ReAuthored for New iPad; from Dead Tree Book to iPad Case

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We’ve seen a lot of cases for the iPad (and there are many more to come). Some follow a familiar theme, while others are more unique. The case we are looking at in this review is one of those “more unique” ones. It comes from a company called ReAuthored, and it gives new life to old books even as it protects the “book-killer” that is the iPad.

The iPad cases they offer are approximately 11″ high, 8.5″ wide and .5″ deep. They weigh about a pound.

Why are the dimensions and weight just “approximate”? Simple. ReAuthored cases are made from real books and are crafted by hand. That means no two ReAuthored cases are ever the same.

As the company explains,

We are proud to offer a truly one-of-a kind cover for your iPad 3. All of our covers are crafted by hand and are as unique as the book they are created from.

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Why use old, discarded books to create iPad (and other) cases? As the company explains,

There are few things more durable than a hardback book. Our covers are all crafted to ensure your device is well protected from, well, you. Our toddler has been kind enough to test the durability of our personal covers over and over. We are more careful now, but we have witnessed him drop, kick, throw, and even dance on it more than once and so far our devices have been safe and sound. Toddlers are an active danger to prepare against, but something that you should also consider is how hot of a commodity your new iPad 3 is to thieves. Your iPad is an obvious and easy target, but few thieves are going to want to steal your book!

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Before we get into the video review here’s a bit about how this rather unusual approach to iPad-protection came about in the founders’ own words.

The two of us left the finance industry in April 2011 with a simple idea and a passion to do something we loved. Over the past year we have laughed, cried, been on top of world, and at the bottom of the pit, but we can truly say that we love what we do. We strive every day to not only make the best product we can make but to also provide the best customer service we can. You can rest assured that your cover will be made with love, by us, right here in our shop and that the same hands that are typing this will be the ones that create your cover.

Features:

Each cover is created by hand from a discarded hardback right here in our shop (We don’t pull books out of circulation, we save them from the shredders)

Books are hand-selected to ensure they are the perfect size, weight, and aesthetic (We take great care to only choose the best books available)

Choose from one of 7 different interior and exterior cover options (You can also choose to leave your books uncovered for the all natural look)

Our covers are extremely durable and impact resistant (There are few things more durable than a hardback book!)

Custom crafted pull-tabs allow for easy removal and access to the power button (The pull-tabs blend perfectly into the aesthetic of each cover)

Interior corner straps keep your iPad 3 secure (Whether you are at the office or holding it upside down in bed, your device will stay securely in place)

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And because each ReAuthored case is made by hand you can easily add some customized elements to it. For example, as the website explains,

Each cover is held securely closed with a heavy-duty elastic strap. If you would like us to leave the exterior strap off of your cover to keep it even more discrete, just let us know in the notes at checkout.

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Again, these cases are custom-made from real books. As they explain,

We search far and wide to gather our collection of discarded books. We don’t buy new books and we don’t pull books out of circulation, all of our books would either be shredded and recycled or sadly just thrown away if we didn’t use them.

Most books are chosen at random from our collection to ensure that your cover is the perfect size, that it will be lightweight, and that is looks good enough to come from ReAuthored.

Our collection is limited, but we are more than happy to help find the perfect book to fit you or the lucky person you’re gifting it to! If you would like to see options, simply add a note at checkout that gives us an idea of what you’re looking for and we will send you options to choose from. ie. I would love the book to be art related.

And if you own a book or have a specific title that you want to use as YOUR iPad’s case, they are happy to work with you and customize it. How cool is that?

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I’ll let the company themselves explain how they designed the interior space that holds the iPad (or Kindle or nook) since they worked to create the right balance of protection and ease-of-use.

The interior of each cover is custom crafted to provide a soft, yet very durable resting place for your iPad 3. The interior lining is crafted from the same heavy-duty fabric that is used for the exterior and designed to provide perfect support for your device. We also add two small 1/4″ elastic straps in opposite corners of the interior so that your iPad 3 stays securely in-place whether you are simply sitting with it in your lap or upside down in a hammock on a beach somewhere.

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The interior pull tab (hard to see but it IS there) is a necessary evil that allows you to “easily remove the device from the cover while also allowing for very easy access to the power button with a simple lift of the tab”. The pull-tabs are designed in such a way that it is not easily seen (hence why the camera could not pick it up), but it IS there and makes it easier to get to the iPad’s sleep/awake button. It works., and it does disappear, but it is a cumbersome way to achieve this. Unfortunately I discussed various options for how else they might do this with the company, and there really aren’t any good approaches other than this.

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After filming the review and really gutting a sense of the case I decided that, despite the fact that I really like the case, I would get it over to Carly. After all, Carly IS Gear Diary’s Book Goddess and THIS BOOK was rather special. Here was her initial take on it.

My dad did a triple take when he saw it, and commented that it looked like something out of a spy movie. Personally I wish I had this in high school-I was excellent at hiding books in my textbooks, but this would have made it even easier!

I love the little touches, like the library checkout pouch in the back…it just adds to the old meets new feel of the case. Not something I would use for an everyday case, but for reading it looks and feels great!

Safari

And as noted, ReAuthored makes cases for a variety of tablets and eBook readers. While it works well for the iPad I could see it working much better for a traditional eBook reader!

I think the ReAuthored approach is really neat. The case is unique, really does protect the iPad and keeps old discharged books from the shredder. All that noted, as someone who like as minimalist a case as possible, while I truly appreciate the case it isn’t for me. There’s a bit too much bulk and I prefer any method of securing an iPad in a case over and above the “corner strap” approach. I would, and may (if Carly tired of the case at any point) use the ReAuthored case on my coffee table in my study at work since, as I explained in the video, it would be great when parents are waiting as their kids study with me.

MSRP: $59.00

What I Like: Unusual; Perfect for the iPad-using book lover; Really works as a means to protect you iPad; No two are the same; Lots of ways to customize the case

What Needs Improvement: Corner elastics for securing the iPad; Pull tab a necessary evil in order to get to the sleep/awake button; A bit heavy and bulky (but that is an issue of personal preference.

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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.