Why am I talking about this?
I am reviewing the Dodocase for the iPad because I was initially intrigued by it when I saw it in an Engadget post in early May. By this time, the tech sites I browse daily had been in full extreme iPad mania mode for several weeks. Everyone had an opinion about why it was revolutionary or why it was destined to fail. I was a bit sick of it all and definitely wanted to know more about something different, like getting Hulu from my Xbox.
When I saw the post, I thought that the Dodocase was an interesting concept and I was excited to see all the work (videos) that went into the production of the case. Essentially this case got me thinking about why I would want an iPad, other than just to mess with my brother’s head and annoy my wife with another gadget.
Back to what I was talking about. What exactly is the Dodocase?
The big hurrah surrounding the Dodocase was that it's supposed to be "inspired by the journals of our favorite artists", resembling a moleskin notebook.
Had I ever heard of moleskin in this sense? No. Do I get out much? No. Did it sound like a hippy would like it? Yes. Do I find myself liking hippy things after a bit, even when I say I don't like hippy things? Sometimes.
The case looked different. It wasn’t some plastic/silicone slip-on case, it didn’t have an Apple logo on the front of it. It’s simply a handmade case that looked like a book. Most importantly, it did not look like a case for an iPad.
Great, it doesn’t look like an iPad case. Big deal. I could put an iPad in a plastic bag from Walmart and it wouldn’t look like a case either, why would I want it?
I wanted it because it was simply different. I like different. I thought it looked cool and it wasn’t way overpriced at $60, sorry $59.95. I had seen plenty of cases that did nothing for the iPad, but be a sleeve for $40. Hardshell type cases don’t protect the front, so those were all out too.
I also liked that it wasn’t from a huge company that wouldn’t care if I liked it. As far as I can tell, this is the only product they make and they seem pretty dedicated to making it great. They have a Facebook page that keeps you in the loop of when you ordered your case to when it's actually being worked on, which is nice if you wanna check up on it every once in awhile.
Best Buy was out of everything, and I couldn’t even find the Apple case at the Apple store. I am a “gotta have it right now or else I won’t bother getting it” kinda guy. I really didn’t want to order anything, but I couldn’t find anything locally either.
I got my iPad in late May and grabbed a neoprene cover meant for a portable DVD player that worked well for me for the time being and was only $15. So I ordered the Dodocase a few days after convincing my wife that I could not possibly live without it and waited. I received my case 5 ½ weeks after I ordered it.
Impressions
It looked just like the website says. The packaging was very simple, just a cardboard cover. It looked really cool. I popped it right in and showed it to my friends, who thought it was pretty snazzy. I opened it, closed it and opened it again. Ok, what else can I really do with it? It’s a case, right? I looked at the bamboo and foam that holds it in and it looks great. The whole case seems solid and well put together. The bamboo really stands out without the iPad inside. It’s appears to be carved or routed out and simply looks fantastic.
The headphone jack, Apple USB connector, volume controls, power button, and lock switch are all available using the Dodocase. The case is about the width of a nickel and is a faux leather cover with a book-like feel to it. Did I say solid yet? Yeah, it's just well put together.
Then, I held it upside down. Umm, yeah. My iPad fell out of the case. I caught it and put it back in several times to find that it didn’t hold it in as snugly as I hoped. If I held it so the iPad was vertical, it would tend to fall out after a few seconds. I went to the website to check if I had put it in correctly. I had completed the proper installation, but the iPad just wouldn’t stay put. I used the elastic strap to hold it in while I searched for a solution. This did not look good for my new case.
Soon after, I found a post on Facebook that seemed promising. Basically, you add a piece of 2mm foam that has adhesive on one side to the area that is falling out. I found this at Joann Fabrics locally for less than a dollar. I only had one corner to adjust, so it was very simple.
After adding the foam, the case was tight. I could hold it upside down and shake it gently and it won’t come out. Do I plan on shaking it upside down? No. I’d just rather it not fall out when I’m least expecting it. I was now able to fold the cover back and put the iPad in portrait mode and use the case as a stand without fear of the iPad coming out of the case. The case doesn't have much grip, so I wouldn't suggest doing this unless you have a fairly flat surface that isn't too slick.
My wife was furious that I paid $60 for a case that doesn’t work. Well, to be honest, I was a bit upset too, but I could tell a lot of effort went into making the case. I can also tell that the foam inserts are an item that may not be as precisely manufactured. The inserts all looked the same or very similar. I am talking less than a milimeter being off here. The case works by friction, so having it snug is important to me. I accept this issue and the $0.69 foam sheet that it took to “fix” it.
Pros:
Snazzy, doesn’t look like an iPad case, and a bit different than what you might expect.
Cons:
No storage, some adjustment might be necessary.
Conclusion:
All in all, I think this is a great case and provides me something that will last and look stylish without flashing I am an Apple fanboy, as well as protecting my iPad. I feel this is well worth the $60 price tag.
