A seller on Ebay seems to have some for sale. I purchased one just now and got a %10 off coupon from them, if anyone wants to try to snag one email me and I'll send you the code.
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MacAlly Bookstand for iPad: Short Review and *PICS*
- Thread starter adster
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I saw that, but none of those other places had any in stock... The only places I found it available now were ebay and the Macally store. And both those were $54 with shipping.
I just ordered mine on provantage.com for 40 shipped. Hope I get it in about two weeks and I'll be a happy camper. 
Here are the answers to some of your questions, in the order they were posted.
"How much from MacMall?"
MacMall (the retail store in Santa Monica) sold it for $37.99 + tax, so close to $41 and some change. Not bad at all. This was their last one in stock and they weren't sure when they would receive any more.
"Is the back rounded to match the back of the iPad?"
Yes! This was something I didn't initially notice, but it conforms to the curved back of the iPad. Nifty!
"How does it look when fully folded back?"
The latch does stick out a little bit. You can either fold it back and let it just sit there (it's already in a folded position) or you can wrap it around back into the latch. Here are some pics to show what I mean:
"How easy is it to remove/put back?"
Quite easy. Just pop out one of the corners and you're all set.
"How does the iPad stay in place?"
I initially mentioned that the iPad stays in place with 'friction' but I'm now revising that after taking it out a few times. The corners actually "snap" around the curbed part of the iPad bezel.
"How much thicker is it then the Apple case?"
I had the official Apple case and hated it. I just didn't like the material and the build quality. I am very happy to say that it is almost the same "bloat" as the Apple case, maybe just a hair bigger. In other words: it's super thin.
"Can you type on it using the incline?"
Yes! It has the same slight "wobble" the Apple case does, but nothing major and it doesn't get in the way of you typing.
"How hard is the cover over the screen?"
I'm not quite sure what you mean by this, however I believe it's perfectly safe to put it in your backpack. Both sides of the cover have the same soft microfiber covering.
"Does it work with the dock or keyboard dock?"
Well, I don't have one to try it with, but unlike the Apple case the ports are not obstructed. There is, however, a plastic backing which might make it too thick to put on a dock. I'm going to file this one under "not enough information yet"
"Is this case truly protective?"
I would say it's about 50/50. The corners are where you would probably see most of the impact if you drop an iPad, and they are covered, but it's only a small bit of plastic so who knows exactly how much protection it would have. Also, a majority of the bezel is exposed so you have that to worry about as well. The cover, however, does an excellent job of protecting the actual screen.
"What screen shield do I use?"
Actually I'm not using any protective screen shield. One of the pictures is with their fake iPad plastic insert (Photo 8) and the other is with my actual iPad (Photo 9). I have considered getting one, but I haven't really looked into it just yet. Any opinions?
"Is the lift as good as the Apple case?"
I believe it's just about identical. *takes out Apple case to check* Yep, the size of the fold is identical to Apple's case.
"Is the lift in the back as good as Apple's case?"
Personally, I think it's just as good if not better then the Apple case.
"Does the material feel better then the Apple case? Does it feel like it would keep clean?"
Before I answer, I just want to say that I hated the feel of the Apple case. I have never liked that matte black material because I always feel like it would collect dirt and you wouldn't be able to see it (like the Incase Slider for 3GS in Matte Black). The microfiber of the MacAlly case is a much easier feel. Would it keep clean? That's a good question. I do think that, because of the nature of the material, it would collect some dirt (unlike a leather case) but there are many cleaners out there specifically made for microfiber cleaning since it's a popular fabric for couches and chairs.
"Would it stand up to repeated hard typing?"
That's a tough one. I think it all depends on what the material is inside the microfiber. If it's a cardboard, it would degrade over time and become less and less sturdy. If it's a plastic type thing, it should have no issues keeping up with repeated typing. Unfortunately I'm not sure what the interior is :-(
After using it for a day, these are some issues I found:
-Since it's brand new, the microfiber leaves some particles on the iPad screen. Nothing a quick swipe can't handle, however.
-Sliding the leather strap in to the holster when putting it in angled mode is a little awkward. The holster is pretty tight and there's no where really to "push" the tab in. I imagine the holster will loosen after some use.
-Since there's no "tab" to pull the strap out to unfold the cover, it's a little awkward to pull the tab out. I have to run my finger under the strap to loosen it up. Again, something I think will be fixed once the case gets broken in.
-Lastly, and I think this is a fairly large deal, the front cover doesn't completely cover the iPad. There is a short 1/32 of an inch thats not covered. It just seems like the cover was made just a tiny bit too short. Here is a photo of what I mean:
Finally, if anyone has any other questions feel free to let me know (or send me a PM!) Overall, I am very happy with this case. I was looking for a leather folio type case that was similar to the official Apple one, and this one seems perfect.
"How much from MacMall?"
