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Portenzo Case Review
- Thread starter bthompson
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I emailed Darin 3 days ago regarding the status of my case and I've not gotten a response.
I ordered it about 2 weeks ago and I just want to make sure it is here by Xmas
I ordered it about 2 weeks ago and I just want to make sure it is here by Xmas
I'm sorry to sound rude but I mean he is only one person so he may be busy I mean after all it is only 13 days until Christmas so he may have things to do himself.
I have two questions to ask. I wanted 2 cases but after seeing the price it may not happen so I was wondering just in case which do you prefer, the plain Notebook Style or the Composition Style case? I do plan on getting two so for the first one I will have the sky blue linen and I was wondering if you think I should leave the inside of the composition case black or ask them to change it to a sky blue linen? Thank you for your time and help and thank you to Portenzo for being AWESOME! 
Hi unsped,
For the future, I believe marketplace section of this forum is a better place for such posts... Still, I'm interested
could you email me at annabelkina - at - gmail.com? Thanks!Well the question now to the people who have had their Portenzo for a while is how has it held up?
I'm not complaining but I am concerned that it has been almost 3 weeks since I placed my order and I've not heard anything with regards to shipping.
As a customer I do have a right to know what is going on with my order.
Hey Darin, just received my double black today. My gf allowed me to take a peek inside and its jaw dropping amazing. Christmas really can't come fast enough. Thanks again for your excellent customer service and i said before, your company is definitely going the right direction.
Well I secretly opened my christmas gift. Took pictures of the gift card then used the pics to order my Portenzo case! I can't wait to get it!!!
I just received the Black Alano case - amazing. Although I really liked the regular Portenzo case, the quality of the leather Alano is outstanding. Keep up the great work Portenzo!
So tomorrow I will officially be able to buy a Portenzo! Now the dilemma- which one? I'm torn between the Composition and the regular one, but with my name engraved on it. I'm iffy about the yellowish bamboo being paired with the black & white of the Composition cover, though I love the quirkiness of it looking like a composition notebook. On the other hand, I like the classiness and Moleskine look of the normal case, though I feel it's a little nondescript. Opinions?
Sometimes there are TOO MANY options. I went through the same thought process and went more traditional. Quirky might be fun for off and on, but for day-to-day the Moleskine look is hard to beat. Of course, the Wingtip is kind of in between and very nice. If not for the Alano that I ordered, I think I would have went Wingtip.
If they still had the wingtip ostrich skin, that would probably be my choice. I'm not a huge fan of brown, but damn that black and blown ostrich wingtip looks classy. I've considered the normal wingtip, but I think I like the ability to custom engrave the normal Portenzo better. But then again, I love, love unique looking items, and that Compostion case touches my writer's heart.
And... I'm right back where I started. -_-U
ETA- Oh no! I just discovered the Oberon Design iPad cases! I like the technical aspects of the Portenzo better, but the Oberon cases are soooooo preeetttty. I'm stuck. *cries*
http://www.oberondesign.com/shop/cart.php?m=product_list&c=76
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I've had my black Alano for a month now. My iPad never leaves the case and I use my iPad daily for note taking, watching movies, and cruising the web.
There is no noticeable difference between the Alano now versus the day I received it. Superb quality.
Michael
My Alano arrived today, and overall I'm extremely impressed. Works perfectly as a stand, quality of workmanship is extremely high, and as others have said, it smells great. Very good in the hands too. I mainly use my iPad freehand rather than on a surface, and usually hold it portrait style. The Alano adds minimal weight, and the asymmetry created by the spine is no different to the feeling of a thick magazine folded back on itself. The case also feels great when I hold the iPad freehand in landscape, spine down. It provides a very comfortable grip.
The only thing I don't care for about the design is the height of the bamboo frame. I wish it was a tiny bit higher so that the iPad screen didn't 'bubble' out of it. I can see why the designers shaped the frame the way they did because it's so aesthetically pleasing, but I'd prefer the screen to be slightly recessed, just so I don't feel the cover is touching it when it's closed. I don't think the cover is going to scratch it; it's just a preference.
Corners grips are invisible when the iPad is in place, and they're not going anywhere. Neither is the iPad. No point in rehashing this point as every reviewer has already covered it. The way the frame holds the iPad is utterly flawless.
Typing mode feels great too. The angle isn't as extreme as some cases, but it's perfectly sufficient for my needs when I want to write on the iPad. And there will be no issue with the spine's creases causing instability in the future. It would be impossible to break in the leather with enough tenacity to compromise the spine as a typing stand. The leather is too thick to allow this, and the spine hinge is scored too precisely. It'll do just what you want, and nothing that you don't.
One thing I appreciated which I haven't seen mentioned that often is how tough the leather feels. It encourages you to tame it, to break it in. When I folded back the spine for the first time, it resisted a bit. Per the instructions that come with the case, I encouraged the crease to do its thing by running my thumb and forefinger down it, which immediately relaxed the leather and made it more pliable. The case really lets you train it to your tastes, and I love that. I was worried I'd be prissy with it because it was expensive and leather, but not at all - it's a workhorse that primarily exists to protect your iPad and enhance the experience of using it. Looking fantastic is a byproduct. I'm not at all worried about the construction. Every aspect of the design feels rock solid.
