Reviews for Twelve South BookBook Case for iPhone 5

Just received the Twelve South BookBook Case for iPhone 5, literally. I have had it for less then a day and here are my first thoughts:

The Specs:
- The spine measures about 2cm wide, and the front/back measures 13cm x 7cm.
- As stated it has spots for 3 cards and your ID (or another card I suppose)

The Good:
- Initial quality appears excellent, the comments about being able to smell the leather are true
- Yes, you can use both cameras with the case
- I have a black iPhone 5 with the brown case and it looks great, I have seen the black on black as well and it looks very sharp as well. Have not seen a white phone in this case.
- Yes you have access to all buttons / ports on the phone
- I like the idea of having my wallet and phone all-in-one


The "On the fence"
- I am still trying to get used to the size, it is bigger then the wallet I used to carry and is much bigger then just having a phone in your pocket. I wouldn't say you would carry this around in your front pocket of your jeans. (Wondering if overtime it will get worn in and be a little more compact).
- Holding cash, when you have say 10 bills, seems to be a bit of an issue, there is a place for cash behind the cards, but CDN money (different size then US) when folded in half still sticks out the edge and over part of the spine, and with 10 bills folded that way the case does not close well. If you are someone that rarely carries cash (or very little), then this is not an issue. I am still trying to figure out a good way to store more then 4 or 5 bills in it.

Like I said, this is just my initial thoughts, I will update in a month or so.

I tried numerous cases for my iPhone 5 before buying this one. I will say upfront that this case will not replace your wallet if you still carry a lot of credit cards and cash. On the other hand, if you're a minimalist like me, then this case is perfect for you.

Like others have stated, the case doesn't close all the way at first. The problem is even worse if you put cards in all 4 credit card slots, or put money in the space underneath them because bill have to be folded to fit there. I carry two cards and my drivers license in mine and lay the case down with the camera side up to keep it closed. I tried putting money under the phone like another user suggested but the phone wouldn't seat properly. I put a folded bill in one of the credit card slots and that's working well. This problem seems to be resolving with use (I've had it for 3 weeks now) as the leather softens.

I haven't had problems with callers hearing me like other users have. I use earbuds most of the time, but also hold the phone in case to my ear without problems too.

Overall, the BookBook for iPhone 5 is a great case and I'm keeping it. It looks good, is made of quality materials, provides great protection and I expect it to last for the lifetime of my iPhone. The only thing that kept me from giving it a 5-star rating is the problem with the case closing when fully loaded.

This case has exceeded my expectations.

The Good: My iPhone 5 snapped right in and is held very securely. I have my drivers license plus 3 credit cards in it and it doesn't feel stretched at all. The case is incredibly attractive and looks like on of those little field notebooks. When I show it to people they all comment on how beautiful it looks and feels. Some of complained of call quality going down but after making several test calls I was told that my calls sounded great. This newer version also has the camera hole in the back unlike the one for the iPhone 4/4s.

The Bad: If you use hands free accessories to talk (e.g. car connection, Bluetooth earpiece, or headphone/speakers included with phone) then this case is ideal. If you speak by placing the phone to your ear a lot, then you might be a little inconvenienced as it is slightly more bulky and you have to flip the one side of the book to the back.

The Ugly: None. This case is absolutely beautiful.

I loved my 4s case. Normally don't take the time to write a review. But the iphone 5 version of bookbook case blocks some of the sound when speaking into the phone. I was disappointed and the person on the end of the call was always asking me to repeat myself. Don't waste your money on this product.

Its not fancy looking like the other cases but it certainly look classy.

I got my BookBook case from the Apple store in Albuquerque. I thought it would be just what I wanted: one case to hold my iPhone 5, driver's license, credit cards, and cash. I like to keep it simple. After 3 weeks I am utterly disappointed due to multiple flaws.

First, the inside surface of the case is leather, which at first I thought was cool, but then I noticed that that the leather rubs up against the iPhone surface, smudging the glass and leaving a cloudy film that is hard to remove. Not much later, I discovered the microphone problem. I had several phone calls in which the person on the other end had difficulty hearing me. Later I was told by an Apple Genius that the bookbook case blocks the microphone on the back of the iPhone! Now, this only happens if you wrap the front of the case around when you talk. But that is the obvious way to use the case, because otherwise the front just hangs there like an open door, making it very awkward and difficult to hold while you talk. So evidently, Twelve South never actually experimented with using their case with an actual iPhone, bc they should have seen this coming.

Finally, the bookbook card holders are very tight, and if you're like me, you want quick access to your debit card. I'm tired of struggling with the case, pulling and coercing my card just to get it out.

So basically, this case has a cool look and potentially useful design, but it was implemented poorly and so it fails pretty badly. I no longer use it, and at $60, that's extremely disappointing!!!

This is my third BookBook for iPhone, and I've loved every one of them. They're cool looking, useful to carry your ID and a few cards, and after dropping them on concrete more than once, surprisingly protective!

This is in no way a replacement for your wallet-at best, you can fit your ID, a few cards, and maybe a bill or two. It is a fantastic ADDITION to your wallet, especially if you don't feel like digging through your wallet every time you need your credit card.

Only four stars for one problem-I keep getting complaints from people I call that I sound muffled. I believe this is due to the design of the BookBook itself and Twelve South recommends holding the covers of the case very loosely while making a call. It's a bit of a pain, but it can be done. Not a deal breaker for me.

It is a considerably pretty case, I cannot love it more! Beautiful color and you never worry about whether it will become old.
The feature and color are both fit for girls and boys.
Thanks for my beloved finance to send it to me with the iPhone5 as the Valentine's Day gifts~

I had a bookbook for my iPhone 4s and absolutely loved it. couldn't wait to get the new one for my iPhone 5. Looks cool but it muffles the sound even when you hold it open. I don't know if the reviewers who like it have the same problem. Very very disappointed because I love the case but it makes my phone unusable. When I contacted 12 South, they said no one else had the problem and would not give a refund. Obviously thats not true as seen above. It probably just needs a bigger hole for the back microphone but 12 south just seems to ignore it.

I've had my BOOKBOOK for 2 years now and it is still in great shape. In fact much like any real leather product it gets better with age. LOVE IT!!!