VizualBusiness: Tuff-Luv Marrakesh Multi-View Case Cover for iPad 2 Review

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Tuff-Luv Marrakesh Multi-View Case Cover for iPad 2 Review

Tuff-Luv Marrakesh Multi-View Case Cover for iPad 2 Review: "

You know how I am – I love cases and covers as much as I love my gadgets. I’m always happy to give any case a try, and I was pleased to receive a new Tuff-Luv cover for iPad 2 for review. The Marrakesh Multi-View Case Cover incorporates a stand into a book-style cover. Sure – it’s beautiful, but how does it work?

The back, spine, and straps of the Marrakesh are made of faux leather with a fine grain. The front is a patchwork of beautiful embroidered fabrics and lace that have been joined together with a zigzag stitch. The inside of the cover is lined with a brown velvety material. The Marrakesh is available in Souk (brown) and in Medina (red). I received the Medina.

Click for an enlarged view.

I think the fabrics on the front are beautiful, but I’m not sure how sturdy they are. You can’t see it in the pictures, but the red fabric embroidered with flowers (second from the top) already has a lot of loose thread ends bristling up from the center of the flowers at the bottom of the strip. The fabrics weren’t cut with consideration for the embroidery, and the cut threads may start to pull free from the fabric. However, the fabrics may be adhered to a backing that will stabilize the embroidery and lace and extend the life of the fabrics.

The case is about 9.5” long X 7.75” wide X 1” thick. There’s an extra tab that’s part of the stand system that adds about an extra 3/8” to the width at the midpoint of the spine. The case weighs 10.4 ounces on my digital scale. It does add a bit of bulk to the iPad 2.

Click to enlarge.

The iPad 2 is held in a frame made of the faux leather. The device inserts from the outer edge; there’s a small Velcro tab that prevents the iPad 2 from falling out of the open side. The frame covers most of the iPad 2’s bezel. I didn’t find that the frame interfered with the touchscreen operation, though.

The frame is shaped to leave the front-facing camera and the home button open. There’s a cutout on the back for the back-facing camera. I found that both cameras worked well (as well as they can, anyway); the case didn’t interfere with either.

The Marrakesh cover is held closed with a strap that wraps from the front to the back. A snap holds the cover closed. As a matter of fact, the case has a lot of snaps. Most of these are used to form the cover into a stand. The cover has a magnet that sleep/wakes the iPad 2.

Click to enlarge. Velcro tab prevents iPad 2 from falling out of the case.

Click to enlarge.

The controls and connectors are left open. I did find that the stiffness of the back and the thinness and the sloped sides of the iPad 2 combine to make it a bit difficult to reach the buttons. You can use earphones and the docking cable while the iPad 2 is in the case. The hard case may even improve the sound a bit, as it seems to reflect the sound to the front of the iPad 2.

The front cover can fold all the way to the back, which makes it easier to hold. With the front folded completely back, the iPad 2 will lay flat on a tabletop, too. There’s a flap on the back of the cover that works with all those snaps on the front to turn the Marrakesh case into a horizontal stand.

To use the stand, you’ll unsnap the flap on the back cover and unsnap the long strap on the front cover. Fold the front cover back and snap the back flap to the front. The five snaps on the front cover allow you to adjust the angle of the iPad. The two photos show the highest and lowest angles for the case. I found the lowest angle was uncomfortable for typing on the on-screen keyboard. I did find it was easy to adjust the case into a comfortable position for watching movies or using the iPad 2 with my Bluetooth keyboard. It wouldn’t stand on its end to form a stable vertical stand.

I think the Marrakesh is a great cover for people who want a book-style cover. It will protect the iPad 2 against bumps and scratches. It converts quickly into a horizontal stand when you need one. It’s very pretty, so it may appeal more to women than men. I don’t think it would be out of place for business, though.

Filed in categories: iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews