Review: Griffin Elan Folio for iPad

I have decided to give my iPad a real go and replace my paper notebook and pens at work to see if it can become my right hand man at work.  As part of the preparation, I wanted to find a good case/cover for the iPad so I can protect it from the day to day.  When Griffin launched their new Elan Folio case, I thought it'd be great to go for a test drive with it.

Griffin Elan Folio is a porfolio style case that allows you to slide your iPad into the case providing ample all around protection. The cutouts for all the ports, switches, speaker are perfectly aligned so you can have full control of your iPad.  The case allows you to prop up your iPad into two standing positions (both for landscape view).  All in all, the Elan Folio is a very professional looking case; the iPad looks very handsome inside this case.

There are a couple of feedback that I thought could be improved: unlike the Elan Passport for iPad, this case doesn't have the pockets lined up the inside of the case cover (which proved to be handy when I'm at off-site meetings).  Also, the case can only be setup to prop the iPad in landscape view, it would have been nice to be able to prop via picture mode as well.

If you are looking for a handsome looking case to protect your iPad that can be used to prop up your screen in landscape mode, Griffin Elan Folio (MSRP $49.99) case should be one of the consideration.

Griffin Elan Passport iPad Hack

Griffin has launched a new folio case which will address this, but for those of us still using the first generation Elan Passport case, this is an easy hack allowing you to prop up the iPad screen to allow for better viewing angle when working with your iPad over a lengthy period of time.

I wedged my Swiss Army knife underneath. Other objects should work just fine.

RIM Playbook, they might be down, but not out!

Just as I was almost going to write off RIM as a formidable player in the gadget space given its struggle to produce enticing smartphones, out comes a new tablet called the "PlayBook" that just might offer the right play (pun intended) for RIM to take back some uncharted market share.

Everything I am gathering is based on what Engadget has gathered, but looking at the specs tells me that the RIM execs have gotten this one pretty right, they basically added features that addressed all of iPad's flaws.  Some of the notable features that beats the iPads are:

*Front & Rear Mounted Cameras (3MP and 5MP respectively)
*Supports FLASH and HTML5
*HDMI Output w/ 1080P Video Support
*Weights even less at 0.9lbs (compared to iPads 1.5lbs.)
(For more spec, check out Engadget)

No words on how the device can handle file management or battery life (checkout my post about a recent business trip relying only on my iPad), target launch date is early 2011.  This could be just the device that puts RIM back in the center of action, if it can withstand a slew of Android Tablets that are on the market or coming soon.  A word of warning for RIM, the longer you wait to launch, the harder it becomes to gain market share back... hurry!

Mobile Experience: Relying on an iPad Entirely for Business Trip

I attended a 2-day conference in Chicago this week for the first ever Mobile Commerce Forum (more on my feedback later) and I've decided to not take my work laptop to see how an iPad can fare.  I wanted to minimize my traveling weight and see just how the iPad can live up to its name. Along with the iPad will be my iPhone 4 which works out great for two reasons: 1). both devices can share one charger to further minimize my weight and 2). I'll be using SimpleNote app on both so I can update conference or meeting notes on either device and both are sync'd to the cloud.

Setup:  iPad 32GB, iPhone 4 32GB, SimpleNote App, Griffin Elan Passport

After spending two days at the conference with the iPad, I was very impressed with its battery life.  After a full day of turning it on/off, taking notes, surfing the web via WiFi, checking/sending emails, the tablet still has over 60% of battery life at the end of the day.  Typing on the iPad was a total pain in the ass, I really hated it.  I pretty much typed with two fingers and constantly struggle with spelling, caps, auto-correction and switching for symbols like (* or %).  I did noticed a lady several seats away from me brought her Apple Bluetooth Keyboard, I think she definitely 1-up'd me on that front.  SimpleNote worked out great for the conference; it would save a copy of my notes on the server so I can pull them up from my iPhone while walking the Exhibit hall to make edits or add more notes on the fly via my iPhone.  The iPad case I used was the Griffin Elan Passport which worked out really well, not only would it protect my iPad during the traveling, the card slots helped me organized all the business cards I had been collecting throughout.  The iPad helped me keep connected for almost all of my normal work (reading emails, reports, etc...) with one exception where I could not fetch a file that was on my laptop for a co-worker.  I still need to figure out a solution to the work file access in the future.

