Summary
This low profile, fabric-backed hard case gives your Kindle a warm and sophisticated new look, but some may find the black-on-white contrast of the front jarring.
Pros
- adds very little bulk
- patterned fabric back is sophisticated and unique
- goes on/comes off in seconds, versus decals or silicone sleeves
Cons
- gunmetal gray front plate stands out from device
- doesn’t provide much actual protection
Speck Products, known for protective and decorative cases for Apple gadgets, has released two new cases for the Kindle 2. I reviewed the padded DustJacket case with built-in stand previously, and today I’ll take a look at the fabric-backed hardshell Speck Fitted
Full Review
Styling
The back is covered in a rough fabric panel with a small logo badge at the bottom. When assembled, the power/sleep switch, audio jack, volume buttons, and USB port are all left uncovered for easy access. The speaker grills on the Kindle are actually covered by the case, but only by the fabric; the plastic frame is perforated to allow the sound to come through.
This one choice–the rough fabric back–changes everything about the Kindle 2 for me. It makes it warmer, more humane, less sterile and robotic. It takes the design of the Kindle 2 out of a gadget-happy future and anchors it in the present, in a world of tactile surfaces and organic textures. If you know someone who feels the Kindle 2 is too cold and impersonal, get this case.
The front is not as successful. The material itself is very attractive–a matte-finished, rubberized plastic that feels warm and smooth to the touch:
When viewed by itself, it’s fine. When attached to the Kindle, however, it stands out dramatically from the device and frames the E-ink screen awkwardly to my eyes, throwing everything out of balance.
But maybe it’s just me; I showed the assembled case to a friend and he didn’t mind how the front looked at all, while he agreed that the back looked awesome. He would have been more than happy to take this case for his own Kindle.
Functionality
The case is meant more for decoration than protection, and consequently it’s not fair to fault it for not providing much. If you’re looking for something to help protect the Kindle from falls or to protect the screen, this isn’t going to do it for you.
Conclusion
Frankly, I love this case more than any other I’ve tried, even though I don’t like the front at all–that’s how much I liked the fabric back. As I held it in my hands, I thought back to the incredibly well made plastic tray that’s built into the padded DustJacket case, and I wish that Speck would somehow incorporate that tray into this product line. For me, a perfect hardshell case for the Kindle 2 would forego trying to cover the front of the device at all; you’d snap your Kindle into a one-piece unit that would cover the back in a stylish fabric pattern, and leave the front alone.
If you’re like my friend and don’t mind how the front looks, I’d recommend it. It’s not the cheapest case available, but it will completely change how your Kindle looks and feels without resorting to a binder style case.
Find more cases and accessories listed under the Cases section of the site.