Customer Reviews

Joby GorillaMobile Ori for iPad 2 (GM12-A1UL)

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Best case ever! I've tried 6 ipad cases, and this is the undisputed champion. It really changes how you use your ipad 2. Raising ipad closer to your face results in a bigger perceived screen that is easier to read and more ergonomic, with less neck and shoulder strain. Works great on tabletop or your lap. Very stable. It tilts and swivels beautifully, so your ipad is always at the perfect angle.

This case is a functional work of art. After using it for an hour, you wonder how you ever lived without it. Before Ori, if I wanted to see the screen up close, I had to hold my ipad in my hands? How primitive!

It's made of very lightweight aluminum. It's not as sleek or light as a basic plastic or leather folio, but the ipad pops in and out very easily (much easier than any other case I've tried), so you can easily switch to naked whenever you want sleek/light.

I also tried the Yogi (with bendable legs), and it's cool, but the Ori wins hands down (pardon the pun).

The following is a true story:

On a brilliant Saturday Florida morning my Gorillamobile Ori for iPad 2 arrived. This is my second Ori. When I replaced my original iPad with my iPad 2, I actually called Joby, its manufacturer, to inquire when an iPad 2 model would be available. They would not take me up on my offer to beta test it, but advised I could acquire one legally in June.

Coincidentally I had planned to go to the Apple Store that Saturday morning to look at a new Apple iMac MC508LL/A 21.5-Inch Desktop for my wife, so I pulled off the excellent Apple iPad 2 Leather Smart Cover - Black (MC947LL/A) and snapped my iPad 2 into place.

Now the Apple Store is the home of cool. The people who are fortunate enough to work there are surrounded by cool. They read about all things Apple. By and large they are the most educated retail sales force in the world today. So as I am look at iMacs, the Apple guy looks at what I am carrying.

"What is that?" he asked.

Being a lawyer and a wannabe geek, I put it through its paces. I open it, put it in various positions, hand it to him to feel its weight (a bit heavier than a Smart Cover), and demonstrate how it is held in the case (it snaps in).

He in turn calls over various sales associates and has me repeat my demonstration. Finally the store manager, a true geek if anyone is, comes over. He is the only one who has ever seen one and properly calls it by its name. The associates are asking why they don't sell it, suggesting they could sell a ton of them. He has no answer.

Later, after I have left the store, I am waiting for my wife to finish her shopping and reading my email. I am approached by a man who speaks no English (not uncommon in South Florida). He has an iPad 2 in a SmartCover. He points to my Ori. With a few college years spent taking Spanish to avoid having to take calculus back in the day when computers were the size Winnebagos, we establish he wants to know if he can by a case at the Apple Store. Sadly, he cannot. So where can he buy one. I tell him Amazon. He looks perplexed. I surf over to Amazon and show him the screen. He gets it, and happily saunters off.

What this all means is that this is a very, very cool case. It is far more versatile than a Smart Cover. It can be placed at an angle for typing, like the Smart Cover, but unlike the Smart Cover doesn't collapse. And more it can be used as a stand for video (in portrait and landscape) and as a control pad for Keynote (or PowerPoint) projections.

There was a reason all those geeks were amazed by this cover. It is truly cool.

I was very excited to receive the Joby GorillaMobile Ori for iPad 2 (GM12-A1UL) through the Amazon Vine program. I tried the case for a day and put my old case back on and ever since then I've been putting off writing this review because it's tough going against the grain. It makes me wonder if my needs are that different from other users. Let me explain what I use my iPad for and then I'll get into the details of the Joby Ori. I share an iPad 2 with my partner and kids. We use it at home to Facetime with family, watch movies, shop, surf the web, check e-mail and Facebook and when we travel it accompanies us as a laptop alternative. I figure that our needs and usage is pretty typical for the non-business user. My current folio-type case is fine for reading or light use but it's tough prop it up to watch a movie and exhausting to hold for long periods of time for Facetime. So I was very, very happy to try the Joby Ori out.

