DODOcase Review

Sunday, June 20th, 2010

When I pre-ordered my iPad I also ordered Apple’s case which I used on and off for about two months. The Apple case has great utility (angle for typing & stand for watching) and fits the iPad very well, but I would often take the case off when I was reading because it just didn’t feel as good to hold as the iPad by itself. I hadn’t seen anything out there that was worth replacing my Apple case… until I saw the DODOcase.

The DODOcase cost $50 and, like they say on their website, took about 6 weeks to ship. The case is hand-constructed and currently there is a high-demand, thus the extra long wait. It was worth waiting. The case is absolutely beautifully made. Inside the case is a frame, made from carved bamboo, that supports the iPad along with some corner pieces which shape to accommodate the device. The iPad fits perfectly in the case, but while it stays there just fine, I wouldn’t expect it to stay put with any vigorous shaking while upside-down. The cover secures with an elastic strap to prevent any iPad casualties.

The only issue I’ve found with the case has been that a couple of the rubber tabs holding the corners in place have separated from their adhesive on the top of the bamboo frame. I ended up using this to my advantage and folded those tabs underneath the iPad to make it fit in the case more securely. Now it won’t fall out even if I hold it upside-down. The other thing to be aware of is that this case doesn’t sit at as high of an angle as the Apple case, making it more difficult to type on. I say, “to be aware of” as I can’t really fault them for the angle as making the binding thicker would definitely lower the aesthetic appeal of the case. The DODOcase does stand up like Apple’s case if you have a flat surface and balance it using the cover.

Overall, the DODOcase is awesome.  I really love having a great looking case for such an amazing device and when its closed it looks like you’re just carrying around a Moleskine. The familiar feeling of caring this around makes me think that if Apple (or someone else) can come up with a fine-tipped stylus and an app with great handwriting recognition it could, for many applications, replace carrying a paper notebook.

Tags: Apple, iPad
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