for those of you looking for a good sleeve, waterfield makes a "sleevecase" that is a pretty perfect fit:
http://sfbags.com/products/sleevecases/sleevecases.php
i emailed with their sales guys and we concluded that size 20-14 is the best fit they have. i can confirm it is a good snug fit when the TF201 is docked. if you only put the tablet in then of course it is a bit looser.
imo this is a great solution for carrying around the TF201+dock in a bag/backpack/etc like you would a laptop. easy to get the tablet in/out of the bag without having to remove the sleeve itself. the padding is thick and provides good protection. total price for the basic sleeve (no flap or strap) was $45 shipped, which is in the vicinity of other high-quality cases.
note, if you want a sleeve just for the tablet then you should probably look at their "tablet ultimate sleevecase" instead. those sleeves have stiff plastic sewn into one side to help protect the screen, along with a lining to help clean the screen, so they are a bit more expensive. i'm not sure what the best size is, if you email them they generally respond same day.
jaypm said:
for those of you looking for a good sleeve, waterfield makes a "sleevecase" that is a pretty perfect fit:
sfbags dot com / products / sleevecases / sleevecases.php
(sorry, i just created my account so no link posting permissions - will edit it later when i'm allowed)
i emailed with their sales guys and we concluded that size 20-14 is the best fit they have. i can confirm it is a good snug fit when the TF201 is docked. if you only put the tablet in then of course it is a bit looser.
imo this is a great solution for carrying around the TF201+dock in a bag/backpack/etc like you would a laptop. easy to get the tablet in/out of the bag without having to remove the sleeve itself. the padding is thick and provides good protection. total price for the basic sleeve (no flap or strap) was $45 shipped, which is in the vicinity of other high-quality cases.
note, if you want a sleeve just for the tablet then you should probably look at their "tablet ultimate sleevecase" instead. those sleeves have stiff plastic sewn into one side to help protect the screen, along with a lining to help clean the screen, so they are a bit more expensive. i'm not sure what the best size is, if you email them they generally respond same day.
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here ya go, dood
http://www.sfbags.com/products/sleevecases/sleevecases.php
This case looks amazing! I have been looking for something like this since getting my prime, and despairing that I can only find sleeves. Question: Would you recommend the horizontal or vertical orientation?
Many thanks!
Edit - I found a pretty nifty case at Staples by SwissGear that's pretty much the same as the case by Waterfield, only less fancy and cheaper
Will this Amazon Basics Case fit the bill?
http://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-...Touchpad/dp/B002VPE1Q6/ref=dp_cp_ob_e_title_3
Waterfield makes quality products.
Related
So I received my Transformer custom leather case yesterday. It came out beautifully. The leather is very high-quality and I will have a tablet case for many years to come, even when the Transformer is replaced.
I have a bunch of pictures attached so you can see the case. I have some of the top, back, interior, and the tablet loaded into the case. I can send anybody higher resolution pictures if requested.
So as some of you may have read in the original post, I wanted to see if anybody would like one made as well. Cost will be $100 bucks and shipping should only be around 15 bucks. Yes, it is expensive, but this case will protect well, look great doing it, and last forever.
Feel free to ask me any questions. If you are game, PM your details and we can do the transaction via Paypal. Lead time will be about two weeks.
Original Post:
I really like leather slip cases and was looking all-over the interwebs for something to fit my transformer. I found a full-grain leather slip case from a leather goods maker in the States that is really good looking but it was sized for an iPad. I contacted them and they said they would not make a custom size so I started looking for custom leather goods makers in Singapore (where I live). Lo and behold, I found somebody here and I am going to meet with him this week or next so he can custom fit my transformer.
The case will be full-grain leather with nice stitching around the edges and a sheep-skin inner lining. It should be something similar to the images I have posted. With the thickness of the leather and having the extra outer stitching, it should have a some nice protective qualities as well.
