If we told you that most cases for the iPad or iPad 2 WiFi + 3G could reduce your ‘pad’s signal strength by up to 75-percent, you would probably be pretty upset. Well, you might want to sit down because that is exactly what we are telling you. According to Pong Research, a company that has designed a solution to the problem, the 3G iPad has a built-in “proximity sensor” that reduces transmission power when the iPad is within 10mm of your body or a solid object, like almost any case. The idea with this “back-off” mode is that it will reduce SAR (specific absorption rate) radiation levels to protect the user, but it also seems to significantly hinder 3G transmission strength.
To solve this problem for iPad 3G users, Pong has designed two cases (one for iPad, one for iPad 2) that leave the antenna exposed at all times, meaning that the proximity sensor won’t be triggered and your transmission strength won’t go down. While we won’t get into the nitty gritty technology, the case also redistributes the electromagnetic radiation over a larger area, meaning that SAR is lowered by up to 83-percent below the FCC limits, making your iPad that much less of a risk to your health.
The case for the iPad 2 will set you back $100, but it comes with a functional origami-like design to prop your iPad up in different positions, and is sleek enough to pass our style test. While we haven’t tested out the case ourselves and therefor can’t comment on how well it works, you can take a peek at Wired’s full lab test that seemed to prove all of Pong’s claims about the case.