First the good:

- Fantastic for Facetime or movies. It raises the iPad to a perfect height when it's placed on the desk or as an alternative it can setup so it's a little lower
- Magnetic wake sensor (also a bad thing but more on that later)
- Easy to rotate from landscape to portrait
- Nice slightly inclined mode that's perfect for typing
- Build quality seems fine and the hinges are pretty heavy duty

The bad:

- The case just doesn't close and there's no latch. The hinges are so stiff that it always looks like it's going to pop open. This may not sound like a big deal but it makes the wake sensor useless because the case is almost always opening on it's own and turning the iPad on. This is a huge design flaw.
- Uncomfortable to hold when it's not being used as a stand
- A bit on the heavy side and adds too much bulk
- Not sure it'll last: there are several little tabs and sections of the case than can be pulled out that depend on the tightness of fit with other plastic components to stay put
- The materials the case is constructed from just don't feel good to grip.

Foremost, I must concur with the few reviews that cite the lack of a locking mechanism as problematic. I tried this product for a day and felt that my iPad was not (at all) secure. I was very cognizant that my investment could be easily damaged. I think that some slight retooling would make this product much better. As it stands, this device is unusable as an iPad cover.

Now, who would think there would be a "however" to this review? Here it is ... However, this product does make for a wonderful stand. It is sturdy and aesthetically pleasing. I have left it permanently folded on my desk. Of course, I feel compelled to note that if you want an iPad stand, the Thought Out Stabile iPad 2 Stand is unbelievably gorgeous! I highly endorse it! (I was just "putting a positive spin" on the situation for those who don't want the hassle of shipping this product back).

I can think of a number of better ways to invest in your iPad. Hold-off on buying this GorillaMobile Ori until they find a way to secure it.

I had the chance to receive and review the Joby GorillaMobile Ori for iPad 2 and was excited for it to arrive based on other reviews. Sadly once it arrived I was almost immediately disappointed.

First let me explain how I use my iPad. I live with it. I use it at work all the time. My work doesn't allow me to be at my desk for extended periods so I keep it with me as my connection to the internet, my schedule, and all my work apps as I move around work from meetings to all areas of the facility. At home, it is almost always on whether I am streaming Sirus, watching Netflix or just surfing the web. In other words, I am a heavy user of the iPad 2 in many settings.

What I don't like about the Joby GorillaMobile Ori for iPad 2 is that the edges of all the aluminum sections are sharp. Not that they will cut you, but if you place it quickly on a desk, Formica or any other damageable surface, you could easily gouge or at least scratch the surface. Also it does not close tightly. This makes sense in some ways because the hinges are strong and don't flip around loosely. It's important to have a strong hinge when you have the Ori open and the iPad is up high for viewing a movie...like the main photo...the hinges are great at holding the iPad. It takes a little time to get used to the way in which you need to manipulate the Ori to get to each position but as I wrote in the title...I stopped using it after 24 hours because I don't like the sharp edges and I just don't like the overall feel of the product.

I have used the Joby GorillaMobile Yogi for iPad 2 (GM11-A1UL) and like it much better. It's great for using around the house but the lack of a way to cover the face means I don't take it out of the house. I feel the best case for protecting the face and back of the iPad 2 is the Speck Products PixelSkin HD Rubberized Wrap Case for iPad 2 (SPK-A0324)

This case allows one to put the iPad in a number of different configurations. It can be a bit clumsy at first, but once you get the hang of how everything moves, it is quite easy to use. I highly recommend this case, as long as you are willing to sacrifice some of the thinness inherent in the iPad (it does make it a lot bulkier). It's a fine tradeoff for me.

I must say, I love this case! I carefully researched the ever-increasing multitude of stands, sleeves, covers, and cases for my new ipad2 and read every review out there. I was looking for something which would both protect my ipad2 and make it functional whether at home, on the couch, in the kitchen, or while travelling. Hands down, the Ori fits the bill.

The case is sleek and lightweight, first of all, and then when the multiple configurations are factored in, the Ori is nothing short of remarkable. Far more elegant than leather or silicone, the minimalist styling is well-finished. I was initially concerned about what seemed to be plastic tabs which hold the folding bits in place, but closer inspection revealed that the white composite material is also backed by aluminum. The swivel function allows the ipad2 to be viewed in portrait orientation while remaining absolutely stable, which is not so with covers that fold into a triangular shape - those are best suited for landscape viewing because they topple over when stood up. All features of the ipad2 are accessible with perfectly aligned cutouts and integrated button covers. The only downside could be that the lined inner cover which protects the glass screen when closed also functions as the non-skid stand base when open - however, a quick swipe of the inner lid before closing alleviates any concern.

