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Portenzo iPad 2 Case: Now a Smart Cover
- Thread starter Jeff5i
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Same here I upgraded so it's only fair we have to wait a bit longer.
Also if you order, and some time passes, and you wish to change your options, ie, cloth material, case material, camera hole, elastic, or magna grip, even if it's the same case model, will lengthen your wait I'm guessing, the way they're working now.
If I never heard of portenzo, I might have went with treegoo' but in retrospect, after others pointed it out, it does look like a tv diner tray LOLZ.
Any word on how many of these things they're producing a day? It would be nice if we knew what order number they were on...
Hey I have some questions for people who already have a Portenzo:
1. Is the interior of the cover book cloth or book binding paper for the black (morocco and levant) cases? I know the 23 1/2 is cloths but the website didn't say for morocco and levant.
2. How big is their logo and where is it located on the case? I don't like text logos plastered on any of my merchandise.
Also, I'm on the fence between Octavo and Portenzo, and I just found some review pics of the Octavo on a review site, Testfreaks. I'm kind of glad these pictures are detailed compared to the annoyingly "I'm trying to be artistic" blurry picture on the Pad and Quill site. I'm pretty OCD about minor details and from these pictures of the Octavo I can see that the cuts made into the binding material are kind of unfinished:
Notice the raw looking slit where the strap comes out.
Another picture where the edge of the binding isn't completely straight. There's some puckering of the material. This could be either good or bad depending if you want the leather handcrafted look.
Another picture reveals that the lining isn't 100% flush with the cover. Notice the bottom.
So another question for Portenzo owners is how intricate are your cases? Do you see any little unfinished flaws such as the those depicted in the pictures of the Octavo? I know I'm being OCD but if the Portenzo doesn't have those minor flaws, then I'd say Portenzo puts more time and effort into making their cases. I'd rather have that.
1. Is the interior of the cover book cloth or book binding paper for the black (morocco and levant) cases? I know the 23 1/2 is cloths but the website didn't say for morocco and levant.
2. How big is their logo and where is it located on the case? I don't like text logos plastered on any of my merchandise.
Also, I'm on the fence between Octavo and Portenzo, and I just found some review pics of the Octavo on a review site, Testfreaks. I'm kind of glad these pictures are detailed compared to the annoyingly "I'm trying to be artistic" blurry picture on the Pad and Quill site. I'm pretty OCD about minor details and from these pictures of the Octavo I can see that the cuts made into the binding material are kind of unfinished:
Notice the raw looking slit where the strap comes out.
Another picture where the edge of the binding isn't completely straight. There's some puckering of the material. This could be either good or bad depending if you want the leather handcrafted look.
Another picture reveals that the lining isn't 100% flush with the cover. Notice the bottom.
So another question for Portenzo owners is how intricate are your cases? Do you see any little unfinished flaws such as the those depicted in the pictures of the Octavo? I know I'm being OCD but if the Portenzo doesn't have those minor flaws, then I'd say Portenzo puts more time and effort into making their cases. I'd rather have that.
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:::::I got a gut feeling, that they had lost my last 2 emails from about a week ago, so I reiterated my message to them today and got a prompt response within 3 hours::::::
Hello,
Your changes have been made to the order.
Thank you and have a good weekend.
kris
On Sat, Apr 2, 2011 at 2:03 PM, George ******<*****.***.01@gmail.com> wrote:
I upgraded my order to the 23.5 case about a week after my initial order.
I write because I wanted to add the camera hole option.
I also write because I wanted both the elastic and magna grip (I
already have/paid for magna grip), but I also wanted the elastic in
addition to the magna grip.
I noticed some on the Portenzo Facebook mention changing the interior
cloth for the 23.5; is that option free of charge?
If so, I would like the GREEN APPLE for the interior material.
Thanks, George
Hello,
Your changes have been made to the order.
Thank you and have a good weekend.
kris
On Sat, Apr 2, 2011 at 2:03 PM, George ******<*****.***.01@gmail.com> wrote:
I upgraded my order to the 23.5 case about a week after my initial order.
I write because I wanted to add the camera hole option.
I also write because I wanted both the elastic and magna grip (I
already have/paid for magna grip), but I also wanted the elastic in
addition to the magna grip.
I noticed some on the Portenzo Facebook mention changing the interior
cloth for the 23.5; is that option free of charge?
If so, I would like the GREEN APPLE for the interior material.
