Do you care about animals but still enjoy nice quality leather goods? If you do, you must check out the new Venture Reptile iPad case. It looks like lizard skin, but it’s faux leather. It’s so cool that we don’t need to kill animals to make wallets, book covers, iPad covers and other similar stuff!
Like all other cases in Case-Mate’s Venture line, the Reptile offers good protection for the iPad, thanks to the Velcro tab and snap button closure. The case features an impact resistant, flexible plastic shell padded with a soft, velvety material.
The protective hard shell makes the difference between these new models and the original Venture iPad case which we had the pleasure to review a while back. All features that we liked back then are still here: the easy access to all ports and commands, the ability to charge and sync the iPad even with the case closed, the light weight of the case and the slim profile.
The Venture Reptile used as stand
Being tailored to snugly fit the iPad, the Venture has a super slim design, easily fitting in a medium-sized purse. It’s hard to guess that this thin and elegant profile hides a built-in stand that can be used for both landscape and portrait view. The angle is not adjustable, however it’s best for typing with the iPad on your lap. Turning the case into stand is easy: just open up the two snap buttons that keep the cover in place, then fold the iPad over the cover and you’re done.
The reptile-like faux leather case is available in three finishes: black with pink accents, pink with black accents and purple with silver accents. All three color combinations are modern and stylish, making this iPad case a perfect mix of fashion and functionality.
You can choose and order your Venture Reptile iPad case from Case-Mate.
Most active people would agree that the best iPad cases are those which can also convert into an iPad stand. When you’re always on the go it is very important that the stuff you carry with you is highly functional and as light as possible. This is why a solution like The Venture is ideal, because it offers you an elegant protective, and lightweight iPad cover coupled with a sturdy stand that enables you to type on the virtual keyboard, read e-books while you’re cooking, watch movies, or even give a presentation on your iPad.
Here are a few of The Venture‘s features that grabbed our attention:
The black faux leather exterior gives this iPad case an exquisite look and feel, emphasized by the subtle green highlights on the edges and smooth interior lining.
The form fit design is excellent because it holds the iPad tightly in position, preventing unwanted movement within the case.
All ports and buttons on the iPad are free. Even better, the smart design allows charging with the case closed.
Although it doubles as a stand, The Venture has an unbelievably slim profile.
Converting from case to stand is very simple: just open up the cover and flip it over. The viewing angle is perfect for typing or reading books. It would have been nicer to be able to adjust the angle or to be able to use the stand in portrait position, but these aren’t significant drawbacks, as most of the times the stand is needed for typing or for watching movies.
The cover features a secure snap closure, so the iPad can’t accidentally slip out of the case.
The Venture - profile view
The Venture - interior cover
The Venture costs $89.99. It’s not a cheap iPad case, but if we consider the professional appearance, money saved not buying an additional stand, and the convenience of having protection and functionality on the go, then we can say The Venture is worth the relatively high price tag.
You can buy The Venture from Case-Mate with free standard shipping.
Backpackers and other people who travel intensively know how important it is to have their belongings protected while on the go. At the same time, being always on the move, they need to pack wisely if they don’t want to end up carrying too much bulky luggage around the world.
Speaking of must-have gadgets, the iPad is excellent for staying in touch with your online friends while traveling. But like any other such device, the iPad is exposed to scratches and accidental drops, therefore a protective travel case is essential. As light packing and heavy, premium leather cases don’t go very well together, frequent travelers would rather enjoy a solution that would offer effective protection while adding very little to their total weight.
Express iPad Case
If light and resistant are the main features of the ideal case for your iPad, then check out The Express, a splash-resistant, ballistic nylon flip case from Case-Mate. Lightweight and minimalist, this case keeps your iPad secure and at the same time allows easy access, thanks to its side opening magnetic closure. At 8” wide and 9 3/4” high when closed, The Express is just perfect for people who value every inch of storage space in their bag. We liked its minimalist design and its texture which looks to be built to last. We also appreciated the fact that the iPad slides into a side pocket inside the case. This is much better than those diagonal straps we’ve seen on cheaper cases.
