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Elan Folio
Score: 75%
Developer: Griffin Technology
Device Type: Miscellaneous


Function:

The stock case provided by Apple for the iPad is many things, but elegant is not a word we'd use to describe it. If you're looking for a more upscale way of holding your iPad, Griffin has provided the Elan Folio. The simple design is complemented by ease-of-use and flexibility to display the iPad in several ways. Elan Folio covers the front and back of the device, while leaving open the ports you'll need to access when charging the iPad or using it with headphones. Set down on a desk, you can adjust the Elan Folio to hold the iPad in a reclined landscape mode, ideal for typing. You can also switch things around and view in an elevated position, still landscape but better for viewing movies and video. When not in use, the Elan Folio reverts to a flat protective cover and backing for your device. Its simple and relatively modest design is functional, but the look and feel of soft leather gives a more upmarket impression.

Performance:

The iPad slips into this case easily, and there's a tucked-in flap that holds things in place. Imagine a soft frame around the iPad, which is really a pocket that holds and protects your baby. The backing is hard, which is important once you start working with the display modes. Two tabs hold the iPad in place when you want to prop it up for typing or viewing video. These will wear in, so don't worry about them being a bit stiff at first. There are two creases in the spine of the case so that you can have a wider spine for propping the iPad in a more vertical orientation, but still landscape. There's no propping in portrait mode, which may be a problem if you're looking for that kind of stand. Depending on how much time your iPad spends propped up in portrait mode, you may end up finding an actual stand, but still prefer something like the Elan Folio for meetings. The front flap doesn't lock or snap closed, but it sits on top of the screen and protects it while you tote the iPad around.

Features:
  • Slim, One-Piece Folio Design
  • Opens Like a Book, Flips Closed to Protect
  • Supports your iPad in 2 Landscape Positions, Upright and Inclined

Drawbacks & Problems::

Into each life some rain must fall, and the Elan Folio is no exception. A minor issue was that the cover doesn't close neatly, making the case look a bit messy. We kept smoothing it down and bending it, hoping it would end up flush with the screen, but to no avail. There isn't a practical reason for why this is annoying, just an aesthetic one. A more functional issue was the fact that the iPad tends to slide around in the Elan Folio while you have it propped in your lap or on a desk. The ease with which you slide your device into this thing also means that it isn't tightly held once its in the case. We noticed this more while playing games, because many of the controls or display info tends to be down at the bottom of the screen. Seeing parts of the screen become obscured by the case made us wonder if this won't be a problem in more applications. For the person that wants an easy-to-use case and may still use the iPad "in the nude" a fair amount of time, we can see the appeal. No case we've used yet is quite as easy to put on and take off as the Elan Folio, and it feels more upscale than similar folio cases from Griffin.

-Fridtjof, GameVortex Communications
AKA Matt Paddock

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Game Vortex :: PSIllustrated