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My iPad is cooler than I am - Review of the Platforma iPad Messenger Bag from Strotter

Platforma iPad Messenger Bag

I was hanging out at our local sports bar the other day with a few friends, as you do. I'd had a few pints and when a couple of biker enthusiasts came in, shrugging off their leather jackets, my inside voice became my outside voice and I exclaimed "I could totally be a bad ass biker gal!"

All my friends looked at me...they all know a Vespa Scooter is really more my speed.

"You mean like Pinky Tuscadero?"

"No. I was thinking more like .. what's her name? The GoDaddy girl?"

"You mean Danica Patrick? Well, she IS bad ass, but she's a race car driver not a motorcycle rider."

Aaaaand that's why I belong on a Vespa.

I may only be able to dream of being a bad ass…but at least now my iPad can live that dream, thanks to the Platforma iPad Messenger Bag from Strotter. Strotter is a new bag design company and they have got something really special going on for iPads. They sent me over a review copy of two of their cases. First, I checked out the Platforma.

The Platforma is a vertical messenger bag designed specifically for the iPad. You can wear it across the body or, with a little reconfiguring, across the shoulders like a backpack. Its exterior features a mix of sexy black pebbled leather and black nylon, solid seams, high end hardware and a sleek silhouette that can flatter any bad ass's figure. The bag fastens shut with magnets, which makes it fuss-free to get into - handy when you're on the road.

Of course, the truly unique aspect of the Platforma is that with a few quick manoeuvres, it can act like a portable desk, leaving both your hands free to actually type or play games on your iPad. The iPad doesn't just rest precariously on the bag - you put your iPad in the Platforma's special Apple Smart Case compatible case and then snap that onto the back of the bag, where it's held in place by very strong magnets. I think this is ingenious, really - you can use it standing up, sitting down, or leaning against your Harley outside the diner, waiting for Pinky to get off work. In the video below, Serge (the founder of Strotter and designer of the Platforma) demos its very cool functionality.

The Platforma's front flap features two slim zippered areas, for things you want to keep secure and get to quickly. Under the front flap, there are two more slim zippered areas, a good size for notebooks or perhaps a magazine. The bag's red interior section brings a welcome splash of colour, plus makes it easy to see what you're carrying. The interior of the bag is divided into two parts - a slot for your iPad and a wider slot for whatever else you're carrying. I try not to cram my bags too full and the Platforma's sleek design helps out in that area - there's room for your iPad and some essentials (wallet, phone, snacks, etc.) but you're not putting your gym shoes in there. Bikers know how to travel light.

The only thing I didn't find easy about the Platforma was reconfiguring the strap. At one point, I was simply trying to lengthen the strap and somehow managed to remove all the hardware from it instead - I didn't find it quite as intuitive as Serge does in the video. Note: there is a crazy sexy video of the Platforma on Strotter's homepage that you can check out as well - it might explain my Pinky Tuscadero association in addition to showcasing some great closeups of the bag and how the functionality works.

I may never actually hit the open road, wind in my hair, iPad strapped to my back - but now I could if I WANTED TO. The Platforma is compact, smart and stylish as hell - a must have for the bad ass geek in all of us.

Find out more about the Strotter Platforma on their website. The Platforma retails for $169 USD.

Photo Credit: All photos mine except for the lead image - that's sexy Serge  from the Platforma site! Yowza!

Recharge with an Eco-Chic Tablet-Sized Bag: The Jen Powered Crossbody from Urban Junket

Urban Junket's new bag for tablets (in indigo)

I haven't had an Urban Junket bag in my hands since I reviewed the Urban Junket Laptop T.O.T.E. three years ago. I LOVED the T.O.T.E. - love the materials it was made from, loved the bold magenta colour and I loved how many organizational options it offered. After my glowing review, I wanted to keep it - but I get a lot of laptop bags and I reluctantly ended up gifting it to a friend. "As least she lives close by," I thought "so maybe the T.O.T.E. and I will still get to visit!" And then she moved to Newfoundland. HA ha! I was bereft.

So when Tracy from Urban Junket asked if I'd like to review the new Jen Powered Crossbody Rechargeable Bag, I jumped at the chance to get another one of these sporty chic bags. This time, I got it in violet. So pretty!

The Jen Powered Crossbody is part of Urban Junket's new PowerTrips Rechargeable Bags line. It's a tablet-sized bag, perfect for your iPad or…whatever other tablets there are. The interior lining of the bag is made from Urban Junket's signature "bottles to bags" material - each Jen bag is made with 36 reclaimed plastic bottles, which makes the bags chic AND eco-friendly. Like the T.O.T.E., the exterior fabric (coated 100% cotton canvas) is water resistant, which makes it less stressful to travel with here in rainy Vancouver.

