Dropped jaws, and female colleagues seriously contemplating getting an iPad 2 is the reactions the Borsetta has generated. It took me by surprise, but at times I really need to see real reactions to be able to review equipment. The Borsetta is aimed at the female half of iPad 2 owners. It does it in a quite toned down fashion, and gives of a serious vibe of power. Not for the Lady Gaga, but rather for the Ivanka Trump kind of woman. And who doesn’t want to walk in the shoes of Ivanka, Sharon Osbourne or other prominent women who wield real power?
The Borsetta is a combination of a large purse, a multipurpose iPad 2 case and a handbag. This is the real strength of it as a product. You can use it as your daily handbag with the most important things. The main compartment with dual oversized zippers has room for quite a lot of stuff. Inside there are multiple slots for credit cards, business cards and notes. There is also a larger slot for folded papers, and passport. Three pen/stylus holders, an iPhone holder that works even with a case and a zipped pocket for your wallet, loose change and other smaller objects is found inside as well. A small novel, and notebook also fits directly inside the compartment, but after that it gets quite crowded.
The iPad 2 is found in the back compartment that is held together with a thick braided leather strap buttoned to the back. Leather surrounds the screen, and even though the iPad 2 isn’t held firmly the leather doesn’t intrude on the screen. The home button, and front facing camera are open with the leather curving around them. Inserting, and extracting the device is simple with a small band of Velcro to detach facing inwards. It really feels like the iPad 2 is an integral part of the Borsetta, and the attention to detail from Sena is as always amazing.
The iPad 2 faces screen inwards towards the dual stand. This stand is easy to fold out, and allows for easy video viewing. The lower stand is more suitable for usage when typing, but it is still kind of wobbly. Especially if you by mistake get both the zippers, and the braided leather strap underneath the case. Great cutouts allow you to use the cameras, charge the iPad 2 and use headphones without taking it out of the case. You also have access to volume controls, and mute/rotate switch.
Using the iPad 2 in the Borsetta is quite easy, but it depends on how much you fill the purse compartment. I prefer placing it in my lap, or on a table. Holding it freely while walking becomes quite unwieldy. It is still a possibility though. For gaming the Borsetta of course is not that great when it comes to playing accelerometer-controlled games. Most other genres work well. If you use your tablet as a book at night I think it is best to remove it from the Borsetta. It gets quite heavy, and any loose items rattles about.
For protection the Borsetta is quite good. As the screen faces inwards it takes a bus running over it to hurt it. Sure the corners of the iPad stick out quite unprotected, but it would take a direct impact to make any real damage. Overall it is as protected as if you place the iPad 2 in a backpack using only the Apple Smart Cover.
Finally I have to mention the thin leather shoulder strap that hooks onto two metal rings found on the back of the Borsetta. It is adjustable, but due to being thin it is still not that comfortable to wear for longer periods of time. This is out of a guy perspective that is used to thick ergonomic straps for messenger bags.
Everything about the Borsetta is well made, and well designed. The large metal plaque with the logo on front is great for showcasing the brand. People around me started to guess that Burberry, Dolce Gabbana or Gucci designed it. Having an own identity is important, and I think that Sena might be able to move into other aspects of the leather industry after managing to pull off this design.
I have never tested anything ever that gathered as much attention as the Borsetta from Sena. Not even the Crossfade LP headphones from V-Moda, or the Studio Beats by Dr Dre headphones have managed to get the kind of lustful looks as this piece of designer handbag/purse/case combo. If you want to threat yourself to something really special this is it, and to the guys out there this is a perfect gift for the woman you love. It comes in three colours: red, pink and black. All of them work really well in keeping the look sophisticated, feminine and classy.
Final Rating
Borsetta at Senacases.com $149.95
