IPad Pro Case – Page 2

Saddleback Leather Company Tablet Notepad Holder review

If you’ve been a reader of The Gadgeteer for any length of time, you’ll know that we love leather covers and cases, and one of the most popular and loved maker of leather cases, bags, and covers is the Saddleback Leather Company. We’ve covered many of their products over the years and I’m happy to say that we have one of their newest products to introduce to you today. It’s the Saddleback Leather Company Tablet Notepad Holder, which combines your favorite digital tablet with your favorite analog supplies. Let’s take a closer look.

What is it?

The Saddleback Leather Company Tablet Notepad Holder is a portfolio style holder that has been designed to hold and protect a 12.9 inch sized iPad Pro tablet along with other accessories like the Apple Pencil, notepads, and more.

Design and features

The Tablet Notepad Holder is made of one large piece of full-grain leather on the outside and is available in 4 colors that include standard Tobacco, Dark Coffee Brown, Chestnut, and Black.

The edges of the leather are sewn with a double row of stitches both to reinforce the seams and to give it a traditional look and feel.

You’ll find no snaps, zippers, or Velcro (ick) being used on this holder. A simple riveted leather tab and loop style fastener keeps the cover securely closed and the only branding you’ll find is the Saddleback Leather logo on the bottom right corner on the outside of the cover.

When you open the cover of the Tablet Notepad Holder, you’ll see a layout of pockets that include 2 pen/pencil slots at the top, a pigskin lining and sleeve for your iPad Pro 12.9, and 3 additional pockets that can hold flat accessories like the iPad keyboard, notepads, and other papers or folders.

I didn’t have a 12.9-inch iPad Pro to test with this holder, but I was happy to find out that my 12-inch MacBook fits in the tablet sleeve perfectly.

The tablet sleeve is about 11.75 x 8.75 inches so it can fit a variety of laptops and tablets.

That little squiggle stamp in the lower right corner of the sleeve is Saddleback Leather Co. founder Dave Munson’s dog Blue wearing a sombrero. You can read all about Dave and Blue’s adventures south of the border here.

With the Tablet Notepad Holder loaded up with gear and the cover secured in place, the holder is not bad as far as bulk. Granted, a full-grain leather case like the ones made by Saddleback Leather Company is never going to be considered lightweight or slim, but I was surprised by how nicely everything works together with this case.

What I like

Plenty of pockets to hold flat items and 2 pen slots
Holds the 12.9 inch iPad Pro or small laptop
Great craftsmanship
100-year warranty

What needs to be improved

Pricey
Doesn’t hold a device charger

Final thoughts

Whenever I receive an SB product to review, I know that it will have a rugged design and will be made to last for a century. I also know that bags, cases, and holders made by Saddleback Leather Company are not everyone’s cup of tea in both style and price. But for their loyal followers and collectors, the Tablet Notepad Holder will protect their favorite digital and analog gear while making them feel like they just got off a train in Westworld.

Price: $199.00
Where to buy: Saddleback Leather Company
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Saddleback Leather Company.

The post Saddleback Leather Company Tablet Notepad Holder review appeared first on The Gadgeteer.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: IPad Pro Case, Leather, Tablet sleeve

Saddleback Leather Company Tablet Notepad Holder review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 15, 2018 at 12:34 pm.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

Logitech Slim Combo 10.5 inch iPad Pro keyboard case review

Both Julie and I have longed for Apple to produce a Surface Pro like product, a hybrid tablet running macOS. Apple argues that the iPad Pro fills that niche and is more than powerful and capable enough to get the job done. And I might agree that the iPad Pro has the horsepower but so far iOS has fallen a bit short for me. With iOS 11 and a portable keyboard, I have renewed hope that I can make the iPad Pro my main productivity travel companion. The Logitech Slim Combo is one of the most feature-rich smart connector enabled keyboards available. For this review, Logitech sent me their 10.5″ version in classical blue to check out.

The Logitech Slim Combo is a well made, plastic two-piece solution for adding productivity and protection to the iPad Pro. The back panel encases your iPad Pro and securely holds it in place with a snap. The front cover or base of the Combo is a nicely engineered keyboard that magnetically attaches to the iPad Pro’s smart connector.

The casing is made from rigid plastic and high-performance technical fabric with PU coating for spill-resistance. The case has cutouts and push-thru buttons taking nothing away from the functionality and features of the iPad Pro.

