Marware AHHB1P C.E.O. Hybrid for the iPad (3rd and 4th Generation), Carbon Fiber

I just bought my first iPad at one of the leading brick-and-mortar stores. There was no real advantage to buying it from Amazon since Apple tightly controls the pricing for these devices. However, this is not so for the case. At the brick-and-mortar stores, even very cheaply made cases seemed to average about $50. So, I decided I could wait a few days and set my sights on getting a better deal on Amazon.I reviewed many cases on Amazon and this one by Marware seemed to have the biggest bang per buck. I was not disappointed! To begin with, I had considered paying extra for two- or three-day shipping. Fortunately I decided against it. I received the case via free super saver shipping in three days!!!Now on to the case. It is very well made and sold. It feels (and smells) almost like leather. All of the edges and corners are smooth. My new (third generation) iPad fits snuggly. When closed, the iPad is completely protected with all edges tightly aligned. The design does not add much bulk or weight to the device at all.Apparently the early versions of this case had a problem with the position of the magnet used for the sleep/wake feature when you open and close the cover. Marware has obviously solved this problem since this feature now works extremely well.There are grooves inside the case used for standing the iPad in about three horizontal positions. These also work fine. The highest position is perfect for watching videos or surfing the net. The built-in strap designed for putting your hand through to secure the iPad in a vertical hand-held position is great too. It gives you a very comfortable feeling that you will not lose your grip and that the iPad will not drop from the case. Another great design feature is the built-in thin elastic strip that wraps around the right edge of the iPad when you are holding the device in the vertical position. This keeps the front cover of the case from opening and flopping around behind the device.I have just one small complaint which kept me from giving this case 5 stars. I would have given it 4 1/2 stars but Amazon only allows ratings in whole stars. My complaint is that I wish the case had a feature to stand it vertically in the grooves. The workaround is to just stand it up on a flat surface with the front cover opened perpendicularly to the device. That method works but is not optimal. This is by no means a deal-breaker, but it would be less awkward to somehow allow you to rotate the iPad to the vertical position for placement in the grooves. That new feature would undoubtably require an additional cost.This is a great and rugged case at an unbeatable price. I am very happy with this purchase!

I purchased this case for my iPad 4th generation after going through the myriad options on Amazon. I received it today, and have to say it is quite nice. The materials are good, and the build quality appears to be a notch about many of the cheap products I've seen.The problem is, it just doesn't fit right. The case appears to be just ever so slightly too narrow. With the iPad fully inserted, the far left edge hangs a bit off the edge into the spine. This causes the top cover not to line up properly. This in turn causes problems with the clips on the cop and bottom of the case that are meant to clip onto the iPad and hold the cover in place. The bottom clip will snap in eastily, but the top clip absolutely will not snap into place unless you forcibly bend and contort it into place.I've contacted Marware support about the issue, and hope to hear back soon. I'll update when I do, but, for now, I would avoid this case if you have a 4th generation iPad.Update 12/12/12: I did get a response from Marware. They claimed that my issue wasn't a known problem, but agreed to send out a new cover.In the interim, I noticed that my existing cover was beginning to loosen up a bit. After a few days, the pressure needed to close the case had diminished greatly. I did finally receive the replacement, and it does seem to fit marginally better than my original did out of the box. Unfortunately, the replacement has other build issues that the first did not. The replacement has a great deal of extra material sticking out around the stitching. It makes the cover feel very poorly built. In the end I decided to keep my original cover. The stitching on it is much cleaner, and it has loosened up enough that I don't have issues opening and closing it now as I did initially.I will say that I do like the case. It is light, looks good, and provides very good protection. It's unfortunate that build quality does seem to be a bit of an issue. I'm raising my initial 2 star review to a 3 star, which is probably more like 3.5 stars. The truth is, even with the Marware case's flaws, I've not found an iPad case that I like any better.

I did a lot of research for this product and comparison shopping. I am quite happy with my purchase. I found it has all the features stated. It arrived in record time for my newly purchased 4th generation iPad. Other cases reviewed in person were pitiful in comparison. I had a friend who owned a Marware case for her iPad 2.Initially, I had problems inserting the iPad in the case because the new fit is super tight. (The iPad 4th generation has the same dimensions as the iPad 3.) This resolved with a little help from an extra pair of hands from a friend. The sleep/wake issue seemed to be a problem the first couple of times I used it but it functioned well after that.I agree with the previous comment, "If you care, this doesn't seem to be actual carbon fiber composite, which would be aerospace rigid and expensive (though light). it seems to be a high grade synthetic or polymer that gives off a nice new-car smell fresh out of the box and feels soft and pleasant in the hand. Gives good grip but not tacky. Firm exterior padding feels good. Edges are smooth and comfortable. Fit and finish are excellent -- minor imperfections on the early release have been fixed. Function gets a perfect score..."Cons: My iPad fits too snug and its hard to open at times. Sometimes I think I'm going to break the case in trying to open it. Thank goodness it's of a sturdy and tough construction. I think this will get better over time as it loosens its tight grip.Something I've noticed is that the alerts still ring when I get an email, text, etc. even though its supposed to be in sleep mode with cover closed. Maybe I'm not closing it well. Don't know if this is a function of the iPad and not of the case itself. All in all, a great product. I highly recommend this Marware case.