5 ms·

For me, the most exciting announcement has to be the line of Smart Covers. iPad covers aren't new, but this cover looks like it could solve the ergonomic probl

For me, the most exciting announcement has to be the line of Smart Covers. iPad covers aren't new, but this cover looks like it could solve the ergonomic problem of typing on your iPad or watching a movie/TV show while you're not sitting on a couch. It also protects your iPad's screen without adding bulk. EDIT: @marcoarment: "The Smart Cover might be the best feature of the iPad 2. I can't possibly express how much I hate every iPad 1 case for some reason." [0] http://www.apple.com/ipad/smart-cover/ http://www.apple.com/ipad/smart-cover/

culturestate 16y ago
I agree with this; I often carry my iPad naked or in a simple sleeve because every protective case that I've seen or used just makes it slightly-more-just-enough-to-be-annoying difficult to hold and use.
WesleyJohnson 16y ago
Anyone notice at the end of the video on Apple's site the disclaimer about the colors potentially wearing off on the leather versions? Still love the concept and I'd just go with a poly one anyway. Definitely agree with the ergonomics aspect as well. I think the Smart Cover is pretty brilliant in its simplicity.
- panacea 16y ago
  Does anyone have a coloured leather case for an existing device here? Is this something to be expected when working with dyed leather? Are Apple just being cautious by preempting 'leather-gate' or something similar wherever they can with this product launch?
  - ZeroGravitas 16y ago
    Ars Technica reported the demo units as already looking scuffed.
- jonnathanson 16y ago
  Lots of dyed leathers have a tendency to take scratches, scuffs, etc., and generally weather over time. A lot of folks love this effect, especially on furniture, shoes, jackets, and other items made of leather. Other folks either don't care for the effect, or simply haven't owned leather items long enough for the distressing to kick in. My guess is that Apple is preparing that latter set of consumers for some sort of weathering/distressing over time.
  - marklabedz 16y ago
    Nothing a little good polish can't take care of.
- deleted 16y ago
  [deleted]
lwhi 16y ago
Perhaps progress is overrated, when 'smart covers' are the most exciting feature.
- grhino 16y ago
  I think when folks are saying the most exciting feature is the 'smart covers' they are using hyperbole. They haven't gotten a chance to touch and use the iPad 2 to determine speed improvements or OS improvements. If they already have an iPhone 4, they've already experienced the excited with the cameras, FaceTime, and even how thin it is. For everyone who is comparing this against the previous iPad and not the iPhone 4, the most exciting features are probably 1) cameras 2) A5 chip or 2) HDMI out.
  - lwhi 16y ago
    It's slightly obscene that a tablet that's so similar is being released so soon, obsoleting the first generation and encouraging a fair few people to upgrade for the sake of it.
    - arst 16y ago
      Apple isn't forcing anyone to upgrade, original iPads aren't going to become useless on March 11.
      - lwhi 16y ago
        But they sure are trying their hardest to encourage people to ... ;) EDIT: Sorry for the spelling mistake, downvoter - it's now corrected :)
- achompas 16y ago
  Device hardware doesn't matter if the device is hard to use. Smart Covers could solve the iPad's ergonomic problems, and that's far more important to users than two cameras or HDMI out.
  - 16y ago
silvestrov 16y ago
I think Apple will make more profit on their Smart Covers than Motorola, HP and RIM will on their tablets. http://twitter.com/#!/kawika/status/43024891062124545 http://twitter.com/#!/kawika/status/43024891062124545
- achompas 16y ago
  These are the new "iPhone bumpers:" accessories with low cost of production and incredible margins. Apple is very, very good at doing this.
- gabriele 16y ago
  really? with 15 millions units sold in 9 months and 90% market I wonder if editors still think that tablets can be a lucrative platform EDIT: I'm not being sarcastic, but my opinion is not related to the technology. I'm talking about the potentials of tablets as a new media+ads distribution platform and that number doesn't seem so impressive to me, so far.
  - achompas 16y ago
    Wait, is this sarcastic or serious? 15 million units is a lot for something that did not exist before it was released.
dean 16y ago
"this cover looks like it could solve the ergonomic problem of typing on your iPad or watching a movie/TV show while you're not sitting on a couch." This is just another way of saying that tablets are a horrible form factor.
- Anechoic 16y ago
  This is just another way of saying that tablets are a horrible form factor. For some uses, certainly (hence the reason why my TC1100 spends 95% of it's life in laptop mode) but for other uses they're perfect. I see the stand as a way of saying "use a tablet for what it's good for and here's an option for being able to use it for less-than-optimal situations that still beats lugging another device around."
- achompas 16y ago
  I see it as "iterative improvement." Apple released the iPad, watched the public's response, and fixed a major problem with a high-margin accessory. A bit greedy? Yes. A step forward for tablets? Absolutely. You'd better believe Apple's competition will copy this idea in no time.
  - panacea 16y ago
    Their case for the first iPad is very cludgy. Harsh edges, always looks tatty, the least impressive solution to an ergonomic dictate that Apple have produced (except for their mice) and yet I'd never remove it. It's great for what it does. Provides a scratch free case and a tactile surface and 3D gripping 'column' that's needed to casually use the device in a wide variety of general use situations (plus the pocket to store the screen wipe for the inevitable smudges). That they've made redundant the market for scratch-protective cases, while improving on the other two must-have ergonomic features is a bit funny.
nchlswu 16y ago
This is exactly what I was thinking. I wasn't realistically expecting anymore than what was presented, but I got sucked into the hype machine last minute. As a result, the case truly stood out to me. Apple improved on ideas that have been implemented by some other standout companies before. Any hardcore BlackBerry user knows the magnets in the BlackBerrys and their holster makes the holster/phone combo an integral part of the BlackBerry experience. Then, you get the folding stand which was most notably (to me) done by InCase. I'm truly impressed at the SmartCover. Very well executed, both on the marketing side and the (technical) design side.

culturestate 16y ago

I agree with this; I often carry my iPad naked or in a simple sleeve because every protective case that I've seen or used just makes it slightly-more-just-enough-to-be-annoying difficult to hold and use.

