After going through the monster thread on XDA about cases, I too, decided that the Jacklyn case was best for me, and I bought it on eBay.
Here are the reasons I chose it over over leather cases (including ones posted in this thread). I wanted:
-the phone to sit on the left-hand side
-wallet features
-to avoid a magnetic closure (as per advice given on this forum)
-a simple, brown, diary style with no patterns, designs or words
-wrist strap hole on the bottom, rather than on the top
-easily converted to a stand
Features I wanted which I knew I was going to have to compromise on:
-a flap to cover the credit card slots (the only one that had this also had the unfortunately translated bit about "putting your dreams" or something like that)
-gussetted pocket on back cover to hold ear buds, etc.
-sturdier rotating stand or kick-stand features (in the end I prioritised Jacklyn's features over a cooler stand)
How my perception has changed since purchase and use:
-Very sturdy! I bought a bumper to go with it as the corners are exposed, but the leather is so strong, I don't need to worry about it
-It turns out that I only ever use the pockets for train tickets and occasionally business cards, so the single large pocket would have been sufficient. This might have opened up more options to me starting out
-I use a little screen chamois to cover the credit card pockets, which is a bit of a faff (though it works) and again points out I probably would have been better off without those pockets
-I had asked for a matching wrist strap when I purchased the Jacklyn, but I never heard back from the seller, and it certainly didn't arrive with the case. Instead, I've cobbled together a stretchy bracelet with an old phone charm, and it mostly works. With what I have now, having the wrist-strap holder on the bottom is a definite plus, but it may be that when I get a proper wrist strap (I ordered two types online this morning), the actual length of the whole thing together might mean that it would have been better off with the top strap hole. We'll see
-As for the left-hand situation, it doesn't really seem to make much difference at the end of the day.I had been going off the fact that when I read a book, I tend to hold the left side, but with the Jacklyn, I hold it either right in the middle on the spine, or more often than not, I flip it to the side and fold it up (as if I were going to set up the stand) and hold it by the fold. It could be that if I tried the standard right-side book style it would end up driving me nuts, but for now the left-side style seems to be neither here nor there
-One of the reasons why I discounted some leathers styles was because in stand mode, the strap stuck up and partially obstructed the screen, and it didn't do that in the Jacklyn photos. Well, it does in real life, and that does bug me. Also (no doubt helped along by how I hold the thing when I'm using it in landscape), the stand is a bit fiddly, it slumps a bit, and I can never really get a good angle
-I wasn't sure how I was going to like a case that didn't snap on. In the end, I think it works okay, but I have to wiggle it a bit each time to get the holes perfectly aligned, and it can slide a tiny bit out of position, requiring semi-regular readjustments
Final thoughts:
-I had read some reviews here about the dependability and build quality of some cases being questionable. The Jacklyn was not one of these, and I have to say, I have been very impressed by the overall quality and craftsmanship. This is the real deal and well worth the money
-Although many of the reasons why I chose the Jacklyn now appear to be moot, I don't regret the purchase, and can see myself getting much use out of it in the years to come
-It was really useful getting something a bit different for my first case, as I now feel much more confident in approaching lots of other styles and features for future (cheaper) cases
Hope that's helpful!
