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Twelve South's SurfacePad for iPhone: sleek, slim and sleather
Yeah, sleather's not a word, but I'm going to use it anyway because I love alliteration. Twelve South, that wonderful company that has brought a gaggle of gorgeous Apple-only products to life, has just announced the SurfacePad for iPhone (US$34.99). Here's a quick review of this latest addition to the Twelve South family.
Design
I refused to put a case of any sort onto my iPhone 5 for one very personal reason; I love the sleek look of the phone. But, as expected, I got a little scratch on the anodized black aluminum as a result of my stubborn refusal to put the device into a case.
At a meeting with Twelve South founders Andrew and Leigh-Ann Green last night, the company unveiled the SurfacePad for iPhone. The case immediately attracted my attention -- it's thin and it's genuine leather. The leather makes each case literally one of a kind, with a unique feel and look that improves with age. The company built upon experience from the SurfacePad leather cover for MacBook, creating a durable and thin cover that wraps your iPhone 4/4S or 5 in black, white or red leather.
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Rather than making the case thick by adding a plastic or wood cradle, Twelve South simply attaches the leather back to the iPhone with a removable adhesive pad. It's very easy to take off and replace later, so if you wish to protect your iPhone with something like an OtterBox Defender while hiking and then switch back to the SurfacePad for dinner at a nice restaurant, you can.
There are nice little touches; half of the adhesive backing is securely fastened to the leather, the other half isn't. That means that you can use the SurfacePad like a miniature Smart Cover to prop up your iPhone for watching video.
On the "spine" of the case there are two small embossed buttons so you don't need to open the SurfacePad to adjust the volume of your iPhone. It's a nice detail that fellow TUAWer Megan Lavey-Heaton pointed out to me, and another example of the fine design work done by Twelve South.
If you've been waiting for a classy protective iPhone case that doesn't add bulk to your device, your ship has come in. The SurfacePad for iPhone delivers a luxury feel and has great looks that compliment the sleek design of your device.
As one would expect from a firm that includes a former fashion designer and marketer in the list of founders, Twelve South shot a high-fashion video that highlights the case. Check it out below.