The back panel is very form fitted and takes a bit of force to get the iPad perfectly seated…but once inside there is little chance of it accidentally falling out.

The Slim Combo has an integrated loop built into the keyboard portion the case to transport the Apple Pen.

The top of the back hard case has a push-thru for the power button and cutouts for both speakers, mic, and audio plug.

The Slim Combo’s keyboard attaches on the left side of the case magnetically to the iPad’s Apple Smart Connector. The magnetic hold is adequate but the keyboard did fall off every now and then.

The base of the case has a large cutout allowing access to the iPad’s lighting port and speakers.

The backlit keyboard has no battery and is powered by your iPad via its smart connector. Connectivity is thru the connector as well, (versus Bluetooth) meaning little to no lag while typing. According to Logitech, the keyboard uses between 0.4 to 2.3 percent of iPad battery for an hour of typing depending on backlighting brightness. There are three levels of backlighting that automatically turns off 8 seconds after the last keystroke. Interestingly the keyboard’s firmware is automatically updated when connected to the iPad Pro via Smart Connector.

The keyboard has 19 mm key pitch and 1.5 mm key travel. The palm rest is comfortable and enables good hand/finger positioning for typing. The keyboard feels a bit cramped compared to my 12″ MacBook but is more than functional and way better than typing on the iPad’s virtual keyboard. That said, I keep reaching for an imaginary trackpad that would make the setup perfect/ideal.

The bottom of the keyboard is textured as you can see below so that it does not slide around and is easy to hold onto when on the go.

Alright, let’s discuss the elephant in the room. The Logitech Slim Combo is ANYTHING but slim/tiny/petite/etc… It transforms the sleek, tech-sexy 10.5″ iPad Pro into a clunky, though admittedly productive, behemoth. The case alone weighs more than the iPad Pro.

Together they weigh more than the 12″ MacBook.

Specifications:

Height x Width x Depth: 10.16 in x 7.24 in x 1.06 in
Weight: 1.16 lbs

Logitech engineered a built-in stand into the back of the back cover. In landscape mode, the stand holds iPad Pro at any angle in within 50 degrees range: from 20 to 70 degrees. In portrait mode, the stand holds iPad Pro at 73 degrees. The iPad Pro auto turns on/off when the keyboard is opened or closed.

In true Gadgeteer style, this review was written on the Slim Combo keyboard with no hassle whatsoever. The typing was best on a flat surface because the case was not very lap-friendly at all.

While not as compact, sleek, or pretty as a naked iPad, the Logitech Slim Combo adds excellent protection in addition to significantly increasing productivity. The case is perfectly form fitted for the 10.5″ iPad Pro, completely encasing it. The keyboard is feature rich besting Apple’s keyboard in everything but size and weight. Overall the Logitech Slim Combo is an excellent choice if you want to transform your iPad Pro into more of a hybrid computing device.

Source: The samples for this review were provided by Logitech. Please visit their site for more information and Best Buy to order.

Product Information

Price:	$129.99
Manufacturer:	Logitech
Retailer:	Best Buy
Pros:	Perfectly fitted for the 10.5" iPad Pro Excellent protection Backlit keyboard Extra function keys Holds Apple Pencil
Cons:	Not lap-friendly Adds significant weight & bulk

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: iPad keyboard case, IPad Pro Case

Logitech Slim Combo 10.5 inch iPad Pro keyboard case review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 8, 2017 at 8:45 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

iVAPO iPad Pro 10.5 case review

When you spend hundreds of dollars for an iPad Pro, you really don’t want to spend another hundred dollars on a case just to protect it. Today I want to show you the iVAPO case for the 10.5 inch iPad Pro. At only $17.49 from Amazon, it can’t possibly be that good right? Let’s find out.

What is it?

The iVAPO iPad Pro 10.5 case is exactly what you guess it is, a case for the 10.5 inch iPad Pro. No surprises there. But there is a small surprise inside.

Design and features

The iVAPO case is similar to other iPad cases that have a folding cover on one side and an iPad holder on the opposite side.

The iVAPO has a grey denim-like look and feel that provides grip when you’re holding the iPad and helps protect the screen and back of the tablet from scratches and wear.

Although the case looks and feels nice in hand, I did notice a problem with it. The material sheds which leaves a thin layer of dust on the iPad’s display that’s hard to clean off without removing the iPad entirely from the case.

