Brenthaven Edge Companion for iPad Air

Photo courtesy of Sean MacEntee  https://www.flickr.com/photos/smemon/6972691660

With the plethora of iPads found on student desks, in classroom carts and in backpacks, it is more important than ever to protect the devices from harm. iPads with attached keyboards have become a popular combinations for students, and I want to introduce you to a cool new case that was created especially for that combo!

The Brenthaven Edge Companion for the iPad Air (10.9", 4th generation), has just been released. I own this particular iPad and was happy to receive one to review!

I have been reviewing items from Brenthaven for years. Most recently, in 2019, I penned a blog post titled I Love Brenthaven. I talked about Brenthaven's well-made and thought-out cases and accessories targeted for the education market. And they have been keeping up with all the change in device use in schools! Brenthaven has iPad cases, MacBook cases, Chromebook cases, sleeves and backpacks, headphones, and keyboards. The listing of all their protective gear and bags may be found here.

The Brenthaven Edge Companion for the iPad Air (10.9", 4th generation) that I tried out is so easy to put on the iPad. It provides tons of protection and has been made so it works perfectly with the Apple Smart Keyboard Folio. It also still protects the iPad Air without having the Apple Smart Keyboard Folio attached.

You can see below, when the iPad is installed in the Brenthaven Edge Companion for the iPad Air, access to all the ports and buttons on the iPad are accessible and protected.

You first put the iPad in the "frame" of the Brenthaven Edge Companion for the iPad Air and then, if you want, you can install the keyboard. 

Take a look at this short video which demonstrates the process.

Here is a photo of my iPad Air (4th gen) installed in the  Brenthaven Edge Companion for the iPad Air from the front and from the rear. The addition of the case makes the iPad and keyboard components feel much sturdier.

I took three photos to show how easy it is to add the Apple Smart Keyboard Folio to the Brenthaven Edge Companion for the iPad Air.

Turn the iPad over and open the plastic door on the left.

Then fold the folio cover into the back of the 

Brenthaven Edge Companion for the iPad Air.

Simply snap down the plastic door and the keyboard is attached!

The Brenthaven Edge Companion for the iPad Air (10.9", 4th gen) has a ton of features. Here are just a few.

• There is a built in Apple Pencil 2 holder which allows for charging.
• One edge of the case is left open so it connects with the keyboard for typing when in "kockstand" mode.
• The back components of the Brenthaven Edge Companion for the iPad Air allow asset tags or stickers to be attached and can be seen through the flaps.
• The corners of the Brenthaven Edge Companion for the iPad Air protect the edges of the iPad.

The full spec sheet may be found here.

If you are deploying 10.9" iPad Airs (4th gen) give Brenthaven a call for a sample case to try out. And, if you don't have this specific model of iPad in your district, take a look at their site and this page to see if Brenthaven has a great case or sleeve for your district's devices! And don't forget to follow Brenthaven on Twitter @Brenthaven_Edu!

I love Brenthaven!

If you follow this blog, you know I regularly review items from Brenthaven, a great company with an awesome focus on the educational market! Their designs are intended to withstand even the most careless student, with cases that can take being thrown in the locker, to headphones that have a breakaway plug for those students who get tangled up in wires easily. And, although we can try to control how the school's technology is treated while in school, we have little control over the out-of-school safety of the devices, as illustrated below! It is important schools invest in protective and proven device protection of the type Brenthaven offers.

"A mess of wires" by Marshall Vandergrift. CC license: CC-BY-SA. Flickr, 2007. 

Brenthaven allows me to look through their offerings and pick two or three I personally feel are items that would be great for schools! I view their collections with a different point of view each time. Sometimes, as I did in my previous reviews of the Tred Zip Folio and the Edge Carry Case for the iPad, I am considering ways the student devices can be kept safe when in and out of the backpack.

This time, I was interested in reviewing two backpacks-- ones that work well for student and teacher smaller devices.

TRED SLIM PACK

Brenthaven's Tred Slim Pack backpack is made especially for the K-12 environment. I chose to review it because of its smaller size. With many schools supporting a 1:1 laptop initiative and providing students with digital copies of textbooks (with sets of paper textbooks being kept in the classroom), there is no need for students to carry the large backpack of a few years ago that weighed in, with books and larger devices, at 20-25 pounds.

Below is a video I created in 2013 illustrating this transformation of a student backpack because of smaller and more powerful technology tools and apps.


The Tred Slim Pack holds a 14" (or under) laptop or tablet, and the Tred's back zippered pocket is totally padded to keep it protected. The shoulder straps are also nicely padded.

In addition, there are two large zippered outside pockets that can be used for cables and power supplies, snacks, or even a water bottle. There is also a full-width horizontal zippered pocket located on the outside for a cell phone, sunglasses, or a wallet.

Brenthaven has included some specific features on the backpack to support its educational users. First, there is a reflective item on the front, back, and sides of the Tred Slim Pack to keep students visible and safe as they wait for the early morning bus or walk home in the late afternoons. In addition, the rear of the backpack includes a clear card pocket for easy access to gift students easy access to their ID card.