Overall, I was pretty happy with the iPad's performance.  It's light weight and long battery life (no Laptop I've been issued from work has lasted more than 3 hours at the conference).  I will likely bring my iPad along for future business travels.

Griffin CinemaSeat & PowerJolt for iPad

This summer's best iPad accessories for your road trip!


If you have small children, then you should be able to relate that road trips now takes more time to prepare and endure.  For a long time, I've opted for a tablet-styled portable DVD player system such as this Philips dual screen system.  As you know, taking a portable DVD player would require you to carry DVDs with you, again adding more inconvenience to the process.  This is where your iPad with CinemaSeat + PowerJolt car charger comes in.

CinemaSeat (MSRP: $39.99)
The CinemaSeat is a horizontal faux-leather case that comes with velcro-adjustable strap for the back of your car's headrest.  The case is elegant and has a finish that will blend quite nicely with the interior of any car (so long as your car's interior is lighter color).  The velcro is designed to wrap in between the headrest and the car seat so it will not bother the driver or passenger headrests.  There are no adjustments that can be made so if the position of the iPad is not at an ideal viewing angle, there isn't too much you can do.  In my recent road trip, using the iPad to playback a movie for my child proved to be a very good thing.  The iPad's screen lights up beautifully while the speakers provided ample sounds for the car ride.  My only gripe (and its to no fault of Griffin's) is that I wished there was a way to remotely control the iPad so to restart a movie wouldn't require us to pull the iPad out of the CinemaSeat.  I also wished the CinemaSeat would come with a black finish to blend into my car's interior.  Note: CinemaSeat has a pretty tight fitment so you can't use a case with your iPad, the way I do it is to use the Griffin Elan Passport to transport the iPad so that it can be easily taken out for the car ride while providing ample protection for the rest of the trip.

Griffin PowerJolt car charger for the iPad (MSRP:

The PowerJolt for iPad is the other essential road trip accessory for your iPad.  Unlike your typical charger which runs at 5V DC output at 0.5 or 1.0A, this bad boy pumps out the juice at 2.1A.  In basic terms, this charger will charge your iPad at a much faster rate than the lower amperage chargers.  The package also comes with a USB cable since that is the plug type at the back end of the charger.  In theory, this charger would work and charge all USB devices as Griffin pretty much suggests it to work with most of the iPhones and iPods up to date. The PowerJolt makes a great companion for your upcoming road trip for obvious reasons.  Note: Personally, I don't like to mix the chargers amongst my device when they have different amperage rating even if the output are all at 5V DC, I am not sure if the extra amperage/increased charge rate will do any negative impact to the battery of those devices.

Review: Griffin Elan Form Graphite for iPad

If you've read my review on the Griffin Reveal Etch (Graphite) for the iPhone, then you'll know how much I liked Griffin's Graphite texture/design.  I think Griffin Technology's designers know the Graphite texture compliments well to Apple devices so they launched a new case for the iPad known as Griffin Elan Form Graphite for iPad (MSRP $49.99).

This hardshell case is very easy to apply, just snap it over your iPad and in 2 seconds you are ready to go.  As far as the look goes, I really like the minimalist approach to the Elan Form Graphite, the case hardly adds any thickness to the iPad and the cut outs for the buttons and ports are precisely done; with this case on, you should still be able to use other Griffin accessories such as the A-Frame stand or the new CinemaSeat (I'll review this later).  As for protection, it will prevent the back of your iPad from getting all scratched up but I would still use with care since I don't think this case will offer good protection against drops and since the front is flush, I would avoid setting the iPad face down using this case.  For stronger protection, I would recommend something like the Griffin Elan Passport or Otterbox Commuter Series.

I think Griffin has produced another attractive, slim case for your iPad and compliments really well to its Graphite design.

The iPad and It’s Profound Impact

Every once in a while, a unique product comes along, muddles up the mobile environment and changes the game; blurring the line amongst various appliances and interactions.  When the iPad first arrived to  the scene, I immediately dismissed it, my argument was a simple and utilitarian one: “The iPad was too big to be mobile but not powerful enough to compete with a netbook or an ultraportable laptop.”  I still find that statement to be true (especially so from a recent trip) but I’m starting to embrace the iPad’s ultimate impact.

