Our Nexus 7 official travel cases have arrived, and of course we want to share some quick thoughts and impressions with you guys, The gray travel case has so far been pretty difficult to get, as they would disappear from Google Play as soon as they appeared it seemed. Late last week we jumped in and ordered a couple as soon as they became available, and they arrived very well packaged in this afternoon's UPS run.
Once you crack it open, you'll find a very bland dark grey TPU case with a folding cover. We're not complaining -- in fact I prefer the nondescript and subtle grey color -- but if you're looking for something fancy or colorful you'll need to look elsewhere or wait for the leaked cases we saw yesterday to appear for sale. What you get here is a plain, yet very protective piece to keep your shiny new Nexus 7 shiny and new.
The case is form-fitting, and easily slips on and off the tablet. The ample cut-outs provide easy access to the ports, microphones (there's two) and external speaker assembly. The edges and corners wrap around to keep the case from coming off when you don't want it to come off, and the familiar raised TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) blocks are present so you can find and operate the volume and power switches. Of course, the full-face cover will keep the screen of your Nexus 7 from getting scarred up while in a bag or backpack. Unfortunately, there is no magnet embedded to activate the switch and power on the tablet when the cover is opened. I'm searching amazon for supplies to cut and insert one of my own, and I'll be sure to get that in the forums if and when I find out more.
The only real drawback of these cases is the price. One will set you back $30 after shipping, and it's very likely that you'll be able to find a more inexpensive option on Amazon or even locally sourced. These are manufactured by ASUS, and OEM equipment, so we expect to pay a bit extra. Price aside, they do seem like a great way to keep your Nexus 7 from getting scratched and otherwise damaged, and are worth considering if you prefer a simple, utilitarian option. Hit the break for a short video hands-on and a handful of pictures, and if you're interested in buying you'll find a link to Google Play below.
Order the Nexus 7 travel case from Google Play
