The cover that i have includes a new back which is hard, shiny plastic; and a quite pretty front which is hard plastic with a silky look and feel. It has the official Samsung and Galaxy S4 mini logos. The front unfolds to the left.
Everything is protected except the power button. The volume button can be pressed thru the spline of the cover. There is a recess in the back of the front cover for the Home button, but that could be ineffective if a lot of pressure were applied.