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Saddleback Leather Simple iPad case review

REVIEW – Many moons ago I owned an original Saddleback Leather iPad case. It was a beautiful, beefy piece of leather. The new Simple iPad Case is a completely different animal. Simple and streamlined, it’s made for portability and optimal day-to-day usability. Fear not, however: you still get that gorgeous full-grain leather. To the review!

What is it?

It’s a leather iPad case for your iPad, iPad Air, or iPad Air 2.

Hardware specs

  • 10″ by 7″ by 0.5″
  • 0.55 pounds
  • Full-grain leather with pigskin suede lining

Design and features

The Saddleback Leather “Simple” designs offer lighter products with simplified designs as an alternative to their beefier, full-featured gear. The new Simple iPad Case is great example of this. You get all the benefits and style associated with quality leather, in a streamlined and extremely functional package.

While it is a simple shell-style design, Saddleback fans have no need to fret about the quality and construction on this item. a 7″ by 10″ piece of full-grain leather forms the back panel, while two 1” by 7” strips of leather on the front face form a pocket into which you slip your iPad.

My tester is the newer black leather, backed by pigskin suede to protect the iPad. It’s a beautiful, thick leather that measures roughly 1/8″ including the suede backing. It is thinner than some of the older leather pieces I’ve had from Saddleback, but I think it’s just as tough. It’s also got a great pliant feel. I like it quite a bit.

You’ll also see some subtle embossed logo work on the back face in the Saddleback logo and the tribute to Blue, founder Dave Munson’s dog. They’re nice touches that are tastefully handled, adding some character to the piece.

Black has always been my favorite color in Saddleback products, and they do a quality job with the dye work here. The leather is dyed through the whole piece, so scratches don’t pull up an underlying color. I haven’t seen any dye rub-off on clothes or other gear. It’s marvelous and speaks to my artistic side.

Saddleback Leather deserves a lot of credit here for their commitment to leather as a medium. There are three materials used in the build of this case: leather, pigskin suede, and marine-grade thread to keep it all together. That’s it. Even the spacers/bumpers between the layers are made wholly from leather dyed to match the case:

It would be easier (and probably cheaper) to solve design problems in a case like this with additions like plastic tabs, foam padding, or elastic webbing. Not that those solutions are inherently bad, but I appreciate that Saddleback doesn’t go that route. It’s a truly unique leather-focused design solution that’s *just* a bit more special as a result.

This case is designed for the 9.7″ iPads, specifically the 2017 iPad and multiple 2018 models (the iPad 9.7, Air, Air 2, and 9.7 Pro). You’ll find an assortment of cuts to accommodate the whole range of speakers, ports, and buttons on these models. As we walk through the slots, note that mine is an iPad Air 2. Here’s the audio-in port and sleep/wake button port. It looks tight, but the leather is flexible enough to get your fingers in there for obstruction-free operation:

The same goes for the bottom ports for the lightning cable and speakers:

The right-panel rocker buttons  have an additional slot cutout for easy access:

You’ll also find two cutouts for the rear camera to accommodate multiple model iterations:

When I first received the Simple iPad Case I was concerned by the fact that the front face and sides are completely exposed. After kicking it around a bit, however, I’m becoming more and more impressed with the design. There’s 1/4” of extra leather around all edges, so that thick leather absorbs side impacts to protect your tablet. It absolutely brings more protection than silicone shells like the Apple iPad cover, and only adds 8 ounces of weight to your kit if you’re including this in your daily carry.

Overall usability is excellent. There’s front flap or cover to mess with here. The entire screen edge-to-edge is accessible, with generous slots cut for the home button and front camera. Everything is easy to get to, and you don’t find yourself fumbling to get to the ports. It’s also wonderfully easy to handle, working perfectly with the iPad’s form factor. Nothing interferes with regular operation, and it feels solid in your hands. It slips easily in and out of your bag, with no protrusions or extra bits that could get caught on zippers. If you like your iPad covers lean & mean, this cover gets you there with the added protection and style of excellent leather.

The simple design does lack some capabilities found in more feature-rich cases. There’s no front cover for additional protection. It’s not compatible with the Apple keyboard. There’s also no integrated stand. If these are capabilities you are looking for, you’ll need to look elsewhere. If you’re looking for a great leather case that works well with the iPad’s natural form factor, however, the Simple iPad Case is worth putting on your shopping list.

What I like

  • Excellent leather quality and construction
  • Streamlined form that is easy to handle without adding significant bulk
  • Well-designed access to all the ports, controls, and speakers

What needs to be improved

  • No inherent flaws that I see

Final thoughts

If you’re looking for a well-built, straightforward iPad case with great looks, the Saddleback Leather Simple iPad Case is a great choice. The leather is fantastic, usability is excellent, and the simple form factor makes for easy handling and day-to-day use. You’ll also get Saddleback Leather’s famous 100-year warranty. This one is now in my EDC lineup, and I expect it to stay there for quite some time. Maybe not 100 years. We’ll see.

Price: $59.00
Where to buy: Saddleback
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Saddleback Leather.