As an iPad user, I find myself using the iPad frequently despite my negative feelings towards this inadequate device (as a computer substitute given its size).  The iPad bridges a gap for when I’m in a situation where a laptop would be cumbersome.  For instance, I often browse the iPad while on the couch in front of our television set or laying in bed.  It’s form factor and instant-on ability is why I find myself reading electronic Newspapers in the morning with my coffee at the breakfast table; prior to this, I’ve never brought my laptop along for breakfast to read the news.

As an online marketer and internet retailer, I’m starting to see iPads popping up the chart in the analytics software.  Within Coremetrics' Emerging Opportunities report, the iPad within 3 month of its inception made its way up to become the highest converting and grossing mobile device.  Again, in the beginning, I dismissed the iPad phenomenon thinking there is no need to invest in an unique iPad user interface since its large screen permits a full desktop web experience.  That is until I made the connection with my own usage to realize that while the iPad is capable of most desktop web experience, its smarter if retailers/marketers cater a dedicated device experience (either via mobile web or application) for the iPad users.

Knowing that iPad owners incremental usage and their willingness to engage and transact, I hereby urge all marketers and internet retailers to embrace and offer an enhanced user experience for iPad users.  Simple optimizations such as redirecting iPad users to an alternate website enlarging the text size/hyperlinks/buttons or changing Flash animation to GIF or HTML5 can probably improve conversion rate by a couple of percentage points.  As I’ve stated, the iPad is not quite a mobile device or a laptop, therefore its best that you cater an experience that is just in between.  If you are doubtful, take a look at your analytics software, see how your customers are using the iPad to engage with your brand.  Cheers!

Review: Griffin A-Frame for iPad

If you've spent ample amount of time with your iPad, you'll find the viewing angle of the device a bit awkward either if you leave it on a flat surface (hunching over with a cramped neck) or holding the device up with your hands (gives your forearm a cramp).  This is where Griffin's new A-Frame desktop stand for iPad may come in handy.

The A-Frame is a sturdy desktop frame made up of Aluminum with some heft in its weight.  The construction is very well built and feels very precise; the look matches your iPad's finish perfectly.  There are rubber padding in all the right areas (foot, backside) to keep your iPad propped up with high stability.  The designers cleverly left all the important cutouts so you can keep your iPad connected to an external power source.  The A-Frame is not a charging cradle although thinking about it, it could have been a nice feature to have.  For what it is, it does a great job holding your iPad (naked or in the Griffin FlexGrip iPad Case).
I am very pleased with the A-Frame especially while watching a movie on my iPad. At $49.99 MSRP, the stand can be pricey but its a small price to pay to elevate your mobile experience with the iPad knowing its propped up with stability.

Review: Griffin Elan Passport Case for iPad

UPDATE (5/28/10): Griffin has reached out and clarified that they've improved the Griffin Elan Passport case design so the loops blocking either the lock/landscape/portrait or speaker ports are no longer blocking.  I've included an updated picture at the bottom.

If you are looking for a professional iPad case that is easy to use without having to pull the iPad in or out of a sleeve, Griffin's Elan Passport may be a case worth consideration at $49 MSRP. With a folio-styled design, this attractive case is made of a synthetic material that looks like leather especially with its sporty white stitching along the border.  The inside of the Elan Passport is made of a grey micro suede material to gently caress your iPad; when in use, it reminds me one of those fancy legal pad folios often seen in a board room.  It also comes with 4 card holder to increase its usability.  The iPad installs easily and stays in snuggly and it definitely provides ample protection.

There are some areas for improvement from the Griffin Elan Passport case, for instance, two of the four loops that holds the iPad in actually interferes with the iPad's hardware design.  One of the loop blocks portion of the speaker/mic port and the other blocks the power button and the portrait/landscape lock.  All together, the case doesn't get in the way of using your iPad but its still a design flaw never-the-less.  I would have also liked to have seen this case to fold into a desktop prop like the Apple iPad case.

If you are a young professional and do not like the idea of constantly taking your iPad in and out of a sleeve based case, the Griffin Elan Passport is definitely a good choice for a work setting to impress your co-workers or clients.

