CES 2011: ClamCase for iPad

[Jeff Campbell]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.macworld.com/article/156994/2011/01/clamcase_slideshow.html?lsrc=nl_mwnws_h_crawl' target='_blank'>http://www.macworld.com/article/156...l_mwnws_h_crawl</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"ClamCase converts iPad to laptop. From CES, a first hands-on look at the new iPad shell case/keyboard combo."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/at/auto/1294518328.usr105634.jpg" /></p><p>I don't know if you dislike slide show sites as much as I do, but I really had to go through this to see the images because this product really does interest me. I really like the fact that it is so flexible to use, and the keypad section can actually be bent backwards to set this up as a stand, or even folded completely over so you can use the iPad as it was intended. Very slick device and it appears to work as intended. What are your thoughts, does something like this interest you for your iPad?</p>

[Macguy59]

Let you know if it ever ships. Buddy of mine ordered one for me for Christmas but ship date still says "Jan '11" :mad: An early hands on (though very brief) shows the unit as a dull charcoal gray and not the glossy black show on the website. Hmmmmm

[DaleReeck]

For me, the biggest flaw is the way in folds back into tablet mode. It looks like it folds back so that the keyboard is on the bottom of the unit. Depending on how you are holding it, you are mashing keys on the bottom. Very not cool. It would have been much better if the hinge rotated as well as folded back, so you can fold it back on top of the keyboard and is protected, like the way a tablet PC works. That would have made it even more expensive, but it would be a much better product.

But I think they already know this. I notice in all their promotional videos and pictures that they carefully avoid any view showing the back of the unit while its folded open in tablet mode.

[jimmyjohn]

Folks, this does look cool and I did order it. I hope it is glossy black like the ad. However, I am waiting on this to ship. The phone number rings and you can't get anyone on the phone at Clamcase. They respond via e-mail. They list an office in California, but they list themselves as a Michigan company. The whole thing makes me nervous. They can't even give a tentative ship date, but they took everyone's money. They offered me my money back and I've read on their Facebook page that other people have had the same response. If they spent as much money on shipping the thing as they have promoting it then we would be able to test it.