There’s not much to say about Pad and Quill’s Octavo for iPad 2 that I didn’t say about the first version. The case looks like a big Moleskine notebook, and the iPad is held very tightly inside by a precision cut wooden frame. But there are two reasons it’s worth a look. One, there have been some changes and two, the iPad 2 has itself changed the entire case game.
The original iPad really needed a case. Its shape and weight meant it slipped as easily from the hand as it did from the arm of the couch. Adding a case both protected it and made it easier to hold. Apple’s solution was to wrap the thing in a rubber bondage suit. It was ugly, but it worked, and it was as thin as a case could get.
But now, with its easy-to-hold new flat form, and the Smart Cover to protect and serve as a stand, many will use the iPad bareback. And while the Pad and Quill case is sturdy and very well made, putting my thin sliver of a tablet into its protective shell feels wrong. In the hand the iPad goes from being a skinny wonder to a clone of my old, fat iPad, only faster and with a worse speaker.
Still, the Octavo plays very nice with the iPad 2’s new features. There’s a hole in the back for a camera which works great. You can Instagram away with the cover in place, although you can’t fold it back around as it will then cover the hole.
There are also magnets in the cover, so that you are never bothered by the unlock screen, just like the Smart Cover. There is also a new pocket inside the front cover, for stray bits of paper. Finally, the old press-stud closure has been replaced by an elastic strip, like a Moleskine.
As for fit and finish, it’s as good as ever. The iPad is held snug, and if you should have any problems, the case ships with spare corner bumpers to pad things out. The iPad is released by pulling on a ribbon that pokes out like a bookmark.
If you want to use this style of case, the Octavo is recommended. It is solid and will outlast your iPad. Or you may choose to go commando, like me, and hang the inevitable scratches to the back of the iPad.
The Octavo os $60, and $10 extra for the version with a pocket. It comes with red, blue or green interiors.
Octavo product page [Pad & Quill]
See Also:
- Pad & Quill Octavo Case for iPad 2: Thinner, Lighter, Pocket-ier …
- iPad Case Smackdown: Dodocase Vs. Pad & Quill
- Pad & Quill's Book-Like Cartella Case for MacBook Air
- The Case: Another Beautiful Moleskine-Like iPad Case
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