Since proper Transformer cases are fairly hard to come by and the quality can be "meh" in some of them, would anybody like to pool with me and do a bulk order. I was quoted around 100 USD to get the case custom made for me but with the the power of XDA, I bet we get that down. The quality and longevity of a case like this would outlast your transformer and the generic aspect of it would allow it to be used for many things, including some new tablet down the road. I am going to have one made either way, but I felt like I should extend this opportunity to the rest of y'all.
Shipping from Singapore can be expensive but I bet I could fit these in a padded envelope and get them moving around the world for about 12-15 bucks in shipping.
looks interesting.
I am interested, will they be able to add a small pocket for a stylus and spare memory card?
I had thought about doing something like that, but in efforts to keep things simple I had not asked for that. My original thought was to make a pocket on one side that was about half or two-thirds the height of the full case, but same width.
I imagine that since it is a custom leather shop, they could do it but the cost would most rise a bit for the extra leather / labor? Any way you could take one of the pictures and draw on it to explain visually what you are thinking?
FYI, I am going there today to talk with them and get measured. I will report back on what kind of extra costs a pocket would be and just my initial impressions overall.
So the leather that they will be using is a nice soft but thick nubuck brown leather. It will age great and show a nice patina as it is used. He also puts in a thin padding under the sheepskin lining. Bonus!
The case will be rectangular and not have the dip on the open end like the original pictures I posted. As far as the pocket for a stylus/memory card, the design would have to change quite a bit and the cost will rise by 20 to 40. He did not give an exact figure. I think the single piece of leather folded on it self would be much classier anyway.
It is going to be a couple of weeks before I get it but I will post more pictures when it arrives and anyone interested can let me know and I will make a bulk order.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
Bump so you guys can get in on the leather case. You will not be disappointed.
100 bucks seems extremely high priced for what looks to be 20 bucks worth of material and 4 quick stitches.
isolated_epidemic said:
100 bucks seems extremely high priced for what looks to be 20 bucks worth of material and 4 quick stitches.
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Ok, then you go buy the raw full-grain leather, the sheepskin leather lining, thin padding to go between the two layers and make one. I guarentee that yours will not look like this. This was custom made and cut for the Transformer by a leather craftsman. High quality is not cheap. I was willing to pay this. I would bet others would too.
butro said:
Ok, then you go buy the raw full-grain leather, the sheepskin leather lining, thin padding to go between the two layers and make one. I guarentee that yours will not look like this. This was custom made and cut for the Transformer by a leather craftsman. High quality is not cheap. I was willing to pay this. I would bet others would too.
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I too think this is too expensive for what it is. I appreciate its good quality leather but its just a sleeve type case. If it was a custom made one similar to folio style cases, I would not mind paying that kind of price. It just seems there is not enough leather for the buck so to say.
100 bucks? I've had real leather coats for as much.... no way worth 100. 40-50 sure I can see it... being custom and all.... but not willing to pay 1/4 the price of my tablet for a case.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
Just received the rooCASE Slim Fit from PC Micro via Amazon.com. Sorry, I can't yet post links, so the product title is: rooCASE Slim-Fit (Black) Folio Case Cover with Multi Adjustable Viewing Angles for Asus Eee Pad Transformer 10.1-Inch TF101 Android Tablet Wi-Fi.
I had been looking for a while for a case with clips that would leave the bottom edge open so that one could dock the tablet without taking it off, so I was excited to try it out. My initial feelings are very positive.
It's PU leather, so while not top grain, it's still pretty supple and smooth. The leather is also slightly padded, so the case is comfortable to hold. The reinforced edges are crisp and straight, so there's not a lot of give or bend. The interior is a soft, padded microfiber. The foam is pretty firm, so it seems like it might retain its shape fairly well.
Structurally, the tablet is held in by two clips on each side, one each holding the top corners (when in landscape) and the main clip about 2/5 of the way down each side. On the bottom corners, there are clips, but they're more like corner protectors as they're there to guide the tablet when the case is closed.