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Saddleback Leather Simple iPad case review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 21, 2018 at 9:42 am.

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Woolnut MacBook sleeve review

REVIEW – Sleeves and covers for laptops abound. No matter the size, shape, or model, you can probably find a cover that gives you padding for your “ultrabook” design laptop. What many folks want, however, is something that shows their personality, their style. If you’re a MacBook user who loves wool, leather, and natural finishes and are searching for a laptop sleeve, Woolnut has something just for you: the MacBook 12 sleeve. I was sent the MacBook 12 sleeve in Cognac, but it is also available in Black. They have sleeves in sizes for MacBooks Pro (13 and 15) for all models – Retina, TouchBar, and non-TouchBar, as well as MacBook Air 13.

Note: Photos may be tapped or clicked for a larger image.

What is it?

I have been using my iPads as my primary computer since the very first model. While I still have to use my MacBookPro for some things (thanks, WordPress composer!), I usually type or write-up my initial thoughts about gadgets I am reviewing on an iPad first. I’m currently writing on my 12.9″ iPad Pro in Nebo with an Apple Pencil. This is an editing setup I can take virtually anywhere, but the iPad is a bit- um – unwieldy. So, when the offer was extended to the team for the MacBook 12 sleeve, I volunteered to test it. I know the iPad Pro is not exactly the same size or shape as the MacBook, but after looking at the dimensions of the Woolnut 12 case, I realized either of them were going to be covered without a problem. Here are the sizes of these three things compared with the excellent website SocialCompare.

Design and features

The Woolnut sleeve gets its name from the felted wool lining in their cases. In the case of this sleeve, it is fully lined with a good eighth of an inch of 100% natural grey wool felt. This is bonded to a high-grade, vegetable-tanned glove-soft leather, then top-stitched around three sides to form an envelope. The stitching is contained around the top of the sleeve on both pieces of leather, and a strong back-stitch is placed at the place where the side stitching begins. All the stitching is smooth and even.

What I Like

  • High-quality materials
  • Excellent craftwork
  • Elegant design

What needs to be improved

  • I can think of nothing to improve this.

Final thoughts

Leather sleeves are prized by many laptop and tablet users for the rich, supple feeling they have while you’re carrying your device around between uses. This “carrying around” adds oils and small scratches to the hide that grows into a character that is unique. Every leather article I’ve ever had is totally different after a few months of use, due to acquiring this patina. It’s something to look forward to. I’m looking forward to seeing how this one develops.

Price: €65
Where to buy: Woolnut website
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Woolnut.

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Woolnut MacBook sleeve review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 11, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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Mujjo iPhone Xs Max leather cases review

REVIEW – You just spent $1249 on an iPhone Xs Max and you want to protect your investment from everyday wear and tear without making it look like a plastic shrouded brick. When it comes to iPhone Xs Max cases, there are mediocre iPhone Xs Max cases and then there are Mujjo iPhone Xs Max cases.

What is it?

The Mujjo iPhone Xs Max Full Leather case and Full Leather Wallet cases are cases that have been designed exclusively for the iPhone Xs Max and are made of high quality materials.

Design and features

The Mujjo Full Leather case is a molded form-fitting vegetable tanned smooth leather case that is available in green, tan, gray, and black and it provides protection to the back and sides of the iPhone Xs Max without adding bulk or a dose of ugly.

The case is lined in a soft microfiber material that protects the back of the iPhone from scratches, fingerprints, and adds some thickness around the camera lens to protect it too.

This case adds extra protection for the sides, back, and even the display with an extra 1mm tall bezel around the screen, all without adding a lot of additional bulk and weight.

Instead of cutouts for the buttons on both sides of the phone, the buttons are molded into the case itself. The look is nice, but it does require a little extra effort to press each button.

The top edge of the case is fully covered, but the bottom of the case has a large opening that leaves the speakers and lightning port uncovered.

The Mujjo Full Leather case is comfortable in hand and offers almost everything you need in a high-end leather iPhone case… well almost everything.

That’s where the Mujjo Full Leather Wallet case comes in. It’s the same case as the Full Leather case, except it’s a wallet too.

Sewn into the back of the case is a credit card-sized slot that holds 1 or 2 standard sized plastic credit cards.

The credit card holder does add some extra bulk, but it doesn’t interfere with charging the phone on a Qi wireless charger, even if you have a card in the slot.

What I like

  • Molded form-fitting design
  • Wallet case doesn’t interfere with wireless chargers
  • Easy to put on and remove

What needs to be improved

  • Buttons are harder to press when the phone is not in a case

Final thoughts

When you’ve spent more than a grand on a smartphone, protecting that phone from scratches, scuffs, fingerprints, and smudges is most likely a priority. One way to do that is to buy a case for the phone, but plastic cases are boring and ugly, so consider a nice looking and affordable leather case from Mujjo.

Price: $43.42 – $53.08
Where to buy: Mujjo and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Mujjo.

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Mujjo iPhone Xs Max leather cases review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 3, 2018 at 2:52 pm.