The iPad is easy to insert and remove from this case. There are cutouts for the speakers, lightning connector, and camera, so you can use all the features of the iPad just like you would if it weren’t in the case.

The one way the iVAPO sets itself apart from other iPad Pro cases is the built-in holder for the Apple Pencil. The Pencil stays in the holder even if you turn the case and iPad upside down.

To retrieve the Pencil, you can either hook the tip with your fingernail and pull it out or you can push the Pencil out from behind the case.

The iVAPO case cover is like a lot of iPad case covers in that it can fold out of the way behind the case when you’re using the iPad. It can also fold into a stand to prop up the iPad.

The cover has magnets to activate the auto sleep and wake feature. Unfortunately, I found that the cover would not always seat properly over the iPad’s display to engage that feature.

Final thoughts

It’s tough to complain about a case that is priced at less than $20, but there are a few issues that annoyed me about it that are worth repeating. The case material leaves a layer of dust on the iPad and the cover doesn’t always turn the iPad’s display off when the cover is closed.

Other than those issues, there’s not a lot more to say about the iVAPO iPad Pro 10.5 case. It does what it’s been designed to do, which is protect the iPad Pro and hold an Apple Pencil. If you’re on a budget after spending all your money on the iPad Pro and the Pencil, the iVAPO won’t overburden your wallet and is worth a look if you can get past the issues.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by iVAPO. Please visit Amazon for more info and to order.

Product Information

Price:	$17.49
Manufacturer:	iVAPO
Retailer:	Amazon
Pros:	Affordable Built-in Pencil holder
Cons:	Cover doesn't always activate the auto sleep feature Material leaves dust on the iPad's display Bulky

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Cases and Covers, IPad Pro Case

iVAPO iPad Pro 10.5 case review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 6, 2017 at 6:09 pm.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

CaseMade iPad Pro 10.5″ leather case review

One of the first things most of us do after we purchase a new phone or tablet is to shop for a case to protect or add to the look of that shiny new device. There are literally thousands of choices which can make this quite an arduous task. When I purchased my 10.5” iPad Pro I chose to go with Logitech’s Slim Combo case. The main reason I chose it was because it had a keyboard and a holder for my Apple Pencil. I really like the case, but it’s a little bulky to use every day. I wanted another case for everyday use, something that had a nice look and complimented my shiny new iPad Pro. I got the chance to review such a case for the Gadgeteer. The CaseMade 10.5” iPad Pro leather case. It’s a nice case that met my requirements but it’s not without its faults.

The CaseMade 10.5” iPad Pro leather case is made From 100% Italian cowhide leather. Inside there is a soft-touch polycarbonate mold that snugly holds the iPad Pro. The case also incorporates Apples smart cover sleep/wake technology. This means your iPad will be automatically put to sleep once the Casemade cover has been closed and instantly woken up once the Casemade cover has been opened.

Design

The black 100% Italian cowhide leather and unique red stitching give this case a real sophisticated look. I also like the emblazoned CaseMade logo on the lower left corner of the case. It’s a small detail but adds to the cases rich look. The inside cover has a soft, brushed finish so it won’t scratch your iPad’s screen. Thin and lightweight, this case is a perfect compliment to the minimalistic design of the 10.5” iPad Pro.

The polycarbonate mold inside does a nice job of holding my iPad in place. The material is pretty flexible and each mold is form-fitted to the iPad Pro ensuring a snug secure fit. There are cut-outs on the side and top and bottom to allow easy access to all of the iPad Pro’s external features including the camera, lightning connector, volume buttons and headphone jack. The mold is completely open on both the top and bottom except for the corners. Although the access is nice I would have preferred a little more coverage on the top and bottom to protect my investment.

Functionality

I was happy that this case offered the Apple Smart Cover sleep/wake technology. Every iPad case I’ve owned in the past had this feature and it’s one thing I look for when buying a new case. Unfortunately, this is where one of the faults I mentioned pops up. The feature works, but I have to move the cover around in order for it to lock my iPad. It’s as if the magnet inside the case is misaligned. It’s not a deal breaker, however, if you’re going to use this as a selling point it should work properly.

The case also doubles as a horizontal stand with two separate viewing positions. This is done by folding the case over and sliding the cover into a slot that is sewn into the back of the case. I really like this feature. It provides a nice viewing angle while on my lap and it’s very sturdy when used in the upright position. The lay-down position is perfect for using your iPad on your lap and makes it easy to do some quick typing using the iPad’s on-screen keyboard. The upright position is perfect for browsing the web, checking out social media like Twitter and Instagram or viewing videos and movies.

