Review: Macally Bookstand

04/26/10 22:01

Macally is a company name we’ve never been sure how pronounce. The obvious inference is “You like Macs? We’ll be one of your most trusted allies!” If that version seems a tad clumsy to pronounce, it could be a variant spelling of “Welcome to Mac Alley.” Or maybe the guy who started the company has Scottish heritage, and was actually named “MacAlly.” However you say it, the company has made a name for itself with a line of headphone winders, USB hubs, car chargers, and iPhone cases.

One of the company’s first accessories for the iPad is the folder-style Bookstand. The feature set is similar to the previously reviewed Apple iPad Case, with a few variations on the theme.

In place of the Apple case’s charcoal neoprene-y material, the Bookstand comes in a light grey suede. That’s right, suede: full-grain leather’s Rick-James-lookin’ cousin. The case is held closed by a tan leather tongue that slides into a matching strap on the bottom of the case, which isn’t nearly as sexual as we just made it sound. For some reason, the mixed-leather combo evokes Jeff Hamilton’s legendary mac-daddy leather jackets. (Who can forget the classic 8-Ball design sported by the inimitable David Puddy on that very special episode of “Seinfeld?”) But we’re weird that way.

The tongue-and-strap design of the cover (again, less sexual than it sounds) enables the case to be used as either a low-profile table stand or a more upright easel for iPadding with a paired bluetooth keyboard.

Macally decided against making the retaining mechanism a picture frame style pocket with a cutout for the screen, and went with a clip-in case that holds the iPad in place with four rounded corner bumpers. On the plus side, this minimizes the added thickness of using a folder-style iPad koozie. But although the grip of the case seems pretty secure, some users might find it less, shall we say, idiot-proof than a more standard full-surround holder with cutouts for the ports. Throwing caution to the wind, our intrepid review team flipped the loaded Bookcase over and shook it a few times, with no iPad slippage problems. (We did this test a few inches from a thickly carpeted floor. We may be daring, but we’re not idiots.)

The back of the case would appear to be a plastic shell wrapped in the aforementioned gray suede. This gives the Bookstand more of a curvy backside than you might expect. (And that last sentence makes this the most sexually-charged review we’ve ever written.)

The Bookstand is a worthy competitor to the more generic looking Apple iPad Case, with similar features -- though at $49.95 it’s ten bucks pricier than its rival. While the gray suede may strike some as an odd choice, it offers an alternative to those looking for a folder-style case that protects, adds minimal thickness, and lays down a tad more snazz than Apple’s offering.

Pros: Solid construction, good fit, adds minimal thickness, generates random sexual references in reviews.
Cons: Gray suede isn’t for everybody. Less edge protection. Clip-style case may not satisfy nervous nellies. We’re still not sure how to pronounce “Macally.”

0 Comments