Thanks, George
1.) Cloth lining
2.) About 2.2" wide and 0.5" high on the back cover
My Portenzo doesn't have those rough finishes. Lining is perfectly aligned and the holes around the straps are smoothed with the cover material.
so hard to compare with final product.. that review clearly states it was a prototype.. i saw some parts not finished/sanded.. etc.. in that reivew..
"Pad&Quill was nice enough to send TestFreaks another prototype model, so the final packaging may be different from what we received."
but i understand your concerns and thanks for asking as i would like to know as well..
yah thats what i would like to know because im kinda peeved that we saw some levant owners state they ordered around 23rd and already received their order.. yet i dunno bout you but i ordered on the 15th.. and then emailed about changing to levant if it would get my order out earlier when he stated morocco was going to be delayed.. never got reply
"Pad&Quill was nice enough to send TestFreaks another prototype model, so the final packaging may be different from what we received."
but i understand your concerns and thanks for asking as i would like to know as well..
yah thats what i would like to know because im kinda peeved that we saw some levant owners state they ordered around 23rd and already received their order.. yet i dunno bout you but i ordered on the 15th.. and then emailed about changing to levant if it would get my order out earlier when he stated morocco was going to be delayed.. never got reply
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Cool. They seem to be slightly more responsive lately (they have re-appeared on Facebook as well). Fingers crossed that this is a good sign and that they are digging themselves out of a hole.
Darin posted on Facebook a few days ago that a batch of 23.5s will ship on Tues. Let's hope we're in that group of orders!
Buyer Beware of Portenzo/Roocase!
I placed on order with these folks, last week (if they really exist) and cannot reach them by email nor phone. Their website has no phone number listed so I had Chase Credit card find a number for them and it was only a fax line. Now, I don't know if this company really exists but be careful. For me, I have placed a stop on my credit card charge.
I placed on order with these folks, last week (if they really exist) and cannot reach them by email nor phone. Their website has no phone number listed so I had Chase Credit card find a number for them and it was only a fax line. Now, I don't know if this company really exists but be careful. For me, I have placed a stop on my credit card charge.
yah.. i have been watching on fb as well.. i hope we all get some shipment notices soon.. who was the one that won that contest? i wonder if they got shipment order
Here a few more pics. Some others (including logo) are in the Ocatvo thread. Hole where strap comes out looks pretty finished to me and liner is evenly adhered to the cover (same distance from edge on all sides). I do not see any of the cases with the liner being flush because then it could show at the end which is why they do not do it.
From what I have read so far, there are some flaws in the Portenzo in terms of it not fitting in the wood evenly and there being some more space on some sides vs the others. And the corner rubber sticking out could be slightly more refined. Those issues (so far) have not been seen in Octavo's. No word from Treegloo owners yet.
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so hard to compare with final product.. that review clearly states it was a prototype.. i saw some parts not finished/sanded.. etc.. in that reivew..
"Pad&Quill was nice enough to send TestFreaks another prototype model, so the final packaging may be different from what we received."
but i understand your concerns and thanks for asking as i would like to know as well..
I do know that the camera hole for the Octavo is not as good as the one for the Portenzo. I saw a pic somewhere that it's not 100% aligned and the leather has the scruffies around the hole. I also emailed Pad and Quill and asked if they can just take out the hole completely (takes less work to NOT put it in right?). After I waited a day, Pad and Quill just replied with a terse "no, sorry" (No greeting, no signature in the email and no proper capitalization or grammar). I think that's very unprofessional of them. I know Portenzo hasn't been replying at all so I guess customer service isn't that great for either company. =/
Thanks for the pics Steve! They definitely look better than that prototype.
Interesting that the strap hole looks more refined on the Octavo. Why would it be rounded on the Portenzo and not a delicate slit?
Also, that picture with the ipad not fitting evenly in the Portenzo (the guy who took the pic said one side had more space than the other) - is that only due to not having the camera hole?
I hope so, because if Portenzo isn't getting a perfect fit with these then i really do not understand the homerish talk about how intricate Portenzo's are.
Someone will need to explain how these types of flaws are getting overlooked. My bet is that there is some quality slippage due to # of orders.
Also, that picture with the ipad not fitting evenly in the Portenzo (the guy who took the pic said one side had more space than the other) - is that only due to not having the camera hole?
I hope so, because if Portenzo isn't getting a perfect fit with these then i really do not understand the homerish talk about how intricate Portenzo's are.
Someone will need to explain how these types of flaws are getting overlooked. My bet is that there is some quality slippage due to # of orders.