For smaller bags like this, I prefer the messenger style and the adjustable crossbody strap on the Jen fit my larger frame nicely. The front of the bag has a separate zippered pocket, for things you might need to access quickly - bus pass, smartphone, etc. - and it also has a handy slot for pens or my ever-present lip gloss.

Next is the second exterior zippered pocket which runs the width of the bag. This pocket contains a pouch for your smartphone and also a slit that allows you sneak a cord through and charge whatever's in that front pocket. Plenty of space up front here - enough room for your wallet, e-Reader or paperback for that morning commute.

While we're chatting exterior pockets, there's also a small pocket at the back, which could offer quick access to keys, etc. This back pocket is open, however, so if your bag gets turned upside down (or is stored in an overhead bin), you might lose whatever's in there.



The main compartment of the Jen has another two smartphone sized pouches (one open, one velcroed) and a large removable clutch with a business card holder in front. You can use the clutch as a bag for your gear or, if you don't have a lot of gear, for snacks! Yay snacks! The main compartment always has the velcroed pouch that holds the battery pack.

And now for the main event of this bag - the battery pack that allows you to recharge your devices on the go. I like the idea of having a way to recharge my phone, iPad or e-Reader while I'm out and about - it would be great for travel, or for keeping your phone charged during a power outages (like the ones we've been seeing lately in these crazy fall storms). Apparently, the battery pack is also TSA friendly and doesn't need to be removed from the bag when you're going through security.

The battery pack is actually really easy to use. It comes with an accompanying micro USB to USB cord, which is a must for those of us whose devices don't use a micro USB to charge (like my iPhone). You plug the micro USB in to the battery pack to charge it - it was very quick to get fully charged. You don't have to take the battery pack out of the bag to charge if you don't want to.



Once the battery pack was charged, I had a dilemma - what to charge first? I could have charged my iPhone (the "out" on the battery pack is a standard USB) but I decided to try recharging my e-Reader instead, to see how long it would take. My e-Reader was fully out of battery and generally takes a very long time to recharge. I plugged it in to the battery pack at 10:00 a.m. and an hour and forty five minutes later, it was fully charged. Not bad for the Kobo! The battery also full recharged my half-charge iPhone very quickly and looks to still have some juice left. Pretty cool.

As with all Urban Junket bags, the Jen also features super sturdy construction and great hardware. It's pretty lightweight, even with the battery pack - and the battery pack can be removed if you prefer. Fantastic, functional design, eco-friendly materials, rich, bright colours and a great way to keep your electronics charged on the go - the Jen Powered Crossbody is pretty rad.

I learned my lesson with the first Urban Junket bag - this one will not be leaving my house unless it's with me. You can get your own Urban Junket PowerTrip bag at urbanjunket.com - the Jen retails for $228 USD.

The Dallas iPad Easel Case - High Fashion Meets Function

"Treat Yo Self" with the Dallas iPad Case

I love my iPad. And I'm pretty sure everyone who has one loves theirs too. So here's what I don't get: why, when Apple designed the "smart cover" did they just make it for the front? I want to protect the back of my iPad too! Especially if my iPad is engraved. So that's why I'm a big fan of any case that protects the back and front of my precious tablet. And if it can do it in blinged-out faux glittery snakeskin? Bonus points.

Enter the Dallas iPad Easel case. The good folks at Kolobags sent over the Dallas as an example of the cases they carry. It is quite fancy on the outside (I wasn't kidding about the glittery faux snakeskin); the Dallas case comes in other high end faux materials: leopard, snow leopard (I'm sensing Apple fan boys), metallic tiger and, well, plain black leather (for the Audrey Hepburn in you).

One of my fav things about the Dallas is that it is small and streamlined - like the iPad itself. I've used some other cases that are much bigger than an iPad, adding bulk ostensibly for protection. But I say if you can't protect the iPad while maintaining its slim physique then what's the point? I don't want my iPad to look like it is wearing a parka!

The Dallas case opens like a book and the iPad slips into place on the right side - held in place by four subtle elastic corner bands. The interior of the Dallas is a very soft black felt - it feels very nice to the touch. I'm confident it will keep my iPad scratch-free.

The Dallas fits all generations of iPad. And there is a hole in the back of the case so you can take pictures if you have the gen 2 or later iPad. The case is held closed with a small magnetic flap closure.

The Dallas also has its hidden charms. A number of cases provide easel functionality by bending the cover. Not so with the Dallas. It turns out there is a clever interior easel panel that you fold out and anchor into grooves on the interior of the cover.

