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| Standle |
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Function:Standle is Griffin Technology's take on a hard-case for the iPad, made to simplify display and transport. It comes in two pieces, a back and front, that snap around the body of the iPad and form a protective shell. Shiny black plastic with some red and gray accents, Standle is pretty eye-catching, designed to attract attention rather than downplay your cool gadget. Two modes of display are supported, so you can set the iPad down and view in landscape or portrait. There's a kick-stand approach that Griffin took with the Standle that also allows you to extend one support and carry the iPad around like a lunch box. This is true for the landscape kickstand, while the portrait kickstand is made only for support of the device. All ports, including the speakers, remain exposed when your iPad is tucked into Standle. This is the case for people that want to skin their iPad entirely in service to portability and ease of access, rather than tucking it away in a folio-style of case. When you want to be noticed using your iPad, Standle is a great way to accrue eyeballs. |
| Performance:Because Standle is made of relatively lightweight plastic and only a little rubberized reinforcement, it adds very little weight to an already hefty device. There is added bulk, but this tends to make the iPad easier to hold on to while in Standle. Installation of the case was relatively easy, but you have to apply some real force along all sides of the iPad to secure Standle, so it snaps firmly into place. This creates a very tight seal between the two pieces, showing that this case was well engineered to hug the contours of the iPad. The landscape kickstand works great, and has a rubberized coating that makes it non-slip and easy to carry when extended further and used as a handle. There isn't a locking mechanism, when you fold out this arm to support the iPad on a desk or table, but we never found it to be slippery or loose. When not in use, this arm folds down into a recess on the back of Standle or can be further extended and used as a tote. The plastic pieces that move out to form your portrait support are a bit tougher to deploy, but work fine when extended. This support creates a backstop for the Standle case, that is reinforced along the bottom of the case, feeling very secure on a flat surface. |
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Features:
- Hard Shell Protects your iPad from Scratches, Bumps and Smudges
- Portrait Stand Folds into the Case When Not in Use
- Foldaway Carry Handle Locks into Place, Creating a Stand for Landscape Viewing
- Carry Handle Also Holds your iPad at an Easy Angle for Tabletop or Desktop Typing and Surfing
- Designed to Allow Docking with Apple's iPad Dock and Keyboard Dock Without Removing iPad from the Case
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Drawbacks & Problems::Our hardware test lab is supplied with two able-bodied youngsters under the age of 10, so we veer toward the idea of an iPad case that protects our device. Standle isn't going to offer much in the way of protection, considering that it exposes the screen at all times. A raised ridge around the front of the case means that you'll never set the iPad down on its screen, but Standle does nothing to ease your mind when tucking the iPad away in a crowded backpack. Few cases will help prevent drop-damage, but Standle has absolutely no soft components, meaning it won't protect in the event of a fall. The difficulty we mentioned earlier with the support arm you deploy to view in portrait mode is a definite annoyance, but one that may fade as you use Standle more frequently. Engineering the case so tightly around the iPad created this problem, and the portrait support has to almost be pried from the bottom of your iPad each time you want to use it. Finally, and speaking of prying, Standle is extremely difficult to remove. If you fall in love with this case and want to use it always, you're in luck, because trying to remove it is like a full-time job. Griffin supplied pry points along each edge of Standle, which look about right for a large flat-head screwdriver. If you're like us, using the phrase "flat-head screwdriver" in the same sentence with "iPad" feels uncomfortable. Prying away at hard plastic can easily scuff up the pretty Standle, so we wish Griffin had come up with a more elegant method for removing the case, even to the point of packing in some special tool. Beyond these relatively minor issues, Standle delivers for iPad owners that want a hard case with benefits. Thoughtfully designed and engineered to last, typical of other products we've seen bearing the Griffin name. |
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-Fridtjof, GameVortex Communications AKA Matt Paddock |
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