Improved Loop design shown below (updated 5/28/2010):

Revew: Griffin FlexGrip for iPad

Upon first glance, I thought to myself, will a skin-like case for the iPad work as good as the ones we've been using on iPhones?  Well, the answer is "Yes".  If you've handled an iPad before, you'll notice the device can be a little slippery given the slick aluminum casing on the back, most people would try to avoid the inevitable and minimize their finger contact on the screen thus increase the risk of dropping their beloved iPad.  Thats why it all makes sense after I installed Griffin's FlexGrip (MSRP $34.99), a silicon skin for the iPad.  The case is easily installed and instantly provides protection, padding and extra grip. There are all the appropriate cutouts for various ports and control precisely carved out for ease of control. Overall, I was pleasantly pleased with using this skin. In fact, after a days use, I am convinced that this is probably the case for me since it offers the most versatility.  With this case on, I can easily toss the iPad into my messenger bag not having to deal with another case.  For the most part, I'm not concerned about the screen being scratched but if you have other hard objects in your bookbag, you might want to use a sleeve or portfolio style case just to provide proper protection.

Review: Griffin Elan Sleeve for iPad

Griffin, as you would have expected, has introduced a series of iPad accessories to help you protect your new gadget.  Tonight, I'm reviewing a sleeve called Griffin Elan Sleeve for iPad (MSRP $49) as part of my iPad case review series. At first glance, the sleeve looks and feels like its composed of a leather exterior but it is actually made of a synthetic material held together with white stitching giving a sporty look. First impression with the Elan Sleeve is that it is thin; even with the iPad inside, the case doesn't add too much thickness to the iPad while offering ample protection.  The Elan case has a cool little trick to its design; by pulling on the folding clasp, the iPad will be released from the case with minimal effort.

Overall, the Elan Sleeve is a very solid case with a very professional styling.  Like my previous review, my only feedback is the sleeve design would require you to tend to both your iPad and the sleeve while on the go.  The case is for iPad only so be sure to pack your charger and cable separately.

Review: ColcaSac case for iPad

The folks at ColcaSac was kind enough to send me a review sample of their latest iPad case and I was eager to test it out on my iPad.  This sleeve case is composed of a durable linen/canvas like outer material while the lining inside is made with a plush sherpa fleece which caresses the iPad.  The case fits like a glove and provides ample protection.  ColcaSac iPad (MSRP $35) case has an external pocket which is the only iPad case I've seen thus far that offers for storage of the charger; definitely a convenient feature.  The thickness, however, is noticeable since it is filled with the said sherpa fleece lining when compared to other iPad cases.

Since this case is a sleeve design, make sure that is what you are looking for as it would require you to take your iPad in and out of the case each time you need access.  I think its more suitable for people that are more stationary so removing and storing of case when in use is more appropriate.  For business travelers, I would probably recommend a portfolio-styled case. ColcaSac has been making the same cases for Macbook and Macbook Pro for quite some time so you can be sure this is made of the same high quality by a very solid company; not to mention they are proudly made in the U.S.A (Salt Lake City, Utah to be more specific).

The Search for an ideal iPad Case

If you bought an iPad and would like to get some protection for your $500 investment, whats the most ideal case for you? Do you want a sleeve, case or portfolio version? I'm trying to figure that out myself.  I've round up a short list cases from a few manufacturers for a review and will give you my honest opinion for each.  Here are the ones I've arranged thus far and will work on getting more for a complete coverage.  Over the next few days, I"ll be working on reviewing each one and post the my reviews below  Once a review has been put up, I"ll link it to the product below:

Griffin Elan Sleeve for iPad - ($49.99 Griffin)
Griffin FlexGrip for iPad - ($34.99 Griffin)
Griffin Elan Passport for iPad - ($49.99 Griffin)
colcasac for iPad - ($34.95 colcasac)
Apple iPad Case MC361ZM/A - ($39.99 Apple)

Review: Apple iPad 16GB WiFi Edition

Special thanks to my friend Elliot for letting Amy bullying you into lending us this iPad the first day you received it…

I have had the pleasure of getting my hands on a brand new Apple iPad to play with over the weekend and I have never felt such a mixture of emotions towards a mobile device of my entire life.  Just when I think I have fallen in love with it, I’ll find a reason or two to remind me how much I find it to be inadequate.  As soon as I thought I’ve come up with enough reasons to dismiss this gadget, I will see something much more polished than the iPhone and the potential it has to be the next greatest thing.  Perhaps by the time I’m through writing this review, I’ll will have reached a verdict.

