Hands-On With Twelve South’s Stealthy BookBook iDevice Cases

The modern man is clearly embarrassed by tablet computers. It’s a common trend to disguise the slate computing device as a book. I guess it affords owners an air of class and sophistication as it appears they’re toting around a well-loved tome rather than a dull, lifeless computer. Twelve South has taken this practice to the extreme with redesigned iPad and iPhone cases.

The BookBook is one of the finest iPad cases ever tested by TechCrunch. The construction and materials are top-notch. And thanks to a zipper and relatively thick sides, it wraps the device in a fair amount of protection, too. It feels fantastic in the hand. The vintage-looking leather adds a good amount of character and seems to age well. Inside, the iPad is secured with a leather sleeve that also features a kickstand that props up the device at a 30 degree angle.

The iPhone case isn’t as impressive, though. It uses the same overall design but this doesn’t seem to translate well to the smaller form factor. The material is equally nice and the iPhone version sports an ID window and credit card slots on the backside of the front cover. But the BookBook for iPhone lacks any sort of closure mechanism (like a zipper or snap), leaving the opposing side to essentially flap open willy-nilly. This is made worse by the fact that in order to talk on the phone with the case, users have to fold the front cover behind the phone, warping this side of the flap.

The cases are a bit pricey at $79 and $59 for the iPad and redesigned iPad and iPhone cases.”>iPhone versions, respectively. That’s par for the course though. The other options from DODOcase, Pad and Quill and XHiBT are priced similarly but the BookBook actually features a bit more protection. Plus, it feels better in the hand than the other cases I’ve tried. I hesitate to recommend the iPhone version for the reasons outlined above but the BookBook for iPad is fantastic.

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