Oberon Cover - first impressions

DanielCoffey · 07-15-2009, 08:44 AM

I received my Oberon 505 cover in "Saddle - Tree of Life" today and I thought I would share my first impressions with you all.

The dimensions and care instructions can all be found on the Oberon site, of course, so I thought I would describe what you will only find out when you have one of the covers in your hands. The weight and smell of the leather, the care and attention to the packaging, the sense of security that your Reader inherits when inside its new cover, and of course the free gift. Yes, I got a freebie!

I ordered it direct on the day they were available on the website and despite the 4th of July holidays, it was shipped within a week. International shipping to the UK took another week and the courier delivered it today in perfect condition. I was fortunate enough that it was simply passed through Customs with no Duty (luck of the draw) which meant that the total cost was £60.

It arrived in a rigid shipping box and was carefully wrapped in brown paper inside...

You see here the free gift - a key charm. Yes, I know it is technically just advertising, but you will *want* to tell your eReader friends about the cover!

The actual colour of the Saddle leather is a little less orange than shown here - the vagaries of web colours I guess - particularly in the second shot.

EDIT : the actual colours "in the hand" so to speak, are much more like plain and milk chocolate than the orange/brown shown in these shots. The "foreground" is a rich brown and the "background" is a darker colour.

One thing I noticed about the interior - there is just the single pocket at the bottom left - business cards and SD cards are not in separate pockets. The wool felt is prone to shedding a little fluff for the first few minutes, but this will pass I am sure. Inside the two halves are plastic stiffeners - I hardly feel they are necessary but perhaps in an older cover they would provide some extra benefit. The leather used for the cover is thick and solid. Two spare bungees to close the cover are supplied but there are no fitting instructions for them - refer to the website I assume.

Fitting instructions for the 505 are the two right corners in first - they are a snug and secure fit. Then the lower left - there is a little extra length in that piece of leather but it holds it well. The top left bungee is last and does not obscure the power switch.

The next three shots show you how the buttons can still be accessed. The Oberon site shows this angle too.

Now for the thickness. This is good solid leather. Since it is new, there are a few bends to it that will settle out over time and use. The spine is a single thickness but due to all the straps and other layers, the front and rear panels are double thickness at least and are very protecting for the screen and corners.

Old and new for comparison. You all know how flimsy the Sony cover is... here is the proof!

Would I recommend this to a friend? YES!

ladyjane · 07-15-2009, 09:01 AM

I have been waiting for someone to order this cover and give there opinion on what its really like..and after seeing this I immediately ordered one..thank you very much for the pictures and your honest opinion of the product..it makes it a little easier for someone like me to make purchases . much appreciated..now I will be waiting impatiently for mine to arrive. I ordered the same but in green...happy reading

DanielCoffey · 07-15-2009, 10:55 AM

So folks... would you read something special after putting your 505 into your new Oberon cover?

Since I opted for the Tree of Life cover, I have queued "Jack the Giant Killer" and "War for the Oaks". The Sidhe made me do it - honest!

siulayhumga · 07-15-2009, 02:12 PM

Thank you is posting the review. I do have a quick question
Can the front cover be open (fold) all the way back? (like the cover which come with 505) or it is more liek the Sony leather one which can only open flat?

DanielCoffey · 07-15-2009, 02:47 PM

Yes, it folds all the way back and can easily be held in one hand. Perfectly comfortably too. If you watch the Kindle demo video you can see him folding it right back too. The spine is a single (thick) layer of leather and is perfectly happy to be bent right back as long as you don't deliberately crease it back.

By the way, folks- Becca at Oberon says that they will be producing a new Bungee Replacement video in the next month or so to reflect the design of all their great new reader covers.

MarciaCat · 07-15-2009, 03:42 PM

Thank you for the excellent pictures; I appreciate seeing it "in it's natural habitat". Now I just have to wait (impatiently!) for the Ginkgo pattern to be released for the Sony!

Ea · 07-15-2009, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanielCoffey

... International shipping to the UK took another week and the courier delivered it today in perfect condition. I was fortunate enough that it was simply passed through Customs with no Duty (luck of the draw) ....

Who was it you said you offered that sacrifical goat to...?

*taking notes!*

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanielCoffey

...
Since I opted for the Tree of Life cover, I have queued "Jack the Giant Killer" and "War for the Oaks". The Sidhe made me do it - honest!

Of course! They haf their ways!

sayhello · 07-15-2009, 04:50 PM

Thank you! This is exactly what I was hoping someone would post!

I was a little worried about how secure the straps would be because it's built for both the 505 and the slightly larger 700. Would you say it's secure even though the lower left corner is a bit large? Would it become less secure when the bungee on the upper left corner starts to age & maybe isn't as tight? Yes, I am paranoid!

I'm also glad to see the button is so flat. I was worried about that. Would you say the button or the bungee would get in the way of holding the Reader in any way?

Now all I have to do is figure out what pattern & color I want. If I could get Tree of Life in red, that would be it. Not sure if I want Tree of Life in Saddle or Roof of Heaven in Sky Blue or Sky Dragon in Red... decisions, decisions. I really love the Roof of Heaven pattern, not thrilled with the color choices. Also love Tree of Life, but not totally sold on Saddle. Love the red, but not so sure about the Sky Dragon. Darn it! Spending $72 shouldn't be this hard!!!!

Sayhello

siulayhumga · 07-15-2009, 07:00 PM

Thanks for the review ...

DanielCoffey · 07-16-2009, 02:56 AM

Sayhello - the reason that Oberon include two spare bungees in the pack is so that you have spares for both the one to close the cover and also the top left corner one.

The bungees are strips of wrapped elastic with a metal "bootlace tip" on each end. They appear very simple to replace. I am guessing that you snip the worn bungee, reach inside the right side of the cover and pull the two halves out from behind, take your new bungee and push a metal end through each of the holes then lay the ends flat. Once Oberon have uploaded the video of this step in a month or so we will see.

I would also speculate that if the bungees need replacing in the distant future, Oberon would be able to supply replacements as they are fairly simple items.

The button does not get in the way at all - I tried holding the cover in various ways and it was almost impossible to actually get the button to make contact with your hand. The bungee does fall where your right hand is in certain positions, but you can either tuck the bungee back behind the outside of the cover so it lies flat or just ignore it - it is very light.

curtw · 07-16-2009, 11:42 AM

The leather looks very nice nice. The build quality is right along the lines of what I'd want,but the designs are all so... busy. Is there any chance that Oberon will ever develop a "less is more" philosophy, and release a more discreet version with to smaller decorative elements?

DanielCoffey · 07-16-2009, 11:54 AM

I do believe Becca mentioned a "custom design" service for later in the year - perhaps it was mentioned in long thread about the Oberon covers? You could always ask her at sales@oberondesign.com

curtw · 07-16-2009, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanielCoffey

I do believe Becca mentioned a "custom design" service for later in the year - perhaps it was mentioned in long thread about the Oberon covers? You could always ask her at sales@oberondesign.com

thanks. I'll do that when I get home tonight. I'll try to find a sample, simple design as well.

MarciaCat · 07-16-2009, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanielCoffey

I do believe Becca mentioned a "custom design" service for later in the year - perhaps it was mentioned in long thread about the Oberon covers? You could always ask her at sales@oberondesign.com

Quote:

Originally Posted by curtw

thanks. I'll do that when I get home tonight. I'll try to find a sample, simple design as well.

That's what she said in an e-mail to me which I quoted in that other thread

Quote:

Dear Marcia,
........ However, we are now actively researching some way of allowing customers to order custom designs, colors and buttons on our site But Marcia, don’t look for this anytime soon. We are so busy just trying to design and release covers…next the Kindle DX…that this custom part of the site won’t appear for months. Hopefully in time for the holiday season but it might not be until next year. When this happens more images will be available…not all the horse images but probably the Celtic Horse and Standing Horse for sure. We are about to offer the gingko design on Kindle covers and if we have a lot of requests we will try to offer the newest images on the Sony Reader as well. Thanks for your interest and enthusiasm!!!! Becca

curtw · 07-16-2009, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarciaCat

That's what she said in an e-mail to me which I quoted in that other thread

I just explored more of their site: the "icon journal" covers are MUCH more to my liking. I'll ask if there's any way to translate these to the Reader covers.

07-15-2009, 08:44 AM	#1
DanielCoffey Connoisseur Posts: 66 Karma: 26 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Edinburgh, UK Device: Sony PRS-505	Oberon Cover - first impressions I received my Oberon 505 cover in "Saddle - Tree of Life" today and I thought I would share my first impressions with you all. The dimensions and care instructions can all be found on the Oberon site, of course, so I thought I would describe what you will only find out when you have one of the covers in your hands. The weight and smell of the leather, the care and attention to the packaging, the sense of security that your Reader inherits when inside its new cover, and of course the free gift. Yes, I got a freebie! I ordered it direct on the day they were available on the website and despite the 4th of July holidays, it was shipped within a week. International shipping to the UK took another week and the courier delivered it today in perfect condition. I was fortunate enough that it was simply passed through Customs with no Duty (luck of the draw) which meant that the total cost was £60. It arrived in a rigid shipping box and was carefully wrapped in brown paper inside... You see here the free gift - a key charm. Yes, I know it is technically just advertising, but you will want to tell your eReader friends about the cover! The actual colour of the Saddle leather is a little less orange than shown here - the vagaries of web colours I guess - particularly in the second shot. EDIT : the actual colours "in the hand" so to speak, are much more like plain and milk chocolate than the orange/brown shown in these shots. The "foreground" is a rich brown and the "background" is a darker colour. One thing I noticed about the interior - there is just the single pocket at the bottom left - business cards and SD cards are not in separate pockets. The wool felt is prone to shedding a little fluff for the first few minutes, but this will pass I am sure. Inside the two halves are plastic stiffeners - I hardly feel they are necessary but perhaps in an older cover they would provide some extra benefit. The leather used for the cover is thick and solid. Two spare bungees to close the cover are supplied but there are no fitting instructions for them - refer to the website I assume. Fitting instructions for the 505 are the two right corners in first - they are a snug and secure fit. Then the lower left - there is a little extra length in that piece of leather but it holds it well. The top left bungee is last and does not obscure the power switch. The next three shots show you how the buttons can still be accessed. The Oberon site shows this angle too. Now for the thickness. This is good solid leather. Since it is new, there are a few bends to it that will settle out over time and use. The spine is a single thickness but due to all the straps and other layers, the front and rear panels are double thickness at least and are very protecting for the screen and corners. Old and new for comparison. You all know how flimsy the Sony cover is... here is the proof! Would I recommend this to a friend? YES! Last edited by DanielCoffey; 07-15-2009 at 09:50 AM. Reason: Comment re colour

07-15-2009, 04:50 PM	#8
sayhello Addict Posts: 208 Karma: 373 Join Date: Aug 2008 Device: Sony PRS-505 (Blue!), PRS-650 (Black), iPad, iPod Touch	Thank you! This is exactly what I was hoping someone would post! I was a little worried about how secure the straps would be because it's built for both the 505 and the slightly larger 700. Would you say it's secure even though the lower left corner is a bit large? Would it become less secure when the bungee on the upper left corner starts to age & maybe isn't as tight? Yes, I am paranoid! I'm also glad to see the button is so flat. I was worried about that. Would you say the button or the bungee would get in the way of holding the Reader in any way? Now all I have to do is figure out what pattern & color I want. If I could get Tree of Life in red, that would be it. Not sure if I want Tree of Life in Saddle or Roof of Heaven in Sky Blue or Sky Dragon in Red... decisions, decisions. I really love the Roof of Heaven pattern, not thrilled with the color choices. Also love Tree of Life, but not totally sold on Saddle. Love the red, but not so sure about the Sky Dragon. Darn it! Spending $72 shouldn't be this hard!!!! Sayhello Last edited by sayhello; 07-15-2009 at 04:53 PM.

