Despite their slim and delicate appearance, Apple’s iDevices are pretty tough. I have dropped my iPad mini from the top of the fridge onto a tiled floor with no real damage – just a dented corner. In fact, in the five years that I have owned iDevices, I have broken one screen, and that was an iPod touch in a front jeans pocket which got completely wrecked in a drunken bike crash (I think that’s what happened, anyway – I don’t really remember).
Which is to say, the majority of mollycoddling we bestow on our iPhones and iPads is unnecessary. The only thing which really needs protection is the screen.
The Armor is a super slimline case for the iPad 3/4 which has two rigid plates on the front. Why not one? Because how would you get the iPad back out again? Two panels means that the case can bend and open up enough to grab the tablet within.
The case itself is gorgeous, with the “attractive qualities of a Gladiators’ armor,” (presumably bloodstains are easily removed). It’s made with leather and lined with suede to clean the screen every time you slide it in or out, and you can choose from black, dark brown, a rather fetching red (similar to Apple’s own red leather Smart Cover, but somewhat disconcertingly named “Red Floater”), gray and white.
Which brings me to another point. Apple’s Smart Cover is actually pretty good protection. I had a pair of keys get between it and my iPad 2 once, but otherwise it has protected the various iPads in its charge like Alfred protects Batman (only without letting them hang around with underage circus runaways).
The price? $89. Not bad, but a little pricey if this year’s crop of new iPads changes size and shape, which is pretty likely.
Source: Camalen
