Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile

Smart Covers flexibly and minimally protect the iPad 2

By

smart coverIf you’ve been living under a rock somewhere, you missed today’s introduction of the iPad 2. And even if you didn’t, it’s easy for tablet cases and covers to get overlooked in all the hype. But Apple’s new Smart Covers deserve a mention.

CEO Steve Jobs indeed made his rumored appearance at today’s product launch, and in addition to revealing the device of the hour (or, according to Apple, the year), he showed off a new concept when it comes to cases. Er, excuse us, covers.

Recommended Videos

smart cover typeDuring the event, Jobs admitted “We did a case for the original iPad. It worked pretty well, but we went to all the trouble to make this beautiful design, but then covered it up with the case. We thought we could be better than this with the iPad 2.” Instead of a traditional, inflexible housing case for the tablet, Jobs revealed the new Smart Covers. The covers are little more than flaps of polyurethane (the stuff space suits are made of) or leather that attach to the iPad 2 using magnets that automatically align the cloth to the device.

Related

smart cover foldsThe Smart Covers are both flexible and sturdy, and can support the tablet for angled use. But that’s old news and something outside vendors have been offering for the original iPad; what’s really innovative about the cover is how it connects to the tablet itself. Closing it puts the iPad to sleep, and opening wakes it up. And just to take multitasking (or laziness) to new heights, the cover also features a microfiber cloth for simultaneous cleaning.

There are a variety of colors to choose from as well. A polyurethane Smart Cover will run you $39, and a leather one (available in more muted tones) is priced at $69.

The concept is undeniably cool, and we definitely want to get our hands on the covers and see for ourselves how well they work with the new iPad. But we’re still compelled to question how effective they are: A Smart Cover will keep my screen clean and won’t add bulk to the tablet, but it’s not going to keep it safe from anything heavier than butterfly. A protective case is still necessary. Jobs said it himself: “It’s not a case – it’s a cover.”

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Molly McHugh
Molly McHugh
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Before coming to Digital Trends, Molly worked as a freelance writer, occasional photographer, and general technical lackey…
Apple has quietly killed its cheapest iPad
Three 2021 iPads are stacked on a table.

The iPad lineup has received a price bump after Apple quietly killed its cheapest iPad model. Apple’s 9th-generation iPad used to cost $329, but has been discontinued. At the same time, the company has reduced the 10th-gen iPad’s starting price by $100, which means it’s now priced at $349. As a result, getting the cheapest iPad means you'll now spend $20 more than before.

The 9th-gen Apple iPad was launched in 2021 with the A13 chipset and Apple's Center Stage featur,e but retained the same old design with the already-old Lightning port and home button. With Apple moving to a USB-C port on all devices to comply with EU laws, it was inevitable that Apple would discontinue the 9th-gen iPad this year. The iPhone SE remains the only Apple product with a home button and a Lightning port that's still available in the company's lineup.

Read more
Apple updated two of its biggest iPad apps, and they look amazing
A screenshot of the new Final Cut Pro app.

Apple pulled off a surprise today with a pair of new iPad Pros that leverage the new M4 silicon. To go with it, the company has also revealed updated versions of the Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro apps that introduce a healthy bunch of new features to take advantage of all the firepower the M4 offers.

Starting with Final Cut Pro 2 for iPad, the app gains new tricks such as Live Multicam, external drive support, Live Drawing, and more. Apple claims that thanks to the M4 silicon, the updated app boosts rendering speeds by 2x and opens the doors for 4x higher streams for editing ProRES RAW content.

Read more
Apple’s new iPad Air is official, with a lot of big upgrades
An official photo of the 2024 iPad Air.

Apple unveiled two new iPad Air models -- an 11-inch version and a 13-inch version -- at its May 7 "Let Loose" event. This is the first time that two iPad Air models have been launched simultaneously, and they're both packed with big upgrades.

The new iPad Air models still feature a Liquid Retina display. However, the 12MP front-facing ultrawide camera with Center Stage has been relocated to the landscape edge, making it perfect for video calls. The camera provides high-resolution photos and detailed 4K video, with support for 240 frames-per-second (fps) in slow-motion.

Read more