The prototype also had that inside pocket which might have messed with the corners or liner a bit. Dunno.
I change my mind. I;m going Dodo
Thanks for the comparison pic tfskora. And yes, it's weird it's a round hole on the Portenzo. The edges to the Portenzo do look more straight though. The cover itself also looks flatter but it could be due to the faux leather.
Sure. There definitely are some nit picky things I could find that I do not like with the Octavo. I see some wood blemishes that's part of this natural grain I guess. The spine thing has that multi-color thing which I don't get and I have not found need for the bookmark really.
Don't think you can go wrong at this point with any of these. Pretty sure we have pretty well vetted these cases.
I won the contest but as of yet I haven't received a shipping notice
ahh i figured you would get one of the first
yah the one thing though Steve is that you got one so you can actually say what you like and dislike.. so that gives you credibility. i just dont understand the hate towards the other companies.. especially treegloo.. ok so the case is pine.. its also $35 for their standard case not $59.. right? i got my shipping notice for p&q and i cant wait.. i kinda like the bookmark.. maybe not for really using it.. but it looks cool.. my wife has a few moleskine books and they have a bookmark.. kinda neat looking..
also.. i dunno if some of you saw my pic a few pages back or not.. but those pics are from an actual moleskine my wife has and i even photochopped an ipad in there with portenzo logo.. that isnt real lol it was an April's fools joke.. notice the 4-01-11 embossed on the outside hehe
I am starting to like the curved corner of the Portenzo cover though. I think the angles that the Octavo has could get bent or dinged after some wear.
Ok that is not fair. These guys bent over backwards to send me a replacement case today. Very quick turn around. Their customer service is outstanding. I have one of their cases that had some fitting issues. The camera hole is just fine. They were very quick to reply to my support question. They are sending me another even before I send mine back and they are paying my return shipping. I am sure the Portenzo case is very nice. I have one ordered. And I will wait. But you talk about poor customer service. Portenzo wins the prize. They should reply to emails. I don't care how busy they are. I have been in the IT business for 25 years and If I treated my users this way I would not have a job. I don't care how good they are. Customer service is important and Pad and Quill has outstanding service. Their product might not be as good. I will say their workmanship is top notch. And they stand behind their product. And I do not work for them.
thanks for sharing.. i too believe customer services is very important.. my business is mostly return business and word of mouth.. i try to reply to every email and return every call as soon as possible.. one of the things people always tell me when i call them back after they have left a message is that they have called everyone in the phone book and im the first to call back in a timely matter.. i stay busy so i guess im doing alright.. i treat everyone the same was as i would want to be treated.. so far.. portenzo has not treated me as i would have treated them.. they have not been good with customer service.. granted i think they bit off more then they could chew at this point.. in the beginning Darin did regularly join on here which was one of the reasons that i chose to preorder 2 portenzos.. he emailed answered some of my questions in email and on fb and then gave me a coupon as well after i asked.. then after the missed release date.. it got quiet in here and on their fb page.. i emailed questions about changing to levant.. changing one of my orders to the new 23.5.. no respons.. my wife on her own also emailed with no response.. so we began emailing questions to both pad and quill and treegloo.. both have emailed us back and responded to all of our questions in a timely matter.. i choose to go ahead and place an order with pad & quill and my wife with treegloo.. my order at portenzo is still on and i hope to get their cases.. however i hope after all the dust clears that they will understand that a simple response goes a long way..
You act like they insulted your mother. It ain't that freaking serious for gawd sake. They had the experience they had, you had the experience you had. I mean geez. That person didnt like the response they received. It is their prerogative to have the reaction and or feelings they did. Now I think you can see how high maintenance we iPad owners can be. Things look different when someone makes a negative comment about a vendor you like. Ahe? Rofl
. I can't wait till someone calls the dodo case,Treegloo, or P&q folks crooks. This place is gonna get lively.
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You act like they insulted your mother. It ain't that freaking serious for gawd sake. They had the experience they had, you had the experience you had. I mean geez. That person didnt like the response they received. It is their prerogative to have the reaction and or feelings they did. Now I think you can see how high maintenance we iPad owners can be. Things look different when someone makes a negative comment about a vendor you like. Ahe? Rofl
Hmmm. I didn't think the response from Jhutchings was over the top. The way I read it, it did not seem like he was worked up about it.
Surely "Ok that is not fair" is not the response that first comes to mind when one's mother is insulted.