Written by: Oliver Hong
While the Kindle 3 keyboard seems durable enough to withstand a few good drops without anything happening to the precious hardware inside, I know I would fret if it suffered any cosmetic damages like scratches or dents. However, I’m pickier than most when it comes to cases for my gadgets. I want something that is stylish, while still able protect my Kindle.
First impressions:
I decided on buying the Eco-Inque Natural Hemp case because of it’s design and choice of materials. The case comes in two styles: book style, or notepad style, differing on how the case closes (Horizontally, or Vertically). These cases also come in green, black, and beige, but I decided that brown, book style case was the best looking case among those choices.
When I received the case in the mail (Via Amazon.com) The case looked like some ancient magical tome, and considering the amount of fantasy novels I read, it already seemed like a clear winner in the style department. The faux leather accents on the inside gave it a nice touch, adding to the magical aesthetic of the cover. It was a bit pricey at $33.00, but judging from the craftsmanship that went into it, well worth the price. This is not a flimsy cover.
Using the case:
The first things I realized when I put the Kindle inside of the case is the amount of bulk that it adds to the kindle, which I found surprisingly refreshing. It made the Kindle feel more like a book. I didn’t mind the additional heft. However, this added heft makes the Kindle a lot less portable. I can’t get away with putting my Kindle in my pocket anymore.
The case doesn’t cover up any of the Kindle’s key features, there’s parts of the case that are cut out for access to the buttons, and they all fit perfectly, the case does not get in the way of any buttons at all.
There’s a few bells and whistles on this case too. There’s a flap for business cards and other papers on the inside cover, which is useful if you need to hold cards and flyers somewhere. There’s also a pen holder in the middle of where the spine of the book should be, though it seems to be only made for your standard Bic pen, which isn’t very useful to someone like me, who uses fountain pens on a regular basis, but it’ll do if you need somewhere to put a regular sized pen.
Protection:
The big question is, does it protect the Kindle? Well, I think that one of the downsides of this case is that it doesn’t quite offer full body protection. It’ll protect the kindle from dust and dirt, but when falls are concerned, the Eco-Inque case doesn’t quite protect the Kindle from all falls. There was this one time where my Kindle was dropped, and it hit one of it’s corners. This resulted in a small dent. It seems to me that the cover was designed to withstand drops against the flat parts of the Kindle, mainly the front and back. I didn’t mind the damage, because the case covers up the dent well, but if you’re trying to keep your Kindle in pristine condition, this lack of protection in certain areas might be a deal breaker.
Conclusion:
If you’re willing to sacrifice some protection for style, then this case is definitely right up your alley. If you’re in the market for a case that will guarantee protection from all sorts of drops and falls, I’d suggest looking elsewhere. If you’re still interested, but don’t have the Kindle keyboard, they also have cases for the Kindle Touch and the Kindle Fire.
Pros:
- Stylish and unique case
- Well made
- Fits well
Cons:
- Pricey
- Decreases Kindle’s portability
- Does not provide protection from all falls