Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I read a lot of reviews prior to buying this cover and now that I've had mine for a while I felt it was important to post a detailed review, because most of the detailed reviews I read were over a year old and it seems that maybe the product has been changed slightly. That or some of the older reviews were incomplete or inaccurate. First, I did give this 5 stars, does that mean it is perfect? No. But at this price-point I don't expect perfect. But, in this case, the positives far outweigh the negatives to the point that it deserves a strong recommendation for the price, thus 5 stars. So, the good and the bad... I purchased the black cover and it gives the iPad a very professional look. While it's not a big deal to me, several people have commented that they really like that it is designed to reveal the big Apple logo on the back of the device. And, quite importantly, the cover provides a lot of padding and protection without making the iPad look or feel bulky. The cutouts for connecting power, headphones, accessing volume, and being able to take pictures with the cover on are also well done. They provide the necessary access without compromising protection or aesthetics. Many of the reviews I read complained that the magnets don't hold the cover closed securely or that the auto-sleep function doesn't work. I have to say I am puzzled by many of those comments. Because first, the cover magnets are clearly not designed to keep this one closed (although lying flat the weight of the cover is more the enough to keep it closed). The cover has a nice elastic strap affixed to it which is clearly the intended method for keeping it closed in other circumstances. And when lying down or with the strap securing it, the cover stays tightly closed and the auto-sleep works perfectly. With one caveat... Recall, the 360 pivot function? It appears the cover is primarily designed to open so that the cover would be to the left and the iPad to the right, like a book. If I pivot my iPad 180 degrees, with the volume control near the "spine" and close it, the auto-sleep doesn't work at all. But, spin it around the other way and it works like a charm. Now, maybe the cover didn't used to come with the elastic strap, so that was a problem when the earlier reviews were written. If so, Fintie saw and addressed the problem. And I think they did it in a very effective manner. Another comment I saw was concerns about the cover leaving marks on the screen and potentially damaging it. I see what those reviewers were talking about, you will frequently notice two bands on the screen where it appears to be marked up when you open the iPad. But, unless there was a major change made to the design of the part of the cover that touches the screen, I think the concern is a bit puzzling. What I've noted is this, the "marked" up part aligns perfectly with the groove that are in the cover for standing up the iPad. In other words, the marks you see on the screen appear where the cover is NOT touching the screen. And I examined what was happening I realized that the soft cloth interior cleans the parts of the screen it touches, leaving my fingerprint smudges and the other grime for ordinary use along those two grooves where it does not touch the screen. Every cover that touches the screen (all of them) presents the risk of scratching the screen, but this interior is soft and padded and doesn't worry me. And, yes, right out of the packaging there is a strong chemical smell. It's not a new or unusual smell, it's the same smell I've experienced with most new synthetic leather products, furniture, briefcases, portfolios, wallets, that I removed from their original plastic wrapping. It is strong, but within a day or two it was completely gone. Those are the criticisms I read which I feel are inaccurate or invalid. But there is one valid criticism: The grooves for using the cover as a stand could be better designed. The grooves are rounded and perhaps a bit too shallow. Which means that it doesn't always work reliably as a stand. Set flat on a desk, not moving it around, not tapping the screen too hard, it is a decent stand. But the wrong touch, sitting it on a sloping surface, trying to move it too quickly or the wrong way and you'll have to stand it back up. It can be a bit annoying at times. But, I've quickly learned in what ways I can and cannot use it as a stand. It works great to watch video, read documents, or taking notes at a meeting. Not so well for playing a game or sitting on my lap in moving vehicle... But, look at the price and think about what you really want. For $15 you get a very nice, professional, leather-look cover that offers a good deal of protection. It gives good access to all connectors and controls, pivots 360, and works as a stand in many situations. Sure, you can spend 3 or 4 times more and get real leather that won't have the initial synthetic smell, and you can get a stand that works in even the most extreme situations. But, read the reviews of those products. You'll find people complaining about something on them as well. Something just as significant. And for what they paid you could have one of these and fifty $0.99 apps. No one is going to look at this cover and think you paid less than $50 for it. You aren't going to compare this cover to similar style covers and think that it provides less protection. It's a great value.