MacMall (the retail store in Santa Monica) sold it for $37.99 + tax, so close to $41 and some change. Not bad at all. This was their last one in stock and they weren't sure when they would receive any more.
"Is the back rounded to match the back of the iPad?"
Yes! This was something I didn't initially notice, but it conforms to the curved back of the iPad. Nifty!
"How does it look when fully folded back?"
The latch does stick out a little bit. You can either fold it back and let it just sit there (it's already in a folded position) or you can wrap it around back into the latch. Here are some pics to show what I mean:
"How easy is it to remove/put back?"
Quite easy. Just pop out one of the corners and you're all set.
"How does the iPad stay in place?"
I initially mentioned that the iPad stays in place with 'friction' but I'm now revising that after taking it out a few times. The corners actually "snap" around the curbed part of the iPad bezel.
"How much thicker is it then the Apple case?"
I had the official Apple case and hated it. I just didn't like the material and the build quality. I am very happy to say that it is almost the same "bloat" as the Apple case, maybe just a hair bigger. In other words: it's super thin.
"Can you type on it using the incline?"
Yes! It has the same slight "wobble" the Apple case does, but nothing major and it doesn't get in the way of you typing.
"How hard is the cover over the screen?"
I'm not quite sure what you mean by this, however I believe it's perfectly safe to put it in your backpack. Both sides of the cover have the same soft microfiber covering.
"Does it work with the dock or keyboard dock?"
Well, I don't have one to try it with, but unlike the Apple case the ports are not obstructed. There is, however, a plastic backing which might make it too thick to put on a dock. I'm going to file this one under "not enough information yet"
"Is this case truly protective?"
I would say it's about 50/50. The corners are where you would probably see most of the impact if you drop an iPad, and they are covered, but it's only a small bit of plastic so who knows exactly how much protection it would have. Also, a majority of the bezel is exposed so you have that to worry about as well. The cover, however, does an excellent job of protecting the actual screen.
"What screen shield do I use?"
Actually I'm not using any protective screen shield. One of the pictures is with their fake iPad plastic insert (Photo 8) and the other is with my actual iPad (Photo 9). I have considered getting one, but I haven't really looked into it just yet. Any opinions?
"Is the lift as good as the Apple case?"
I believe it's just about identical. *takes out Apple case to check* Yep, the size of the fold is identical to Apple's case.
"Is the lift in the back as good as Apple's case?"
Personally, I think it's just as good if not better then the Apple case.
"Does the material feel better then the Apple case? Does it feel like it would keep clean?"
Before I answer, I just want to say that I hated the feel of the Apple case. I have never liked that matte black material because I always feel like it would collect dirt and you wouldn't be able to see it (like the Incase Slider for 3GS in Matte Black). The microfiber of the MacAlly case is a much easier feel. Would it keep clean? That's a good question. I do think that, because of the nature of the material, it would collect some dirt (unlike a leather case) but there are many cleaners out there specifically made for microfiber cleaning since it's a popular fabric for couches and chairs.
"Would it stand up to repeated hard typing?"
That's a tough one. I think it all depends on what the material is inside the microfiber. If it's a cardboard, it would degrade over time and become less and less sturdy. If it's a plastic type thing, it should have no issues keeping up with repeated typing. Unfortunately I'm not sure what the interior is :-(
After using it for a day, these are some issues I found:
-Since it's brand new, the microfiber leaves some particles on the iPad screen. Nothing a quick swipe can't handle, however.
-Sliding the leather strap in to the holster when putting it in angled mode is a little awkward. The holster is pretty tight and there's no where really to "push" the tab in. I imagine the holster will loosen after some use.
-Since there's no "tab" to pull the strap out to unfold the cover, it's a little awkward to pull the tab out. I have to run my finger under the strap to loosen it up. Again, something I think will be fixed once the case gets broken in.
-Lastly, and I think this is a fairly large deal, the front cover doesn't completely cover the iPad. There is a short 1/32 of an inch thats not covered. It just seems like the cover was made just a tiny bit too short. Here is a photo of what I mean:
Finally, if anyone has any other questions feel free to let me know (or send me a PM!) Overall, I am very happy with this case. I was looking for a leather folio type case that was similar to the official Apple one, and this one seems perfect.
Can you type on an incline?
can you delve a bit deeper for me (since this is my deciding factor, I really really appreciate it)
basically im going to use this case in class and during meetings to type up quick notes. when the iPad is on an incline would it stay up during typing? what i mean by this is that the marware eco vue is known for actually collapsing under the pressure of typing, will this stay up like the apple case or will if fall like the marware.
again I really really appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions.
can you delve a bit deeper for me (since this is my deciding factor, I really really appreciate it)
basically im going to use this case in class and during meetings to type up quick notes. when the iPad is on an incline would it stay up during typing? what i mean by this is that the marware eco vue is known for actually collapsing under the pressure of typing, will this stay up like the apple case or will if fall like the marware.
again I really really appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions.