Setting the tablet in the first two grooves felt good. The furthest groove which puts the screen in the flattest position though doesn't hold very well. This is because the rounded back of the tablet near the edge doesn't let it sit all the way into the groove. This doesn't bother me though since I don't see myself wanting to use it that flat. It actually sits nicely on my lap in the middle groove, so it's nice to be able to prop up the tablet without having to rely upon the dock.
Speaking of which, swinging the bottom edge of the tablet away from the case allows it to easily connect to the dock. Before receiving the case, I wondered whether the clip that holds it closed would get in the way. In actuality, it props up the keyboard rather well -- the keyboard rests flat between being propped up on the clip and because of the way the dock hinge props up the rear of the keyboard. Alternatively, the case cover folds back out of the way easily as well, and kind of works to support the screen a little bit. This configuration is probably better suited for a desk vs. one's lap, but I'll have to experiment a little bit.
I'm interested to see how I like using it over time, but for right now, this case has potential. I was worried about the clips: whether they'd be too weak (they're not) and whether they'd prevent the case from folding flat (they don't). I like that they hold the tablet securely in place, without the need to have the bezel surrounded/covered by leather.
The overall look resembles a small notebook/portfolio and the branding is understated -- just an embossed rooCASE logo in the lower right.
It seems like the case will protect the tablet from accidental bumps and bruises, give it a sleek appearance and quench my thirst for a higher end case until Noreve or Piel Frama attempt to separate me from my money. We'll have to see how durable it winds up being -- right now, the surface seems to repel light scratches pretty well.
Overall, for $30 I'm pretty pleased. And it comes with a small capacitive stylus, that connects to the tablet via a small plastic plug that fits into the 3.5mm jack. Shipping was via USPS and took just two days from CA to the east coast.
Lots of pics to follow.
More pics.
Last two.
(I promise, Mods)
And to complete it all, here's the link: http://amzn.com/B0058DLAA8
Can't wait for mine to arrive!
Mine came in yesterday as well. I am extremely happy with it, I did not anticipate being able to dock it with the case on, so all the best. The bundled stylus from roocase is just the cherry on top!
damn thats nice
It's great news that there's finally a decent case that you don't have to remove in order to be able to dock with the keyboard. Hopefully more manufacturers start making cases in this design.
EDIT: Hmm I have a theory... if you buy one of those cases with velcro at the bottom, could you theoretically dock it without taking off the case by just unattaching the velcro? Can anyone confirm or deny?
Can you fold it up in the dock with the case on?
maxpower47 said:
Can you fold it up in the dock with the case on?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no
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This is the first case I have seen that uses clips to hold the Transformer, instead of a leather or fabric frame of some sort. I was beginning to think there weren't any out there. Thanks for the review.
Thank you for the review, I was waiting to see if you could plug the dock with the case on..
BTW, there are 2 other brands of what looks like the same case: Acase and Poetic...
http://www.amazon.com/Poetic-Stand-...B3PU/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1311946471&sr=8-5
http://www.amazon.com/Transformer-L...Q6J0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1311946529&sr=8-5
SoundSurfer said:
Thank you for the review, I was waiting to see if you could plug the dock with the case on..
BTW, there are 2 other brands of what looks like the same case: Acase and Poetic...
http://www.amazon.com/Poetic-Stand-...B3PU/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1311946471&sr=8-5
http://www.amazon.com/Transformer-L...Q6J0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1311946529&sr=8-5
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Their are the same one from same factory. Just selling via different sellers.
xjarl said:
Their are the same one from same factory. Just selling via different sellers.
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Click to collapse
The Acase one is eligible for Amazon Prime. It can be in my grubby paws tomorrow.
Just received one.
I originally bought the regular multi-angle roocase version. As soon as this slim-fat was announced, I unloaded that one and pre-order this one.
They delayed the shipment for 1 week but refunded my $5 shipping charge (nice). I like this slim-fat version a lot. It's the best case I've seen (I need some protection, but I really hate to cover-up the beauty of the Tab).
