DODOcase Hardcover for the Nexus 7

Behold! The DODOcase Hardcover for the Google Nexus 7 Android tablet. We're in search of the perfect case for the Nexus 7, a task that's as daunting as it is fun. This latest offering brings us a folio-style hardcover case that has some simple but appreciated flair.

But will style trump substance here? And will our Nexus 7 remain in the Dodo, or will it travel on in search of a new protected life? Only one way to find out. Read on for our complete thoughts on the DODOcase Hardcover for the Nexus 7.

Cases can be a tricky thing, excelling in one area while falling far short in another. The Dodo Hardcover is somewhere in the middle there.  It's your basic folio-style design, complete with elastic band to keep things in place when the cover's closed. (And it's used to help prop up the case on slick surfaces.) The cover itself is sort of a faux-leather, but it leans more toward the vinyl side than anything organic. (That's not a huge let-down, I think it's just more apparent to me because of the case I've had on my Kindle Fire.) The rear of the folio has the DODOcase (that's the official branding, by the way) logo embeded in it.

The corners of the case are cut off; I'd prefer rounded, but they're not horrible. Closed, the hardcover case indeed feels a little like a thin book, which is by design.

Open the case for the first time, and you see a cool little DODOcase logo stick on the left-hand side, and instructions on top of the cardboard filler on the right. There's some nice design and attention to detail here. You might now notice a slight bulge near the lower right of the sticker on the left-hand side. There's a small embedded magnet there, and it'll force the Nexus 7 to turn on when you open the cover. 

But now it's time to actually affix your Nexus 7 to the DODOcase. There are three adhesive strips on the right-hand side of the case. Remove the backing, and then press the tablet to the case. It took me a couple tries to get it positioned just so -- too far one direction and it'll hang out of the case, too far in the other and the folio won't close. The good news is that the case is designed to have the tablet removed and replaced. If the strips lose their stickiness, wipe 'em down with water. If they're all-the-way-dead, you can get new ones from DODO. (Now's a good time to mention DODO's excellent FAQ, which answers little questions like this.)

A couple of concerns about using adhesive strips -- there's nothing physically holding the tablet in the case from the front side. While the adhesion feels pretty strong, I like the extra security you get when a tablet's held in from the front. There's less of a chance of it falling out that way. I'm paranoid like that. The other is that -- at least at first -- the adhesion can lead to some creaking sounds. I'm anal-retentive like that.

Pros

• Extremely slim lines, with a nice, solid fit
• Lets you prop up the Nexus 7 in landscape mode for proper video viewing
• Embedded magnet wakes the Nexus 7 when the case is opened

Cons

• Adhesive strips leave us a tad worried, and can lead to creaking sounds
• There's no real low-angle viewing, DODO's pictures to the contrary
• Because of the way the Nexus 7's bezels are angled, the power and volume buttons can be a little awkward to reach

The bottom line

For $34.95, the DODOcase Hardcover for the Nexus 7 is a decent tablet case. It's not without its quirks -- but what is? The slim styling is a big plus, as is the fact that you can get it in black, red, blue or purple. For an extra $9.95, you can add a three-character monogram in gold or black, small or large.

Order info: DODOcase.com

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