In this week’s iPad-case roundup, you’ll find lots of fashionable accessories, with a hint of luxurious materials such as waxed canvas and high-grain leather. If you prefer whimsy, however, fear not, for we’ve engaged the services of a certain famous rodent to help us with a bit of cartoony wackiness.
The Armor (iPad 2, 3, and 4; $89) is designed to offer excellent protection in a luxurious package: It’s made from two separate panels of sturdy leather with a soft, suede interior.
It comes in black, tea, white floater, black floater, or red floater.
If the words “waterproof case” conjure images of bulky accessories that make your iPad look like something from a James Cameron movie, you may want to take a look at the Repel (iPad 2, 3, or 4; $50).
This pouch-like case will keep your tablet safe up to 33 feet under the surface with a triple-zipper setup that also helps keep out sand and dust—perfect for a day at the beach or by the pool, where the case’s cover can double as a viewing or typing stand in landscape orientation.
The Mickey Mouse Portrait (iPad 2, 3, and 4; $30) keeps the back of your tablet safe and adorns it with the smiling face of one of the most beloved animated characters (and corporate trademarks) of all time.
The case includes all the appropriate cut-outs for the iPad’s controls, ports, and cameras.
This company’s iPad Case (all iPad models; $450) is made by a family-run business in Florence, Italy. Each case is made from a single piece of vegetable leather secured with an all-natural starch glue for a perfect fit without any stitches that could come undone.
The sleeve, lined with soft nubuck to keep your tablet safe during transport, comes in black, tan, or marine blue.
The aptly-named Cover (iPad mini; $79) combines a series of real-wood slats, with soft felt on the underside, into a protective accessory designed to keep your tablet’s screen safe while not in use and double as a viewing or typing stand in landscape orientation.
The Cover, which is compatible with the iPad mini’s magnetic sleep/wake feature, comes in walnut, cherry, mahogany, wenge, or louro faia
The Pad Protector Mini (iPad mini; $45) is a leather folio with a top-grain-suede interior. The case’s screen cover flips around to double as a viewing or typing stand in both landscape and portrait orientations.
Available in red, brown, or black, the case comes with a complimentary screen protector and cleaning cloth, and is compatible with the iPad mini’s magnetic sleep/wake feature.
The Macleay Folio (iPad mini; $50) is crafted from high-thread-count waxed canvas and genuine leather for a unique look and a design that allows it to double as a viewing or typing stand in landscape orientation.
It comes in blue, tan, teal, or black.
The Waterproof Protective Shell (iPad mini; $32) comes with a convenient strap that helps you carry your tablet around, and the case is impervious to submersion in up to three meters of water. It also protections against exposure to dust, sand, and even snow thanks to its IP67 rating.
It’s available in black, white, dark blue, purple, light blue, green, yellow, or pink.
If you enjoyed this week’s roundup of iPhone cases, check out the previous edition, The shocking truth.
Author: Marco Tabini
Marco Tabini is based in Toronto, Canada, where he focuses on software development for mobile devices and for the Web.