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: |
|
| Cons: |
|
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.
Above are the Smartomi ACE earbuds, along with the three pairs of included eartips in sizes large, medium and small. Since I have cavernous ear canals, I went straight for the size large. They were easy to install, just push them onto earbud’s posts with a bit of a twist.
Above is the Smartomi ACE’s battery case. It has a hinged, transparent plastic lid that allows the user to see inside, which is useful because the earbuds light up to indicate charging (more on this below). There are also two “pockets,” one for each of the earbuds, and each pocket has four tiny brass terminals that charge the earbuds. Either side of the pockets have a groove that makes it a bit easier to grab the earbuds and pull them out. A tiny blue LED between the earbud pockets indicates charging. Additionally, the case has a very Apple-esque design, with a matte aluminum around the bottom half that looks quite a bit like the iPhone’s finish.
One surprisingly cool and useful feature of this case is a set of hidden magnets that interact with magnets in the earbuds themselves. When the earbuds are placed near the charging “pockets,” the magnets attract together and SNAP! the earbuds lock right into position on the charging terminals, perfectly, every time. The case holds the earbuds so securely that you can actually turn the case upside down and the earbuds stay put. I really like this feature. I didn’t have to eyeball and manually position the earbuds into their charging pockets as I did with previous earbud charging cases, which sometimes meant that they were not perfectly seated on the charging terminals, thus preventing them from charging. No bueno. This case eliminates that. Also, the earbuds seldom need to be manually powered off. When you are finished with them, just place them in the case and they power off automatically. When you remove them from the case to use them, they power back on and re-pair automatically. Very cool.
Above, I have the included mini-USB plugged into the rear of the case. This setup charges both the battery in the case as well as the earbuds themselves simultaneously. The case gives the earbuds a significantly longer usage time. I was able to easily use the earbuds for well past a full week of 6 or 7 workouts lasting 1-1.5 hours due to the additional boost provided by the battery in the charging case.
Above, the tiny blue LED glows while the case is in charging mode.
Above, a closeup of the earbuds from the outside. Each earbud has a tiny microphone hole that can be used to make phone calls. A single push button on each earbud that controls various functions, like music pause and phone call answer. In addition, the chrome-colored rings that encircle these buttons are actually LEDs that glow during charging.
The Smartomi ACE earbuds are quite small, but more than that, they have an ergonomic, smooth shape, which I think helps them fit a bit better in my ears, and remain comfortable for a long time. How do they sounds? Excellent. As long as you have the proper size of silicone ear tips for your ear and you have them securely seated in your ear canal, they produce some sharp highs and solid base. For listening to podcasts, they were good, but listening to music or movies was where they really shined.
The above view shows how the earbuds actually fit best in my ears. Due to the contoured, teardrop shape of the earbuds, I don’t think this is how they were designed to fit. However, as mentioned above, I have huge ear canals, and this positioning worked quite well for me. I’d been wearing the Smartomi ACE earbuds for several weeks at the time of writing this review, both for heavy-duty workouts as well as working at my desk all day. I’m happy to report that these earbuds stayed in more consistently during my workouts—despite lots of sweat and motion—than any earbuds I’ve tried yet. And that’s saying something. They also remained comfortable while wearing them for extended periods while working at my desk. Also, these earbuds are so small and low-profile that when people stop by my desk to talk to me, they almost never notice that I am even wearing earbuds.
As with many of us Gadgeteers, most especially our fearless Gadgeteer-in-Chief, Julie, I like writing implements of all kinds, but I really like pens. Something about a well designed and built pen elevates the experience of handwriting, which feels increasingly like a lost art, to a higher plane of enjoyment. That said, I’ve been a big fan of Baron Fig for several years, now, having reviewed both their 
Of note is that the Squire began life as a very successful crowdfunded Kickstarter campaign. I believe that those pens shipped with a square box, but this cylindrical box seems more suited to the shape of the object inside it.
I’d also point out that the Squire’s package was quite protective, as seen above. It was basically encased in a block of foam within a semi-rigid cardboard cylinder. In fact, the bottom portion of the box can be used as an upright pen stand.
Baron Fig’s products are all designed to be minimalist in style, and the Squire fits into that philosophy perfectly. Only two logos are present on it, “BARON FIG” and a sword emblem.
The sword emblem, as seen above, comes from Baron Fig’s tagline for the Squire, which is, “The pen is a mighty sword.”
The Baron Fig logo and the sword appear to be laser-etched into the aluminum body and backfilled with paint or some type of pigment. Bottom line is that they look and feel like they will last a long time without wearing off, if ever.
The shape of the Squire tapers from wider near the writing tip to narrower at the logo end, similar to the sword logo depicted on it.
Above is an exploded view of the components of the Squire. It consisted of four parts, the main body, the twist top, the ink cartridge and a spring. Accessing the cartridge is simple: just twist the top far to the left and unscrew it, then remove the cartridge and spring. Reverse the order to replace the cartridge, which are available in black, blue, red and green ink colors. The refills are sold by Baron Fig in a 3-pack for $12. (FYI NOTE: Doing a bit of research, it appears likely that the Squire uses the Schmidt P8126 0.6mm Short Capless Rollerball ink refill.)
Above, you can see the tapered shape of the Squire, which is very ergonomic. This subtly tapered shape prevents your fingers from sliding down toward the tip while you are writing.
Even the length of the Squire has been carefully considered. It is shorter than the average pen but longer than the average “pocket” pen, so it fits into a perfect spot for either using it at the office all day or tossing it into your pocket as part of your mobile EDC. Plus, since it is twist-to-open and not push-button, you don’t have to worry about it opening accidentally and inking your britches.
