Jivo Executive Case and Stand
Clad in "Brazilian Buffalo Hide", Jivo's folio is clearly pitched at the luxury end of the market, but it has some points that commend it. Unlike the usual, one-angle-only folio stand, this one can incline the iPad at four angles. It also holds the iPad in place with a pair of elasticated straps, and the case is kept closed with a large brass press-stud. But its Florentine luxury leathergoods looks don't come cheap.
Reg Rating 80%
Price RRP: £70 Online: £70
More Info Jivo
Macally BookStand
A folio with a difference, the BookStand is essentially a harcover skin with a wraparound grey suede cover. A brown leather strap not only keeps it closed but also holds the cover when folded backwards to form a stand. It's a nice design, and only the relatively weak corner clips that hold the iPad in place stop it scoring more highly.
Reg Rating 80%
Price RRP: £45 Online: £30
More Info MobileFun
Next page: Orbyx Leather Case
COMMENTS
Corner and edge protection
One of the main reasons to put the 'pad in a case is to protect it when the inevitable drop happens. A lot of these cases don't protect the corners or edges of the 'pad.
One of the benefits of the Apple case, which I still haven't replaced, is that it does the job of protecting the pad exceedingly well. It's also extremely convenient being thin, relatively unobtrusive and the little stand, whilst primitive, works very well.
What's worrying is that despite the iPad being out for 6 months plus, none of the folio case makers have really bettered the Apple case in terms of core functionality. Aesthetics maybe, but functionally not.
Now...
I know you can't review EVERY folio, but why miss out the Incipio Kickstand? To me, it's one of the front runners - it can be used as a stand, it's got good protection and doesn't block any ports (some of these do) it looks, well, alright, and it's cheap.
Have I picked up a lemon and not noticed?
The Twelve South case
You can synch with the case on if you're only using a cable, and not a dock - the zip flattens just enough, and the bottom corners are far enough from it for the cable to fit without any problems
Point taken, but...
Point taken about the manual brightness control, but the auto brightness definitely uses the ambient light sensor at the top centre of the screen surround, hence the hole in some covers at around this point.
More often, cover are far thinner around the edge and simply do not obscure the sensor at all.
brightness control
The iPad has always had a brightness control, under Settings>Brightness & Wallpaper. iOS 4.2 just places a copy on the multitasking bar.
