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iPad iPad Air Case Roundup
- Thread starter Giuly
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I currently have the iPad Air Smart Case. It's okay for now, but it's horrible when used as a stand.
I'm holding out for the Joy Factory SmartSuit. Has anyone seen this in stock anywhere?
http://www.thejoyfactory.com/product/csa201
I'm holding out for the Joy Factory SmartSuit. Has anyone seen this in stock anywhere?
http://www.thejoyfactory.com/product/csa201
Any reason to consider it over any of the other myriad of cases with the same design?
I had the SmartSuit for my mini and loved it. I'd rather not go through the hassle of purchasing another brand that I may or may not like.
Devicewear Ridge
What is it about book mode that doesn't feel good? Also, have you (or anyone else) tried removing the iPad from the case? I read a review for the 4th generation Ridge that said it was almost impossible to remove the iPad from the case.
What is it about book mode that doesn't feel good? Also, have you (or anyone else) tried removing the iPad from the case? I read a review for the 4th generation Ridge that said it was almost impossible to remove the iPad from the case.
The SmartSuit looks to be just like the Poetic Slimline except for the SmartSuit has the magnet that will hold the cover to the back while reading and the texture looks more like fiber, whereas the Poetic show faux leather. Other than that they look like exactly the same design and you can buy 4 Poetic cases for the price of one SmartSuit. I have bought 3 Poetic cases and really like them.
They do look similar but the SmartSuit came first.
They've been making that design since the iPad-2 and were one of the first to offer a case with an integrated smartcover.
Before that, most iPad cases were just simple Apple iPad-1 case knockoffs or bulky dayplanner-type folios.
They even beat incase to market with a smartcover case and incase had the tri-fold case/cover/stand before Apple even had a Smart Cover.
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How do you like it?
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Looks nice, but April is kind of far in the future (and kickstarter delivery dates tend to slip, especially if the product gets too popular; also they don't seem to have any experience with mass manufacturing in China). By then we might even have an iPad Pro
Also I couldn't find any information about the weight. If it's like 300g or more with all the magnets then it's just too heavy for me.
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They have updated the page with a FAQ, it covers wieght aswell:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kennytrythall/flux-flap-ipad-case-with-magnets-for-unlimited-ang
How much does the Flux+Flap weigh?
iPad 2,3,4: Flap = 170g, case with PositionPlus+™ = 160g (Grand total of 330g). Less than Otterbox Defender Series (449g), Incase Book Jacket (343g), Targus Versavu (412.76g), to name a few.
iPad Mini: Flap = 110g, case with PositionPlus+™ = 120g (Grand total of 230g).
iPad Air: Flap = 130g, case with PositionPlus+™ = 130g (Grand total of 260g).
so just the case without the flap is less than 1/3rd of the Ipad Air's weight, once you add the flap for multi view more or transporation the case's weight effectively doubles.
its still much lighter than the air bender which is 1lb, exact same as wieght as the iPad air,
with regards to the Flux, do you reckon 260gm is acceptable for you?
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Smartsuit is by far better quality than then the poetic. I had the smartsuit3 and loved it. When I bought my daughters their mini's last year I bought one a smartsuit and one the poetic. The poetic is very cheap feel and the cover was a joke. Lasted about three months before I replaced it. I bought my wife a retina mini and purchased her the poetic case for that and have to say poetic did improve their product. I still have my smartsuit on order though as I really like the product
I do have a update on shipping, they apparently had an issue with the magnets and needed a redesign. Est ship date is first week in December. Got this via phone, email and twitter.
The keyboard itself is OK. The keys aren't that quiet though and require a little more push than what i'm accustomed to considering the keys are flat, but it's OK. Typical additional row of iOS-specific keys. The only button I wish it had was one for Spotlight, but not that many keyboards have a keyboard like that.
It has some good viewing angles, but adjusting the angle can be a little cumbersome. I say that for a few reasons. One being that you CANNOT just open it up and use it like you would a laptop (even with all those hinges). You could...but if you tilt it past a 90 degree angle, it will likely tip over the entire case because the iPad makes it top heavy. Pretty much every time you use it, it requires you to pull the latch on the back edge of the keyboard, then pull the grey base of the stand for the iPad out a little bit. This will let you prop the iPad up at the better and more secure viewing angles.
Now one of the main draws of this keyboard, for me, was that you could use the stand alone. Honestly, it's not all that. It's main problem is that the hinges are not strong enough to support the iPad as if it were "floating" (think of how an iMac is supported by its base stand) and it will tilt downwards. This also occurs when the stand is docked into the keyboard. If you use it more as a support and the iPad's bottom is touching the table, it works fine. It DOES rotate, but it feels shaky.
The build quality is OK. Kinda plasticky. The backshell of the iPad is pretty light if used by itself. However, it looks/feels plasticky and it does not offer any lip protection. You get decent access to all the ports, no problem there.
Overall, I think it's just OK. For $55 bucks I think its pretty good, especially compared to some other options.
Is it a keeper, though? Honestly, I'm thinking of returning it for a more simple folio style case or something like the Logitech keyboard cover. I don't like the shell that much. The stand was also pretty disappointing. Dealing with the latches when you briefly want to use the iPad then put it away is cumbersome. Also, I don't like how the screen comes in contact with the keyboard when shut. It just doesn't feel safe for the screen, like there's some pressure on the screen. Also, I wish it was quieter.
I'd give it 3/5 stars. There's a lot of nice features and it works OK, but I don't have a lot of good things to say about it honestly. I might change my mind after some use, but we'll see.
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Let us know how you make out with your SmartSuit when you get it.