What I like

I like the look and feel of the 100% Italian cowhide leather. I like the functionality of the two different viewing positions. I like that it’s thin and lightweight.

What I don’t like

I don’t like that the sleep/wake function doesn’t work properly. I don’t like that there isn’t a place for my Apple Pencil.

Overall

I’ve used the CaseMade 10.5″ iPad Pro leather case as my everyday case for the last few weeks and I have to say that I really like it. As mentioned it does have its faults but none of them would keep me from recommending this case. If you’re looking for a nice minimalistic leather case at a reasonable price the CaseMade 10.5″ iPad Pro leather case may be for you. The case comes in 2 colors, black and tan and is priced at $64.95.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by CaseMade. Please visit their site for more info or to order.

Product Information

Price:	$64.95
Manufacturer:	CaseMade
Pros:	100% Italian cowhide leather Thin and lightweight Doubles as a horizontal viewing stand
Cons:	Sleep/wake feature doesn't work properly No holder for Apple Pencil

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: IPad Pro Case

CaseMade iPad Pro 10.5″ leather case review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 1, 2017 at 9:00 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

Burkley Smart Folio iPad Pro 10.5″ case review

Earlier this year I reviewed several iPhone cases from Burkley leathers. Both were very well done…handcrafted from full grain leather and perfectly fitted for my iPhone. In similar fashion, Burkley has created a Smart Folio cover for Apple’s recently released 10.5″ iPad Pro, also handcrafted with old world style and nicely fitted for the iPad. For this review, Burkley sent one in coffee brown to check out.

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

Burkley begins with a relatively thin, minimalistic, plastic shell that holds the 10.5″ iPad Pro securely in place. Burkley surrounds/covers the shell with top-quality cowhide leather both inside and out. According to Burkley, “Each case is individually handcrafted from the finest premium leather with a focus on preserving the leather’s unique characteristics. Each piece of natural leather has its own veins and pores”. The leather is soft and supple with a very nice feel to it and smelled great right out of the box. In addition to top quality materials, the stitching and finish are excellent as well.

The Burkley 10.5″ iPad Pro Smart Folio case is perfectly form-fitted for Apple’s latest & greatest tablet. This cover is a slightly padded book-/folio-style case with embedded magnets that work with the iPad’s sleep function to turn the screen on and off when opened and closed. The back has cutouts for the iPad’s rear facing camera and microphone. Both the front and back are embossed with the Burkley buffalo logo.

The Folio’s inner lining is made of a tan microfiber leather which is waterproof and dirt resistant. The corners and a majority of the right and top sides wrap around the edges of the iPad. When closed the case covers and protects approximately 95% (aka most) of the device.

The top has cutouts for the power button, both speakers, mic, and audio plug.

The Folio’s smart cover is hinged on the left side of the case.

The base of the case has a large cutout allowing access to the iPad’s lighting port and speakers.

The right side has a smaller cutout for the iPad’s volume buttons. Overall, the case provides solid protection from bumps, scrapes, and minor falls both open and closed. Though probably wouldn’t provide all that much protection if dropped on a corner from any real height.

As you can see, the front cover is hinged and can fold backwards to support your iPad for hands-free viewing.

The front cover can also support your iPad at a lower angle for typing. Both orientations provide a solid base to use your tablet.

The Burkley Smart Folio Cover for the 10.5″ iPad Pro isn’t just a pretty face. Handcrafted with high-quality leathers with old world style and craftsmanship, that protects and is functional as well…just what you would expect from an upper-end iPad accessory. Other than being a bit pricey, I have only positive things to about this Burkley case. Well worth the consideration if you’re looking for a quality minimalistic smart case for your Apple tablet.

Source: The samples for this review were provided by Burkley. Please visit their site for more information and visit Amazon to order.

Product Information

Price:	$123.60
Manufacturer:	Burkley Case
Retailer:	Amazon
Requirements:	Apple 10.5" iPad Pro
Pros:	Excellent handmade construction and materials Perfectly fitted for 10.5" iPad Pro Supports the iPad for viewing & typing Provides good protection Well finished Adds little weight or bulk
Cons:	None

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: IPad Pro Case

Burkley Smart Folio iPad Pro 10.5″ case review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 11, 2017 at 11:00 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.