The cases and accessories we’ve seen from Bone Collection up until now have been cute, but they’ve also felt cheap. Its latest design, iPad Folio mini for iPad mini ($40), only further extends that trend. The folio-style case does have some nice qualities, but after seeing pictures, we found ourselves disappointed when actually handling it.
iPad Folio mini holds the tablet inside a very thin, ribbed plastic shell. We’d actually say it’s too thin—it feels like the material could easily snap, but it does offer a very good quantity of protection for a shell, running all the way to the edges with tight, accurately cut holes. Despite its lightness, we were impressed by the fact that the openings for the speaker perfectly matched the grille below. Some users, especially those with short nails, will find the side switch hole too small to access. The volume buttons are covered beneath it, while the Sleep/Wake button is not. It seems like a somewhat random combination of design decisions; some great, and some not so much.
The lid is also a letdown. Outside, it feels like a lower-quality version of the polyurethane Apple uses for the Smart Cover, while the inside seems as if it’s supposed to be an approximation of microfiber. Between them, the three columns feel like poster board rather than stiffer material. Unlike Apple’s design, we found that the exterior dented and and became disfigured very quickly under normal use. To form a stand, you need to fold the cover behind the case and tuck it under the rubber penguin, reindeer, duck or, if you choose the black model, gray circle, on the back. This works well enough for viewing, but collapses when you try to set it up for typing; magnets are notably completely absent from the lid.
We thought we’d like iPad Folio mini a lot more than we did. Unfortunately, while there’re some good ideas behind it, the quality just isn’t there—by contrast with other $40 iPad mini folio cases, the materials feel too cheap, and the functionality is lacking. We can’t recommend picking this one up, especially when there are great folio options around the same price. It earns a C rating.
Our Rating
Company and Price
Company: Bone Collection/Fruitshop International
Website: http://www.bonecollection.com
Model: iPad Folio mini
Price: $40
Compatible: iPad mini
