BookBook iPad Case

Product Description

BookBook for iPad Volume II is a handmade one-of-a-kind, hardback leather case that doubles as a fully adjustable stand. Along with its vintage looks, this case makes iPad feel as if you're holding a real book, and in many ways you are holding a book. BookBook for iPad forms a safe cocoon around your prized iPad. The hardback cover and spine provide impact protection, while the hard protective inner frame offers crush protection. Hand distressed covers mean no two look alike. As a bonus, the unique design of this case disguises iPad for an extra level of stealthy security.

Features

Top Reviews

What happened? Replacement was terrible, too.
by A. McPherson (1 out of 5 stars)
February 12, 2013

I bought a BookBook for an ipad a few years ago and it was great. It felt sturdy and there was some padding on the inside and the zipper did not feel cheap. This BookBook that I bought for my ipad is just not the quality from a few years ago. The front cover really feels like cardboard and the zipper is just cheap and temperamental. There is nothing luxurious about it for $79. The price is still the same on these two products, but they seem worlds apart. I will keep it, but something has gone wrong with the quality.

EDIT: The replacement was an even bigger piece of crap. DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT! The price is ridiculous for how low quality it is now. The first one I bought a few years ago was exceptional quality made in China. These two pieces of cardboard with crappy zippers that bust constantly is made in India.

Again, DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT!

I hope someone from Twelve South is actually reading this feedback because you have a problem with your overpriced product. I would pay $29.99 for it if you remove the zippers and figure out another closure. Nothing worse than busted zippers. And $29.99 is being generous.
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Premium Product with Cheap Zipper Design
by flatmacsurf (1 out of 5 stars)
April 26, 2013

I bought this product based upon the great Book Book iPhone 5 case I purchased as a gift for my girlfriend. I was very disappointed in the iPad version as soon as I tried the zipper enclosure. I was extremely careful, but knew that at some point these zippers were going to split. I didn't think it would happen 30 seconds in, but sure enough, that is all it took. Although it came back together, I could see that his was going to be a product that frustrated me day in and day out.

Twelve South has a reputation for caring about design, but the decision to go with this cheap zipper enclosure was a wrong move. I'm surprised it made it out the door and into customer's hands. They need to start over on this one.
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Substandard workmanship & quality
by RjB (1 out of 5 stars)
July 23, 2014

I want to start by saying that 3-4 years ago, I bought an identical iPad cover from Twelve South for my iPad. Same design, just in black. The cover was fantastic. High quality leather, metal teeth on the sipper, high quality leather slip cover on the inside to hold my ipad. That cover from constant use, finally gave way. So I figured I'd stay with the same company and just change up the game a bit by picking another color, red.

I don't know whether it's the difference in color or that these iPad covers became widly popular and Twelve South decided to skimp on the materials. The difference in just the feel of the covers is instantly noticed. Instead of a leather feel, the cover has a cardboard feel. As well, the quality of the leather (if you can call it that) sleeve on the inside to hold the iPad is also like cardboard. The worst is the zipper. It's made with plastic teeth. Even empty, you can barely pull the zipper from one side of the ipad to the other without having to pull really hard to get the zipper to close.

Much less, when folded open, the zipper has no give and pulls so tightly, it feels like the cover is going to break when fully extended open. It's a shame. Especially because the first case I bought 3-4 years ago, was made with exceptional quality and craftsmanship.

Before anyone starts bashing, yes, I bought the correct cover for the correct version of iPad that I own. As well, "EVEN WITH THE CASE EMPTY YOU HAVE TO USE EXCESSIVE FORCE TO PULL THE ZIPPER FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER TO CLOSE THE CASE!!! This is a substandard product to say the least and anyone that has owned a previous version of book book for their iPad should steer clear of this version. Again, I returned the cover for 2 exchanges with no difference. I'm now returning the cover for a full refund.
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This product is rated R for RETURN
by J.M.B. (2 out of 5 stars)
March 25, 2014

Received this yesterday (after waiting quite some time) and I just requested a return now. I really, really wanted to like this but I cannot justify paying $80 for something so cheaply made. Ok, so the covers are made from thin cardboard- I could deal with that as overall it looks good and there is a nice leather area inside to hold my iPad. Here's my major gripe: the zippers are absolute crap. I gently tried to close them & they left gaps (i.e. the zipper teeth started coming apart) straight away! The same with the other zipper!! There are probably better zippers on a pair of jeans from a dollar store in China! So disappointed as I waited in anticipation for so long to have it delivered and it's junk. How can it be used without zippers (or some other way) to close?

There are other reviewers here that had the same issue... I should have listened to them... will you listen to me?

