Kindle Case Review: Speck BookShield for Kindle 3

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(Part 2 of 3)

In part 1 of this three-part review of Speck’s cases for the Kindle 3 we looked at the Speck FitFolio. This time around we are looking at the Speck BookShield. While the FitFolio takes offers Speck’s take on the tradition folio, the BookShield takes a minimalist approach that, while thin and light, still protects the Kindle’s screen and keyboard.

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From Speck:

BookShield is an ingenious and durable Kindle 3 case, fusing a hard plastic screen protector into a rubbery crystal-clear cover. It’s made of a soft flexible plastic that covers the screen, buttons, corners, and front of your Kindle. A hard plastic screen protector is molded right in. This Kindle case also covers the buttons, so they’re protected yet still press-able right thru the case. Clearly a pretty cool case for Kindle 3!

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Features:

Complete screen, corner and button protection for Kindle 3

See-thru cover snaps on to the front of your Kindle
Hard plastic protects screen from impacts and scratches

Soft, flexible plastic provides shock-absorbent corner protection

Press-through buttons keep keypad free of dust and grime

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The BookShield fits the Kindle 3 like a glove. Unlike traditional cases it protects the most vulnerable part of the device — the screen. It also protects the keyboard and the page control buttons by keeping dust, sand and other “stuff” (that is a technical blogging term) from getting inside the device.

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As you can see, the coverage is complete and the BookShield but the plastic is molded to the various keys on the Kindle. This is a great design feature, since it keeps the interference of the BookShield when trying to operate the keys to a minimum.

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The one thing people may not like about the BookShield is that while it offers complete protection to the front of the Kindle, it offers no back protection to the device other than at the bottom. This bottom area is. I suspect, less about protecting the Kindle and more about ensuring that the BookShield stays in place once the Kindle is inserted. It does.

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The upside of the design is that the BookShield does not interfere with audio coming from the Kindle. As someone who has never used this feature I am not overly excited by it but if you do use it this is a great design choice.

The BookShield is a great choice for someone who doesn’t want a case in their Kindle 3 but does want to protect the delicate screen and keys of the device. At $39.95 I think it is a bit overpriced but, then again, if the $40 cost keeps you from damaging the screen and needing to buy a new Kindle it is money well spent.

You can learn more about the BookShield and order one for yourself here on the Speck website.

MSRP: $39.95

What I Like: Screen and key/button protection; adds little weight and bulk; Leaves audio from the Kindle unobstructed

What Needs Improvement: Pricey for what it is; Minimal back protection

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About the Author

Dan Cohen
Having a father who was heavily involved in early laser and fiber-optical research, Dan grew up surrounded by technology and gadgets. Dan’s father brought home one of the very first video games when he was young and Dan remembers seeing a “pre-release” touchtone phone. (When he asked his father what the “#” and “*” buttons were his dad said, “Some day, far in the future, we’ll have some use for them.”) Technology seemed to be in Dan’s blood but at some point he took a different path and ended up in the clergy. His passion for technology and gadgets never left him. Dan is married to Raina Goldberg who is also an avid user of Apple products. They live in New Jersey with their golden doodle Nava.