The Tred Slim Pack is very sturdy and protective, but also very lightweight at less than 1.2 pounds. Its external dimensions are 16.5" high, 11.5" wide and 4" deep. I loaded up the Tred Slim Pack with my 13" MacBook Pro, the power adapter and charging cable, my Apple XS Max phone, my headphones, a filled metal coffee travel mug, and a paper notebook. The full backpack weighed only 5.4 pounds!

Band for excess strap

Another nice little feature is the inclusion of a stretchy band to hold the excess from the backpack straps nice and neat. As one who hates those hanging straps, it is a great addition! And, again, it is a safety feature for students who might be riding a bicycle to school or any other activity that may cause loose straps to get caught.

The Tred Slim Pack would be a good choice for students in grades 4 -12 due to its smaller size and light weight! Give it a look, and, if you are considering this backpack which will protect the technology and the posture of your students, request a sample unit of Brenthaven's Tred Slim Pack to review!

COLLINS BACKPACK

Brenthaven also makes a line of bags and backpacks for educators. I am partial to the Collins series, which comes in graphite or indigo, and I already own the ones starred below. I decided I wanted to review the Collins Backpack.

The Collins Backpack is a feature-rich, professional-looking backpack for any educator. It is large enough to replace your "teacher bag" with lots of storage!

The side-load, fully padded and quilted laptop pocket can hold up to a 15.6" laptop. (I actually plan to use that area for books, papers , and a light sweater, since my 13" MacBook Pro fits nicely in the middle section padded, quilted pocket (shown on the left with the iPad in it).

This second full-size zippered section is an organized teacher's dream! It includes a smaller padded and quilted pocket that can hold a tablet, small laptop, or a sheaf of papers. The front of the padded section includes three pockets for power bricks, cables, and  a cell phone. The front flap of this section also includes a half-height zippered pocket to hold additional teacher necessities!

This section of the Collins Backpack is very deep and can hold notebooks, papers for grading, and your lunch bag, too! The dimensions of the entire backpack are 16.6" high, 12.5" wide, and 6" deep. It weighs practically nothing -- 1.8 pounds!

The front of the backpack includes two zip pockets. The top one could hold a cell phone, small e-reader, or a snack for the teacher's room. The second zippered section unzips on the top and right side and provides access to a key fob, a small padded pocket I would use for glasses or sunglasses, a pencil or stylus pocket, and a small slip pocket for a license, ID card, or credit cards.

I love the "vegan leather" bottom on the Collins Backpack since it is easy to sponge off after setting it on a dirty floor. If you load this backpack evenly, the 6" deep bottom will also allow it to stand on its own. The matching integrated handle on the top of the backpack is substantial and allows you another way to tote the bag. However, the padded back and backpack straps make the Collins Backpack comfortable to wear as a regular backpack, too!

If you are looking for a nice backpack to tote back and forth to school, take a look at the Brenthaven Collins Backpack!

Review of Brenthaven Tred Zip Folio 11

https://brenthaven.com/education/products/tred-zip-folio-11/

Keeping up with cases for all the new devices used in schools is never-ending. But Brenthaven is always on top of things and develops great protective backpacks, custom-fit cases, and sleeves for all types of technology devices used in schools.

They recently sent me their Tred Zip Folio 11 to review. The Tred Zip Folio is intended to be a full-time, protective case for 11" Chromebooks and laptops. The case allows use, charging, storing, and protection for the Chromebook or laptop.











I decided to try something different for this review and made an Adobe Spark Video with my overview of the Brenthaven Tred Zip Folio 11.





With the number of 11" Chromebooks and laptops in the schools needing protection, the Brenthaven Tred Zip Folio would be a great choice for student and faculty use. It is thin enough to fit nicely in a backpack, teacher tote bag, and many charging carts. The ability to add a shoulder strap is handy, but adding a storage pouch for the AC adaptor to the back (available from Brenthaven) would also help ensure users can always keep their devices charged.

The formal specifications and other info on the Brenthaven Tred Zip Folio 11 follow.

• Size: 10.25" H x 14.13" W x 1.50" D
• Weight: 1.1 lbs.
• Ventilation bumpers to dissipate heat
• Non-skid surface on the outside to keep case from sliding while in use
• ID card window
• Screen-clips hold the Chromebook or laptop in place
• Shoulder strap or accessory pouch available

Take a look at the Tred Zip Folio 11 information page, request a free sample, ask about custom embroidery options, or request a quote. You can also write to education@brenthaven.com if you have more questions.

Brenthaven Edge™ Carry Case for Apple iPad 9.7 Review

With the exciting announcements recently about Apple's renewed focus on the educational market, and the release of the new iPad 9.7" with Apple Pencil support, now is the time to start thinking about cases for your staff and student iPads!

I have long been a fan of Brenthaven bags and cases to protect my technology. Brenthaven has over 35 years of experience ensuring that your items are protected -- initially for hikers and now for the mobile devices of individuals, businesses, and schools!

I am the owner of a few of their bags, with my favorites for the 13" MacBook Pro being the an older Vertical Messenger Bag (now replaced by their Collins Vertical Messenger Bag) and the Medina Fold-over Messenger Bag.