Also, the box it was sent in was way too big for the case & there was no packing material (not even newspaper) for protection so the case was probably banging around inside the box during delivery & that's why a corner was bent. Seems like their whole operation is cheap except for the price. Since they're good at cutting corners, let's see how quickly they can process my return.

I'll update soon enough. All the best, JMB
... [update] .. 12S was great to email a return prepaid shipping label at no cost and my refund should be complete ASAP. The company has good customer service as per this transaction and was quite responsive. .. still wish the zippers/product quality was better :)
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Most unique case out there! I love it!
by Chelsiekayt (5 out of 5 stars)
January 17, 2014

I would recommend this vintage bookbook case to anyone looking for an iPad case that not everyone has. This case is beautiful! It is a little bit pricey but one way to order cheaper is by looking in the used section for one that only has minor cosmetic damage and is still sold by amazon. The cosmetic damage just makes it more personalized :) . I have had my bookbook for about five months and I love it. I use it every day. I have had to sew the top piece of leather by the power button but once that is reinforced it is good to go. The only other thing I want to mention is the zipper. I knew before I bought it about the zipper problems of coming off of their tracks. But because of the gorgeousness of the case I got it anyway. I am just careful to close it and open it making sure that the zippers are ALL the way opened when opening and I hold the covers together while closing. Never force it! If the zipper does brake I thought of a few different ways to remedy it's closing and functionality. I know it seems like I have said a lot of negative things but I still give his beauty a five star rating. It is so soft and protective on the inside. I have dropped it lots and never hurt it or the iPad inside. It totally looks like a real book and I get compliments all the time! It's not too heavy and has a variety of viewing positions. I love it and if anything ever happens to it I would buy another. I hope this helps you make your selection. Happy hunting!
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Twelve South BookBook for iPad 3
by mialro (3 out of 5 stars)
October 4, 2012

I bought this case because I wanted a slim, zippered case that looked like a book for my iPad. Is it? Yes, but it's also not worth the $80 I spent. For some reason, the leather inner slipcase/sleeve for the iPad has way too much material, causing too much bulk. Puzzlingly, the case itself seems to be just thick enough to incorporate the iPad alone without any of the extra stuff already in it, like the leather inner sleeve or the snaps used to secure it, etc. They made the entire case! How could they make it too thin for what's inside it? A main problem is that the zipper is too narrow to comfortably zip the case up without feeling like you're going to break it. The first few times I zipped it closed, the zipper actually opened up a gap BEHIND the zipper! I have to zip the case closed very slowly and carefully to make sure it will close properly and not gap open again, which frankly is persnickety and ridiculous for a case that cost 80 dollars. It should be magical and cure headaches for that prize. When the case is completely zippered closed, it feels like it's bulging. I'm also not fond of the distressing, which is supposed to make the case look like an old, well-loved book and instead makes it look like the case was rubbed over with steel wool haphazardly. I say just let it age/wear naturally. I asked Amazon for and got a replacement case, thinking it just might be my particular case's fault, but the case they sent me was just as bad, so I sent it back and kept my original one because that one and its zipper at least were getting used to having an iPad inside them. Maybe it'll stretch out or something. There isn't any other iPad case that I like better (I haven't really tried any other, to be honest) but I'm pretty disappointed at the quality of this one. I'd get something else if I were you. You have to be able to find better cases for this kind of money.
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Read this before you purchase one
by A Nonymous (2 out of 5 stars)
February 4, 2013

I bought two of these covers within a month of each other for my 3rd gen. Ipad. Taking it out of the bag, it was lovely. One of the most beautiful covers I've ever seen. I ensconced my new iPad with no trouble and was very pleased, at first. After a few days the zipper started to malfunction. I could zipper it shut however, the teeth on the bottom half of the case would not bind together leaving an open space. It was nearly impossible to reverse the zipper pull along the ungripped teeth - I was afraid I might actually have to cut the zipper to get the case to open up. Luckily, I was able to tease the pull back over the open teeth after a few good, careful tugs. I notified amazon immediately,vwho were wonderful as usual, and sent me another case right way. I received that case the other day when I was away and just tried it out last night. I noticed immediately that the cover had a bit of scooping on the face -it was almost concave as it dipped in the middle of the front cover. I hoped it would be okay after I put my iPad in. I discover to my great disappointment that this one's zipper is even worse. I cannot even guide the pull up past the initial curve. Neither zipper -there are two- works properly. In addition to that major flaw, the red corner pieces, which are separate pieces from the rest of the leather cover, were not glued down very well and are peeling up a bit where they meet the brown leather. They are sewn securely on two sides however the third side is only glued I believe. The unsewn side it the one that does not lay down properly. I really, really want to love this cover. It is beautiful, it smells wonderful like warm, comfortable old libraries. It just will not work properly and for 80.00 it absolutely should. At any rate, I called the company a few hours ago and they determined that both of my covers probably are NOT counterfeit as they were both supplied directly from Amazon. The woman I spoke with also told me that the red covers a made in a different factory from the brown and black covers and use a different leather as well. She also informed me that they had a batch of covers made with bad zippers. So this is a problem that they are aware of and, as far as I can tell, have done nothing about. The rep I spoke to was very pleasant and very apologetic however, that does not change the fact that there are others out there who have paid close to a hundred dollars for an item that does not work properly and the company knows about it and has done naught to rectify the problem or situation. She did inform me that they have no problems with the brown or black versions and I am tempted to get the brown but, I am nervous about spending that much money for an item that may stop working a few weeks after my return period is up from Amazon. Amazon, by the way, refunded my money immediately and sent me a second return shipping label when I told them what happened. So, if you plan on getting one of these go for a different color or maybe wait until they fix the zipper problem.
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Great product
by Jon H (4 out of 5 stars)
June 29, 2013

