A protective case system adapted to store a tablet computing device (100; 200), comprising: a protective case including: a first housing including a first L-retainer disposed at a first edge of the first housing and a first retainer protruding in a direction generally perpendicular to a front surface of the first housing and disposed at a second edge of the first housing that is orthogonally oriented with respect to the first edge of the first housing; a second housing including a second retainer protruding in a direction generally perpendicular to a front surface of the second housing; a locking mechanism comprising a carriage coupled to a back surface of the second housing, the locking mechanism configured to lock the second housing in a closed position by positioning the carriage to cover a portion of a back surface of the first housing upon the first and second housings being substantially coplanar in side-by-side arrangement and the front surface of the second housing is generally flush with the front surface of the first housing; a hinge coupling a first side edge of the first housing to a second side edge of the second housing, the first side edge being different than the first edge and the second edge of the first housing; and wherein the hinge is configured to enable rotation of the second housing about a first axis when the locking mechanism is articulated into an open position, the first axis defined by an intersection of a plane parallel to a midsagittal plane and a frontal plane. a protective case including: a first housing including a first L-retainer disposed at a first edge of the first housing and a first retainer protruding in a direction generally perpendicular to a front surface of the first housing and disposed at a second edge of the first housing that is orthogonally oriented with respect to the first edge of the first housing; a second housing including a second retainer protruding in a direction generally perpendicular to a front surface of the second housing; a locking mechanism comprising a carriage coupled to a back surface of the second housing, the locking mechanism configured to lock the second housing in a closed position by positioning the carriage to cover a portion of a back surface of the first housing upon the first and second housings being substantially coplanar in side-by-side arrangement and the front surface of the second housing is generally flush with the front surface of the first housing; a hinge coupling a first side edge of the first housing to a second side edge of the second housing, the first side edge being different than the first edge and the second edge of the first housing; and wherein the hinge is configured to enable rotation of the second housing about a first axis when the locking mechanism is articulated into an open position, the first axis defined by an intersection of a plane parallel to a midsagittal plane and a frontal plane. a first housing including a first L-retainer disposed at a first edge of the first housing and a first retainer protruding in a direction generally perpendicular to a front surface of the first housing and disposed at a second edge of the first housing that is orthogonally oriented with respect to the first edge of the first housing; a second housing including a second retainer protruding in a direction generally perpendicular to a front surface of the second housing; a locking mechanism comprising a carriage coupled to a back surface of the second housing, the locking mechanism configured to lock the second housing in a closed position by positioning the carriage to cover a portion of a back surface of the first housing upon the first and second housings being substantially coplanar in side-by-side arrangement and the front surface of the second housing is generally flush with the front surface of the first housing; a hinge coupling a first side edge of the first housing to a second side edge of the second housing, the first side edge being different than the first edge and the second edge of the first housing; and wherein the hinge is configured to enable rotation of the second housing about a first axis when the locking mechanism is articulated into an open position, the first axis defined by an intersection of a plane parallel to a midsagittal plane and a frontal plane.