iPevo Origami Folio iPad Case/Stand – ‘Book Mystique Review
Tablet computers are great for short form typing, often one-handed typing with the non-dominant hand holding the device. However for serious (or even semi-serious) on-screen typing, you need both hands, and a way to support the tablet at a reasonably comfortable angle. Most users are likely to also want to use some sort of protection for the device when going mobile or when it’s not in use.
A variety of solutions to meeting these needs have been developed, including Apple’s own iPad Smart Case and Smart Cover Products, whose front closure flap folds to form a built-in support stand, but I’ve found through trial and error that one of the simplest is the one I’ve settled on as the best compromise I’ve encountered so far. That would be “origami” type iPad case/stands, whose inspiration comes from origami, the traditional Japanese art of paper folding, and of which there are several brands and types available, made of a variety of materials such as polyurethane (AKA “PU Leather”) and real leather.
These folio designs combine an open front iPad sleeve case that provides access or opening to the touchscreen, controls, the cameras, mic, charge I/O dock port, and speaker, with a foldover cover flap to protect the screen when the ‘Pad is sleeping or in transit.
The “origami” part is that folding the closure flap according to scores defining multiple panels in the cover when it’s flipped open more or less instantly creates a geometrically triangular, three dimensional, support structure that, as with Apple’s “Smart” products, holds the iPad at either a shallow angle for typing or slightly inclined for when you’re using the tablet with an external Bluetooth keyboard.
When you’re finished, the cover reverts back to flat in a couple of seconds. Both motifs work, but in my estimation the “origami” mode is more aesthetically pleasing and elegant.
Aside from the slickness and absence of hassle with the shape shifting transformations, I’ve found that, for example, while it’s not a perfect solution for on-lap typing (the ergonomics are still terrible), it’s the most successful compromise all-round that I’ve used so far. The latest and simplest of these solutions is IPEVO’s minimalist KA-01″Origami” iPad Folio – the focus of this review.
As well as being relatively inexpensive, the KA-01 is also now also colorful, with IPEVO having recently increased to five the number of available colors offered for the folio, now including Black, Azure, Lemongrass, Honeysuckle and Tangerine. That’s fewer colors than Apple offers for its Smart Covers and Cases, but still a nice selection. The KA-01’s device sleeve can accomodate either the new Retina iPad or the iPad 2, and the tablet can be easily and quickly inserted or removed, secured when in situ by a simple but effective foldover end-flap.
To call the KA-01 Origami Folio “ultra-slim” is an understatement. When the test unit arrived, its packaging envelope was so flat that I wondered for a moment if there could have been an oversight and it had been shipped empty, but opening the envelope revealed that the KA-01was indeed inside, shipped flat and barely thicker than a sheet of construction paper. The KA-01 has to be among the lightest and thinnest iPad cases on the market, measuring only four millimeters thick.
The documentation, such as it is, follows the minimalist motif, with only instructional diagrams printed on the outside of the envelope showing how the fold-out stand feature works. Fortunately, the nuances of folding the KA-01 are easy to learn.
Depending on orientation, the resulting support shape offers either a 20 degree or a 70 degree viewing angle, with no buttons, Velcro, snaps, straps or similar devices necessary, and the stand can be erected or collapsed via quick pinch movements in a couple of seconds.
The KA-01 Folio case is constructed of microfiber fabric, which is soft to touch but still rugged enough to provide a modicum of protection for the tablet, although it’s not going to help a whole lot in instances of major impact. It is what it is — light-duty protection against scratches and routing wear and tear that’s claimed to be both moisture and stain-resistant as well as resistant to fingertip acid, and if (when) it becomes soiled it can be spot-cleaned. As an aside, microfiber also can function as an effective and efficient screen dusting and cleaning medium, and products, such as Radtech’s ScreenSavrs, made of it for that purpose have been marketed for years.
Embedded in the KA-01’s microfiber cover flap are smart magnets which automatically put both models of iPad into Sleep Mode when the case is closed, helping preserve your battery charge. One oddity is that while there are, as noted above, cutouts or perforations in the case for access to the iPad’s various controls and ports, but a notable exception is the Home Button, which remains covered by the microfiber bezel surround of the device sleeve. It’s not a problem for most of us, since the Home Button’s location soon becomes a matter of muscle memory and the case fabric is thin enough that the button can be manipulated easily through it, but it being hidden might leave iPad newbies scratching their heads.
The IPEVO KA-01 Origami Folio with Fold-Out Stand (its official name) sells for $39.00 US exclusively through IPEVO’s online store, making it one of the least expensive iPad protection solutions available, matching Apple’s Smart Cover in price but arguably offering features more consonant with those of the pricier Smart Case.
For more information, visit:
IPEVO:
http://www.ipevo.com/
KA-01 Origami Folio:
http://bit.ly/O154uv
