TabuTabletPouch
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Tabü tablet poüch harnesses the power of memory foam, umlauts
If you watched TUAW TV Live this last Wednesday, you'll know that I made jest of the name of what is actually a pretty cool product -- the Tabü tablet poüch -- because of the proliferation of umlauts on the product packaging. At least that's what I think the product is called; the Kickstarter project from whence it sprang seems to eliminate the umlauts. But ignoring the existence or nonexistence of a pair of dots, this US$39.99 product has achieved its Kickstarter funding and will be shipping soon. Design and Functionality The Tabu (I'm dropping the umlauts for brevity) tablet pouch reminds me of the little plastic pencil pouches that we had in elementary school when I was but a child back in the 60s. One side was made of a translucent plastic material so you could look at the contents of the pouch without having to unzip it. Scale that pencil pouch up to iPad size and you have the general idea of the tablet pouch. It too has a clear plastic pouch on one side, so you can pop in your iPad accessories (stylus, Camera Connection Kit, AC adapter, etc...) and see at a glance if you've forgotten any goodies. But a translucent plastic pouch isn't going to protect your iPad, is it? No, that's where the other half of the Tabu tablet pouch comes in handy. It's a thin, but extremely well-protected pouch with a magnetic closure at one end and walls made of memory foam. %Gallery-162715% "Isn't that the stuff they make beds out of?", you ask. Yes. Yes, it is. But don't worry, this thing is really thin; it's not a thick bed-like hunk of memory foam. You won't even be able to use the tablet pouch as a pillow as a result, but for your iPad, that thin layer of memory foam is just enough to keep it really safe. Tabu did some testing with a piece of non-tempered, non-strengthened glass panel (much more fragile than an iPad) in the tablet pouch, and it survived repeated drops. The inside of the tablet pouch is lined with microfiber to clean dust and fingerprints off of your iPad screen when you're popping it into or pulling it out of the pouch. The exterior is made of water resistant polyurethane fiber in either light blue or gray, which is definitely a plus if you're running through the rain with your iPad. I can see using the Tabu tablet pouch as either a standalone iPad protector or used in conjunction with a backpack or larger bag. It doesn't take up all that much volume, but really provides an extra bunch of protection for your favorite tablet. Conclusion Hey, it's funded, but if you want to get that glow of accomplishment that comes with knowing that you backed a winner, you can still get in on the Kickstarter project at the $25 or higher levels. The Tabu tablet pouch is a deceptively simple, but surprisingly functional piece of iPad protection that's lightweight and downright skinny. Pros Very lightweight Water resistant Excellent drop protection from the memory foam pads Translucent accessory pocket makes it easy to make sure you've brought everything with you Magnetic closure keeps the iPad pouch snugged up Cons $39.99 regular price tag seems a bit high considering the bill of materials Who is it for? Anyone looking for thin, lightweight protection for an iPad that just happens to let you carry other accessories at the same time.
