First Look: Apple's new iPad 2 Smart Cover ships in smart packaging

Posted:
in iPad edited January 2014
If you pick out an iPad 2 Smart Cover and decide you don't like the color, it's easy to exchange without destroying the packaging, thanks to a new "frustration free" retail box.



The $39.99 in polyurethane or $69.99 in leather, magnetically retained iPad 2 Smart Covers are presented in a retail package that doesn't require scissors to open. Instead, there's an adhesive-backed tab that holds the cardboard back of the box to its clear plastic front.



Once peeled up, the box opens to reveal a recyclable plastic film that slides out of place to access the Smart Cover itself.















Available in both several colors of polyurethane (blue, green, orange, pink and grey) or "aniline-dyed Italian leather" (cream, tan, black, dark blue and red), the Smart Covers snap in place, then roll up to form a tall stand optimized for FaceTime or watching a movie, or a flatter stand for touch typing on the virtual keyboard or playing games.







Inside, the Smart Cover has a soft side that helps pick up smudges and dust. And while the new cover fits the previous iPad, it doesn't work with it because that model lacks the magnets that the new cover needs to hold on and snap into place.



















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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 57
    While the Smart Cover is probably the most clever invention of the last several decades, I would personally prefer the old case. The new one appears to lack a "open and hold in your hands, but don't detach the cover" mode.
  • Reply 2 of 57
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    I too was impressed by the packaging.



    Some milestones here. iFixit does teardown of a case/cover for the first time and AI does an article on the box the case/cover comes in.
  • Reply 3 of 57
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mbarriault View Post


    While the Smart Cover is probably the most clever invention of the last several decades, I would personally prefer the old case. The new one appears to lack a "open and hold in your hands, but don't detach the cover" mode.



    I haven’t found that to be a problem. I fold it over, but I can let is flop to the side and open with gusto without the hinge detaching. I have to be deliberate to get hinge to come off.
  • Reply 4 of 57
    ameldrum1ameldrum1 Posts: 255member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mbarriault View Post


    While the Smart Cover is probably the most clever invention of the last several decades



    wow. i just spat coffee all over my monitor (luckily it missed my macbook).



    neat and cute sure. but probably a few inventions of the last several decades that i'd put ahead of it.



    eg PCs, cellphones, the internet, the iPhone...
  • Reply 5 of 57
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ameldrum1 View Post


    wow. i just spat coffee all over my monitor (luckily it missed my macbook).



    neat and cute sure. but probably a few inventions of the last several decades that i'd put ahead of it.



    eg PCs, cellphones, the internet, the iPhone...



    I never said useful, or important to society. I specifically said clever.
  • Reply 6 of 57
    mr. hmr. h Posts: 4,870member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    I haven?t found that to be a problem. I fold it over, but I can let is flop to the side and open with gusto without the hinge detaching. I have to be deliberate to get hinge to come off.



    Not the right thread in which to be asking you this, but nevermind:



    Are you having more joy with the iPad vis-a-vis web browsing? I know you were frustrated by iPad 1's constant reloading when switching to background tabs.
  • Reply 7 of 57
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mbarriault View Post


    I never said useful, or important to society. I specifically said clever.



    to that end, on the clever and market defining products in the past decades....

    - post-it notes.



    - viagra.



    and both borne of failure (post-its were supposed to be a glue that didn't unstick, and viagra was supposed to be a Hypertension/angina medicine... temporary priapism was just a useful side effect).
  • Reply 8 of 57
    aaronjaaronj Posts: 1,595member
    I'm honestly almost as excited about getting the Smart Cover as I am for the iPad2 itself.
  • Reply 9 of 57
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Does it work, stick to iPad 1 ?
  • Reply 10 of 57
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mr. H View Post


    Not the right thread in which to be asking you this, but nevermind:



    Are you having more joy with the iPad vis-a-vis web browsing? I know you were frustrated by iPad 1's constant reloading when switching to background tabs.



    Much better, but there is still an issue that I experienced yesterday with AI reloading after I wrote a long message that refreshed when I came back to the page. I didn?t leave the Safari app and only had 3 pages open. I haven?t had it happen since.



