Gadgetoid

gadg-et-oid [gaj-it-oid]

-adjective

1. having the characteristics or form of a gadget;
resembling a mechanical contrivance or device.

Tuff-Luv Multi View Leather iPad Case And Stand Review

The latest in the flood of iPad cases to hit my desk is the Tuff-Luv Multi View iPad case. Resembling some sort of bondage costume for the iPad, it has a well thought out stand mechanism and possibly the most poppers ever placed on anything this size, ever.

The Tuff-Luv I received is the artificial leather variant, so bear that in mind when looking at the photos below. Still, unless you have a moral objection to genuine leather it’s definitely the better way to go.

The most notable feature of the Tuff-Luv Multi View, as hinted by its name, is its ability to function as a stand. This functionality is betrayed by the plethora of poppers on the front of the case which, at a first glance, appear to be simply detail. A quick tug, however, removes the entire strip of 5 poppers, revealing 5 anchor points for the various different angles at which your iPad can be stood.

When is a WiFi-only iPad not a WiFi-only iPad?:

Mobile wifi

On the back of the case is the second component to the stand, an approximately iPhone sized leather flap which is secured with two poppers and pulls away so that the entire case can be folded back over itself and secured into one of the 5 positions available. The width of this flap, and a decent amount of reinforcement within, means that this is a particularly stable iPad stand that should more than satiate any desires to stand your tablet upright in landscape orientation and provide the stability needed for comfortable upright typing. When upright it feels a lot more stable than the Piel Frama alternative, but doesn’t have quite as good a low position and is a little more fiddly to set up.

The Multi View has a strange design choice when it comes to inserting the iPad. Rather than slip it in on the hinge side where it would be naturally secured, the iPad slips in on the opening side, where it’s secured with its own popper. The motive behind this design becomes evident when you set the case up as an iPad stand, however, at which point you’ll find it very quick and easy to remove your iPad. Furthermore, due to the way the case hinges back on itself, the iPad could easily fall out of an unsecured opening on the hinge side.

The Multi View is a black on black case, which makes it largely uninspiring from an aesthetic perspective. The poppers on the front add detail which breaks up the monotony, but a splash of colour wouldn’t have gone amiss. Sure, it’s available in pink, red and brown, but none of these options mix colours making finding something that really suits your tastes a lot less likely than the more expensive and more customisable alternatives.

Overall, however, it’s a well made and functional case which costs a whole lot less than some of the competition that I’ve looked at recently at an entirely reasonable, nay, positively cheap £39.99. There’s not much sacrificed by the lower price, apart from colour customisation, packaging presentation and that powerful and enticing leather smell and you gain a fairly robust stand arrangement. Ultimately it does represent the best value for money I’ve seen thus far in an iPad case, and I reckon you wont be disappointed.

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Sunday, May 23rd, 2010, iPad.