Counterintuitive Casing

With all the hoopla surrounding the iPhone 4's reception problems, and experiencing that firsthand, I succumbed yesterday and purchased Apple's official bumper case. While at the store, I also splurged and bought the official iPad case. After using both, all I can say is this: What is Apple thinking?

I could go on and on about the bumper, but I'll only focus on a few issues before turning to the iPad. For starters, there is no reason why this thing should cost so much. Given the larger size and multifunctionality of the iPad case, which only costs $10 more, I can't help but feeling ripped off, especially given that I only bought the thing to solve an inherent design flaw (I loathe phone cases). Furthermore, instead of just providing cutaway access to the hardware's buttons, the bumper has overlay buttons. The iPhone 4's buttons felt so nice; why are we covering them up? And don't even get me started on how hard it is to flip the mute switch.

Now, we've already reviewed Apple's iPad case, but there are a few things worth noting that weren't explored in that review.

The biggest and most obvious gripe is that when in the case, you cannot dock the iPad. Considering that these are both first-party products, the fact that they do not work in harmony is beyond comprehension. The case is just thick enough around the back side so as to disallow the iPad from resting against the dock's rear support. I appreciate that two completely different design teams worked on these accessories, but was there no internal testing of the two of them together?

Because the keyboard dock is what I'd been using to charge the iPad, I now have to change my habits, as well. I need to charge my iPad while in the case, leaving the keyboard dock unplugged, so when I use it, it both has to be out of its case and will not be charging.

Can't I just take it out of the case at the end of the day? Yes, but I don't want that kind of frustration. You see, although I know for a fact that this case wears out over time (the example model they showed me at the store was quite worn, and the iPad slid in and out easily), my case is new and stiff. It took me more than a minute to shove it all the way in, wiggling this way and that; it took so long that it made me never want to take the thing off again. Of course, as the case wears out enough, this won't be a problem, but it will also be doing a worse job at protecting my iPad.

Don't get me wrong; I actually do like the case. Propping the iPad up in landscape and keeping it balanced in portrait work fantastically, and it's an attractive case in my opinion. Even though it's not the sturdiest of cases, I have no doubt that it will protect my iPad from scuffs and scratches when I toss it in a bag.

But what this experience tells me is that, regardless of Apple's prowess at designing hardware that is both beautiful and functional (reception issues notwithstanding), they have the wrong people designing their cases. The iPad case actually makes using the iPad harder with other Apple hardware, and the iPhone 4 bumper feels like nothing more than an overpriced, makeshift antenna-problem solution.

If this is the best they've got, they should drop out of the case race and stick to their roots.