If you are looking for drop protection or to use the ipad2 in wet or dirty conditions, then you'd do better by waiting for the Lifeproof case in the fall. I admit, my iphone4 lives in an ugly Otterbox due to necessity of protecting it from my clumsiness, but my ipad2 doesn't live quite the same tough life and I cannot imagine it in any other case than the Ori.

I purchased both the iPad and iPad 2 versions of this case. I am the I.T. Manager for a large corporation, and we just starting seriously deploying some iPad 2's in the company, so I was testing the Goby for use on our factory floor. The iPad version I brought home to use on my wife's iPad. Here's my impressions of the case based on use in the business and for leisure:

Pros:
- It is definitely and eye catcher, and gives the iPad a whole new hi-tech mechatronic look.
- It works great on our factory floor for viewing tech manuals, cad drawings, schematics, etc. It gives you many different viewing configurations which is great for our engineers/techs when trying to read the docs while working on equipment.
- Protection - the iPad snaps inside of a plastic shell within the Goby Ori case, so it is completely protected from every angle (sandwiched between 2 plates of aluminum).

Cons:
- Bobble: In the 2 most common viewing configurations, the iPad 'bobbles' horribly while typing. Since it only held by a center pivot anchor, it does not have a secure backing during typing and so the bobbling makes it impossibly annoying to type on. It is magnificient for simply viewing (books, movies, etc.), however if you have to start browsing the web and typing in data it will get old quick.
- Bulk: It's really a tri-fold configuration, which adds some bulk to your very slim iPad 2.

I brought the 2nd case home and threw it on my wife's iPad, and she instantly despised it; too complicated and too many options; she just wanted something simple to flip open and use. The Goby Ori does turn your iPad a bit into Optimus Prime, giving it plenty of appeal to the male demographic, but the gals might find it a bit over-the-top.

The Joby Ori for the iPad 2 is a quality case with superior construction and excellent aesthetics. The case appears to be built to last and provides genuine impact protection to all areas of the iPad 2. In addition to providing protection, the case is quite versatile. It is able to transform into several different positions that allow it to serve as a stable reading stand in either portrait or landscape modes.

All of the outward facing construction is of attractive aluminum. The aluminum provides great protection and looks while not adding much weight. I appreciated the usage of a magnetic cover to integrate with the iPad 2 auto on/off feature. When you flip open the Ori, your iPad 2 turns on automatically. And likewise, when you close this case, your iPad 2 will turn off.

The iPad snaps firmly into a plastic holder that appears to be almost identical to the holder used in other Joby products for the iPad 2 (I have a Joby Yogi).

If you travel a lot, I think this is the ideal case for providing you with great protection but also some novel utility such as the ability to serve as a stand for your iPad 2. If you don't travel much and don't need screen protection, I'd opt for the Joby Yogi. The Yogi is considerably cheaper and infinitely flexible as an iPad 2 stand/holder.

When my iPad 2 is in the Ori, I feel it is well protected. When you have the case setup as a stand, it elevates the display 7-8 inches into the air. My wife uses this feature to read from her iPad 2 while doing her hair in the morning. The stand holds the iPad 2 so high that it is easier to read while she is standing. All the while, it is still quite stable and not prone to tipping over.

We only have minor complaints. Once inserted into the plastic holder, it is sometimes quite difficult to remove the iPad 2 from the case. It would be nice if there was a mechanical release mechanism. Instead you have to tug on the iPad 2 until it "snaps" out. We also find it a bit awkward twisting and turning all of the different joints on the Ori to get it setup the way you want. I don't think there is any way to fix this- it's kind of the nature of being such a wonderfully flexible product.

Overall we love this case and highly recommend it.

The Joby GorillaMobile Ori for the iPad 2 is a versatile cover/stand. After inserting the iPad securely, there are several ways to position the stand for viewing. Though, a flat surface is recommended for most. I doubt I'd use this for travel, as the case is metallic and doesn't close firmly. But for viewing movies or chatting with Facetime, I'd use this at home often. The first time I tried all of the positions for the stand (following the directions), I was a bit nervous manipulating some of the metal flaps and bends, afraid that I'd break it. But after the first bend, it loosened up a bit and made for easier movement. This seems to be fairly sturdy and is more stable than my leather cover/stand. My leather cover is better for travel, but I like this is better for home use.