For the last week or two I’ve been using my first BlackBerry PlayBook case: the Pop! by Case-Mate. It’s a tough call to slap on a case on a tablet, since you’re already having a hard time keeping the thing portable, but if you’ve already surrendered to carrying your tablet in a purse or emasculating equivalent, the added bulk is less of an issue.
The Pop! is a one-piece case with rubber grips on the short edge and inside, with hard plastic on the outside. Ports for the rear-facing camera, headphone jack, and twin microphones ensure you keep full functionality. While the bottom charger, micro USB and HDMI-out plugs are completely open, the rubber covers the media and power controls on top and molded to provide all the same access. The Pop! comes with a built-in kickstand so your PlayBook can be propped up at an ideal viewing angle. Black, grey, and pink options are all available; I opted for the classic black.
Style
The Case-Mate Pop! retains the same squared-off shape as the PlayBook, while adding a bit of curviness thanks to the slightly-domed rear. I wasn’t entirely sold on glossy finish of the plastic since it’s prone to scratching, but it does add a nice amount of smoothness when held (especially in portrait). The hybrid plastic/rubber look mixes nicely, and gives the PlayBook a bit more character than its otherwise plain exterior. My one complaint as far as looks go is that the mould lines where the two materials meet are messy at points, and can ruin what would otherwise be a sharp line. The rubbed along the short edges are covered in dimples, providing added grip when the PlayBook is held in landscape. I wasn’t a huge fan of the branding on the Pop! While the recessed “Case-Mate” logo on the back was nice and subdued, there was a raised rubber logo beside it that often distracted me. The inside of the case, for whatever reason, reads “Hola” in some valley-girl cursive font – more confusing than anything else.
Function
From a protective standpoint, the Pop! certainly does the trick. All along the rim of the front face is a rubber, beveled protrustion that should intercept and face-down drops, while the inside is all rubber and should provide solid drop protection when landing on any other side. My biggest peeve on the function side is the kickstand. Its angle is too shallow to be good viewing, but too steep to be practical for typing. You can pull the kickstand out only halfway, but even with rubber along the bottom edge, the stand slips out to full extension after a few taps. The kickstand itself was a pain to crack open unless you knew just the right way to do it; by the time I had figured it out, I had already messed up stand a fair bit (you can see the mark here). The media controls along the top worked great, and the added rubber button actually made it much easier to access the power button, which is otherwise flush with the PlayBook and hard to reach without using a nail.
Verdict
The primary consideration for cases on any gadget, be it smartphone, tablet, or otherwise is if you’re willing to put up with some extra bulk. In the grand scheme of tablets, the BlackBerry PlayBook is pretty small, so you’ve got some room to play with. The second criteria for me is price; the Pop! sits at $39.99 which strikes me as a little steep, but most tablet cases will be in that neighbourhood. I wouldn’t suggest the Pop! if you think you’re going to be relying on a kickstand, and would have expected a bit more polish with the mould lines, but for some core protection with solid grip, the Case-Mate Pop! is a decent choice. You can nab one right over here, but if you’re looking for alternatives, sit tight, I’m going to be trying out a bunch of PlayBook cases over the next little while.