    My other major issue was also resolved. The iPad case was too bulky to use with the dock and was too cumbersome to take on and off as needed. I love this Smart Cover! It makes the iPad 2 absolutely brilliant, IMO. See, now the thread is back on track.
  • Reply 11 of 57
    Too bad they didn't think of frustration free packaging for their Mighty Mouse, Universal Remote, or In-Ear Headphones. Those things are glued together like a virgin.
  • Reply 12 of 57
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    Does it work, stick to iPad 1 ?



    I would think it wouldn?t since aluminum isn?t a ferrous metal. Even if it did stick to some steel components inside I don?t think it would be wise since the first iPad wasn?t designed alongside the cover and the way it sticks to the curved bezel of the iPad 2 would make it a bad fit.
  • Reply 13 of 57
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    I’m waiting for iFixit to do a teardown of the Smart Cover packaging and for iSuppi to list its BoM.
  • Reply 14 of 57
    ameldrum1ameldrum1 Posts: 255member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mbarriault View Post


    I never said useful, or important to society. I specifically said clever.



    Yep, i understand.



    And for sure it's clever. My point is simply that I think are likely hundreds (if not thousands) of inventions from the last few decades that people will look back on as even "clever-er" than a magnetic screen cover.



    Take the Steripen for example that purifies drinking water using light in seconds... this is extremely clever!



    http://www.steripen.com/



    No biggie though, and don't wish to derail thread. The cases are cool, look forward to getting one etc etc, just find the hyperbole on this site a little over the top sometimes...
  • Reply 15 of 57
    djsherlydjsherly Posts: 1,031member
    When folded up to become a stand, does the inside become the outside as per the promo video? Stands to reason that you could open up the possibility of picking up dirt and scratching the screen.



    I think it is a really clever idea and well executed, but if I were getting an iPad 2, I'd much prefer protection to the back of the device as well. These devices are ground up portable and should be protected as such. That's why I why I like the apple case on my first gen. The seams actually provide a buffer against falls.
  • Reply 16 of 57
    eriamjheriamjh Posts: 1,630member
    I ordered one, but I think I would prefer something that covers the back of the iPad 2, too. (to).
  • Reply 17 of 57
    mr. hmr. h Posts: 4,870member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    Much better



    Glad to hear it



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    but there is still an issue that I experienced yesterday with AI reloading after I wrote a long message that refreshed when I came back to the page. I didn’t leave the Safari app and only had 3 pages open. I haven’t had it happen since.



    I hate it when something like that happens



    As a backup, when I'm writing long replies on message boards, I do a quick "select-all, copy" every so often. That way if something goes awry with the browser, I've still got my hard work "saved" on the clipboard.
  • Reply 18 of 57
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    I haven?t found that to be a problem. I fold it over, but I can let is flop to the side and open with gusto without the hinge detaching. I have to be deliberate to get hinge to come off.



    Only reason I liked the old case better is it protected the entire iPad. I always feel like the back is going to get scratched up.



    Off topic today I was in Target to pick something else up and heard a lady ask about the iPad 2 and the guy at Target said they were told not to expect anymore for at least four weeks.
  • Reply 19 of 57
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mr. H View Post


    As a backup, when I'm writing long replies on message boards, I do a quick "select-all, copy" every so often. That way if something goes awry with the browser, I've still got my hard work "saved" on the clipboard.



    I long ago got into that same habit with the iPad 1. I was going that route when I stopped myself. I thought ?This is the iPad 2 with 512MB RAM. I don?t need to do that anymore. Time to break that habit.? Oops!
  • Reply 20 of 57
    macslutmacslut Posts: 514member
    I'm sorry, but I don't like the new iPad 2 cover. While it covers the display, it doesn't really protect it from breakage. The old iPad cover was very protective. Enough so that you could kind of toss it around. I dropped it several times without even thinking that it could've broken.



    The new cover doesn't protect the back or the sides. There's going to be damage unless you drop it right on the cover...and the glass could break easily if dropped on its side.



    I also find that the cover doesn't feel comfortable when fully folded back. As a result, I'm constantly taking it off, which I'm imagining will ultimately lead to scratching.



    Speaking of scratching, since it doesn't do anything for the back, it will get scratches simply by having it slide around on hard surfaces.



    While I like the use of magnets and the auto-wake/sleep, the cover doesn't work as a lazy-bed stand. You can't lay on your back with the iPad 2 on your chest propped up with the cover like you could before, making it completely unfappable for dualies.



    I haven't seen any 3rd parties actually shipping that are any good or take advantage of the magnets, anyone else?
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