Review: Rivet Leather Folio for BlackBerry Playbook

[Rating:8]

Web Site: Rivet

Price: $79.90

Rivet has recently released their Leather Folio for Blackberry Playbook and they were very kind to send us a review unit. The black leather case fits snuggly to the Playbook and provides decent protection with access to all the buttons.
 Packaging:

The unit comes in a cardboard box that is nearly twice the size of the unit, with no instructions. When I pointed this to Rivet acknowledged both issues and they are working on it. To get the unit to the market quickly, they used their existing boxes for iPad folio. It is a good thing their shipping company is not charging by volume, rather by weight.

Usage:

The Playbook fits in snugly into the case. It is very lightweight and does not add too much to bulk to the unit. Initially the lid was bending slightly upwards, at the line where you fold it to make it a stand. The lid takes around a week to stretch and fit perfectly. So when you get the case and use it for the first time just give it some time.

While the case protects most of the Playbook, there is weak spots I found. First one would be at the back of the unit, where there is an opening for the camera:

The opening is great for using the camera while Playbook is still in the case, but I believe it is too big and makes the back/camera vulnerable to drops/spills.

The second part is the top of the Playbook. This really is tough spot to cover though, as the case has to leave spots open for microphones, headset jack and other buttons. At least the corners are fully covered. The corners are most prone to damages.

Other than these minor issues, the case works great. The lid stays in place with the aid of a red elastic band. You can quickly slide the band, fold the lid to the back and your Playbook is ready to use. The lid also can be folded near half ways to convert into a useful stand. This can be quite handy when you are watching your favorite show.

The ports on the bottom of the Playbook are accessible only when the lid is folded back. For my daily use, this never presented an issue.

The case is bit pricier than some others. However, Rivet has used high quality leather for their case, it feels great, it is built to last and it will keep your Playbook protected. There’s a soft interior lining and the outer shell is made using rigid plastic. When all these are combined, it gives a great protection against shock and other types of damage, while keeping the bulk to minimum. The Playbook looks great and stylish in Rivet Leather Folio as well.

Overall, I love the Rivet Leather Folio for Playbook. It is stylish, lightweight and offers great protection. Highly recommended.

Pros:

Lightweight

High quality leather

Case doubles as a stand

Cons:

Camera can be susceptible to damage.

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