Encasing your BlackBerry PlayBook

You didn’t seriously buy a $500 electronic device only to leave it naked, did you? There are plenty of ways to cheap out with tablets and smartphones, but cases just aren’t the place to do it. They might be the most important investment you make. If your new PlayBook happens to take a spill, even from waist high, you could be out that entire $500. Case it up, though, and you might be able to salvage it. For the past few days I’ve been enjoying the BlackBerry PlayBook, emphasis on the term enjoying. It really is a great tablet that’s only going to get better as we see features such as native email and Android apps. I seriously cannot fathom leaving this naked and unprotected. The PlayBook absolutely needs a case. I didn’t believe this right away. After all, the PlayBook comes with a nifty padded pouch. It’s also pretty small, so it’s hard to imagine dropping it. And then I saw this: And now I’m rushing to get a case for the thing. The only question is of which style case works best. Different people will have different feelings, so let’s take a look at three of the best in the marketplace. Kindle-style leather binder When I bought a Kindle last year, I ordered a case along with it. Why the instant case before, but hesitancy with the PlayBook? Simple: the price. The Kindle cost only $170 or so, and the added case brought it to $200. That’s compared to about $500 for just the PlayBook. And so when the PlayBook arrived I didn’t think much about the case; I just thought about the $500 already spent. The leather binder for the Kindle has held up well, and it’s convenient to boot. It doesn’t make the Kindle much bulkier, and in some ways it makes the Kindle easier to carry around. As it turns out RIM has made a similar case for the PlayBook. The two devices aren’t that dissimilar in size, so it makes sense. It’ll protect against minor drops, but it really shines against those run of the mill dings and dents. It also makes your PlayBook appear all sophisticated-like. You can grab the leather binder PlayBook case for $29.39. OtterBox Defender case

OtterBox has long been a favorite case for those who want full protection for their electronic devices. These cases really hold up to the toughest conditions. I even joked once that the Defender case for the 8830 could probably withstand a tumble down a flight of stairs. With each new BlackBerry model OtterBox has released a case, and they’ve made no exception for the PlayBook. True to the OtterBox Defender series style, the PlayBook case features hardshell protection wrapped in a rubber exterior. The two layers of protection are what really makes the Defender series the best when it comes to protecting your electronics. Of course, it does come with one drawback. See, one of my favorite features of the PlayBook is its size. At just seven inches diagonally I can fit it in plenty of places. The case, however, makes it considerably bulkier. Sure, it does flip up to make watching videos a bit easier, but I still can’t get over the bulk. If you’re more interested in full protection than the size of your PlayBook, you can get the OtterBox Defender case for the PlayBook for $37.49. Hard Skin Case Cover If both the OtterBox and the leather cases are a bit too much for you, there are cheaper options. For instance, the Hard Skin Case Cover from MiniSuit stood out to me. It’s the most minimalistic case on the market, as it really is only a wrapper for your PlayBook. Of course, it has openings for all of the ports, and it doesn’t cover an inch of the screen. It doesn’t even impede with the off-screen gestures. At the same time, it won’t really help against drops and other minor damage. It will keep your PlayBook free from scratches and smudges, but that’s about it. And since the case does wrap around to the front, maybe it will scale back the impact of a drop or other minor damage. But I wouldn’t expect much. While I thought this would be useful at first, it’s really just a cosmetics upgrade. If you want said cosmetics upgrade, you can get it cheaply. You can get the Hard Skin Case Cover for $5.95. It comes in five different colors, too.