The other thing few people discuss are the speaker channels. Portenzo's claims are true: they do seem to add a bit of bass, and they channel the sound extremely well. The iPad's one little speaker has the interesting effect of somehow spreading the sound out so that it doesn't sound like it's obviously coming from one very specific corner, and this effect is maintained in the case; albeit with a subtly different sound that I don't consider better or worse. None of the iPad's ports or switches, including the speakers and headphone jack, are hampered by the case in any way.
To conclude, it's a fantastic case. I'm glad I opted for it over the regular Portenzo, which I don't think would have met my particular needs quite as well. Anyone on the fence about which Portenzo case to get, be sure to ask questions and make an informed decision. The Alano won't be worth the extra cost to everyone, but it certainly was to me.
The only thing I don't care for about the design is the height of the bamboo frame. I wish it was a tiny bit higher so that the iPad screen didn't 'bubble' out of it. I can see why the designers shaped the frame the way they did because it's so aesthetically pleasing, but I'd prefer the screen to be slightly recessed, just so I don't feel the cover is touching it when it's closed. I don't think the cover is going to scratch it; it's just a preference.
Corners grips are invisible when the iPad is in place, and they're not going anywhere. Neither is the iPad. No point in rehashing this point as every reviewer has already covered it. The way the frame holds the iPad is utterly flawless.
Typing mode feels great too. The angle isn't as extreme as some cases, but it's perfectly sufficient for my needs when I want to write on the iPad. And there will be no issue with the spine's creases causing instability in the future. It would be impossible to break in the leather with enough tenacity to compromise the spine as a typing stand. The leather is too thick to allow this, and the spine hinge is scored too precisely. It'll do just what you want, and nothing that you don't.
One thing I appreciated which I haven't seen mentioned that often is how tough the leather feels. It encourages you to tame it, to break it in. When I folded back the spine for the first time, it resisted a bit. Per the instructions that come with the case, I encouraged the crease to do its thing by running my thumb and forefinger down it, which immediately relaxed the leather and made it more pliable. The case really lets you train it to your tastes, and I love that. I was worried I'd be prissy with it because it was expensive and leather, but not at all - it's a workhorse that primarily exists to protect your iPad and enhance the experience of using it. Looking fantastic is a byproduct. I'm not at all worried about the construction. Every aspect of the design feels rock solid.
The other thing few people discuss are the speaker channels. Portenzo's claims are true: they do seem to add a bit of bass, and they channel the sound extremely well. The iPad's one little speaker has the interesting effect of somehow spreading the sound out so that it doesn't sound like it's obviously coming from one very specific corner, and this effect is maintained in the case; albeit with a subtly different sound that I don't consider better or worse. None of the iPad's ports or switches, including the speakers and headphone jack, are hampered by the case in any way.
To conclude, it's a fantastic case. I'm glad I opted for it over the regular Portenzo, which I don't think would have met my particular needs quite as well. Anyone on the fence about which Portenzo case to get, be sure to ask questions and make an informed decision. The Alano won't be worth the extra cost to everyone, but it certainly was to me.
Finally got mine! Awesome case... one stupid user question... am i missing on how to use this as a stand? Like, standing up?
I've had my regular for Portenzo for about a week and I like it way better than the Incase convertible book jacket I first had for my iPad. My main problems with the case all stem from the hinge. The case will not NOT fold flat if you fold back the front cover. This makes typing mode virtually impossible. If you set up typing mode, barely nudging the case will make the case fall flat. The hinges are really weak. The front facing hinge is already starting to slightly crack so I'm already worrying about how this case will hold up. I wish I would have spent the extra money for the Alano since it seems it is much stronger.
So I'm on the fence now between the normal Portenzo and the Wingtip. Does anyone have experience with both? Which do you prefer and why? What are the pros and cons of each case? I am soooo indecisive.
I just received my case in the mail today and I figured I'd post some pics. The craftsmanship, quality of materials, the LOOK are all incredible. I couldn't be happier about this purchase. If anyone is on the fence about going with Portenzo, I hope these help you make your decision.
Thanks on the stand thing...
Now, the only real complaint i have is the weight. This thing adds some weight to the iPad. Not terrible, but, it's certainly noticeable.
Now, the only real complaint i have is the weight. This thing adds some weight to the iPad. Not terrible, but, it's certainly noticeable.
I have the Composition case and love it! Fantastic quality and build. That said, after 3 weeks of use, the hinge where it folds back has gotten a bit loose and it no longer wants to sit up straight-it slightly leans back. If I manually sit it up, it will stay for a while, but it does tend to relax again. It's not a big deal at this point, but will see if it eventually goes flat.
I still see an Alano in my future; however, I noticed the price has gone up significantly...from around 90.00 to 125.00-bummer, but I suspect they must be selling well none-the-less. I would love to see a photo of the chocolate brown and the naked/natural one after a month of two of use if anyone has one.
I still see an Alano in my future; however, I noticed the price has gone up significantly...from around 90.00 to 125.00-bummer, but I suspect they must be selling well none-the-less. I would love to see a photo of the chocolate brown and the naked/natural one after a month of two of use if anyone has one.