#dodo case

The DODOcase website makes a big to-do about each case being hand crafted and taking 4 to 6 weeks to create and deliver.

Well, there is truth in advertising at times. This baby is created with love and it did take about 5 long weeks before it was discovered happily snug inside my mailbox.

Out with the old

Like many launch day iPad owners, I purchased Apple's own cover; that slightly curved steel back was just threatening to immediately scratch when set down. There really wasn't much of a choice that day as Apple was the only one who's cover was guaranteed to fit for early adopters. I won't call the Apple iPad Cover a piece of shit, but it is definitely odd and surprising un-Apple-ish. Sure, there are the innovations of the folding back cover so it may show movies like a little video set. And the slotted back offers a decent angle for trying to type on the glass surface. But the material just felt cheap with it's foamy surface. And the edges around the entire cover felt oddly sharp when held for more than a few moments. The material also shows up dust and fingernail scratches easily.

However, the Apple case does two things that are good: it fits the iPad fine and is light. The latter is important because this device does get surprisingly heavy in short order.

But there are better covers, especially if you're the type that appreciates quality craftsmanship and materials. If silicone or plastic covers are your thang, move on my friend.

In with the classical

The DODOcase -- hereafter written Dodo -- is a quality cover that simply looks magnitudes better, not least because it also disguises the iPad by mimicking the cherished moleskine notebook.

If you value hand writing, portability, and protection, you know what moleskine notebooks are. Sure, a pad of paper and pencil accomplishes the same thing but nothing feels as good to write in or adds a little inspiration like those hard-backed notebooks with the elastic fabric for keeping the cover shut tight.

The word "precise" could easily describe the Dodo. It precisely looks like a moleskine. It precisely protects the iPad with its hard, elastic banded cover. It precisely holds the iPad while exposing the side ports and controls through smoothly routed bamboo sides. The hard paperback cover is easily the most noticeable aspect of the Dodo, but you'll appreciate the light and strong choice of bamboo for the edges. It simply looks beautiful and the light-colored natural grain gives each case it's own customized appearance.

I was worried that the iPad would be at risk of plopping out of the case as it is literally held in place by the four bamboo sides. But my fears started to vanish as it took a little bit of effort to press the iPad into the red-lined case. The wood is perfectly machined and the fit is satisfyingly snug.

Foam corners give a little extra resistance, keeping the iPad rock solid inside the case. And the right side also includes additional raised areas that I assume cause the iPad to imperceptibly tilt toward the center spine. Whatever it does, it's damn near flawless.

So while only an insane person would hold the Dodo case upside down, you could do that if you really had to in a terrorist situation or something extreme. The point being, the iPad doesn't feel like it's going to fall out. And it also doesn't have any of those nasty ass elastic corner bands that some cheaper cases employ.

The sentimental extras

I love the red lining when opened. Granted, half of it is immediately obscured but the left side looks very classical and vibrant. If you put a gun to my head, I would have never picked that color. But that's why I'm a customer and not the designer; it simply looks great. And the addition of the old style Dodo sticker gives it that well-traveled steamer trunk look.

I greatly appreciate the newfound durability of the Dodo case for my iPad. The hard cover means I behave less gingerly with it when setting the iPad down or tossing into a work bag. I'm one of those people who think this style looks better with age when it gets dinged up a bit -- it says, "Yeah, I'm lovely but I'm also used."

And unlike the Apple iPad Case and countless others, this doesn't scream iPad. I wouldn't be surprised if 9 out of 10 people never realized it held a treasured digital window. Some might confuse it for an artist pad and others for a boring ledger -- depends on the emotional response you have when seeing a classical, old style binder.

Two prices to pay: weight and cash

While the sides use physically light bamboo, you cannot escape the fact that this case adds considerably to the weight of the iPad. But things are seldom free in life, so I'll take that extra bit of heft for the all the other benefits.

A Dodo will set you back around $70 and a stretch of wait time. But you'll also have something worth holding in your hands and that rare feeling of not having the slightest twinge of buyer's remorse.