[Nexus 9 Accessories] ericplatham:
The good fellows at rooCASE have sent me their Origami case for the Nexus 9 to review. After a few weeks and of testing, here is the my review.

http://www.amazon.com/roocase-Googl...id=1437516245&sr=8-1&keywords=nexus+9+origami

Pro’s:

First up… it has to be the right price or it won’t’ work for me. MSRP on the case is $49.99, but it sells for $19.98 on Amazon. And it is quite the case, albeit not perfect, for $20.

This thing looks awesome and feels awesome (I’ll revisit feeling in a little bit). The hard shell back is a polycarbonate and is really, really solid. It looks to be a quarter inch thick in some places and thicker on the corners for when you drop it. I do like how the N9 is “pinched” into the case as it will allow for the glass screen covers and you don’t have to worry about the case grabbing on to it. I’m not a big fan of NFC, but for those of you who are… no worries, the thick case still allows for NFC transfers.

The cover is made out of polyurethane. The inside cover is like a non-slip surface so when you have the N9 standing, it won’t slide around. The multiple ways you can fold the cover (hence the name Origami) give you plenty of options for your seating position. This is a great option for those who are “road warriors”. After that, the usual stuff you get with most cases is provided such as wake/sleep, and hey… it protects the screen when closed (another topic I will revisit below)

However, looks and feel only get you so far. This case held up to being thrown in a backpack to go to work and to some soccer games just fine. However, I don’t see it as ideal for those rugged people. If you are one of those people who are consistently biking, camping, mountain climbing, sky-diving, and/or warrior against fire-breathing dragons… you may want to check out that Orb System Versa Tough case by rooCASE.

Con’s:

So let’s get back to those things I said I would revisit. First off, I stand by my words that it looks and feel awesome. However, the case does absorb oils from your hands. It takes a little bit to wipe it clean… but keep this in mind. Next thing, and probably the biggest thing is the cover itself. The non-slip surface of the inside cover also sticks to debris. So the chances of scratching the screen is there (but the case does allow for glass screen protectors). The magnets that hold the cover to the case barely, and I mean barely keep the cover closed. As you can see in the photos, the cover opens up in the middle when it is upside-down. So I highly suggest keeping this case to the office/school/home use. Do not use this case for outdoor use (beach, camping, fire-breathing dragons, etc). You will more than likely get debris inside the case and scratch the screen. The last con that I have (and is probably the reason for the loose cover) is that it is not flush to the side of the N9 when closed (see picture of overlap). This is due to how the cover attaches itself to the case.

End Result:

Is the case worth it? I can say yes, as long as you know that the limitations are there. This case looks awesome in the business environment, sleek enough for school, and the cut outs for ports are perfect. I would love to see a better connection of the cover to the overall case to eliminate the flap that hangs over and I would love to see a bit stronger magnets used. The case weighing 0.4lbs adds a small amount of weight… however maybe the guys at rooCASE can develop a skeletonize version of the case can save weight and cost (I can dream, right?).

Either way, it is a great option and worth the $20.