You received the case? If so could you post your impressions and detailed photos? Possibly even a YouTube video?
Thanks!
No photos ATM, but I can give you impressions from a few minutes worth of use so far.
The case fits pretty decently - not skin tight like the Belkin Snap Shield, but the TPU lip over the very edge of the bezel is enough to cover the rubber seals between the metal and the glass. Some of the cutouts are perfect - the docking port area is large enough to fit the Camera Connection Kit and is centered, as are the ones for the power and hold/volume buttons. The cutout for the mic and iSight camera are not perfectly centered, but are more so than no the Speck FitFolio or the Snap Shield Secure.
It's TPU, so it may not be as 'drop-proof' as the FitFolio was... but that was pretty thin plastic too, which I didn't trust to hold the iPad in place in such a situation, and is less prone to cracking than the Snap Shield or Canvas are. The Core certainly doesn't feel as heavy as the iSkin Solo Smart does, but is a millimeter or so thinner except in the areas covered by the PU leather. I don't like how the case exposes the volume or power buttons, but I suppose that molding covers there was a headache the manufacturer didn't want to deal with.
The black PU leather on the back and front is decently thick - it won't win awards for slimness, but it doesn't feel as big as the Speck FitFolio or Switcheasy Canvas, which are similarly constructed. IT gives the case a bit of padding on those sides, which means that the edges of the iPad won't cut into your hands.
The lid's interior is just straight PU leather - no microfibre. This is an advantage in that the case itself can be used as a stand without having to worry about the microfiber catching every piece of debris on the surface it's set on, but the small lip keeps the inside of the lid from touching the screen.
What I would say the really good news here is this: the magnets are strong enough that the lid will hold itself flat onto the screen, even upside down and despite the lip of the TPU case. It will also NOT trigger the auto-wake if the lid moves a little to the side, the way the Switcheasy Canvas and the XtremeMac Carbon Fibre MicroFolio do, without needing a latch the way the new FitFolio does... and the material of the flap keeps it from moving too much anyways.
Now for the bad news: the lid isn't as flawlessly flexible as the official PU Apple Smart Cover, and it doesn't have magnets in the back to lock the lid to the shell while the flap is folded back fully in book mode, nor does it lock to itself the way the Apple Smart Cover does in stand mode. The angles are basically the same as those of the Smart Cover, but it doesn't feel as secure. Given that I don't use those modes, it isn't a big deal to me, but it'll be a deal-breaker for others, such as yourself. And while the lid will hold itself onto the screen upside down the way the Smart Cover does (except when using the iSkin Solo Smart), it won't hold that way forever... but then again, neither does the Smart Cover.
I also have to repeat fredsarran's comments about the TPU 'lip' over the dock connector port - it's a little floppy, but that's to be expected with TPU. It won't get in your way, but you'll notice the lip pulling away a bit if you happen to be holding it there, unlike the other parts of the edge where the lip is more 'solid'.
It's not a perfect case, but a decent case, especially if you can get it cheap. NCIX is apparently a good outfit, or at least they made an impression on me - it went from 'shipping' at 12:21 PM yesterday to 'delivered' at 11:08 AM this morning. The PU leather is nicely padded, and gives the case a good grip. But the stand modes are a sticking point, in my books; if you want a stand, stick with an Ozaki Y++ or maybe the Moshi iGlaze with Versacover... or just the plain old Smart Cover.
