Review: Good Bargain-Priced HDX 8.9" Case, But Lacks Automatic Wake-Up Feature
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 24, 2013
This MARBLUE ULTRA LIGHTWEIGHT CASE for the Kindle Fire HDX 8.9" tablet would be a terrific bargain-priced case, if only the magnets woke the tablet up automatically.  Sadly,  the magnets only hold the cover closed.  Despite that shortcoming, I do like this case.  My HDX rarely travels anywhere, so all I need is a simple case with a built-in stand that will protect the tablet from dust and scratches.This MarBlue Ultra Lightweight case is made of thin leatherette.  It has an interior flap pocket that holds the fairly heavy Kindle Fire HDX 8.9" securely.  The case has a faux-suede lining that makes it feel just a tiny bit luxurious.  The case doesn't have any padding to cushion the HDX from accidental drops, or from loose items in a backpack or bag.The back cover of the case has cutouts for the speakers, power button, volume control, light-level sensor, and rear-facing camera.  As you can see from my accompanying video slide show, these cutouts aren't placed with laser precision.  However, all of the control buttons are accessible, and the off-center cutouts don't faze the rear-facing camera or the light-level sensor.The built-in stand is solid in the "writing desk" position, and reasonably solid in the upright position.  The big HDX tablet doesn't wobble in the upright position, but it can be easily knocked over because of the steep upright angle.  The worst feature of the stand is the tab support.  To set up the stand, you need to fold back the front cover, pull the tab on the back cover up with your fingernails,  and then fumble a bit to secure the edge of the folded-back front cover beneath the tab.Nevertheless, the price (about $20) makes this Kindle Fire HDX 8.9" case an attractive choice if all you need is a bare-bones tablet cover.  Still, because the case doesn't wake my HDX automatically, I rate it at only 4 stars ("I like it" on the official Amazon scale).