Taking all these features into consideration, we thought The Express was reasonable value for money at $34.99. Beware though, this flip case doesn’t provide screen protection, so we recommend adding an InvisibleSHIELD from ZAGG, at least for the iPad front. Or you could opt for Case Armor, which is a similar flexible film solution provided by Case-Mate. The latter can be ordered with your Express case and you can have them delivered at the same time.
If premium gadgets call for premium accessories, then the new Apple iPad surely deserves the best. I hate to compromise, and personally refuse to buy average quality cases, sleeves or bags. When I go looking for a premium case I look for the ultimate material that has style and durability: leather. So I set out to find a smooth, genuine leather case that would make my iPad proud to be owned by me, and preferably one that would not hurt the wallet! At least no too much, leather is never cheap.
So I was very pleased then when I found The Walkabout. This top-opening, leather iPad folio case has been carefully designed to offer your iPad smooth, elegant and hard wearing protection. One thing people sometimes forget is that a roughly made case can actually scratch and damage a device. However, the premium genuine tan leather used in The Walkabout construction is so soft that it’s really hard to stop wanting to touch it again and again. Although the case offers a snug fit, I also found it very easy to slide the iPad in and out without any risk of scratching, thanks to the softness of the leather.
The Walkabout - Leather iPad Case - Open
The Walkabout is a folio style case, designed only for storing your iPad while in transit. It doesn’t have any openings corresponding with the ports on your device. However, taking the iPad out of its case is easy, thanks to the ingenious magnetic fastening system. In order to not impinge on the simple beauty of this case, the magnets are embedded in the top flap, thus keeping the case tightly secured but easy to unfold. For the price of $79.99 you can call one of these cases yours. It’s not cheap, but we found it reasonable taking into consideration the high quality leather The Walkabout is made from, and the very good experience we’ve had with Case-Mate products being made to last.
Like all other iPad cases from Case-Mate, The Walkabout comes with a 90 day limited warranty. For a limited time, Case-Mate offers free standard shipping, so check it out now to see if it applies for your area of residence.
Remember, it’s always a good idea to get screen protection. The Walkabout, like many iPad cases, is designed to protect your iPad when you are not using it. However, the moment you take it out, there is always a chance you could get a scratch. Our recommendation for truly invisible, yet powerful screen protection is either the InvisibleSHIELD iPad screen protector by ZAGG, or Case Armor by Case-Mate. Either of these two protective films does a great job keeping your iPad scratch free.
In life we strive to be unique, our individuality is the coolest thing, and it’s what we take pride in.
But how can we be unique and individual with our iPads, when everybody else who bought one got absolutely the same thing! The answer lies in a smart choice of accessories, cases and skins being the best example of how we can differentiate ourselves amongst the masses of iPad owners.
Here are two very original designs that we fell in love with at first sight. The iPadGelli Kaleidoscope and the iPadGelli Checkmate. The difference between the two resides in the design pattern and in the available colors, all other features being common. All iPad Gelli cases are made of the same high performing, flexible thermoplastic material which is light and soft, yet resilient. These cutting-edge properties allowed this material to be shaped into a very thin, translucent case that’s fully protective for your iPad, and funky to look at.
The Gelli case offers a tight fit, yet it’s very easy to put on and to remove, thanks to its excellent flexibility. Although the material is in itself resistant to water, this does not make your iPad waterproof, as the case leaves open access to the touch screen and to the side ports. Speaking of the screen, if you want complete protection, you may want to consider buying a protective film. Two of the best iPad screen protectors on the market are Clear Armor from Case-Mate and the InvisibleSHIELD from ZAGG.
iPad Gelli Cases
The iPad Gelli Kaleidoscope cases are available in three color options: Pink, Tomato and Aurora, all three in an eye-catching glossy finish and featuring a subtle circle design. The iPad Gelli Checkmate cases have the same look and feel, less the circles which are now replaced with triangles, but their colors are in a colder palette: Gray, Blue and Green.
All iPad Gelli cases come with Case-Mates 90 day limited warranty, fully covering any defects in the material or production faults.
One of the most appealing features of the iPad is its portability. If you are using your iPad while traveling, either for business meetings or to showcase your creative portfolio, then you will need a case that allows you to not only keep your iPad protected, but will also let you present it in style while keeping essential items at hand such as business cards, pens and good old-fashioned paper documents.