For my current 10.5" iPad Pro, I use the Edge for 10.5" for iPad Pro because it protects the device as well as allows me to use the Smart Keyboard or Apple Smart Cover to protect the front of my iPad.

However, my choice of coverings and cases for my devices are based on the fact I am very careful with my devices. I never drop them, never scratch the screens, and carry them carefully when out of their carry bags.  Past experience has taught me that this is not usually how the students treat their technology.

Schools are looking for an iPad case that is sturdy, protects the glass screen, can be tilted up for easy typing and drawing, and has a built-in carry handle. This week, Brenthaven sent me one of their new cases, specifically designed for the education market -- the Brenthaven Edge™ Carry Case which fits the 9.7" iPad (5th gen 2017) and the newest 9.7" iPad (2018).

The features of this case meet all the needs of IT departments, students and teachers!

FOR IT

The IT department will be happy with the fact the Brenthaven Edge™ Carry Case screws together easily with an included tiny Allen wrench, which keeps the students from removing the device from the case. A nice feature for the IT department is that the screws stay in the case when the case is unscrewed, so there is little chance one of the four screws will get lost. (Two extra screws are included just in case!)

In addition, the back of the case is clear, so any asset tags or barcodes on the iPad can easily be seen. There is a protective clear overlay screen on the front with a cut-out for the home button which should eliminate any accidental scratching of the screen.

The access to the Lightning port for charging and syncing the iPads is oversized and should fit any charging cart connection. The size of the Edge™ Carry Case is 10.8" H x "7.6" W x 1.25" D and it weights 8.3 ounces.

FOR THE STUDENT

The Edge™ Carry Case has a ton of features that make it perfect for any age student!

First, the clear overlay screen is very responsive to the touch, whether tapping with a finger or drawing with a stylus. (I don't have the newest iPad 9.7" with Apple Pencil support but I set the clear overlay from the Edge™ Carry Case on the screen of my 10.5" iPad Pro and the Apple Pencil worked great!)

Secondly, the case is very protective, with no buttons showing except the home button, but the built-in rubber buttons for volume and up/down and turning the device on/off are well-crafted and work great! The headphone port is easily accessible and the speaker cut-out at the bottom of the case lets the sound out well.

Thirdly, the kickstand feature on the back folds flat into a recessed area on the back of the case, and does not add any bulk. When folded in, it will not get caught on anything when being put in or taken out of a backpack.

Fourth, and a wonderful feature, is the built-in handle on the side of the Edge™ Carry Case. When carrying the iPad by the handle on the case, whether the student is in kindergarten or 12th grade, the iPad is secure and should avoid the drops that occur in schools. The Brenthaven Edge™ Carry Case is also drop tested to protect the iPad against falls from up to six feet!

The handle serves another purpose, too. When students are using their iPad in the field, when in front of the class sharing a presentation, or are reading their textbook on the bus ride home, by putting one hand's fingers through the handle, it allows them to have a secure grip on their device.

FOR THE TEACHER

Using the handle on the Edge™ Carry Case to hold the iPad securely is a great feature for teachers and administrators, too, as they roam the classroom or hallways of the school. In addition, teachers can easily hold the iPad in the Edge™ Carry Case in one hand and use their finger or a stylus to teach over AirPlay or Reflector. In addition, with its light weight (8.3 ounces), the iPad in the case will be easy to hold for an extended period of time without the hand getting tired.

Having the asset tags or student names visible through the clear back of the device, to easily identify a student's iPad or the cart the device belongs on, is helpful for the teachers of the younger students for plugging-in the devices to the correct charging cart. The case is thin enough (1.25") that it should fit in any charging cart slot.

PRICING

The Brenthaven Edge™ Carry Case for the 9'7" iPad (2017/2018) is available now on their site where you can request a quote for the number you require and receive a free sample of the Brenthaven Edge™ Carry Case.

Brenthaven BX2 Edge iPad Case

Searching for a sturdy iPad case for the classroom or for personal use?

I was sent a Brenthaven BX2™ Edge protective case to try out. I have an iPad Mini 4 and put the case on two weeks ago and have been using it ever since. The BX2™ Edge is available for the iPad Air, the iPad Air 2, and all versions of the iPad Mini (1-3 and 4).

The case is a protective case, intended for schools, but having one on my personal device has been great! There was a lot of thought put into the the design of the case. The case is is a one-piece full case for the iPad.

The case latches shut which both protects the iPad's screen as well as keeps the screen off. And the case comes in bright colors, including my favorite yellow!

The case has a clear back which allows for an asset tag to show through and also includes bumpers to protect the device.

A very useful feature, which is missing from many cases, is the ability, when the front cover is flapped around to the back of the device, to fold down the corner to allow access to the camera lens. Brilliant!

There is a slot on the back of the case that allows the latch to slide in to hold the iPad sturdily in  both typing and viewing mode.

Here is the most current information sheet on the Brenthaven BX2™ Edge iPad case. The Web site does not have the color options, yet, so, please ask your rep for more information!