Kindle Covers and Skins; A Short Guide for the Well-Dressed eBook Reader

Kindle Covers and Skins; A Short Guide for the Well-Dressed eBook Reader no comments

Posted at 4:35 pm in eReader Covers, Cases & Jackets,kindle 2,kindle dx,Kindle International,Kindle Skins & Covers,Random

Note: This article is about Kindle 2 covers. If you are looking for Kindle 3 covers and skins please see my more recent posts.

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If your ereader is mainly read in your favorite easy chair or in bed and spends the rest of its time relaxing on a side table or tucked away safely in a drawer, then it is perfectly acceptable for your Kindle ebook reader to lounge around the house au naturel.

If however, your faithful ereader tags along on your jaunts around town, or accompanies you on your daily migrations to that house of pain where they keep you locked away every 9 to 5 — then, ladies and gentlemen, you need to cover that thing up!

Let’s face it: Having to explain to yourself or your significant other why you need to pay $180 to replace a broken Kindle screen because you were too cheap to spend $30 for a cover just will not do. And while I’m not like Monk, not exactly; trying to figure out how that new scratch on my Kindle’s housing came about is good for at least 5 minutes of distraction every time I try to read something on it.

Okay, so you agree with me that it’s about time that you get some clothes for your Kindle before you let it out of the house, but what are the best dressed Kindles wearing about town these days?

Kindle Covers

For Kindle owners probably the most obvious and first encountered cover will be the “official” Amazon Kindle Leather Cover. It is made of leather , distinctive looking, and is available in almost any color you want as long as it is black. Unfortunately, there are reports of Kindle faceplates being cracked by the hinge mechanism that holds the Kindle in place in this cover. This appears to happen when the cover is opened from the back, which is pretty easy to accidently do. At any rate, I would probably choose something else until there is a design change for this particular Kindle cover.

Probably the best alternatives for most Kindles and their readers are the M-Edge Kindle covers. These come in many styles, flavors and colors. Almost all get very high marks from users. Prices range from $25 to $45.

If you are taking your Kindle for a day at the beach or will be spending time together poolside, you might want to consider the TrendyDigital WaterGuard Waterproof Case for Kindle. Or, of course, for a cheaper date, you could just use a somewhat more elegantly named Ziplock bag of an appropriate size.

If your Kindle is more adventurous and likes to style in something a bit more unique, then there are at least a couple of boutique shops to visit:

StrangeDog

Handmade, beautiful design, high quality, very reasonable price: Sold Out. That pretty much sums it up. All of StrangeDog’s Kindle covers are handmade by StrangeDog himself. If your Kindle wants one of these beauties you will need to put your name on the waiting list and you will be emailed when a batch of Kindle covers in your favorite design is ready. StrangeDog may also do custom orders if you ask him nicely.

Borsa Bella

Borsa Bella makes fabric carrying bags for Kindle 1, Kindle 2 and Kindle DX ereaders. These are nice looking machine washable designer bags and of high quality. To protect your ereader’s screen you should use together with a quality Kindle cover. Borsa Bella will take custom orders but charges an additional 10 % for this service.

Kindle Skins

Kindle skins are form fitting and sexy; like leotards for your Kindle. They protect the housing of your ereader from scratches, but will not protect the screen. This is a great way to personalize your Kindle and make it feel unique and special. Many chic Kindle ereaders wear a skin under their cover in a color and pattern carefully chosen to complement said cover. Decal Girl has hundreds of high quality vinyl skins for Kindle 1, Kindle2 and the Kindle DX, and many other devices as well. Decal Girl’s skins are designed to be removable should your Kindle wish to re-accessorize. Decal Girl is kind of like Victoria’s Secret for the Kindle family.