The new iPad, with its incredibly sharp
Retina display, is the most desirable tablet yet. And it deserves a case to
match. So we requested only the very finest for this season’s roundup.
We’ve previously tested stands, sleeves and
accessories that demonstrate the most innovative ingenuity, but this time we
were looking for something else: sheer luxury. Whether you prefer real leather,
protective polymers or hand-stitched hemp; precision engineering or homespun
comfort; there’s an iPad companion here to tempt you.
Some of these designs have been specially
adapted for the latest model, while others fit both the iPad 2 and its
successor. Do check before buying that you’ve picked the correct configuration,
because minor differences sometimes matter.
Pipetto – Hunter Wanderer
Pipetto
Hunter Wanderer Phone 4 / 4S Case
The Hunter Wanderer is the waxed jacket of
iPad cases. On the outside, it’s part quilted, part corduroy, all cotton, in a
choice of Forest Green or Navy Blue. The brown leather and weathered
brass-effect press studs of its satchel-style handle continue through to the
interior, which is lined with a bright tartan reminiscent of a travel blanket.
The whole thing is protectively stiff, yet light. A utility pocket is big
enough for a tri-folded sheet of A4, and Smart Cover magnets activate sleep.
Cleverly, the popper that buttons the
pocket also serves to hold the front flap in place when it’s folded to form a
stand. This holds the iPad in landscape orientation at either of two angles,
for typing or video viewing. And to keep the kids (or ma’am) amused in the back
of the car, the handle extends to slip over a headrest.
The small piece of Velcro that secures the
iPad is the only element we thought might not last a lifetime, but since the
flap is on the inner edge, it’s unlikely to prove critical. We also though, the
press studs could have been a touch tighter.
Pipetto was founded in Notting Hill’s
Portobello Market, and although it’s now made abroad, the Hunter Wanderer feels
as solidly British as a rainy June.
Price $160 inc VAT
From .co.uk
Info pipetto.co.uk
Best bit Upholstered
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Shoulder strap Natural habitat Sandringham
TwelveSouth – BookBook for iPad
TwelveSouth
– BookBook for iPad
We’ve previously covered the BookBook for
iPhone, and this scales up the idea. At first glance, you could be handling one
of the dusty tomes from the shelves at the British Museum. Finished in
convincingly distressed and unmistakably aromatic real leather, the BookBook
does vintage to a ‘T’.
Where the pages should be, however, is a
double-headed zip that opens to reveal your iPad, which is held against the
inside back cover by two sturdy leather corners at the bottom and a slightly
incongruous elastic strap at the top. A possible flaw in this arrangement is
that it doesn’t completely prevent the iPad sliding out upwards, but in fact
the felt lining provides enough friction to make that unlikely. With the zip
closed, this is the only case on test that protects the iPad against just about
every kind of scratch or spill, short of total immersion or chainsaw.
The only other interior features are a
large leather button on the left and a narrow leather cord attached at the
right. Unfolding the case into a tent shape, with the spine at the top, you can
run the cord along underneath and hook it around the button to hold your iPad
at the angle you prefer. This works, but not for a flat typing angle, unless
you have a heck of a lot of desk space free. Folding the case back on itself,
with the iPad on top, is awkward at best, so regular typists will look
elsewhere.
The BookBook has none of the simple
authenticity of something like the Cocon. Instead, it’s a sort of theme park
facsimile of an imaginary relic. But we can’t fault its manufacturing quality,
and if you fancy an iPad case in the style of an antique hardback, Twelve South
has undeniably nailed it.
Price: $110 inc VAT
From accessoryvillage.co.uk/brands/twelve-south
Best bit Zipped-in
protection
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sleep Ending Happy