Received mine today. I echo everything that the OP noted. Very nice and exactly what I was looking for.
I just ordered the $18.95 Poetic one with free shipping. I can wait a few days and save $16
I have a cheapy $12 case now from ebay. Gets the job done, but with my ghetto cutting of the area around the light sensor and front camera, it looks just a wee bit unprofessional.
Thank you for the informative review. You may have just convinced me to buy a second case.
I already have this on order it shipped out yesterday so I'm hoping it arrives soon, and after your review and all the great pics. I hope it comes even faster now. Thanks for your time in making this, good info.
thaibruin said:
I just ordered the $18.95 Poetic one with free shipping. I can wait a few days and save $16
I have a cheapy $12 case now from ebay. Gets the job done, but with my ghetto cutting of the area around the light sensor and front camera, it looks just a wee bit unprofessional.
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I unfortunately do not have that kind of patience. Case ordered and overnighted. My TF will finally have a case that doesn't hide it.
Mine arrived today too. OP is spot on - this is a great case; clean lines, excellent fit and looks sharp.
There is no slot at the bottom to connect to the charger, so to charge it, I have to lay it face up w/ the cover open.
[background]
I have a two year old daughter. And i work in the Automotive industry. So i needed something that would look professional and take a little bit of a beating.
So my search began. I saw some Otterbox style cases, but a little more that i wanted to spend. I visited my local, very over priced, Best Buys and saw some cases that i like but were a little expensive.
So off to the internet i went. I wanted to stay away from Ebay because i know they are full of Chinese knockoffs. So i went to Amazon, which i know isn't much better but i feel their customer care more about feedback then Ebay shoppers. So i stumbled across this case http://amzn.to/x9xHtX. It's a black leather CaseCrown Portfolio case. 66 Reviews and 4 out of 5 starts. Sure there are a few more that are higher in the ratings but don't have as many. So I went with it.
[first thoughts]
It came in last night. i opened the pack and it had thin plastic cover and very generic label on it. and i thought oh great, this will be a piece of crap case. So i wrapped it around my Transformer and i must say i am very impressed with it. The fit is tight, it's not loose, doesn't slide around, and fits like a glove. No way this is a generic case. It wouldn't fit my parents Acer A500, it's too thick, and no way it would fit my friend's iPad. It's way to thin. The leather feels good, if it is faux leather. I cannot tell. on the inside of the case, where the binding on a book would be there is a little vlecro piece that keeps the TF in place while the cover is open. I'm sure it's standard on this style case, but just a nice little security feature that i like. The holes for the camera are nice and open, they don't give a tunneling effect to the pictures. The other nice little deal i noticed is the cover has magnets (don't ask me how they work, i'm not Mormon) that will keep the cover down when you are not using the device.
first impressions are "i'm very pleased, and would recommend".
In a few days, maybe on Monday, I'll post a follow up after a few days use, and let the newness wear off. Pictures will follow tonight as well.
Purchased the SiKai MicroFiber case for the Lenovo IdeaPad K1 Tablet. Delivery was within the UK and didn't take too long, about 5 days including the weekend.
I paid £15.19 delivered from Ebay UK Item number: 200647561882
The case is made from a strange type of plastic material, it's quite soft and flexible. Am kind of glad rather than faux leather. It is very thin and light, but seems sturdy enough to protect the tablet around the house. I have a 10" netbook bag that I keep it in when travelling to add extra protection.
I like it since it makes it easy to carry around with you and doesn't add bulk to it. I would say the case is lighter than my official HP Touchpad case and similar in strength, although a different material. I can only compare it to the ROOCASE Multi-Angle Leather Case and can say it is much thinner and lighter than that.
There is only one angle that the case allows for, but since it is an Android tablet you can flip the whole thing round and get a lower angle. Its fine for watching at night when streaming video so its not an issue for me.
Price wise the only options available to me at the time were the faux leather ones for about £9.99 or the official case from the Lenovo website coming in at a hefty £34.99 once you add the crazy £10 delivery charge! Not many options in the UK unfortunately but am glad I did some research and found this case.
