Angela ($189) is one in a series of iPad- and iPad 2-compatible bags from Versetta. With the exception of a handful of “everyday luxury bags,” each of the company’s carriers are amalgamations of purses and iPad holders. While the idea sounds kind of odd, we can actually imagine some use case scenarios where the combination wouldn’t be totally crazy. There may very well be people who want quick access to their tablets without having to hold it in their hands. Unfortunately, Versetta’s attempt falls short on both accounts: the purse isn’t great, and the iPad holder is just plain bad.
Made of faux leather, Angela’s appearance is very similar to that of a large traditional purse. There’s a big opening with two sewn-in pockets and a zipper pocket on the inside; on the outside are handles large enough to fit over your shoulder. While real leather would be nice, the fake stuff actually feels reasonable. What we were disappointed by was the bag’s coloring: rather than one solid hue, the dye is inconsistent, such that some areas were much darker, and some were almost white. It’s subtle and difficult to view in photos, but in person it’s very clear. We were also disappointed by the logo on the outside of the bag; it appeared to have dirt or some other sort of dark flecks left over from embossing. The overall look of the bag suggests cut-rate manufacturing that could have been barely acceptable at half the price.
What sets Angela apart from typical purses is the zippered pocket on the outside with an iPad frame underneath. One end is open with a tuck-under flap to hold the device in place. While it’s advertised as fitting both generations, the slimmer iPad 2 doesn’t fit very well. There’s too much room for it to move around, it’s hard to access the buttons and ports through the openings, and both cameras are completely blocked. It’s clear that the bag was designed for the first generation iPad—which, admittedly, does fit better—and Versetta simply slapped the iPad 2 compatibility on there because it technically can occupy the same space. A scoop on the front provides access to the Home Button, but it’s much too small for either model. Like the rest of the purse, the dye is inconsistent. In addition, there were ugly dark stains on the frame of our review unit.
For the $189 price tag, we expected a much better product from Versetta. What we received was a haphazardly-executed, ultimately cheap-looking bag. There’s a lot that the company can do to improve Angela: refine its coloring process, make a model of the bag specifically for the iPad 2, and improve quality control on products before they leave the factory. While we could offer a recommendation for a product that actually lives up to this one’s claims and ambitions, Angela simply isn’t worth it, and we wouldn’t advise anyone to buy in, particularly for iPad 2 use.
Our Rating
Company and Price
Company: Versetta
Website: www.Versetta.com
Model: Angela
Price: $189
Compatible: iPad + iPad 2