WesleyJohnson 16y ago

Anyone notice at the end of the video on Apple's site the disclaimer about the colors potentially wearing off on the leather versions? Still love the concept and I'd just go with a poly one anyway. Definitely agree with the ergonomics aspect as well. I think the Smart Cover is pretty brilliant in its simplicity.

panacea 16y ago
Does anyone have a coloured leather case for an existing device here? Is this something to be expected when working with dyed leather? Are Apple just being cautious by preempting 'leather-gate' or something similar wherever they can with this product launch?
- ZeroGravitas 16y ago
  Ars Technica reported the demo units as already looking scuffed.
jonnathanson 16y ago
Lots of dyed leathers have a tendency to take scratches, scuffs, etc., and generally weather over time. A lot of folks love this effect, especially on furniture, shoes, jackets, and other items made of leather. Other folks either don't care for the effect, or simply haven't owned leather items long enough for the distressing to kick in. My guess is that Apple is preparing that latter set of consumers for some sort of weathering/distressing over time.
- marklabedz 16y ago
  Nothing a little good polish can't take care of.
deleted 16y ago
[deleted]

lwhi 16y ago

Perhaps progress is overrated, when 'smart covers' are the most exciting feature.

grhino 16y ago
I think when folks are saying the most exciting feature is the 'smart covers' they are using hyperbole. They haven't gotten a chance to touch and use the iPad 2 to determine speed improvements or OS improvements. If they already have an iPhone 4, they've already experienced the excited with the cameras, FaceTime, and even how thin it is. For everyone who is comparing this against the previous iPad and not the iPhone 4, the most exciting features are probably 1) cameras 2) A5 chip or 2) HDMI out.
- lwhi 16y ago
  It's slightly obscene that a tablet that's so similar is being released so soon, obsoleting the first generation and encouraging a fair few people to upgrade for the sake of it.
  - arst 16y ago
    Apple isn't forcing anyone to upgrade, original iPads aren't going to become useless on March 11.
    - lwhi 16y ago
      But they sure are trying their hardest to encourage people to ... ;) EDIT: Sorry for the spelling mistake, downvoter - it's now corrected :)
achompas 16y ago
Device hardware doesn't matter if the device is hard to use. Smart Covers could solve the iPad's ergonomic problems, and that's far more important to users than two cameras or HDMI out.
- 16y ago

silvestrov 16y ago

I think Apple will make more profit on their Smart Covers than Motorola, HP and RIM will on their tablets. http://twitter.com/#!/kawika/status/43024891062124545 http://twitter.com/#!/kawika/status/43024891062124545

achompas 16y ago
These are the new "iPhone bumpers:" accessories with low cost of production and incredible margins. Apple is very, very good at doing this.
gabriele 16y ago
really? with 15 millions units sold in 9 months and 90% market I wonder if editors still think that tablets can be a lucrative platform EDIT: I'm not being sarcastic, but my opinion is not related to the technology. I'm talking about the potentials of tablets as a new media+ads distribution platform and that number doesn't seem so impressive to me, so far.
- achompas 16y ago
  Wait, is this sarcastic or serious? 15 million units is a lot for something that did not exist before it was released.

dean 16y ago

"this cover looks like it could solve the ergonomic problem of typing on your iPad or watching a movie/TV show while you're not sitting on a couch." This is just another way of saying that tablets are a horrible form factor.

Anechoic 16y ago
This is just another way of saying that tablets are a horrible form factor. For some uses, certainly (hence the reason why my TC1100 spends 95% of it's life in laptop mode) but for other uses they're perfect. I see the stand as a way of saying "use a tablet for what it's good for and here's an option for being able to use it for less-than-optimal situations that still beats lugging another device around."
achompas 16y ago
I see it as "iterative improvement." Apple released the iPad, watched the public's response, and fixed a major problem with a high-margin accessory. A bit greedy? Yes. A step forward for tablets? Absolutely. You'd better believe Apple's competition will copy this idea in no time.
- panacea 16y ago
  Their case for the first iPad is very cludgy. Harsh edges, always looks tatty, the least impressive solution to an ergonomic dictate that Apple have produced (except for their mice) and yet I'd never remove it. It's great for what it does. Provides a scratch free case and a tactile surface and 3D gripping 'column' that's needed to casually use the device in a wide variety of general use situations (plus the pocket to store the screen wipe for the inevitable smudges). That they've made redundant the market for scratch-protective cases, while improving on the other two must-have ergonomic features is a bit funny.

nchlswu 16y ago

This is exactly what I was thinking. I wasn't realistically expecting anymore than what was presented, but I got sucked into the hype machine last minute. As a result, the case truly stood out to me. Apple improved on ideas that have been implemented by some other standout companies before. Any hardcore BlackBerry user knows the magnets in the BlackBerrys and their holster makes the holster/phone combo an integral part of the BlackBerry experience. Then, you get the folding stand which was most notably (to me) done by InCase. I'm truly impressed at the SmartCover. Very well executed, both on the marketing side and the (technical) design side.