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Urban Armor Gear’s Product PNK iPhone cases help to support breast cancer awareness

NEWS – October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Unfortunately, many of us know someone that has battled this terrible disease. For me, it was my Grandmother who was a breast cancer survivor. Urban Armor Gear is joining the fight against breast cancer with their Product PNK Plyo Series iPhone cases.

The best part. For every Product PNK case sold during the month of October, UAG will donate 100% of the profits to charities that support breast cancer awareness.

The cases meet Military Standards for drop and shock meaning each iPhone case is as strong as the cause it represents.

Each case features an armor shell with an impact resistant soft core, air-soft corners for cushioning impact, easy to access oversized tactical buttons, and scratch resistant skid pads and screen surround. And of course, the case is a really cool shade of pink.

Product PNK cases are available for iPhone models 6s, 6s Plus, 7, 7 Plus, 8, 8 Plus, X, Xs, Xs Max, and the yet to be released XR.

The price for each case is $39.95. And remember, 100% of the profits will go to charities that support breast cancer awareness.

To support this great cause and get a really nice case to protect your iPhone head over to UAG’s website.

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Urban Armor Gear’s Product PNK iPhone cases help to support breast cancer awareness originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 3, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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Saddleback Boot Leather iPhone case review

REVIEW – I have been a Saddleback Leather fan for years. Their gear is handmade by old world artisans from thick, rich leathers all backed by SBL’s 100 year warranty. In addition to their bags, SBL creates device specific cases and accessories for a select few of the latest and greatest tech devices. This mixing of old and new, not only provides your smart device protection but a stylish, unique look and feel as well. For this review, Saddleback has sent their Boot Leather iPhone X case to checkout.

What is it?

The Saddleback Boot Leather smartphone case is form fitted for the iPhone X. The vegetable tanned leather is cut and then shaped by hand using an ‘ancient’ wet-forming process. And while this slim case is only as thick as the leather itself, it provides decent protection without adding much bulk or weight to the sleek, tech-sexy iPhone X.

Design and features

The Saddleback Boot Leather iPhone X case’s slim, form-fitting design wraps your smartphone in a thick layer of high quality leather. According to Saddleback, the leather’s natural and undyed color will patina and darken beautifully with age and use…which I am looking forward to since I prefer darker leathers.

Each Boot Leather iPhone case is handmade with no two the same. Saddleback craftsman form each piece of leather by hand and once set, takes 10 hours to cure. This ancient process wet-forms the leather with no need for an inner plastic liner many/most of the other manufactures use. After a few wks of use, the case has not given up any of its shape or form as it breaks in.

There are press-through notches for the volume buttons and a cutout for the mute switch on the left side of the case.

The right side has a single press-through notch for the power button. All of the press-through buttons are taking time to wear in and initially required a good amount of force to actual press the button.

The top of the case completely covers the corners and top of the iPhone X.

The base of the case has a large single cutout allowing access to the lightening port and speakers while still protecting the corners.

As you can see, the ‘boot’ leather is thick, fine grained, and gorgeous. The case wraps around the curved edges and corners of the iPhone. The raised edging surrounding the screen provides additional protection, allowing you to set the smartphone on a surface facedown without touching.

I was a little worried about what the stiff leather case did to my (very nice) InvisibleShield screen protector. Initially the bottom corners pressed on the screen protector edge causing the glass protector to come away from the iPhone screen. I was able to press the InvisibleShield back onto the face of the smartphone…no harm, no foul. The same thing happened when I pressed the side push-through buttons but like the edges, the screen protector settled back into place. As the case has worn in and become a bit less stiff, this has become less of an issue.

The cutout for the camera is the least fitted/precise part of the Boot Leather case. Seems like Saddleback could have cut this closer to the edges of the camera bulge. Several pictures on their website show similar gaps around the camera. That said, the larger cutout does not lessen its protection of the camera assembly.

The boot leather Saddleback uses has a great, supple feel to it, adding grippability to the slippery glass and stainless steel iPhone. I typically go case-less, trusting in my sure hands to not let gravity and hard surfaces damage my tech-toys. But Saddleback’s Boot Leather case is very tempting indeed…leaving it on @least until the next case I have to review 😉 . I want to see the patina long-term use will bring.

What I like

  • Handmade from high quality full grain leather
  • Perfectly fitted for the iPhone X
  • Gives an old world style and feel to the slick smartphone
  • Adds protection and grippability

What needs to be improved

  • Takes a bit of use before the push-through buttons to wear in
  • Camera cutout could/should be more precisely fitted

Final thoughts

Preferring to use my smart devices naked, I’m a bit surprised how much I like the Saddleback Boot Leather iPhone case. Its style, design, and feel are unique in the world of nearly endless mass-produced iPhone cases. It is well made with high quality leather and old world craftsmanship all-the-while providing solid protection to your very breakable smartphone. Definitely worthy of consideration if you’re in the market for a new iPhone X case.

Price: $79.99
Where to buy: Saddleback Leather
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Saddleback Leather.

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Saddleback Boot Leather iPhone case review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 3, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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