trim. The available colors are as follows: White, orange, blue, red and black. The black case is all black with no color, including the trimming. The case is a one-fold that flips around the back and the clip attached goes into one of the holes on the back to form a very functional case. The case is also comfortable on the hands. In terms of colors, I think the two-toned color scheme is nice. It gives the case a uniqueness, unlike many uni-colored cases on the market. The case provides a lot of protection for your iPad but it still is light and thin. However, there are a few issues cosmetically with it also. The case sent to me (this may not apply to all cases) was not completed, in my opinion. The white part on the case was not pressed in all the way, forming raised parts where the white part was not pressed in all the way. After a short time of using this case, I was already getting loose string hanging on the case, something that happened to my last case a year or more after I received it. Also, while I appreciate the black part of the case, I do not appreciate the fact that it is painstakingly clear that it is metal. The bi-fold on the case that folds back is metal (it’s the black bar that goes across about 1/3 the case). It’s not the bar itself that bothers me, but it’s the fact that you can see the metal of it (little bolts that hold it together, the line that separates the two pieces). To me, it is a little tacky. Despite these tacky issues the case still does what it is meant to do, protect.

    Function

    This case does what it is meant to do, protect. Despite it’s light and thin profile, this case provides the most protection I have seen out of any case this form factor. The case is made out of polyurethane material which always does a great job in protection. The case is a hard-shell case that will protect against falls. The case holds onto the iPad extremely well, probably one of the best grasps I have see on an iPad case thus far. The case also protects the ports better than any case I have reviewed thus far. There is only an opening to put the ports into and thats it, and even the case that surrounds the port is raised. It is very port protective. The case also has the best stand out of the cases I have reviewed so far. The case has a stand with five different options. Three, tall landscape stand options (more choices than most cases, allowing you to choose your perfect viewing angle), one for typing (which has been placed at the perfect angle), and one for a upright portrait stand. The case of course has the standard auto lock/unlock feature that would be a bad thing not to have. There is one thing that I like and dislike about the case. The case has a clasp that holds it closed. While the clasp ensures that the case will not accidentally open, there are some people who won’t be able to open the case. The clasp is the reason why people who have arthritis in their hands will not be able to use the case. It is a great case, but it’s a great case for people who can open it. For me and anyone else without weak hands, it’s great but I would not recommend it for a person with weak hands only because of the difficulty of opening the case. Despite this flaw, the case is still probably one of the best I have reviewed thus far.

    Conclusion

    Pros

    -Very durable
    -Thin and light
    -Best stand on a case I have reviewed
    -Clasp keeps case closed
    -Colored nicely
    -Comfortable to the hands to hold

    Cons

    -Case would be difficult to open for anyone with weak hands, especially senior citizens
    -Some tacky aesthetics

    The reason people buy a case is not for it to be the nicest case ever, but to be durable, light, thin and functional. This case passes all those and more. It delivers on it’s protective abilities and stand. The case I mentioned earlier was the case that I have been using for a long time and it is the case that was replaced by this one. I use this case on a daily basis; it is my primary case. Considering the pros and the cons, this case receives a 4 and a half star rating from me. Great job Hammerhead!

    Thanks for reading,

    Joe