Not surprisingly, the release of the third-generation iPad was followed by quite a few case re-releases, including many that are exceptionally similar to those we’ve previously covered. A majority of the updated cases are folios, designs that start with either a hard shell or soft frame to hold the tablet, with a flip-over cover attached to the frame. Most of these folios have a lot in common with one another, and range in price from $40 to a little over $60, with one notable outlier. In order to give you a sense of what’s out there now, we’re publishing brief reviews of over a dozen of these folios today.
Los Angeles-based Odoyo has released a line of brightly colored folio-style cases for the new iPad and iPad 2 called AirCoat ($40). The setup is pretty familiar, with a hard plastic shell and a folding front lid, both of which are covered in faux leather. That shell runs almost edge to edge, leaving very small but still certainly noticeable portions of the top and bottom exposed. On the back of the shell is a flap to hold the cover for viewing or typing positions. While it doesn’t hold quite as well as a tab and buckle system, it’s less obtrusive.
Magnets in the lid lock and unlock the iPad—we’ve tested this feature with both generations that support this feature and it works properly. Unfortunately, as we’ve seen with a handful of other folios recently, the magnetic grip between the lid and screen is not quite strong enough, and combined with the soft material that connects the cover and rear, can cause problems. The iPad’s screen can easily become unlocked and relocked unintentionally if the cover is jostled; it doesn’t take too much movement for this to happen. AirCoat is an attractive case, but the fact that it may cause accidental battery drain is a problem that prevents us from being able to recommend it. AirCoat earns a C+ rating.
Our Rating
Company and Price
Company: Odoyo
Website: www.odoyo.com
Model: AirCoat
Price: $40
Compatible: iPad 2/iPad (3rd-Gen)
