Elan Passport Score: 85% Developer: Griffin Technology Device Type: Accessory

Function: The iPad doesn't come with a case, but it should. Any device that doesn't fit in your pocket is eventually going in your backpack, purse, or computer bag. In these places, scratches or dings are inevitable. The Elan Passport serves as a way to protect your investment in the iPad, combined with easy access to the screen when you need it. It's a folio case, meaning that it opens up like a book, rather than enclosing the iPad with zippers or pockets. It is designed for full-time use, but can easily be removed for times when you want to watch video or play a game with your iPad perched on its side. Storage isn't what this case is about, but it does have some slits capable of holding stray pieces of paper or business cards. The Elan Passport comes in three design styles: Black or white leather, or a charcoal vinyl finish on the model we tested. The inside of the case has nothing that could possibly scratch your screen, and there's no metal snap on the Elan Passport. Instead, a flap of material keeps the case closed, and can also be tucked into its home when the "cover" of the Elan Passport is flipped open. Four straps hold the iPad in place; only two of the straps are elastic, making it easy to remove your device.

Performance: We used the Elan Passport on a daily basis and only needed to remove it a few times, when we were watching videos and viewing recipes in the kitchen during iPad cooking sessions. After we bought our screen protector film, we weren't wild about the bulk and inconvenience of a case, but the Elan Passport feels unobtrusive. It's easy to put on, and easy to take off when you need it gone. The bulk or weight concern seems like a non-issue to us, because the iPad is hardly a dainty device. People holding it for the first time are always surprised by its heft, so the Elan Passport doesn't make or break anything in that department. What it helped us do was hold on to the darn iPad on more than a few occasions, whether while walking around our building at work or relaxing at home playing a game. There's no special feature that converts this case into a tabletop movie viewer, as seems to be a trend with other cases. We can imagine this being a downer for people that watch a ton of video on their iPad, but not an issue for those of us that travel or expect to hold the iPad in our lap more than view it on the table. The storage that's here isn't going to help you with more than a stray memo or sampling of business cards. There's no place to hold a pencil, pen, or stylus, so the people using their iPad in an office setting where they are accustomed to big folios that hold a ton of stuff may have to make some adjustments. This is basically the case to use when you want good protection for your iPad without compromising the portability and slim profile of the device in its natural state.

Features: Slim, One-Piece Folio Opens Like a Book, Flips Closed to Protect Holds iPad Securely With Soft, Slim-Profile Straps Inner Cover Includes Card Pockets, Tab Closure Secures Cover When Closed Soft Microsuede Interior Three Design Options: Black or White Leather, and Charcoal Vinyl Access to All iPad Ports and Buttons for Charging, Headphones, Volume, and Sleep Functions

Drawbacks & Problems:: The issue we mentioned with having to remove this case to prop your iPad up on a stand for movie viewing, or typing via an external keyboard, is going to be a deal-breaker for some people. If you use your iPad at work frequently with an external keyboard, or have it running regularly at home with videos and other media, the Elan Passport may spend more time off than on. At that point, you'll be questioning your choice of case. If you expect to spend a lot of time toting the iPad around, stuffing it into various bags, and using it in your lap or hands, the Elan Passport is a fantastic choice. It doesn't have mountains of padding around it, but enough to make you feel that anything short of a hunting knife is going to be deflected. Dropping the iPad in this case might have only a slightly better outcome than dropping the device on its own, but the whole ethos of the Elan Passport is to stay away from unnecessary anything. This also affects storage, and we have to admit to wanting more space for...stuff. Again, the iPad is supposed to be a self-contained note-taking machine, so why bother with those pieces of paper and writing implements? We'll admit to a learning curve with iPad typing, but the portability of the Elan Passport is worth the lack of storage, to us. Not everyone will feel this way, but that's why they invented backpacks, briefcases, and bulky purses... The price for this case is slightly higher than some others, but many of those also feel like a mobile case mated with a three-ring binder... Griffin Technology's Elan Passport feels like something made to protect the iPad in style, with just enough material to give you a firm grasp on the device, and not so much that you feel like you're browsing the Web while holding a sofa cushion.

-Fridtjof, GameVortex Communications AKA Matt Paddock

Related Links: Griffin Technology Website