I can't personally compare the SmartSuit quality to the Poetic cause I have never had a SmartSuit. And I also can't speak to the longevity of the Poetic cause I've only had mine for less than a month. But I'm pretty darn fussy with quality (my first job was inspection in manufacturing)
. The initial quality of all 3 Poetic cases has been super. They fit perfectly, holes line up perfectly, no problems with finish at all. The cases are not real leather but faux and even as faux, none had that awful chemical smell. And the magnets on mine have all worked as they should. So for what the product is, the initial quality I've experienced has been great with no defects. Maybe, I've been just lucky to get 3 perfect cases. Now if either SmartSuit or Poetic had a slimline real leather case, I would pay $50. I actually ordered a leather Kavaj before the Poetic cases. It finally shipped this week. I'm leery of what to expect as reviews have been totally mixed. Some loved their previous models and have posted great photos. Whereas, others show the same cases not fitting at all with puckers and gaps and just major defects in the leather. Now I know that real leather usually shows some imperfections but the ones shown and written about we're terrible. So I guess I'll see this week. Hopefully it'll be here either today or tomorrow. I'll do a quick review when I receive it.
My Ridge is just fine in book mode... I don't get what issue he's having?
Not an issue. It's firmly locked in there, but you can remove it. (Although I don't see myself removing the Devicewear as it works in every way I use it: lap, plane, type, sofa, bed, easy chair, etc.)
For me, the Smart Covers/Cases are just not stable enough in stand/typing mode. Quite often I find myself moving my iPad, only to have the smart cover flop around and un-magnetize itself, so then I have to fold it back into the wedge shape again. I liked the original ipad case because when you folded the cover under the slot on the back, it was not going ANYWHERE until you took it out. It was also at least as slim as Apple's new Smart Case, probably even moreso. The only thing I didn't like about it was the edges around the iPad - they were pointy, and covered part of the bezel.
So I think the ideal case design would be a hybrid of Apple's original iPad case and their newer Smart Cases. Start with the slim back of the Smart Case, which holds the iPad by just snapping in, then add a one-fold cover and slot on the back like the original iPad case. Best of both worlds. Honestly, I'm bummed no one has made a case like this yet. Until then, I'll try out the Kavaj.
I'm totally with you. I had Yoobao cases for my iPad 3 which were super. They are out through ebay buy only shipping from Chinese sellers. Don't want to deal with the pain of overseas return if the case isn't perfect. I should receive my Kavaj today or Monday so will definitely chime in with my thoughts. I'm hoping it works out cause I have high expectations even though the reviews have been mixed.
This is the review of Kavaj Berlin (brown) I posted on Amazon, but thought it might help people if I posted in the thread too...
The quality of this case is exceptional, I have used a crazy amount of cases on my iPhones and iPads over the years as I'm very fussy and mildly obsessional. This certainly ranks as one of the best, in fact it might well be the last case I buy for this iPad. The quality of the leather and finish is top notch, lovely simple and minimal design which add little bulk, the fit is perfect, the magnet works great, the stand function is brilliant (once you figure out how to use it properly) and its lovely to hold. The only thing that let's it down is that it comes a little too close to the screen for my liking and about 1mm of the home button is covered. I assume the smaller bezel of the Air probably makes it hard (but not impossible) to have a 100% leather case that hold the iPad in place without covering a lot of the bezel. Not a problem in use, but could be better.
Overall I love this case and I suspect it will age very well. I have looked at just about every case currently on the market, including Apple's own, and nothing comes close. If it had a darker brown option (and other colours for that matter) and a slightly tweaked design around the home button it would be perfect, but it's very close. In a sea of over priced fake leather and plastic cases, and silly gimmicks, it really does stand out. And for something so luxurious the price is good too.
The quality of this case is exceptional, I have used a crazy amount of cases on my iPhones and iPads over the years as I'm very fussy and mildly obsessional. This certainly ranks as one of the best, in fact it might well be the last case I buy for this iPad. The quality of the leather and finish is top notch, lovely simple and minimal design which add little bulk, the fit is perfect, the magnet works great, the stand function is brilliant (once you figure out how to use it properly) and its lovely to hold. The only thing that let's it down is that it comes a little too close to the screen for my liking and about 1mm of the home button is covered. I assume the smaller bezel of the Air probably makes it hard (but not impossible) to have a 100% leather case that hold the iPad in place without covering a lot of the bezel. Not a problem in use, but could be better.
Overall I love this case and I suspect it will age very well. I have looked at just about every case currently on the market, including Apple's own, and nothing comes close. If it had a darker brown option (and other colours for that matter) and a slightly tweaked design around the home button it would be perfect, but it's very close. In a sea of over priced fake leather and plastic cases, and silly gimmicks, it really does stand out. And for something so luxurious the price is good too.
I have the Berlin case ordered from Amazon, so the above review is pretty encouraging. Not sure if I can stand part of the home button being covered, as I'm OCD about that on cases, but I actually like a small leather border around the bezel, as it gives more grip.
Here are a bunch of pics for this case:
MoKo Apple iPad Air Case - Ultra Slim Lightweight Smart-shell Stand Case for Apple iPad 5 Air(5th Gen) Tablet, BLACK (With Smart Cover Auto Wake / Sleep)
http://amzn.com/B00B0N29XM
MoKo Apple iPad Air Case - Ultra Slim Lightweight Smart-shell Stand Case for Apple iPad 5 Air(5th Gen) Tablet, BLACK (With Smart Cover Auto Wake / Sleep)
http://amzn.com/B00B0N29XM
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As I understand it the new smart case for the air is redesigned as it is for the mini. Is that accurate?
