Source: earthtechling.com

Published: December 4, 2012

Image via Miniot

By Beth Buczynski

Today’s technology is all chrome and LEDs. Sometimes, a geek feels a gentle yearning for the way gadgets used to be: handmade, from materials found in nature. Although today’s gadgets have sophisticated guts, their polished, minimalist design fails to illicit the emotional response that many feel when viewing a piece of furniture or an automobile from a bygone era.

None of this is lost on the innovative minds behind the Miniot Cover Mk2. Hand-carved in the Netherlands from real wood, the cover features a hinged design that allows the cover to lie flat, or roll up behind the tablet like a tent stand.

According to the company website, all Miniot products are “carved in true 3D from a single piece of the finest wood species, and all wood is obtained from well-managed forest and certified supply.” Unfortunately, the site doesn’t divulge the name of the organization that does the managing and certifying.

Still, there’s no denying that the natural character of the wood is a work of art unto itself, and the smooth, elegant shape of the case is enticing. Magnets inside the roll-top cover snap to the surface of your iPad, keeping it firmly attached at all times. The magnet arrays embedded in the cover automatically wake and sleep your iPad and the ultrasuede liner within protects the screen from unsightly scratches.

The best part is that the geometry of the hinged cover allows you to roll it up behind the tablet at various intervals, creating unique angles for watching, typing, and reading. Available for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th generation iPads, starting at $89.