The Traveler from Case-Mate is a high quality iPad case made from real felt and leather. It’s a great looking folio style case, featuring storage pockets and a magnetic strip closure to keep your iPad secure.
Unlike other travel cases, The Traveler firmly secures your iPad, but leaves the screen uncovered. This is very convenient as you don’t need to take the iPad out of the folio case to present your ideas. The iPad pocket is carefully designed to offer a snug and secure fit, without damaging or scratching the iPad’s surface. The Traveler is made by Case-Mate, already well-known for the quality of their products, and like all Case-Mate cases, the iPad folio comes with a 90 day warranty. Overall we were impressed with the quality of the case construction and the materials used – very good value for money.
Folio iPad Case
We think The Traveler is great design, and protects almost every aspect of your iPad in style! We would only recommend people purchasing this smart folio case also consider the additional protection and peace of mind of a thin film screen protector, such as the Invisible Shield from ZAGG, or Case-Mate’s own Clear Armor protection. Both are quality products, and an essential accessory in our opinion if you want to care for, and extend the life of your iPad. It’s important when selecting a screen protector to purchase one made of quality protective film – don’t skimp and buy one of the cheapies, get the best screen protection money can buy. You, and your iPad, will appreciate it in the long run.
One small inconvenience is that your iPad will still need to be removed from the case to be docked. However, even the original case from Apple doesn’t permit docking. We don’t think this is a big deal, and it’s reasonably easy to slide the iPad out of the snug pocket when you want to dock it.
In summary, people who need to take their iPad into meetings will find a portfolio-style case a lot more convenient than a sleeve case, the latter being more suitable for transportation, and lacking the great support The Traveler provides, while allowing you to present in a professional manner. In our opinion The Traveler is one of the best solutions if you need to combine professional presentation with functional style. It’s a sleek yet elegant, premium business folio case. This case is manufactured and sold by Case Mate.
Check out this video to see The Traveler in action:
How would you feel knowing that your new iPad had the same kind of protection that was used by the army for protecting their Apache helicopter blades? No matter how careful one may be, accidents happen, that’s a fact of life. Getting an ugly scratch or two on your brand new iPad in the first month of using it doesn’t sound too good, especially if you’ve made a few financial sacrifices to afford your iPad in the first place. Take it from me – I never drop things, but a few years ago I dropped my brand new Blackberry when it was only a couple of days old… Very out out of character for me, but it happened
In line with the old saying that “it’s better to be safe than sorry”, you should consider getting an iPad screen protector before it’s too late. It doesn’t have to be bulky or opaque. You can find solutions that don’t interfere at all with the normal use of the touch screen. One of these solutions draws its inspiration from military origins, it’s called Clear Armor. The name says it all: solid scratch defense protection without affecting your iPad experience.
Clear Armor - Large View
Clear Armor is the transparent protection film brought to you by Case-Mate, a very well-known and reputable name in the gadget accessories industry. Clear Armor for iPad is available in three variants:
Complete front and back protection
Front only screen protection
Back only screen protection.
The lifetime warranty speaks volumes about the quality of the Clear Armor protective film, which is made of a material that is very hard to scratch. Case-Mate will replace your Clear Armor if it gets scratched while protecting your iPad, no matter whether it happens tomorrow or in five or ten years time. All you have to do in order to benefit from the lifetime warranty, is to ship your damaged original Clear Armor back to Case-Mate after you receive your new one. A small shipping and handling fee would apply, but that’s incomparably lower than the cost of new screen protection. Besides, the odds indicate that you will probably never need to make use of this warranty, which is so confidently offered by Case-Mate.
We also found a nice little video produced by Case-Mate that shows how easy it is to apply Clear Armor – although the device in the video is not actually an iPad, you can still see how Clear Armor protects while being virtually undetectable.
[flowplayer id=5 width=640 height=360]
Order your Clear Armor now. If your iPad had a soul, it would jump out of its box and kiss you for taking such good care of it. It’s worth noting here too the other iPad screen protector we rate very highly: the InvisibleSHIELD from Zagg.
It’s worth noting here too the other 