Out of Print

“At the intersection of technology and liberal arts.” This quote from Steve Jobs came to mind this earlier summer when, while doing some research, I ran across a Kickstarter project from Out of Print. I have know idea why I ended up on the Kickstarter page because I was looking for articles with research on brain-based learning.

The first time I saw something from Out of Print was at a bookstore that carried their very cool t-shirts with classic book covers blazoned across the front. But this review isn’t about t-shirts, its about an iPad case. I have a fascination with cases. Since my early days with Palm Pilots I’ve owned a bunch (30+). Some people like watches, I love looking at iPad cases. I was intrigued, the video told me everything I I needed and so I made my donation and signed up.

Out of Print wants to turn your iPad into a classic book. The concept is not new as there are several brands of cases that make your iPad look like a book, (Dodocase, Portenza, BookBook etc). Many of these are very similar in design with solid color jackets and exotic wood frames. But the Out of Print case was different. The main difference is the covers. Out of Print takes some of the literary classic covers many of us are familiar with and recreates them for the iPad cases. Some examples are; One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, Slaughterhouse Five, Lolita, and On the Road plus many more.  Many of these are in fact out of print covers. These cases are made by the oldest bookbinder in the United States so they know how to make books. The images are printed on book fabric and are designed to look, feel and wear like a real book.

But to me the most important part of a case is how well the iPad is held in place. How does the case protect the device while inside and will the iPad come out? When I received my case I thought there was no way my iPad would fit, but the cradle is made from a firm yet flexible rubber which is form fitted to the iPad. It fits perfectly and holds the device extremely well.  All the ports are easily available and in this case, allows the iPad camera kit to function normally. And to push the form even further, there are small groves running along the case to simulates pages. A nice touch. They’re not too deep, but just enough to carry off the illusion.

There is one small thing I would change if I were in charge is the inclusion of wake up/sleep magnets. The guys at Out of Print said they were not happy with the pre-production samples using magnets and wanted to really get the quality, look and feel right the first go around. It’s not a deal breaker for me, but its definitely on their list of additions. On the occasion, you need to contact the company, they are very friendly and quick to respond. I suggested a couple ideas for covers and within minutes, I had a response. I can’t wait to see what covers are available later. The Kickstarter project just wrapped up and these cases will available soon. Check the website www.Outofprintclothing.com for further details. I don’t buy as many cases as I used to, but I can recommend this case to anyone who is looking for this type of case.

Clark Fralick