I just got my pre-ordered XGear Folio and I thought I'd share some pics with you guys, since this is where I found out about it.
I have the Apple case, but don't like the rubberiness, the flange, and the covered edges of the iPad. I also have a Griffin skin but it's even rubberier (is that a word?) and collects dust and static. My wife has the Marware Eco-Vue so I'm familiar with that too.
Construction: Good. It's light and seems sturdy, but it's not leather. It seems like it must be vinyl. The interior is a velvet-like material, which I like more than the rubber Apple case. There's a slight plastic smell, but it's not too bad and I'm sure it will go away fairly quickly. The back panel is stiffer than the front, curved and fits the iPad nicely. It's about the same as the Apple Case sturdiness-wise, maybe a little more sturdy since the back is stiffer.
Feel: Feels good, very grippy in the hands, the texture helps with grip. Feels fairly leathery, but not quite like leather. Not like rubber as the Apple case feels.
Holding the iPad: The corner clips so far seem to hold the iPad in securely. I held it open by the case and shook it around face down over my couch and the iPad stayed in. The strap is very easy to slide in and out of the loop, and also seems to hold closed very well. The texture on the material might help with this.
Use: It works a lot like the Apple case in terms of propping up the screen and typing. Seems about the same in terms of wobbliness, not rock-solid, but good enough. It doesn't slide around the table when typing. It's very easy to open, close, and prop up.
Compared to the Marware Eco-Vue: First of all, the XGear is not leather. If you want leather, you need something else. The Marware definitely feels like a higher quality case, but this one feels higher than the Apple case, so I'd say it's in between the two. But it's lighter than the Eco-Vue, about the same weight as the Apple. And it exposes the full screen so dust and dirt won't get trapped at the edges.
Value: It's not worth the price, since it's about twice the cost of the Marware which is higher quality. But it does have different features that I wanted so I'm happy that I have it. I'd recommend waiting for a sale unless you need it right away.
Duncan
I have the Apple case, but don't like the rubberiness, the flange, and the covered edges of the iPad. I also have a Griffin skin but it's even rubberier (is that a word?) and collects dust and static. My wife has the Marware Eco-Vue so I'm familiar with that too.
Construction: Good. It's light and seems sturdy, but it's not leather. It seems like it must be vinyl. The interior is a velvet-like material, which I like more than the rubber Apple case. There's a slight plastic smell, but it's not too bad and I'm sure it will go away fairly quickly. The back panel is stiffer than the front, curved and fits the iPad nicely. It's about the same as the Apple Case sturdiness-wise, maybe a little more sturdy since the back is stiffer.
Feel: Feels good, very grippy in the hands, the texture helps with grip. Feels fairly leathery, but not quite like leather. Not like rubber as the Apple case feels.
Holding the iPad: The corner clips so far seem to hold the iPad in securely. I held it open by the case and shook it around face down over my couch and the iPad stayed in. The strap is very easy to slide in and out of the loop, and also seems to hold closed very well. The texture on the material might help with this.
Use: It works a lot like the Apple case in terms of propping up the screen and typing. Seems about the same in terms of wobbliness, not rock-solid, but good enough. It doesn't slide around the table when typing. It's very easy to open, close, and prop up.
Compared to the Marware Eco-Vue: First of all, the XGear is not leather. If you want leather, you need something else. The Marware definitely feels like a higher quality case, but this one feels higher than the Apple case, so I'd say it's in between the two. But it's lighter than the Eco-Vue, about the same weight as the Apple. And it exposes the full screen so dust and dirt won't get trapped at the edges.
Value: It's not worth the price, since it's about twice the cost of the Marware which is higher quality. But it does have different features that I wanted so I'm happy that I have it. I'd recommend waiting for a sale unless you need it right away.
Duncan
and I'm happy to be the guinea pig. But I do like the case, I won't need another one unless this one falls apart.
