KikoView in 3D: August 2011

Griffin Folio vs Apple Smart Cover

After almost six months of resistance, I finally procured an iPad 2 Smart Cover to replace my faux leather Griffin Elan Slim Folio Case. An orange iPad 2 Smart Cover.

Getting an Apple device on the first day of release has its minor downsides. Like having less than stellar options for accessories. On the iPad 2's release day, I only had two options. Either a Smart Cover or this black Griffin faux leather folio case. And you still had to line up to get one. So I just decided to get a case when the crowds settled down a bit. It was a weekend anyway and I figured I'll probably just test drive the shiny new tablet carefully at home.

So Monday came and everyone's out of iPad 2's so it may be the best time to get accessories. So off I went to Best Buy and of course, they still only had two choices. Smart Covers or that Griffin case. Now, the Smart Cover is cool with the magnets and all, but it didn't protect the back. And all they had were pink and beige ones (the rest were sold out), colors I didn't really prefer (ok, maybe I could have settled for the pink one, haha).

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Now right beside them was the Griffin full folio case for the SAME price ($39.99). The Griffin didn't have the magnets nor the nifty screen-off feature but it will protect the iPad 2 fully and it actually looked nice being all polyurethane leather-like. Besides, I thought the Smart Covers were way overpriced with that Apple premium. And the Griffin case will do the rest of what the Smart Cover could do, like propping it up as a stand for portrait or landscape video viewing or for typing. So after a quick pros and cons debate in my head, I walked out of Best Buy with a newly purchased Griffin Folio case.

The Griffin case does its purpose competently enough but it does add a bit of heft and bulk to the iPad. But the textured feel provides a better grip than a naked one. Less slippage. It has a pocket where you slip the iPad 2 in and a thin flap secures it in place. All ports and sensors are accessible with appropriate cutouts. The interior though is lined with suede-like material which admittedly looks nice but the iPad has a tendency to slip off position if "you're holding it wrong". Unfortunately, some apps' orientations are locked into that position and it's a hassle sometimes.

Fraying threadwork

Griffin's not bad, really

Now, for my major complaints against this case. Since it was a first day accessory, it obviously was rushed to the market. It's a surprise how they managed to get all the port cutouts and dimensions right so probably they had an actual model to design the case around with. But since Apple is quite stingy with advance units for accessory makers before release day, Griffin probably only had a few days to rush the case from the drawing board to the display stand. So owing to this obvious lack of quality control, after just a few days of use, the stitchwork and the fake leather was showing some fraying. White and black thread lines were sticking out all over and it made the whole case look grungy. After a few weeks, I had to take a scissor to cut off the frayed edges because it just looked unsightly. The case is still holding strong though despite the careless threadwork but of course, now after 6 months, the faux black leather exterior is showing regular wear and tear signs like scratches and that used "oily" look.

Oily Griffin

Thread popping out

Today, with all sorts of fancy cases competing for your monies, searching at Amazon, you could now get this case for as low as $15.99. It's a bargain at this price but you'll probably get rid of it after a few months (unless they have rectified the fraying problem with later units).

Now, on to my decision to finally get a Smart Cover. You see my biggest gripe about these things is that they don't protect the back at all and I'm not really sure if they would even protect the front at all. All they're good for, aside from cosmetic reasons, is probably keeping off dust off the screen when not in use, using them as stands and saving some battery life when the cover is closed. And they don't add that much extra bulk which is critical. But admittedly, I finally got one for cosmetics. They're just so darn pretty with those pastel colors.

Also, if you're planning on getting a Smart Cover, stay away from Amazon or eBay. They have cheaper ones from 3rd party vendors but there is a chance they might be fake. Just stick with big box retailers like Best Buy, Walmart or, of course, Apple.

Case within a case. WTF?

And for that back protection problem, I saw some cheap plastic back covers on trusty ol' Amazon that sell as low as 2 bucks. I haven't received the one I ordered yet but I hope the Smart Cover + Cheap Back Dumb Cover will work well enough. I'm still hesitant on throwing the iPad 2 in my man-purse with just the Smart Cover on though. I still feels a bit flimsy. And that's where my old Griffin case will come in handy. The iPad 2 with a Smart Cover on will actually still fit in the Griffin with some wiggle room. If the cheap back covers are as thin as I would like them to be then that will be splendid. That means I could still use the Griffin as a rugged carrying case especially when throwing it in a bag with other stuff and I'll just pull the iPad out of it when I'll use it. Brilliance! Now, if this whole setup will work as smoothly as I could hope for, I'll probably just cut of that thin flap on the Griffin and just use it as a protective shell. Once I get the back cover, I'll update this and show you how it will all work. See ya!

Comparative Screenshots of both cases: