Going Caseless? - Page 2

ATDrake · 01-02-2015, 03:41 PM

I used all my readers caseless for months until I was able to acquire a decent case for them (for the K2, that actually took a number of years, since getting a reasonably decent price on one I liked, shipped to Canada before Amazon officially started selling Kindle and Kindle accessories here, was a minor challenge and I finally lucked out on the last remaining stock of a SkinDigital leather model on clearance with free shipping).

I would take my readers everywhere on public transit, and hold them bare while reading, and tuck them into a hard plastic B5-sized file case lined with bubble wrap and soft cloth as an improvised protective device (which currently houses my latest e-reader acquisition, the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet which is awaiting the purchase of a suitable case) for transport in my backpack or whatever other bag I was carrying.

It worked okay, but I just ended up being paranoid about it (especially when shopping for used & comic books, as I keep my list of stuff owned on my e-readers, so I would do this hand-to-hand passing of the reader while I juggled TPBs and waited for the search results to show and would put it down on a shelf so I wouldn't scratch the screen against my jacket while I readjusted the pile of potential acquisitions and pick it back up again and in retrospect I realize just how much that wore on my nerves) and now that my K2 and Sony have their own cases, I find it a much more relaxed and casual thing to take out and use them in a public setting, and at home also.

I did take my PlayBook out on public transit yesterday because it turned out to be easier to take photos of my most recent batch of acquired graphic novels than to type up and list them all to avoid buying duplicates during the holiday sale raid on the not-so-local comic book shop, and used it bare the way I used to with my e-ink readers.

I didn't like the experience and don't care to repeat it (but think I might have to, since it's also a better way of storing transit map/schedule information and the bus trip connections planning info from the transit company's website than trying to zoom a PDF printout on a K2), so I've prioritized getting a decent low-cost case for my PlayBook, which is mildly complicated by the fact that they're officially discontinued and so no one really makes specific supporting accessories for them anymore and have generally already sold off their stock. I have a couple of candidates in mind (one of which I should have gotten pretty much immediately when I saw it, but "oh, they've got 10 left in stock and no one makes or even buys these tablets any more, so that's plenty left for me to pick up when I'm ready to decide" ahahaha… all sold out even before Black Friday, though at least the product page says they can get more in, at a slightly higher price), but might end up getting a generic 7" tablet case if I can find a nice one which fits well on sale.

cromag · 01-02-2015, 04:01 PM

I've never used a case, but the "battery bulge" on the JetBook Lite would make it difficult to find one. I have the manufacturer's slip-on case for when it's not in use, and I found a very nice Nintendo DS case that fits it well and is padded for travel.

Phogg · 01-02-2015, 04:40 PM

I use skins with multiple cases.
Book style cases if I am out and about.
Silicone gel cases for a comfortable grip if I am going to read for an extended period.

Ricky D'Angelo · 01-02-2015, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crossi

I don't use a case. I bought a number of them but I simply prefer to read without one. I do have a quilted oven mitt that I put it into when carrying it in my bag to protect it from scratches. I'm careful, but if I drop it, I drop it. A good excuse to buy a Voyager if I do break it.

Never thought of using an oven mitt to protect an ereader. While out and about at the mall I found myself using my pocket to protect/carry my kindle. The only thing I had to remember was to take out my car keys from my pocket to avoid scratching the screen and to take the kindle out of my pant pocket when I got back in the car to avoid "bending" it by accident. Now, I'm debating whether to put a tempered glass screen protector on my ereader (if possible).

JSWolf · 01-02-2015, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricky D'Angelo

How many of you feel comfortable going caseless? I've always been paranoid about dropping my devices and used cases but for my latest device (kindle basic) I decided to go caseless. Has anyone ever gone caseless and then regretted it after a mishap?

Bad idea to go caseless. Do you want to drop it and have a higher risk of it breaking? Would you put it in a bag where something could scratch the screen or but undue stress on it and break the screen? Do you want to go on vacation and find it's broken and you have nothing to read for say two weeks?

I know you can go without a case and everything could be fine, but you have less of a risk of a broken Reader with a case.

JSWolf · 01-02-2015, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'd never use a device without a case. The case both makes it easier to hold (I find a lot of modern devices to be too thin) and protects it.

Exactly, the cases can make it easier to hold and if you have a Reader with side bezel buttons such as the Voyage, it's quote easy to accidentally press the button to turn the page. Easier in fact then accidentally touching the screen to turn the page.

The Kindle Basic that didn't have a Touch screen is difficult to hold without a case and without pressing a page turn button.

JSWolf · 01-02-2015, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

I use a sleeve. I pull my Kindle out to read and put it back in when I am done.

A sleeve of that kind is a waste of money because when you take the Reader out of the sleeve, you lose 100% of the protection.

JSWolf · 01-02-2015, 05:24 PM

Another good reason to have a case is a lot of new Readers such as the PW2/Voyage and H2O have the ability to have sleep covers where all you do is close the cover and the Reader is in sleep mode. This saves wear and tear on the power button. If the power button goes, you would not be able to turn on/off the Reader or do a full power off or a reset or factory reset.

Not only does the sleep cover protect the Reader, it saves wear and tear on the power button.

When I got my H2O, I never took it with me when I went out because I didn't have a case. So I only used it in the house and I was extra careful with it. I didn't even read in bed with it in case it fall off the bed. I got a case for it straight away and now I can take it with me.

A sleeve is not always a good solution (unless the sleeve fits with Reader AND case) as there are times you take the Reader out of the sleeve and then you have to put the sleeve someplace before you start to read and it's a very bad idea to go without a case when you are out and about with your Reader.

You are sitting on public transportation, you are reading, you get to your stop and you have not put your Reader away, so you get off the train onto a concrete floor, you try to put it back into the sleeve and it slips and hits the floor and breaks. If you had a case, you would have closed the cover and then tried to put it away. If it had then dropped, there would have been some protection and it might not have broken.

NNolan · 01-02-2015, 05:47 PM

I find cases make the eReader too bulky and hard to hold, at least for me. I've been using pot holders as sleeves since I got my first Kindle in 2009, and I've never broken any of the many eReaders I've owned.

Ripplinger · 01-02-2015, 06:03 PM

I won't take my reader out of the house until I have a decent case on it. The trick is to find a slim-fitting case that doesn't really add any bulk to the reader. Such as the official Kobo covers for the Glo are much too bulky, I'd never use one of those, but the cover I do have hardly adds anything to the size of the reader and generally makes it comfortable to hold. Usually a case where the reader snaps in is the thinnest, those where you slide the reader in like a sleeve are the bulkiest and I avoid those.

I'm one of those that even a tiny scratch on a device would drive me nuts and I'd end up having to replace it, but with a good case and common sense my electronic devices remain in pretty much pristine condition. My phones also have cases as well as a good screen protector. Even my pocket camera gets a good screen protector.

wawasteele · 01-02-2015, 06:09 PM

For me, it depends on the device. For my original Nook, I had a zippered, sleeve-like case that I got at the $.99 store. When I replaced that with a PW, I got a case that turns it on when I open it. I have to say, I love this case!

My old Samsung 7" tablet is in a Kindle Fire case that fits it well. I like that case, it doesn't add much weight. I also have a screen protector on it. However my new Samsung 10.1" tablet came with a sleeve. On Black Friday, I got a case that also has a bluetooth keyboard for it. I mostly only use that case when I need the tablet propped up to use the keyboard. I don't have a screen protector for it. I find with it, I am using it caseless most of the time.

My current phone has a skin-type case and a screen protector.

cfrizz · 01-02-2015, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'd never use a device without a case. The case both makes it easier to hold (I find a lot of modern devices to be too thin) and protects it.

Bingo!

GeoffR · 01-02-2015, 08:07 PM

I use a hard case when transporting my Glo in by backpack or pannier, where it is ar risk from road viabration or crushing, but I always remove it from the case to read, and leave it out of the case at home.

It is so much more comfortable to read without a case that I'd rather do without the minimal protection it offers.

Edit: I should add that when I am at home and not reading, I place the ereader face down on a hard surface. I think the recessed screen is a very good protection from scratching, and would be reluctant to buy an ereader that had a flush screen.

JSWolf · 01-02-2015, 08:57 PM

My H2O is in a Finte sleep case and the weight difference it negligible plus, it is easier to hold.

Jessica Lares · 01-02-2015, 09:08 PM

I went caseless on my Paperwhite 2. I took very good care of my Kindle Keyboard in a case, but then some of the eink exploded. So there was no point after that.

It depends on the device. I didn't use one on my HD 6 either, but by the 30 days it started to feel like it was going to fall apart, and that's the main reason I sent it back.

01-02-2015, 05:24 PM	#23
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,749 Karma: 145864619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Another good reason to have a case is a lot of new Readers such as the PW2/Voyage and H2O have the ability to have sleep covers where all you do is close the cover and the Reader is in sleep mode. This saves wear and tear on the power button. If the power button goes, you would not be able to turn on/off the Reader or do a full power off or a reset or factory reset. Not only does the sleep cover protect the Reader, it saves wear and tear on the power button. When I got my H2O, I never took it with me when I went out because I didn't have a case. So I only used it in the house and I was extra careful with it. I didn't even read in bed with it in case it fall off the bed. I got a case for it straight away and now I can take it with me. A sleeve is not always a good solution (unless the sleeve fits with Reader AND case) as there are times you take the Reader out of the sleeve and then you have to put the sleeve someplace before you start to read and it's a very bad idea to go without a case when you are out and about with your Reader. You are sitting on public transportation, you are reading, you get to your stop and you have not put your Reader away, so you get off the train onto a concrete floor, you try to put it back into the sleeve and it slips and hits the floor and breaks. If you had a case, you would have closed the cover and then tried to put it away. If it had then dropped, there would have been some protection and it might not have broken. Last edited by JSWolf; 01-02-2015 at 05:30 PM.

01-02-2015, 08:07 PM	#28
GeoffR Wizard Posts: 3,821 Karma: 19162882 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Te Riu-a-Māui Device: Kobo Glo	I use a hard case when transporting my Glo in by backpack or pannier, where it is ar risk from road viabration or crushing, but I always remove it from the case to read, and leave it out of the case at home. It is so much more comfortable to read without a case that I'd rather do without the minimal protection it offers. Edit: I should add that when I am at home and not reading, I place the ereader face down on a hard surface. I think the recessed screen is a very good protection from scratching, and would be reluctant to buy an ereader that had a flush screen. Last edited by GeoffR; 01-02-2015 at 08:20 PM. Reason: recessed screen

01-02-2015, 03:41 PM	#16
ATDrake Wizzard Posts: 11,517 Karma: 33048258 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Roundworld Device: Kindle 2 International, Sony PRS-T1, BlackBerry PlayBook, Acer Iconia	I used all my readers caseless for months until I was able to acquire a decent case for them (for the K2, that actually took a number of years, since getting a reasonably decent price on one I liked, shipped to Canada before Amazon officially started selling Kindle and Kindle accessories here, was a minor challenge and I finally lucked out on the last remaining stock of a SkinDigital leather model on clearance with free shipping). I would take my readers everywhere on public transit, and hold them bare while reading, and tuck them into a hard plastic B5-sized file case lined with bubble wrap and soft cloth as an improvised protective device (which currently houses my latest e-reader acquisition, the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet which is awaiting the purchase of a suitable case) for transport in my backpack or whatever other bag I was carrying. It worked okay, but I just ended up being paranoid about it (especially when shopping for used & comic books, as I keep my list of stuff owned on my e-readers, so I would do this hand-to-hand passing of the reader while I juggled TPBs and waited for the search results to show and would put it down on a shelf so I wouldn't scratch the screen against my jacket while I readjusted the pile of potential acquisitions and pick it back up again and in retrospect I realize just how much that wore on my nerves) and now that my K2 and Sony have their own cases, I find it a much more relaxed and casual thing to take out and use them in a public setting, and at home also. I did take my PlayBook out on public transit yesterday because it turned out to be easier to take photos of my most recent batch of acquired graphic novels than to type up and list them all to avoid buying duplicates during the holiday sale raid on the not-so-local comic book shop, and used it bare the way I used to with my e-ink readers. I didn't like the experience and don't care to repeat it (but think I might have to, since it's also a better way of storing transit map/schedule information and the bus trip connections planning info from the transit company's website than trying to zoom a PDF printout on a K2), so I've prioritized getting a decent low-cost case for my PlayBook, which is mildly complicated by the fact that they're officially discontinued and so no one really makes specific supporting accessories for them anymore and have generally already sold off their stock. I have a couple of candidates in mind (one of which I should have gotten pretty much immediately when I saw it, but "oh, they've got 10 left in stock and no one makes or even buys these tablets any more, so that's plenty left for me to pick up when I'm ready to decide" ahahaha… all sold out even before Black Friday, though at least the product page says they can get more in, at a slightly higher price), but might end up getting a generic 7" tablet case if I can find a nice one which fits well on sale.

