Since getting the Nexus 7 I’ve been pondering the issue of
protection – no, not protection from malware (as I often ponder), but the more
practical issue of physical protection, to make sure my tablet’s screen doesn’t
turn into so much shattered glass.
I’m typically a big fan of folio-style cases – those are the
ones that wrap around the tablet, with a hard cover flap keeping the screen
safe from medium-sized bumps. But so far the perfect case for the Nexus 7 has
been eluding me, owing to a few things.
First of all, there’s the fact that even though there are a
few different tablets of roughly the same size, the configuration isn’t
standard across the board. You can get folio cases designed for very specific
7-inch tablets, like the Blackberry Playbook or the Samsung Galaxy Tab, but
they’re not a fit for the Nexus 7 because the buttons are in different places,
or the molding that holds them in place just isn’t right.
While I found a few folios that kept the Nexus 7 in place
reasonably well with elasticized straps around the corners, the upper right
strap typically also had a nasty habit of pinching the Nexus’s power switch,
turning it off. Ooops. So those were a no-go.
When in doubt, you can generally go for something
specifically designed for the product. In fact, there’s a grey folio-style case
specifically designed for the Nexus 7 over at the Google Play store, which you
can order when you buy your…oh wait, no: it’s not actually available to
purchase, but you can sign up for an email notification to let you know when it
IS available. Ack.
So in the meantime, I’m opting for a fairly non-elegant
solution. I’m either tucking it into my Tom Bihn Brain Cell and letting it
slide around a bit (or squeeze it a bit when it’s sitting in there next to my
notebook), or putting it into a generic neoprene sleeve with a bit of
corrugated cardboard tucked in front of the screen. Ugly, but it works.
Have you gotten your hands on a protective solution for your
Nexus 7 yet? Let me know what you’ve gotten, in the comments below…bonus points
for inexpensive folio solutions!