This case totally hides the identify of your iPad. It feels nice in your hands, and the leather on the inside is also an added bonus. The price is high, but it's worth it if you're really into the look Twelve South has going, and I don't think you can get any better than their style. The only downside to their case are the zippers. I would highly recommend not using them unless you're OK with them breaking off. I was always very careful whenever I used mine (maybe once per week), but after 3 months, one of the zipper heads broke off. The metal material is not heavy duty at all. Thankfully, it was still under warranty, but the return shipping fees were more than 15% of the item itself, so it was a little painful going through that!!

After using the case for awhile, it will loosen up & become easier to use. I never use the zippers now, which is OK, but I wish the factory could break in the zippers and the zipper belt before shipping. To make things worse, the zippers have to be wedged all the way open (takes quite a bit of time tucking them in carefully) before opening up the case.

Other than that, this is a really great product if you're fascinated w/ your iPad taking on the appearance of an old book, which I still am in love with.
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Best case to discretely hide your iPad
by Kiba Rater (2 out of 5 stars)
August 2, 2012

I mainly bought this case because I wanted something that was more theft proof than an otterbox, which openly displays the iPad or a case that makes it look like something expensive is inside And I've tested it on people, this case looks like a book. It's nice.

Now the complaints I have, I would've returned it had this not been the best thing I could find for camouflage ('m really stressing this point because I go to a University with high theft, and I have warranties that'll fix it if it breaks, but not if it's stolen). The zipper is really hard to zip up, and it looks really flimsy and as if it'll break within the year. The outside construction is really nice, but the inside where the iPad is and the stitching looks flimsy.

I really wish this had smart cover feature with the magnet because it's kind of awkward to get the right angle to turn it off when it'd be simple to just close the cover. I installed my own magnet and I'm liking it that way.

Propping the iPad up is okay. I liked volume one better from what I saw because it offered more propping angles. With this it slips down easily if I prop it too acute of an angle.

My biggest complaint by far is how easy this is to stain. It's not water proof, and the first day I got it a droplet stain got on it. The only good thing is that the leather is made to look worn, so you can't tell unless you look closely. But still, now I'm worried about protecting the expensive case and the iPad...

So, honestly the only reason I'd see a person buying this case is if they want to have their iPod kept discretely. Otherwise, I'm pretty sure for $80 you can find a way better case.

Update as of 10/26/2012. And the part that I thought would rip, ripped..
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Nice security feature built in....it's a book, no it's an iPad!
by Traecy (5 out of 5 stars)
August 17, 2012

I adore my 12 South products...I own the iPad and MacBook pro versions of BookBook. I can't count the number of times people thought I was carrying a book until I had need to open it. I get surprised comments and compliments all the time. I keep both BookBooks out on a side table stacked on top of a coffee table book, and no one ever suspects I have electronics...nice for your decor and prying eyes.

Is this a perfect product...well no. The problems I have found with it are:
1. The iPad doesn't want to stay put in the case. It tended to migrate out of the top of the case. I solved that by using sticky back Velcro, which worked like a charm. Of course that takes a certain level of commitment to mar your iPad a bit. But I never take mine out of its case.
2. The low tech device used to keep the book upright in 'stand' mode is a leather string. Yes it works fine, but more of the problem is when it is not in use, which for me is most of the time. Then it is downright annoying. It never stays tucked no matter where you put it. I have solved this problem by sewing a small button to the case in an area where it won't scratch the iPad. I then coil the string around the button, and it mostly stays out of the way. I should just cut it off for how little I use it (the BookBook does a fairly good job standing up without using the string), but so far haven't been able to bring myself to do it.

A note about me: I'm an aestetic sort of person, and I love things that are different. So I will put up with design flaws for looks and romantic notions of ancient tomes! This is my favorite case, but may not be for everyone (I hope since the security factor goes down the more popular it gets!)

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