01-02-2015, 04:01 PM	#17
cromag Surfin the alpha waves ~~ Posts: 26,285 Karma: 459765791 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: New Jersey Device: Jetbook Lite & Mini, Nook STR, Kobo, Hanvon N516, Kindle 2, Androids	I've never used a case, but the "battery bulge" on the JetBook Lite would make it difficult to find one. I have the manufacturer's slip-on case for when it's not in use, and I found a very nice Nintendo DS case that fits it well and is padded for travel.

01-02-2015, 04:40 PM	#18
Phogg PHD in Horribleness Posts: 2,320 Karma: 23599604 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: In the ironbound section, near avenue L Device: Just a whole bunch. I guess I am a collector now.	I use skins with multiple cases. Book style cases if I am out and about. Silicone gel cases for a comfortable grip if I am going to read for an extended period.

01-02-2015, 05:47 PM	#24
NNolan Compulsive Gadget Geek Posts: 407 Karma: 4219324 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: South Central Virginia Device: One of each, and two in some cases	I find cases make the eReader too bulky and hard to hold, at least for me. I've been using pot holders as sleeves since I got my first Kindle in 2009, and I've never broken any of the many eReaders I've owned.

01-02-2015, 06:03 PM	#25
Ripplinger 350 Hoarder Posts: 3,574 Karma: 8281267 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Midwest USA Device: Sony PRS-350, Kobo Glo & Glo HD, PW2	I won't take my reader out of the house until I have a decent case on it. The trick is to find a slim-fitting case that doesn't really add any bulk to the reader. Such as the official Kobo covers for the Glo are much too bulky, I'd never use one of those, but the cover I do have hardly adds anything to the size of the reader and generally makes it comfortable to hold. Usually a case where the reader snaps in is the thinnest, those where you slide the reader in like a sleeve are the bulkiest and I avoid those. I'm one of those that even a tiny scratch on a device would drive me nuts and I'd end up having to replace it, but with a good case and common sense my electronic devices remain in pretty much pristine condition. My phones also have cases as well as a good screen protector. Even my pocket camera gets a good screen protector.

01-02-2015, 06:09 PM	#26
wawasteele Addict Posts: 357 Karma: 656362 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: California Device: 1st PW, Sansa Clip Zip, Samsungs: GT 7.0 Plus, Note4, GT 4 10.1"	For me, it depends on the device. For my original Nook, I had a zippered, sleeve-like case that I got at the $.99 store. When I replaced that with a PW, I got a case that turns it on when I open it. I have to say, I love this case! My old Samsung 7" tablet is in a Kindle Fire case that fits it well. I like that case, it doesn't add much weight. I also have a screen protector on it. However my new Samsung 10.1" tablet came with a sleeve. On Black Friday, I got a case that also has a bluetooth keyboard for it. I mostly only use that case when I need the tablet propped up to use the keyboard. I don't have a screen protector for it. I find with it, I am using it caseless most of the time. My current phone has a skin-type case and a screen protector.

01-02-2015, 08:57 PM	#29
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,749 Karma: 145864619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	My H2O is in a Finte sleep case and the weight difference it negligible plus, it is easier to hold.

01-02-2015, 09:08 PM	#30
Jessica Lares Wizard Posts: 2,240 Karma: 5759170 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Near Dallas, Texas, USA Device: iPad Mini, iPod Touch (5th gen)	I went caseless on my Paperwhite 2. I took very good care of my Kindle Keyboard in a case, but then some of the eink exploded. So there was no point after that. It depends on the device. I didn't use one on my HD 6 either, but by the 30 days it started to feel like it was going to fall apart, and that's the main reason I sent it back.

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