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This Germanmade sleeve is the best MacBook Pro case you can buy
I just got a new 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, and it's the best Apple product I've ever bought. It's also the most expensive. Being so thin and having such a beautiful hi-res display, it feels more vulnerable than my older MacBook Pro. That's why I take my sleeve and cases very seriously from a design and build perspective. Thankfully, I stumbled upon a German company called Germanmade. I can confidently say its MacBook Pro with Retina display sleeve is the best MacBook sleeve on the market. Design The Germanmade MacBook Pro 15'' Retina sleeve is made from an "exclusive" leather the company sources. The interior lining of the case is made from a natural, anthracite-colored felt and the entire sleeve is stitched with contrast stitching. The sleeve comes in four colors: night (black), magma (red), earth (dark brown) and vintage (light brown). I chose the night color because I like my sleeves dark, so any dirt or stains don't show up. The interior felt lining is only available in black. Build While design is probably the most important thing many of us care about when choosing a sleeve, when you have a US$3,000 laptop, the build of the case becomes just as -- if not more -- important. Sliding my MacBook Pro into the sleeve requires just the right amount of effort. It doesn't just fall in like some other sleeves I've tried. You need to apply pressure to get it in all the way. This means the interior dimensions of the sleeve are fitted just right, and the MacBook fits snugly inside. The leather is of a high-quality range that, once you have your MacBook in this sleeve, makes it feel like it's protected by an impenetrable skin. I feel totally comfortable with my MacBook Pro protected in nothing but this sleeve when I throw it into my backpack with other books, my e-reader and the odd grocery item. But the thing I really love about this sleeve is the wide flap that Velcros around the middle part of the sleeve's opening. This gives you an extra bit of added security. This is probably not needed, since the sleeve fits so well, but it adds great peace of mind and also looks cool. Cost The Germanmade MacBook Pro 15'' Retina sleeve is €89.95 (about $121.00) plus shipping. Yes, it's pricey for a sleeve, but you are paying for the excellent materials, build and design. Whether it's for your MacBook Pro or a loved one's, this sleeve makes the perfect gift this holiday season.
Germanmade handmade wood and leather g.2 iPad-Case for iPad 2
Most premium iPad cases are pretty similar. Some are bags, some flips cases, some sleeves -- Germanmade has done something a bit different with their book-style case. Construction and design Made from leather stretched over veneer, the case has a uniquely organic feel. From the outside it looks just like a leather-bound book. The sides resemble mottled pages, with the hardback cover completing the look. Both the wood veneer and surface cover material are exquisitely finished, giving a genuinely luxury feel. The inside of the case is finished in natural wood and an inlay color of your choice, in this case white. It's put together really well too, feeling pretty solid all round, yet reasonably light for the size and amount of material used. While I wouldn't want to drop the iPad in the case, it's likely to be held pretty well; although the case itself is likely to come off pretty knackered from a fall of any decent height. Use The case fits the iPad 2 very well, holding it securely in place with small rubber friction pads in the corners. The front flap is held in place by a thin strip of black elastic that reminds me of those gorgeous moleskine notebooks. In the lid are the required magnets to shut off the iPad 2 upon closing -- a nice touch. The wood of the case is shaped to give you access to all that the iPad does without taking it out of the case. Cut outs allow access to the side switch and volume rocker, dock connector port, headphones and power button; there's even a shaped cut out for the speaker on the back of the iPad 2, which projects the sound forward. There's no access to the back camera, but taking the iPad in and out of the case is a breeze thanks to thumb-sized cutouts for leverage The case also has two tricks up its sleeve. The first is that the front flap can be folded around the back to create a landscape support for typing. It provides just enough of an angle to make using the keyboard just that little bit easier on your wrists like Apple's Smart Cover does. The second trick is a vertical stand. Cut into the wood at the bottom left edge of the case are two grooves that you can place the naked iPad in, propping it up vertically in either landscape or portrait orientation. It's extremely stable and makes a nice desktop stand as long as you've got enough room for it. The case comes in two space variants. One of them just takes the iPad; the other is a little thicker and takes the iPad as well as an iPhone, a pen and a pad of paper, which are hidden behind the iPad in the case. It makes an excellent alternative to a small briefcase for light office duties and keeps everything nice and secure. %Gallery-139917% Verdict If you're looking for something a bit different, something sophisticated that doesn't look out of place on a desk full of books, then the Germanmade series of iPad and iPad 2 cases are just the ticket. They're not the most portable of protection for your tablet, but looking like a book you can just carry them on their own, without fear of them being pinched. They're available in both iPad and iPad 2 flavors, with and without the spaces for the iPhone and bits. They're well finished, hand made, and available in a plethora of different finishes and colors. They command a price that's well above average for iPad cases, but the unique styling and quality handmade fit and finish certainly set it apart from the rest. Be sure to check out the gallery above for some close-ups of the individual features. Germanmade cases can be had for between US$100 and $160 plus shipping depending on model and cover material.
