Review: TwelveSouth’s BookBook case for the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro

Jordan Kahn

We’ve reviewed and enjoyed a number of TwelveSouth products over the years. We were intrigued by the hollowed out book idea with the company’s original BookBook case for the MacBook Air and since it has brought out similar hand distressed leather BookBook cases for other Apple devices, like the iPhone and iPad mini. While maybe not the ideal option for Apple’s anit-skeumorphic cheerleaders, I found the stark contrast to Apple’s sometimes cold industrial design a nice juxtaposition.

I tend to not use any skins, covers or cases when using my MacBook on a day to day basis. I slide my MacBook into a laptop pouch built-into my backpack or use a standard laptop case when on the go, and rarely do I actually leave the MacBook in the case when in use. A case was necessary for protection when traveling, but for me the average soft or hard plastic laptop case never quite does the pricey, Jony Ive designed Apple hardware inside justice. BookBook is different… Read more

Holiday Shopping Guide: Mods, cases, cables, & docks available now for your iPhone 5

Jordan Kahn

Screen Shot 2012-12-10 at 7.24.19 PM

We have already brought you roundups of the best Lightning products and iPad mini accessories we could find, but there are still a lot of iPhone 5 specific accessories, mods, and attachements that didn’t make our past gift guides. We didn’t want to include any products that you wouldn’t be able to get your hands on before Christmas, so we’re only including products promising to ship in December. Below you’ll find our roundup of the best mods, cases, cables & docks available now and specifically designed for the iPhone 5: Read more

Review: BookBook case, the ultimate hollowed out book trick for your Air

9to5 Staff


I took Twelve South’s BookBook for Air for an extensive spin through a bunch of everyday usage scenarios and in various urban and Mediterranean settings.

I have an admission to make: I’ve never been a big fan of protective cases for Apple products. There, I said it. I especially have an issue with notebook cases, many of which unfortunately can be brushed off as cheap-looking, overpriced gimmicks that don’t hold a candle to Apple’s industrial design. I didn’t cave even after the paint had started to come off of my first Apple notebook, a titanium-clad PowerBook G4, because I bumped it one time too many.

It is fair to say that in all those years I’ve never gotten my head around utilizing protective sleeves to keep my pricey hardware in pristine condition. To me, Apple gear is meant to be displayed, touched and marveled at. The BookBook case for Air has changed my preconceived notions overnight. Oozing style, premium quality, convenience and authenticity, it’s the first case I reckoned would actually protect my Air whilst keep those prying eyes at bay. It’s what notebook cases are meant to be, at least in my view.



If there ever was such a thing as the ultimate hollowed book trick, this is probably it.

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