ModulR iPad Case + Cover Package

The ModulR iPad Case + Cover isn’t just an iPad case—it’s an entire ecosystem of interconnected products. The case can connect to and interact with numerous other ModulR accessories, including the $29 Slim Mount to mount your iPad on the wall or refrigerator and the ($19) Quick Stand for propping it up. I tested—and rated—the ModulR Case with these two accessories, which together compose the company's $99 Starter Package bundle. Other accessories are on the way, including a shoulder strap and a Universal Swing Arm (the latter includes a car mount, desk mount, and under-counter mount).

The form-fitting, rubber-and-plastic Case + Cover leaves the iPad’s dock-connector port, headphone jack, and microphone accessible. The case also leaves the iPod’s screen-rotation-lock switch accessible, but as with a good number of other cases we’ve reviewed, the opening is so small that it was very difficult for me to move the switch. The iPad’s Sleep/Wake button and volume buttons are covered by the case, though you can easily trigger these buttons by pressing the case’s tactile overlays.

The back of the case sports a cut-out circle to expose the iPad’s Apple logo. Also on the back are four protruding, circular nubs—one in each corner—that serve as the connection points for the ModulR’s accessories. According to the company, these nubs also serve as “ergonomic nodes…contoured to fit comfortably in your hand.” I found the nubs to be too small to grip comfortably, and in fact they got in the way of my hands a bit as a I tried to grip the iPad, though there are certainly ways I can hold the Case that feel fine and secure.

As the name suggests, the Case also comes with a hard-plastic cover to protect your iPad’s screen. The cover snaps on easily, gripping your iPad at small gaps at the top and bottom of the case. The bottom gap provides access to the iPad’s dock-connector port, so when the cover is on, the port is protected, as well.

The Quick Stand, made of metal with rubber bumpers on its rear legs, is actually pretty clever. It attaches to two nodes on the back of the Case—either the two along the left side of the iPad or the two along the right—and props up the iPad at either of two landscape-mode angles: an ideal near-vertical angle for viewing media on the screen, or a very nice typing angle that I actually prefer to the typing position provided by Apple’s own iPad Case. You can also use the stand to position your iPad in portrait mode, although at only a single, upright angle. The stand doesn’t collapse at all, so you’ll need a bit of space for it in your bag, but it really does position the iPad beautifully for those two common landscape needs.

The Slim Mount lets you “dock” your iPad to a wall or a magnetic surface; the iPad slides in and out easily, attaching to the mount using all four nubs on the back of the case. I didn’t install the Slim Mount on my wall, but I did use the included—and incredibly strong—magnets to stick it on my fridge. For most people, I suspect the magnets are the way to go—if you attach the Mount to a wall, which requires the semi-permanence of screws, you need to choose between portrait or landscape mode, which is an impossible choice.

My chief complaint about the ModulR system is that the case itself feels merely adequate in my hands. It’s not as slippery as a naked iPad, but it’s still a smidge less grippable than I’d prefer. It’s also worth noting that the case adds nearly 6 ounces to the iPad (more than 10 ounces if you include the cover), and I could really feel the difference.

Still, it’s a clever system, and the Case and Quick Stand work wonderfully together. If you don’t travel with your iPad much, and thus the stand’s lack of easy portability isn’t a hindrance, the ModulR system is a superb way to prop and mount your iPad while you work and play.