Lets get physical!

Its hard not to concentrate on the iPad’s sheer size when all of us have been trained for the past 3 years to associate this OS to the pocket-friendly iPhone.  Looking at the iPad for the first time makes you feel like you are starring at a freakishly large iPhone.  With a push of the home button (given this device’s larger size, I find myself using the home button to power on much more so than on an iPhone where I would use the power button 50% of the time), the LED powered screen lights up with intensity and clarity.  At 1.5lbs, the built and feel of the device can best be described as hefty, in other words, don’t expect to prop this device with your hands for a long period of time.  I find myself setting it flat against the table top for all of my usage. In terms of buttons, switches and ports, an iPhone user will find his or her way around the iPad no problem.  There is the 3.5mm headphone jack with the power switch up top and the data port with the speaker and microphone on the bottom.  Apple switched the volume control to the right side and added a lock switch right above it. It’s a little disappointing that Apple did not consider to include some basic computing ports such as GPS, USB and HDMI ports or include a much needed webcam for video conferencing, its little things like this that throws in mixed signal at me to question what this device is good for.


Power Up!
The first thing I wanted to try is to surf the web on this thing, the model I am reviewing is a WiFi-only model. Typically, when I am connecting to any computing device, first thing I reach for is my USB key that holds my network’s 26-character WEP string and I would copy and paste it to establish connection, I got pretty frustrated when I realized I have to key this in manually since the iPad lacks USB ports.  Given the new onscreen keyboard is much larger (almost as big as the uber-small keyboard I’m typing on Sony VGN-TXN27N 10.1” laptop for this review), keying in the WEP key is about as pain free as any touchscreen device can wish for.  Most of my typing on the iPad is done using both of my index fingers since I just can’t type it as if it’s a real keyboard, I just don’t see how it can be done; I guess in that respect, the iPad’s keyword is “twice” as fast as I can type on an iPhone.  Battery seems to hold a strong charge that lasts; over the past 12 hours of sporadic usage, it consumed 10% of its power while connected to WiFi.

Default App Experience
If you are familiar with an iPhone, navigating the iPad will be second nature to you.  A handful of default apps made its way over to iPad with much enhancement. Surfing the web on this device is pretty amazing; it is basically desktop web surfing enabled (minus the Flash support); in ways, surfing the web in the native portrait mode is extra refreshing given you’ll see more page coverage before the fold compared to a laptop’s 16:9 screen in landscape mode.  Google, of course, has already designed web-apps to conform and leverage iPad’s new screen real estate, for instance when you login to Gmail via iPad, the new layout has the inbox stacked on the left half of the screen with the email conversation stacked to the right; where things gets confusing is the way some sites such as Google treats the iPad (as a mobile device thus serving mobile web apps instead full website), I managed to toggle over to the desktop version of Gmail but couldn’t get it to go back to mobile version which can be a frustrating experience, lets just call this one of the many platform/identity crisis iPad faces.  Given that the sceensize is now 9.7” at 1024x768, the web-based apps experience is a lot more powerful than the experience you’ll get from your iPhone, so long as Flash is not involved, the iPad has enabled some potential there.

YouTube, Calendar, Notes, Contacts and GMAP are all beefed up with better graphics which draws many design cue straight out of Apple’s desktop OS X.  YouTube for some reason really popped out on the iPad with amazing clarity and much better presentation than the iPhone and/or desktop browser experience.  The basic operations to move App icons around or add/remove from dock is the same as an iPhone; only major difference is the ability to navigate in landscape mode.  I often refer to the iPad as an iPhone on steroids physically, but I’ll hand over some credit to Apple for giving the default apps some performance-enhancing treatment as well.

iPad Apps 3rd Party
Apple is betting big on the iPad Apps to help define its market for iPads; with faster hardware and larger screen real estate, 3rd party app developers will surely come up with creative ideas to boost user’s mobile experience.  Already, I’ve heard good things about some very creative applications developed for iPad or in the works.  For instance, Scrabble managed to tie in iPhones to allow a mobile Scrabble game using iPad as the game board. Whats noteworthy is that default iPhone/iPod Touch apps should work on the iPad, However, by introducing iPad to the mix, the mobile strategy for just about every company out there just got a lot more complicated; you now have up to 4 different hardware to consider before designing an app and thats not including thinking about other non-OSX mobile platforms, so I digress…