Other things that you might notice in the photos (sorry poor camera phone ones) there is a place to put a pen, all cut outs seem correct and I love the fact that I can charge it without having the case open, also the hdmi port is free.
Not sure how long it will last but considering the few days usage of it, the minor things like the tablet can slide a tiny bit inside the case so would have preferred a tighter fit (although will try and adjust the velcro again that closes once you slip the tablet inside), the cut out by the front facing button could be a bit lower, and the magnetic clasps to be quite weak I will give this case an 8/10 and can recommend it.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SiKai-MicroFiber-case-Lenovo-IdeaPad-Tablet-K1-case-/200647561882
great case! I bought this sikai case too and actually prefer it more than the original lenovo K1 case.
This covers all ports, and also has a great microfiber texture that is slightly grippy, while remaining smooth to the touch. does not attract dust at all and keeps the K1 snug (if it feels loose, readjust the velcro tighter).
recommended!
Yeh have tightened it a bit more, doesn't move as much.... Glad I chose this over the cheaper cases and the official one which was more than double the cost here in the UK.
Can't believe how dead this forum is for this tablet, going to see if there are anymore forums with more support....
Just got this tab last week and love it so far. Looking for a good case but hate the leather, faux leather look.
Please let me know if you find more forums as I have looked and am surprised how little I've found....
I know of one other decent one, google "lenovo community K1"
viggs74 said:
Just got this tab last week and love it so far. Looking for a good case but hate the leather, faux leather look.
Please let me know if you find more forums as I have looked and am surprised how little I've found....
I know of one other decent one, google "lenovo community K1"
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Cool will do.
This case is pretty good if you want something thin and light, there are stronger/more protective cases out there but they add bulk and I don't want that since I use this round the house...... Still glad I bought this case and find it better in that respect to the Roocase.....
Thanks, will google what you said.....
Got the SiKai for my TPT. Everyting else looks bulky in comparison. It is extremely thin (I''ve tried a lot of gadget cases over the years), and although it's screamingly vinyl, it doesn't look really cheap since it fits so well. Leather like this might come off as over-the-top (not that I wouldn't probably sucker into that if I could find it). It's got the seam around the edge where it cushions a drop, and the magnetic closure on the flap is a great touch, not too powerful, but it stays closed well enough.
My gripes are with the screen cover flap: it leaves two stripes on my matte screen protector where the fold places rub off the grease I thought I cleaned off last night, it doesn't hold the tablet vertical enough to really use, and it's busy looking on the front. If I had a choice in the design, I would leave off the "stand" capabilities and leave it flat. If it's open, it's really floppy; it would be easier to manage if it were entirely rigid. I might add a hide-able tether & a knob/button so you could stand it up on its other edge more vertically instead.
All in all, for the price I paid (US$26-ish), I'm very happy with it. If Piel Frama comes up with something, though, I might check that out, if only to drool. I still love my old Wizard case, and my Advantage case from them, too. Very lovely, solid product, and they've been keeping customers happy for a long time.
Addendum: After a couple of months with it, mine is holding together just fine. I had to trim a bit of vinyl fringe, butvall vinyl does that ( it frays a bit after it's freshly cut, but after you trim it once, unless it's cut really crooked, you're done). I have noticed that after a bit of stretching from the daily+ in & out I do to use the dock, it's loose enough to partially obscure the rear camera, not to mention trying to take pics with the flap cover is a huge PITA. If I used this camera a lot, I'd be totally fed up with this case. I may also be melting a bigger hole for the speaker (whch is hard-core disappointing to begin with). All in all, though, that's it for my complaints, which is pretty rare for me.I plan on cloud storage sync and a great cam on my next phone to use the tab for pviewing,
To be fair the official HP Touchpad case does the same thing to my Touchpad so it's one of those things.