07-16-2009, 02:56 AM	#10
DanielCoffey Connoisseur Posts: 66 Karma: 26 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Edinburgh, UK Device: Sony PRS-505	Sayhello - the reason that Oberon include two spare bungees in the pack is so that you have spares for both the one to close the cover and also the top left corner one. The bungees are strips of wrapped elastic with a metal "bootlace tip" on each end. They appear very simple to replace. I am guessing that you snip the worn bungee, reach inside the right side of the cover and pull the two halves out from behind, take your new bungee and push a metal end through each of the holes then lay the ends flat. Once Oberon have uploaded the video of this step in a month or so we will see. I would also speculate that if the bungees need replacing in the distant future, Oberon would be able to supply replacements as they are fairly simple items. The button does not get in the way at all - I tried holding the cover in various ways and it was almost impossible to actually get the button to make contact with your hand. The bungee does fall where your right hand is in certain positions, but you can either tuck the bungee back behind the outside of the cover so it lies flat or just ignore it - it is very light. Last edited by DanielCoffey; 07-16-2009 at 03:04 AM. Reason: typos

07-16-2009, 11:42 AM	#11
curtw Outside of a dog Posts: 863 Karma: 4457646 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Houston, TX Device: Kindle Voyage	The leather looks very nice nice. The build quality is right along the lines of what I'd want,but the designs are all so... busy. Is there any chance that Oberon will ever develop a "less is more" philosophy, and release a more discreet version with to smaller decorative elements? Last edited by curtw; 07-16-2009 at 11:47 AM.

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07-15-2009, 09:01 AM	#2
ladyjane I hate to clean Posts: 125 Karma: 1155 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Burlington, ontario Device: Sony PRS-505, Acer NetBook	I have been waiting for someone to order this cover and give there opinion on what its really like..and after seeing this I immediately ordered one..thank you very much for the pictures and your honest opinion of the product..it makes it a little easier for someone like me to make purchases . much appreciated..now I will be waiting impatiently for mine to arrive. I ordered the same but in green...happy reading

07-15-2009, 10:55 AM	#3
DanielCoffey Connoisseur Posts: 66 Karma: 26 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Edinburgh, UK Device: Sony PRS-505	So folks... would you read something special after putting your 505 into your new Oberon cover? Since I opted for the Tree of Life cover, I have queued "Jack the Giant Killer" and "War for the Oaks". The Sidhe made me do it - honest!

07-15-2009, 02:12 PM	#4
siulayhumga Connoisseur Posts: 55 Karma: 12 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: Sony PRS 505	Thank you is posting the review. I do have a quick question Can the front cover be open (fold) all the way back? (like the cover which come with 505) or it is more liek the Sony leather one which can only open flat?

07-15-2009, 02:47 PM	#5
DanielCoffey Connoisseur Posts: 66 Karma: 26 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Edinburgh, UK Device: Sony PRS-505	Yes, it folds all the way back and can easily be held in one hand. Perfectly comfortably too. If you watch the Kindle demo video you can see him folding it right back too. The spine is a single (thick) layer of leather and is perfectly happy to be bent right back as long as you don't deliberately crease it back. By the way, folks- Becca at Oberon says that they will be producing a new Bungee Replacement video in the next month or so to reflect the design of all their great new reader covers.

07-15-2009, 03:42 PM	#6
MarciaCat Cat Lady & Trekkie Posts: 421 Karma: 221630 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: San Diego, CA Device: Kobo Libra, Kobo Aura & Aura H20	Thank you for the excellent pictures; I appreciate seeing it "in it's natural habitat". Now I just have to wait (impatiently!) for the Ginkgo pattern to be released for the Sony!

07-15-2009, 07:00 PM	#9
siulayhumga Connoisseur Posts: 55 Karma: 12 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: Sony PRS 505	Thanks for the review ...

07-16-2009, 11:54 AM	#12
DanielCoffey Connoisseur Posts: 66 Karma: 26 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Edinburgh, UK Device: Sony PRS-505	I do believe Becca mentioned a "custom design" service for later in the year - perhaps it was mentioned in long thread about the Oberon covers? You could always ask her at sales@oberondesign.com

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