Knomo Folio iPad 3 case
Padded sell
Accessory of the Week Apple’s magnetic Smart Cover is very clever, but it’s far from perfect. For one thing, it doesn't protect the back of the iPad. And if you’re anything like me and habitually leave your iPad on a kitchen counter or table, you’ll have found that its not as immune from scratching as you might have thought.
Knomo’s iPad 3 Folio retains, and in fact improves upon, the elegance of Apple’s case and adds a rubberised hard shell back.
The whole thing is beautifully designed and looks great. The camera, switches, and ports are kept clear of obstruction, and there’s a grille over the speaker.
Crucially, the case doesn’t encroach on the glass front of the iPad at all, hugging only the aluminium bezel. A ridge on the back provides a hook for the front of the case so when it flips over it can be used as a stand in landscape orientation.
Lean the iPad on one edge and its at the perfect angle for typing. Turn it around and its ideal for typing.
The front of the Folio is made of full grain leather, with a velveteen lining incorporating Knomo’s tracking number. That number is designed to make it easier for anyone who finds your lost iPad to return it.
The Folio case is robust, looks great, and feels luxurious. It’s not the cheapest case on the market, but at £49 it's not the most expensive either. Given the quality, the price is great value.
An all-round terrific iPad case. ®
Reg Hardware chooses its Accessory of the Week every Friday. Got one in mind you want us to consider? Please let us know.
More Accessory of the Week Winners |
||||
 Teufel Air |
 Arcam rPac |
 iKlip Studio |
 Pasce Minirig |
 Griffin Reserve |
COMMENTS
What's the obsession with protecting the back?
Do you sometimes take the iPad out of the case and spend a couple of hours staring lovingly at the shiny aluminium, making 'oooh' noises? The reviews of the iPad complained it was a couple of mm thicker than the last one, then the reviewers stick a bloody great case over it and double the thickness anyway. It seems a bit silly.
The only point I can see in using this £50 case over the smart cover is to try to add £10 in value over a lightly scratched model on eBay in one or two years time. The second owner is the only person who will appreciate it, for the 20 seconds they have it out before putting it back in the case for ever more.
They charge £50 because people will pay £50. I think it's almost fair enough if you're paying a few hundred for a shiny fondleslab. Fancyschmancy Kindle covers are for eejits though.
My daughter's cheaptasto-tablet is kept in a sock. It's quite a nice sock. Bamboo and elastene I think. It cost nearly three pounds but came with a free matching spare.
(I've been keeping camera lenses in socks for years since I accidentally filled a 'proper' case with sand on a trip)
bwaaaahahahahahahahahaha
"anyone who finds your lost iPad to return it"
Is it just me that thinks it insane that covers for the ipad and kindle cost £50 for no readily apparent reason? I mean seriously the Kindle cover costs virtually the same as the Kindle itself. And you can get Android tablets for not much more than this ipad cover.
What's the inside like?
Does it have a soft material on the inside where the iPad sits? That's pretty critical - some have hard plastic, and there's a big issue with that. Tiny bits of dust and grit get into it, and get trapped between the iPad and the case. Over time as it all moves about slightly, the bits of grit get ground into the metal and you end up with marks all over it. In that case you might as well not bother protecting the back.
