Review: Great concept and design, takes getting used to
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 18, 2013
I was looking forward to the Origami case given its unique design and ability to stand in vertical and horizontal positions. So far, I am pleased with it though still getting used to the folding mechanisms. It feels like a natural extension of the Fire HDX. Quick thoughts on the case so far:PROs1. DESIGN - Sleek design, adds very little bulk. The back is a plastic shell and the front is a polyurethane flap.2. MAGNETS - Basic premise of the case is magnets. The device sticks to the case with magnets (stays secure), front flap folds all the way back (for one-handed reading) and stays in place with magnets, and the stands work with magnets.3. SLEEP MODE - Closing the flap automatically triggers sleep mode on the device, opening it turns it back on. The Kindle doesn't make a sound when it locks under the flap. I'm still trying to figure out if there's a setting I can change to get the device to give me an audible that it locked. I guess I"m just used to it.4. BUTTONS - Has embedded volume +/- and power buttons that sit on top of the device buttons. Easy to operate through these rubberized buttons.5. ACCESS - Convenient access to charging port as well as the headphone jack. Speakers are covered but there is enough of a gap to keep sound quality intact. I tested sound quality with and without the case, there seemed to be no degradation.6. STANDS - Stands work in various positions. I care only about three - portrait, landscape for videos (steeper angle), and landscape for typing (lower angle). The magnets engage all three stands securely.CONs1. STANDS TAKE GETTING USED TO - The stands and folding mechanisms take some getting used to. I looked at the product pictures here several times to fold the case the correct way. Now after a few attempts, it's easier to engage the stand.2. PROTECTION - The left side of the case feels a little unprotected initially. But looking at it closely, the edges are protected by the back of the case as well as the front flap. This raised part seems like a deliberate design to service two purposes - keep speakers open and not muffle the sound with the back shell, and give access to the headphone jack on top and charging port at the bottom.Overall I am pleased with this case. I also got the $20 Marware case as a cheaper alternative. I like that one too but I think I will mostly be using this Oragami case because it looks and functions better.-------UPDATE - I just noticed that there was a leaflet included with the case packaging that displays a quick three-step process to fold the stand. I wish I had seen it earlier, I wouldn't have had to repeatedly look at online pictures here. Remember to keep this leaflet for the first few days, it comes handy.