iPads don't come with their own protection. In fact, these sleek metal and glass beauties ship naked. That just won't do: you need a case. But when it comes to the iPad Mini, I quickly discovered, what makes a good case or bag is a very different proposition than for the larger iPad.
To help you pick out something good, here's what I've observed so far over the last couple of months of hard-core iPad Mini use. Let's take a look, shall we?… Read more
Apple has some ideas up its sleeve to make its Smart Cover, well, smarter.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office today published an application Apple filed last year related to a Smart Cover boasting a "thin flexible display" that "greatly enhances the overall functionality of the tablet device."
According to the patent application, the cover would come with a connector that would attach to the tablet to draw power. Once connected, the Smart Cover could be used to "present visual information" and work with the same touch technology found in a slate's … Read more
Has Google's Nexus 7 borrowed its magnetic personality from the iPad?
As detailed in the YouTube clip online and below, a curious Nexus 7 user ran a magnet along the edges of the tablet as the device was asleep. After the user pulled the magnet away from the lower left edge, the tablet's screen came to life. And when the magnet was placed in the same spot, the tablet went back to sleep.
That behavior mimics the process used by Apple's Smart Cover, which turns the display of the iPad on as the cover is pulled away … Read more
Much as I like the idea behind Apple's Smart Cover for iPad, I never much cared for the execution.
That's because it's no good at holding the iPad in portrait orientation for reading books and magazines, and it offers only two positions for landscape viewing -- one that's too high, and one that's too low for anything but typing.
The problem lies in the cover's design: it has too many folds. App developer Dotan Saguy figured out a way around that problem and created the Smarter Stand.… Read more
As anyone who bought an iPad Smart Cover knows it doesn't protect the back of your iPad. But now Apple is giving iPad owners an official Apple case that offers both front and back protection: the iPad Smart Case.
The Smart Case retails for $49, comes in six colors, and is compatible with the iPad 2 and the new iPad. At launch, there's no deluxe leather option; this one's made from polyurethane.
Here's what Apple has to say about it:
The iPad Smart Case covers your iPad -- both front and back -- yet still retains … Read more
The design of Apple's Smart Cover accessory for its second- and third-generation iPads is not so original, according to a new lawsuit filed against the company this week.
In a complaint filed in Colorado yesterday, and picked up by PaidContent, local resident Jerald Bovino claims Apple is infringing on a patent he owns for a "portable computer case" with its Smart Cover accessory.
The complaint also sets sights on retailer Target for selling the case with Apple's iPad in its stores. In return, Bovino seeks damages from both companies and royalties from Apple.
Bovino filed for … Read more
Apple made out well on a number of its pending patents today. The iPhone-maker was granted 25 new patents by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, according to Patently Apple.
Time Machine, iTunes Store, iMac, iPad Smart Covers, and Apple Store displays are just a few of the products that this round of patents cover. Many of the other patents are for items like connectors, security, and networking, according to Patently Apple.
Some of the patents are exclusively for different applications of Apple products, for example, the iTunes store patent, which is called "Content Rental System" and … Read more
Some people treat their iPads -- and iPad cases -- with extra care. Some don't.
Take CNET editor Joe Kaminski's Apple iPad Smart Cover, which I previously mentioned in a piece entitled, "Apple's iPad 2 color conspiracy." It's now a year old and in not in particularly good shape, with worn, fraying corners and assorted other blemishes.
"It's not that I'm not careful," Joe told me. "I just use it. This is what it looks like when you pull it in and out of a bag for a year." … Read more
Recently, a few stories have posted about problems some new iPad buyers encountered with the iPad sleep/wake function when opening and closing "smart" covers--those iPad screen covers that automatically put the tablet to sleep when closed.
Mashable wrote a story focusing on the problem with Apple's Smart Covers, "which attach to the iPad's built-in magnets [and] are supposed to turn the tablet on automatically when you flip them open." Apparently, some users were complaining that their old Smart Covers weren't working with their new (third-generation) iPads. … Read more
If you have an iPad 2, you might be familiar with Apple's Smart Cover accessory, a cover that locks and unlocks your device using a simple magnet system.
Bearing in mind that magnets were always known to "break" electronics, the technology is really neat, offering you one less step to access your iPad and get stuff done.
The only issue with the Smart Cover is that it's flimsy--its thin, minimalist construction offers your iPad no protection from falls, bumps, or scratches. And even though they come in a variety of colors, the Covers are still pretty … Read more
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