And while this design is subtle and smart there are two challenges. The first is in regards to the angles the easel provides. I was able to set up the Dallas comfortably for movie viewing and magazine/book reading. However, the third angle that is supposed to be for typing activities (email, etc) is too high to be comfortable or practical.

My second concern is one that may actually be solved over time. When I set the easel up for movie viewing, the closure flap naturally falls down onto the iPad. So you're watching your movie with this flap in the way. However, I was able to bend it backwards to keep it off the iPad. I think this will ultimately solve itself as the case gets more use, the flap will become more supple and will fall back naturally.

All in all, I found the Dallas to be a fine iPad case. It has slim sleek lines, doesn't add a lot if bulk, makes your iPad look even hotter than when it's naked and will fit into most purses. I also think the interior easel design is very clever. And if you mainly use your iPad as a hand held or movie-viewing device, you're golden. But if you do a lot of typing and need your case to support that activity, the Dallas may not be the best choice.

Thanks again to the folks at Kolobags who sent the Dallas over for review. You can find the Dallas iPad Easel Case on their site in a variety of materials where it retails for $98 USD.

Geek Girls Love Bags that Hold Their Laptop AND Tablet!

I have a laptop and a tablet (iPad). And what's driving me crazy these days is that I often have to have a separate case for my tablet since most of my laptop bags don't have a secure spot for it.

But those days are over, baby, thanks to Sumo from Mobile Edge. The Sumo Combo Laptop/Tablet Backpack is the answer to my prayers.

Yeah. See that? A laptop and a tablet. In separate soft fuzzy compartments.

I review the Sumo Combo Laptop/Tablet Backpack in detail over on Squidoo.

Cool Decals for Your iPad

I have an iPad. It has 2 cases - the nice and snug "Convertible Magazine Jacket" from Incase that stays on all the time and the Lady Damask from Slappa that I use when the iPad and I are steppin' out.

Something I haven't done yet is put a decal on my iPad. Mainly this is because I can't actually get the Incase case off my iPad. I actually have a really great one that a friend of mine sent me. It's the Golden Summer design from Smirkabout. I love the vintage and moody feel of the photo.

But if I didn't have the one from Smirkabout, I would definitely get excited about some of these designs from Etsy sellers. I found one of these through an article on iPad decals on Mashable and then went down a rabbit hole of iPad decals.

UFO iPad Decal by Stephen Edward Graphics

and

Tea for iPad by macdecalsdesigns

Lexie Barnes' New Candy Collection of Bags

Lexie Barnes, one of my favourite bag designers, has released her new collection of bags - the Candy Collection!  Three bright patterened fabrics are the hallmark of this collection.

She didn't do any laptop bags this time :( but she does have a new clutch - the Libby - which is perfect for an iPad, Kindle, Kobo or other tablet.

I really love that blue fabric - great colours all of them, perfect for spring.

 

iSkin is Having a Back to School Contest - Chance to Win an iPad

I adore my iSkin Solo case for my iPhone (I have the bright blue one).  I'll bet their cases for iPads are just as delightful. Well they are having a back to school contest where they are giving away an iPad case AND an iPad. Open to Canadian and US residents. Closes Sept 30, 2010.  Go. Enter. Now.

   

 

The DODOcase - a very cool case for your iPad (guest review)

I don't have an iPad.  But I would like to eventually get one.  And when I saw the DODOcase for them, I KNEW that's what I would get.  Because I love my Moleskine notebooks as much as I love my tech.

I was delighted when my friend, Dethe (who you may remember from such guest reviews as the Hamptons Hybrid Laptop Bag) did get an iPad and subsequently, a DODOcase.  He says ...

My DodoCase has been my most eagerly awaited peripheral ever. Almost as awaited as the iPad itself. Fortunately, I didn't have to wait 15 years for the DodoCase, merely six weeks. I'm not sure how the economics works of making hand-made cases in San Francisco for $50, but it is a good deal. Just be aware that shipping to Canada will add another $25 (yes, shipping internationally is half the price of the case). The case itself works so well at disguising my iPad as a Moleskine notebook that even folks who knew about it were surprised. Great for reading RSS feeds on the bus!

To complete the feel of an artist's notebook, I have added a Pogo Sketch stylus to the ensemble. The case adds very little weight to the iPad, but makes it feel much more secure in the hand (harder to drop, and more resilient if you do drop it). It allows the iPad to be propped up for viewing or typing (portrait, landscape, or landscape in the lap slightly raised for typing). There are cutouts in the bamboo edge for easy access to all buttons and the dock connector. Overall, very pleased: this case makes my iPad better.

You can see more great photos of the DODOcase, including how to use it as a stand, over on their site.