I downloaded Marvel’s Comic book app which looks spectacular with ability to double tap to zoom into to a pane; never have I enjoyed reading a comic book more than on the iPad; ABC’s app is also amazing in that it serves up most of its TV shows via high quality stream with some commercials in between (they’ve really figured out a way to make money via the web and emerging platforms, kudos to ABC team).  I know Apple has released iWork for iPad to legitimize iPad’s role as a productivity tool, I didn’t get around to test that so can’t make any comment but according to TUAW, the Keynote app fell a little short.  I’m not sure why Apple did not bring the Weather App and Stock App along but I found Weatherbug and Bloomberg for iPad does a marvelous job of covering both subject matters.  As for the whole using iPad as an eBook alternative, I’ve never really used an e-ink based product to compare so I can’t comment on that; I have to imagine thou iPad’s screen brightness may not be ideal for long hours of reading.

Conclusion
Throughout the entire time I was playing with the iPad, I’ve gone back and forth with my feeling towards it.  On one hand, this device is a bit bulky, heavy and limited on flexibility (no USB, no ethernet, no webcam, etc…) but on the other hand, the applications for the iPad makes it super robust and unique for a solid mobile experience.  While the iPad’s 9.7” screensize is comparable to a netbooks, somehow I find the shorter reading distance between my eyes and the iPad much more comfortable than the reading distance between my eyes and a netbook or laptop screen.  I have every reason to believe the iPad will become a very formidable device as more 3rd party apps get developed.  As for me, the iPad’s size will make it compete for a space in my backpack that has a laptop in it otherwise, but unfortunately, iPad just does not deliver enough functionality to replace my laptop.  The lack of a webcam and mere fact that an iPad will need to be sync’d with a desktop via iTunes pretty much defined its limitation as a computer replacement. 

In conclusion, I see the iPad as a weird filler device between a laptop and cell phone, but due to its size and incomplete hardware offering, it suffers from a bit of identity crisis (not small enough to be a pocket-able mobile device but not powerful enough to replace a laptop).  At the end of the day, I would still prefer to carry an iPhone and MacBook Air around town.

An Apple a Day...

This week is the week of Apple news. Forget about President Obama's first State of Union Address or the Feds holding the rates steady, all eyes are on Apple. First, they rocked Wall Street with their $3B earnings in Q1 of 2010. Second, Google out-witted Apple Engineers with a true Google Voice web app workaround. Third, Apple announced the much-waited-rumored-sketched iPad Tablet device. Lets take a deep breath and digest the latter two news.

Google Voice Web App: I'll make this one quick; this has always been a battle of the wits. Simply speaking, Google Engineers are way too much of a bad-ass to take no for an answer, so they are proving a point by beating Apple's backwards-thinking App store by offering a fully functional Google Voice application via Web Browser. PC Mag has a good hands-on review here.

Apple iPad: What is this thing suppose to be? I'm lost. Steve Jobs pitched it as filler for a gap between a smartphone and a laptop but I can't figure out what does this serve. As it stands for me, my iPhone and laptop is what I take along pretty much everywhere I go. For me to grind out some real work, I'll bust out my work-issued 14" Laptop with a real keyboard and resolution (1440x760) for some spreadsheet action. While traveling, I rely on my iPhone a bit more to stay in sync with news, emails and calls. There really isn't anymore room in my bag for another device. For those without a Smartphone and a laptop, this is probably considerable, however, for a device that is suppose to rival a real computer, the OS (iPhone OS 3.2) isn't quite as capable (yet) to replace a laptop. For starters, Apple messed up in two areas: 1). Lack of Camera for video-conferencing and 2). Still doesn't support Flash... WHAT?!?. That said, this tablet is nothing but an oversized iPhone without the phone, atleast it has a microphone. For more detailed info on specs, checkout Engadget's post. At a starting price of $629 plus a monthly data premium from AT&T... I've already to tossed this one right next to the Apple TV section.

{Does anyone else besides me find the name iPad a bit confusing with iPod... both visually and phonically?}