On April 3, 2010 when I was picking up my present iPad at the Aspen Grove Apple Store, the second thing I purchased was one of the standard Apple iPad Cases. That case is still the slimmest available on the market, and it started the trend of folio cases. However, my Apple case started falling apart within about six months, which explains why I'm always looking for the perfect case.

NewerTech recently started shipping The Pad Protector, a $24.95 case that may not be as slim as the original Apple case, but it's much nicer -- and less expensive. It features a leather exterior, a soft suede interior lining, a screen protector to keep your iPad screen from smudging and a nice magnetic closure to keep the cover in the down and locked position. It comes in basic black and an eye-popping red, so you have a choice of colors.

Highlights
Don't take this the wrong way, but I like leather. It has a nice feel to it, it's warmer to the touch than most plastic-based materials, and it ages nicely. The leather used for The Pad Protector has a smooth finish to it, but not so smooth that it will slide out of your hands. While it's thicker than the Apple case, the NewerTech case is designed in a similar manner (it uses a tab that the cover slides into to create a wedge-shape for typing or watching movies). It's much better made than the Apple version, I like the magnetic closure, and the free screen protector is great. It's also one of the least expensive folio cases available.

Lowlights
There's only one that I can think of; I'm wondering if the magnets in the closure might interfere with the electronic compass (magnetometer) that's built into the iPad. Normally, that might not be an issue, but if you're using an iPad app that takes advantage of the magnetometer, like Star Walk for iPad or MotionX GPS Drive HD, the case might cause some interference that would point the compass in the wrong direction. We don't have any proof that it could, but we'll see if we can get an answer from NewerTech. Update: according to the senior product development team member at NewerTech, the magnets do not cause interference issues -- he's used many magnetometer apps without a problem. Who is it for?

Anyone who wants the luxurious feel of leather, the protection of a relatively thin case and free screen protector, and doesn't want to empty their wallet at the same time.