If you're worried about it collapsing, I can tell you that it will not happen. If you look at photos 10 and 11 on the main page, you'll see that it folds back just like the Apple case, and you slide the leather tab into the slot to secure it. I don't think you'll have any issues typing with this case on it.
you've sold me on it! ordering it right now
thanks again man!EDIT: I as well have a 10% off coupon for people to use now. it's enough to get about $5.40 off or basically get free priority shipping. Either way he seems to be the only guy actually in stock.
Thank you so much for your thorough write-up.
Maybe it's the angle of the photo, but that doesn't seem uniform (top of device exposed more than bottom).
Is there a chance that
- This is a manufacturing defect?
- This will relax with use of the device, just like the latch? Does the material along the spine of the case stretch at all?
Aside from this, the construction of the case looks top notch. Is that a fair assessment?
-Lastly, and I think this is a fairly large deal, the front cover doesn't completely cover the iPad. There is a short 1/32 of an inch thats not covered. It just seems like the cover was made just a tiny bit too short. Here is a photo of what I mean:
Maybe it's the angle of the photo, but that doesn't seem uniform (top of device exposed more than bottom).
Is there a chance that
- This is a manufacturing defect?
- This will relax with use of the device, just like the latch? Does the material along the spine of the case stretch at all?
Aside from this, the construction of the case looks top notch. Is that a fair assessment?
you've sold me on it! ordering it right now
EDIT: I as well have a 10% off coupon for people to use now. it's enough to get about $5.40 off or basically get free priority shipping. Either way he seems to be the only guy actually in stock.
Yeah, it seems like this thing sold really well over the weekend. It seems like some stores showed stock starting on Thur/Fri and now most are sold out. Some stores I haven't even heard of before, and some of them were listing their stock numbers. Of the ones that advertised how many in stock, it was a pretty decent amount, in the 30s.
I've found 4 stores still claiming to have some stock with prices ranging from $41 - $51 not counting the Ebay listing. I can't vouch for any of these stores personally.
http://www.pcrush.com/product/Laptop-and-Notebook-Cases/593108/MacAlly-BOOKSTAND-Tablet-PC-Case-Suede-Gray?refid=1238
http://www.sureneeds.com/bookstand.html
http://www.unistorage.com/unistorage/index.cfm?fuseaction=shop.dspSpecs&part=4575543
http://www.jumbomarketplace.com/suede-casestand-for-ipad-p-225343.html
I almost ordered from the last one since it looks like they are in TX, but was able to get in on the ANTOnline one at Amazon. I also called MacMall yesterday, and they said they don't expect any online stock until the first week of May.
Thanks for answering our questions again I appreciate it. I ordered one so we'll see how that does. Really been needing a case and this aeems like a good case like apple case.
Thanks adster for putting up this thread. Sold me on it immediately when you first put it up. Glad I did too because they seem to be gone from everywhere for the time being.
Thank you so very much for the detailed answers and pictures. This helps a lot. It's a beautiful case too!
Thanks for your review and for answering all our questions -- one of the most helpful reviews i've read in a long time. Would you be willing to post a follow-up in a week or so after the case has broken in and let us know whether the flap issues resolved themselves and whether any other issues arose? I have the apple case for my current iPad but want a different case for my 3G and since I still have a few weeks before it arrives I can wait a little longer before ordering this case. Would love to know if you still love the case a week from now. Thanks!
No one else is bothered by what the OP thinks is "a fairly large deal"?
It seems like such a small amount of space that I'm chalking it up to the case not being broken in. I highly doubt this will continue to be the case after a month of thorough use. seems to me the materials are fresh and don't have much give yet, they'll become more broken in. if it were a bigger amount of space I might be worried but it's so small I'm sure it'll correct itself.
I ordered one from onsale.com cheap price but not available til May. hope that's wrong as mykoljay says they are in stock. hmmm.
I just wanted to order something and finish deciding on a case! I also got a Griffin car and home charger set for a good price. never ordered from them before, at least they had people on phones. sureneeds.com has no # to call.
The Macally case is nice, I'm hoping the edge gap will improve as the hinge area wears in? I'm guessing there is some play. I wish the leather strap was either gray to match or black. oh well.
Kinda frustrating finding quality accessories so far since most manufacturers had no lead time to design and produce.
--ps -my 16gb wifi comes this week from ebay. got about $75 off so it paid for my accessories. plus there have been none in my town to buy.
I just wanted to order something and finish deciding on a case! I also got a Griffin car and home charger set for a good price. never ordered from them before, at least they had people on phones. sureneeds.com has no # to call.
The Macally case is nice, I'm hoping the edge gap will improve as the hinge area wears in? I'm guessing there is some play. I wish the leather strap was either gray to match or black. oh well.
Kinda frustrating finding quality accessories so far since most manufacturers had no lead time to design and produce.
--ps -my 16gb wifi comes this week from ebay. got about $75 off so it paid for my accessories. plus there have been none in my town to buy.