KlearKase for Kindle Keyboard - Splash Proof, Transparent Protective Case

So after replacing my kindle 3's screen twice I finally got something a little hardier than the nice book style leather case I'd been using forever.Now I have 3 little boys and am in poor health, awaiting spinal surgery. So I use my kindle when I need a pain-releaving out-of-body-literary experience, and it takes a BEATING. So basically I use it all day, take it everywhere with me, to the beach, dr's offices, etc, and my boys aren't the only ones to drop it. :) Repeatedly.This case does great at protecting from spashes (ie. drink splatters from little hands), and it HAS protected my kindle from the MANY falls it's taken from various heights to various surfaces, but there is ONE problem, that others have noted.It doesn't close all the way.Sometimes I can get it all the way 'popped' shut (and it's HURRAH time!) but most of the time, the upper right corner won't stay all the way on. I'm constantly snapping it back shut. Sometimes that little margin gets much wider, of its own accord, and the case comes all the way off!When it falls (which it does often), generally the whole thing breaks apart: the 2 pieces of casing and the kindle 3, all laid out seperately on the floor. I imagine the 'shatter' mitigates much of the impact, so at least it's still working to protect against falls, but I hardly think this is what the manufacturer had in mind- it's certianly not what I had in mind.I would have returned it initially, but I wanted to see if I could get it to stay shut over time, and nope, it's not happened in the 5 months of DAILY heavy use its gotten.Sooo, IDK, if they figured this part out, how to keep it shut, it'd be an amazing little case.It IS initially annoying to open the silicone plug to turn it on or off, or to plug it in, but I'm so used to it now that I don't much think about it anymore. I understand the need to have it sealed shut, so I'm cool with getting used to it.My question? If just adding a bit more hard plastic casing and some silicone would make the Kindle practically indestructable, WHY WON'T KINDLE JUST MAKE THEM THIS WAY????? I mean, yeah, then they wouldn't make so much money from people having to constantly replace their kindles because the wafer thin screens are as delicate as egg shells, but seriously.Charge twice as much or something and make a unit that WORKS by itself- that didnt' need a cover, etc!I don't know about you, but the feel of a 'naked' kindle is just too darned thin for my hands. And I'm a 5'2" woman. With either my old nice leather case or this KlearKase, it's more the width of a regular book, just a Zillion times lighter (sigh, I really love that).Anywho, if you're looking for a good drop-proof case, this one works awesome- I've dropped it enough times to know, but it's not a perfect design.Cheers!

I bought this case expecting to be able to use my Kindle worry-free. It does seem like it would protect from splashes, but that's it. Overall, it feels about as protective as a CD case.Put an egg in a cushioned, padded case. Drop it on a hard floor. There's a chance the egg will be relatively unharmed. Now put it in a plastic CD-like case, like this KlearKase. Drop it. Have fun picking up the mess. I don't have peace of mind when using this case. There's no "give" or cushioning. When it comes to accidental drops or hardcover books sitting on the Kindle (like in a bookbag), I don't believe this $50 case would offer any protection at all.I swear that anything harder than a fingernail is going to leave a permanent scratch on this case. I'm not exaggerating. And it smudges up like crazy. The amazing thing about the Kindle is the E-Ink screen, but with this KlearKase, it turns into a smudged, scratched screen. And of if you read the Kindle under a light, or in sunlight, it's going to be harshly reflecting in the plastic. It mars the entire experience of reading on a Kindle.I tried buying a screen protector to negate the screen issues, but unfortunately most high-quality (anti-glare) screen protectors they make these days require actual contact with the screen, otherwise they blur the screen because of the distance. So when you try using a screen protector on the KlearKase, you get a blurred screen.I can't imagine putting this KlearKase in a bookbag and feeling at ease about it. First of all, you HAVE to put it in the felt bag it comes in, or else your crazy sharp pens or calculator edges will scratch the screen up. The plastic feels flimsy and very, VERY crack-able, and like I said before, there's no cushion or "give" if it were to fall, or find itself beneath textbooks.I give it 2 stars because I will (probably, maybe) feel safe reading it in the bath, or taking it to the beach. And it certainly does protect from dust - no matter what's going on scratch-wise and fingerprint-wise to the Kase, I know the Kindle is fine. But, does the Kindle *really* have to be protected from dust like that? It doesn't have air vents that are going to get clogged, like many TVs or videogame systems. And a half-second swipe with your sleeve with eliminate any dust or particles that floated by your Kindle.So many other cases offer a better level of protection from everyday accidents (like a dropped purse or bookbag). And the easy-to-scratch, smudge, and glare-happy screen makes reading on the Kindle not fun. The case is also bulky and adds to the Kindle's weight. All of this means that it is NOT a case to use every day, at least for me.So is a "special occassions" case really worth $50? Especially when you can maybe bring a paperback or a magazine to the beach instead? No, it's not. I feel like I just took a $50 bill and burned it.