Dollar Store Accessories: Tablet sleeves

Continuing with our series exploring dollar store accessories, I recently picked up a pair of sleeves compatible with original and bite sized mini iPads.

Widely available at most dollar stores, low-cost sleeves provide utilitarian tablet protection. The ones I bought and tested consisted of a spongy exterior fabric, with a sturdy Velcro closing. Both were sized appropriately for Apple products.

There's really not much you can say about a tablet sleeve beyond: "it fits" and "it worked." The ones I purchased met both criteria. They offered satisfactory tablet protection and seemed well-enough made for extensive use, which mostly consists of being placed into backpacks, luggage or briefcases. There were no sharp edges inside or any other concerns of that nature.

Compared to home-brew solutions like padded mailing envelopes, these sleeves are lightweight and unobtrusive. They will not, however, win fashion awards or make anyone stop you to say, "Where did you get that fashionable tablet sleeve?"

They're just, well, there.

There, however, is not a bad thing -- especially when you're only looking for a bit of protection from sharp edges as you get around your day. At US$1, TUAW finds these sleeves to be a good, but unexciting value.