Review: A Solid Four Star Item
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 26, 2013
This is a review of both the black and blue MarBlue Atlas Kindle Cases. These are decent cases and have some good things going for them. I wouldn't say they're great cases but they do the job with, what I consider, only a few flaws.The system for attaching your Kindle to the cover are four very strong and quite tight rubber reinforced elastic cords. I've had several Kindles and numerous cases over the years and as far as four corner case mounts this is the most secure of that style I've ever seen. I had my PaperWhite mounted in this case and shook it violently, over a pillow and ready to catch it should anything happen, and not only did it stay in place it didn't move a fraction of an inch. I was very impressed with that function of the case.The case exterior is a synthetic leather that truly looks and feels like leather. It is well made, and fairly handsome. Unlike many synthetic products this had no harsh chemical smell. The blue cover looks a little less like leather than the black but it is a very nice shade of blue.The interior is an attractive, and soft, dark grey microfiber that's quite pleasing to the touch.The case is held closed or open with a half inch wide cloth elastic that is well attached to the case. This holds the case closed quite well. The hinge area of the case is a bit too large/tall/wide making the case when folded back a little ungainly and if not strapped down it wanted to flop closed.Inside the case is a nearly three inch wide strap made of the same soft, grey microfiber attached with elastics at both the top and bottom. This comes into use when the case is open you can put your hand or fingers under this strap to read one handed. With my PaperWhite I found this to be slightly uncomfortable making me arch my hand in an odd manner to get my thumb onto the screen. I'm not a fan of the strap, the sections at the top and bottom where it's stitched to the elastic create two lumps that sit directly on the Kindle's screen. They're soft but it's two unnecessary pressure points.This case does not have the magnet that the Amazon brand case does that turns the kindle on and off when you open it. The power button on my PaperWhite was a little hard to reach with the shape of the case and the location of the mounting strap. It wasn't too difficult to use but it's nowhere near as easy as opening the case and having your Kindle come on.In conclusion...The case is decent. It's a little... gappy, the front cover bends when you have your hand in the strap and this creates a gap that will let debris into the case and onto your Kindle. I'm not crazy about the strap but that's more personal preference than anything else. This is a well made decently protective Kindle case.