I use the same case for my Thinkpad Tablet, and it's the best I've encountered so far, albeit with some flaws of it's own: Some of the stitching on the inside of the cover is already beginning to fall apart after ~1 Month of usage :-/
Stitching has been fine on mine, maybe tell the reseller to exchange it?
Wow cool.... but its little bit expensive
Just received the new Gumdrop Droptech case for my Prime.
I was surprised by the weight of the Fedex box that the case came in, as soon as I opened it I understood why. The Prime itself is no lightweight, and the Gumdrop case probably weighs half what the Prime does. There are no installation instructions included with the case, I didn't need any, I have owned a couple of Otterbox cases for my phones, if you are familiar with the way things are generally done in a multi-layer case it's not hard to puzzle out. However I think Gumdrop may be giving the general public a bit too much credit here, it wouldn't hurt to slip some simple graphical instructions into the box. The front layer which includes the integral screen protector snaps on to the Prime and the silicon rubber layer enfolds everything. Spend thirty seconds making sure the tabs are seated in the slots and you are finished. Installation takes less than a minute.
The Screen protector is great, I didn't bother removing my old screen protector before putting it in the gumdrop, and there's really no need. The screen works perfectly through both layers. I didn’t notice any diminution of image quality or responsiveness .
Silicon rubber tends to be tacky and pick up lint like a magnet. I was pleasantly surprised by the texture of the Gumdrop, it's not nearly as tacky as I have come to expect silicon rubber too be, the texture of the rubber is quite smooth, and I really don't expect to see it picking up lint like it's on sale. The case is HEAVILY molded however in almost a tire tread pattern, the treads make picking up and handling the Prime very sure, I don't feel like I am going to drop it, and the extra girth makes the tablet easier to hold.
All ports, including the MicroSD port are accessible by prying up little rubber flaps. The flaps fit into molded tabs in the poly carbonate front piece. If I had to rate them on a scale of 1-10, 1 being very easy to lift and 10 being very difficult to accidentally dislodge, I'd say they are about a 4.
Also worth noting, you cannot use the KB dock with the Gumdrop case in place, and the front polycarbonate part of the case does interfere with your thumbs hitting the spacebar when typing on the soft KB with the device completely flat on a table or your lap. Elevate the upper edge of the device an inch or so and the problem goes away.
In terms of protection, I would have to rate the case, as very protective of the device, say 7.5 on a scale of 1-10. Everyone is different in their expectations, but I expect the case to add excellent impact protection and good casual splash protection. It's not going to add any structural strength to the Prime, but I feel the device itself is pretty rigid, so I don't worry much about that. With the protection comes a significant increase in girth and weight, and here is where I think some people will probably get heartburn. Again, this is a case of different expectations and purposes I travel a LOT on the job, I bought a 64Gb Prime because I wanted a Tegra3 Hotrod with a lot of storage to replace my laptop, MP3 player and Kindle. The fact that it's very thin and somewhat light, really didn't even come into consideration for me. If thin and light is a big consideration for you and you use your tablet in a fairly controlled environment then this case probably isn’t your cup of tea. If on the other hand, like me, you drag the thing all over the country, weekly, and use it everywhere from planes trains and automobiles, and are looking to add some heavy duty protection then the Gumdrop case is a great option, and I think right now it's the only option for the Prime. At $59 plus $7 shipping, the price of admission is pretty salty. But when you compare it to the cost of replacing your investment, then it starts to look a lot more reasonable.
Hope this is helpful to anyone considering one of these cases.
QBall16 said:
The Prime itself is no lightweight, and the Gumdrop case probably weighs half what the Prime does.
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As 10" tablets go, I would disagree.
I would disagree as well for the weight of the Prime. Also, the BOX ITSELF has instructions on how to assemble the unit inside of the case. This case is SPECTACULAR for the price as it protects every aspect of your device. I, personally, have two cases, one business( a Roocase Folio) and then also I have the new version of the Gumdrop case for when I am out hiking(yes, I bring Optimus with me in to the woods) and when I am out having fun.
I have to agree that the cost of the case is worth protecting your investment.