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.