Broken iPad 2 and Enki Genius Case

In short, I experienced an issue that I'm not sure is common with the iPad 2, but rendered it useless, nonetheless. While giddily chuckling at a youtube video showcasing Jon Stewart against Bill O'Reilly, the loading halted. I tried to look up why on my iPad when I realized the wifi bars had disappeared and a "Safari cannot open this page because it is not connected to the internet" message popped up on my screen. I troubleshooted it via apple.com, my laptop and computer connected fine, and the conclusion was that my iPad stopped picking up IP's. I called Apple Support and they were very friendly; they directed me to the UPS store with a shipping label and a replacement is on its way. I've been without now for 4 days, but I HIGHLY anticipate the return of the iPad in my life. It has been my planner, my entertainment, my word processor, my news, my weather, my grocery list and more for near 2 months and my life without it is feeling embarrassingly empty.

Either way, some people may have had some concerns about protecting the rear of the iPad 2 with the smart cover. I, of course, am one of those people, and a slideshow of cases on the usually reliable cnet.com led me to Enki's website. They offered a great deal: 29.99 for a case compatible with the smart cover, screen protector and a sleeve. It seemed like a no-brainer on April 18th and all pre-orders were scheduled to ship on May 2.

Well, they didn't ship May 2. OR May 3, or 4, or even May 10. They delayed shipping on my case until May 12, pushing 10 days past their promised ship date, all the while assuring customers on their facebook page that shipping would begin promptly. Not only did they lose many customers in this process, but their customer service is apparently on vacation. Many buyers have complained that numerous failed attempts to contact Enki or receive feedback on their inquiries has left them with no choice but to redact their patronage. Most customers are still waiting on their case to ship, people are getting the wrong tracking numbers and the whole situation is a mess. Enki has removed their fans' ability to post on their facebook wall and I am still waiting on my case to get here.

Another complaint about Enki's service was that even after the delayed ship times, instead of the promised FedEx ground shipping, customer's orders were shipped with SmartPost, which is a collaboration of FedEx and USPS. It's very slow. There's also been some dispute with a camera-to-case alignment issue. Tsk, tsk, Enki!

Those who have their cases delivered reported that there is not only no hole cutout for the mic, but that the quality didn't warrant a 30 dollar price tag, even with the bonus pack. Ouch.

When the case is delivered and an iPad is back in my hand, I'll be posting a comprehensive review and video for my readers and those on Enki's page waiting for their case. I'm apprehensive and at this point wish I would have canceled my order.

Comments? Tips? Suggestions? Let me know below!