When Apple introduced the Smart Cover for the iPad 2, everyone went nuts! “It’s magical!” “What a genius design!” — Apple had made the coolest thing since sliced bread.
We recently showed you a concept for a ‘Smart Keyboard’ on the iPhone, and it got us thinking: Should the iPhone have its own Smart Cover, too? Read More
Things have taken a rather turn for the strange here at iDownloadBlog today, with news coming from the New York Post of a swanky new iPad cover being made available.
The new cover, offered for sale by Frederick James, are apparently fashioned out of the pants (that’s trousers, for us Brits) of one Bernie Madoff… Read More
Along with Apple’s exciting new iPad 2 launch, was the unveiling of a new accessory. The Smart Cover, made by Apple, uses a magnet system to attach itself to the iPad 2′s screen.
At first glance it can appear magical. The cover literally snaps itself into place. Need an impromptu stand for your iPad 2? The Smart Cover converts into a stand with ease, practically on its own. It certainly makes you wonder, “How did they do that?”
Luckily veteran iDevice dismantler, iFixit, had the guts to rip one open and find out. The answer was obviously simple, magnets. But how many magnets does it take to make a Smart Cover work? Thirty-one. Ten in the iPad 2, in the right bezel, and twenty-one in the Smart Cover.
Interestingly enough, they are just your run-of-the-mill, two-pole magnets. It’s the way they are configured that makes manipulating the Smart Cover so easy. iFixit also noted that there is one, specific magnet, that is used to lock and unlock the iPad 2 as the cover’s attached.
So it appears this magical magnet myth has been busted (say that 3 times fast). It turns out it was just really good engineering mixed with some good marketing, neither of which Apple is a stranger to.
Does anyone use a Smart Cover for their iPad 2? How does it work as a stand? Tell us below!
Just like they did with the first iPad, Apple is now coming up with a new case/cover concept for the iPad 2. Steve says it’s not a case, it’s more of a cover. It’s heard to tell exactly how it’s going to look and feel but looking at pictures of, it looks like a nice way to protect your device.
A few magnets grasp and auto-align the cover on your iPad screen. It’s like a flap that covers the front of the device. It automatically wakes the iPad when you open it, and puts it to sleep when it closes it.
Best of all, it comes with microfiber lining that cleans the screen for you. Brilliant!
10 different colors will be available: 5 in poly, 5 in leather. Poly will sell for $39 and leather covers will sell for $69.
