Many of you are proud new owners of the Jelly Bean toting Nexus 7 tablet, and many of you are now on the prowl for a good-looking, well-made case in which to carry and protect it. That’s where the DODOcase HARDcover comes in. DODOcases have a well known reputation for quality and craftsmanship, thanks to their pristine iPad cases, and now, they are extending that same quality over to Google and its buttery smooth Nexus 7.

The DODOcase HARDcovers are a bibliophile’s dream case, and not only give your tablet an authentic hardcover look and feel, but are actually handmade using traditional bookbinding techniques. I’m going to delve into the novel which is the DODOcase, share my opinions, and then let you decide for yourself if it’s the right case for you.

Features

• Protects & Disguises – Handmade in our San Francisco bookbindery by true American craftsmen and women, The HARDcover gives your Nexus 7 the look and feel of a hard-bound book.
• Smart Cover Functionality – The HARDcover for Nexus 7 contains a magnet embedded in the cover that activates the tablets sleep/wake functionality.
• Low Profile – A completely new design from the recognizable DODOcase for the iPad, the HARDcover takes advantage of a unique, reusable adhesive system to secure the cover in place while minimally increasing the overall form factor.
• Perch & Type Modes – Multifunctional design allows you to use the HARDcover as a stand for typing or watching videos. The included elastic clip even allows use of perch mode on slick surfaces like airplane tray tables.
• Super-Duper Adhesive – Industrial-grade adhesive used to secure the Nexus 7 is reusable and residue-free. Wiping the adhesive down with water restores the stickiness.
• Personalization – Personalize your HARDcover with up to three letters stamped on the front in black or gold. Our hot foil stamping technique will deboss the letters of your choice similar to letterpress.

The Good

The DODOcase HARDcover for the Nexus 7 truly is a bookworm’s best friend. It has an authentic hardcover look and feel and without a second look, could be mistaken for an actual book. In a strange way, knowing that this case was hand-made in the U.S., made me feel proud to carry it, and in a semi-arrogant American kind of way, made the case feel that much better (that is, of course, because I am an American).

The case itself is strong and durable, yet extremely lightweight. It adds almost no extra weight, and oddly enough, made me feel as if my Nexus 7 had shed a few grams. It has a very elegant look, comes in a variety of colors, and includes a magnet embedded in the cover to activate the sleep/wake functionality on the Nexus 7.

I found it very comfortable to hold and although I was skeptical and extremely nervous to entrust my device’s life to three strips of sticky tape, they actually performed beyond my expectations. Folding the case over also made for a fairly comfortable typing pad.

The Bad

While the case is well-made, it happens to be a tight fit. I found it hard to close the case if my Nexus 7 wasn’t positioned just right (and trying to get it right on sticky tape isn’t one of the most enjoyable experiences). Speaking of sticky tape, I know I already stated that the tape performed beyond my expectations (and it did) but I can’t help but wonder just how well that tape will perform over time.

Opening and closing the case gave an undesirable sound (similar to opening and closing a Velcro wallet) and although the case overlaps the Nexus 7 well enough to protect it, I’d feel safer if they had included a frame as they do with their other DODOcases.

The website also states the ability to use the case as a stand or “perch mode,” but I was unable to test out this functionality due to a missing clip (I assume), and without said clip, it simply would not stay up.

Verdict

Overall, the DODOcase Hardcover for the Nexus 7 is an excellent looking case and not only was I proud to carry it around, but also made me feel safer about carrying it around. At $34.95 the price isn’t that bad, and while it’s not a feature rich case, it’s its simplicity that makes it so attractive.

I’d feel better about the case if it had a frame in which to hold the device in and if they adopted a less noisy/sticky solution to keeping it put. Other than that, the major issue I have with the case, is the fact that if you lose (or aren’t provided) the elastic clip used to turn your case into a stand, you lose the ability to use it as a stand (and in a stand is where my tablet spends the majority of its time).

Overall, I give the DODOcase HARDcover for the Nexus 7 a score of 3.5 stars out of 5.

To see the case in action, give the video below a look and then head over to https://www.dodocase.com/ to learn more.