[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hen I purchased my new iPad, I didn’t expect my old iPad 2 case to work with it, but it was actually near compatible with this year’s tablet. Sadly, the smart wake ability didn’t work as it had before since Apple decided to change up the layout of internal components a bit. (For reference, I owned a Portenzo Notebook Case for the iPad 2 and it worked great, just no smart wake.)
The old Portenzo case wasn’t all that bad and they have some of the best support I’ve ever experienced, but I wanted to go with something a little different. You see, instead of a one-piece case that’s hand-crafted, I decided to purchase a Smart Cover from the Apple retail store three hours away and also acquire an Incipio Smart Feather for the new iPad sometime down the road – I’ll be sure to write a review of that when I get it.
Anyway, I’d just like to share my experience with Apple’s front cover for the iPad and let you know whether you should buy it or not. Read on for my thoughts on Apple’s little accessory.
Design
The Smart Cover is really quite simple. First of all, it’s not a case, so there is no full coverage or anything. It’s different from what you’d think of an accessory as well. I would almost describe it as an alternative to a screen protector with special wake abilities and flamboyant colors, but that’s not quite everything.Speaking of color, I purchased the green polyurethane Cover to give my device a bit of life since I’m usually one for bland black, blue, and white colors with anything I own. This time I decided to have a bit of fun and get something that would give my tablet some style.
I do like the material that this polyurethane Smart Cover is made of because it's soft and feels quite nice. Also, the microfiber inside seems to keep the screen much more protected than a harder material, but try not to get any small pebbles in there or it's over.
Clip it on and go
Convenience is key and the Smart Cover has it. I must admit that it was a pain to put my iPad 2 into my older Portenzo case, but it’s not like a good case should let the device fall out easily, so I suppose it was a blessing as well. The thing with Apple’s Cover is that it’s extremely easy to put on and take off the device. I really love the convenience since there’s really no hassle trying to put it on right. All you have to do is begin to attach it and it’ll automatically snap into place.Protection?
This is probably your biggest concern regarding the Smart Cover since it doesn’t protect half the device and that seems a bit unsafe since the new iPad starts at $499. It’s obviously not worth ruining such a purchase by getting the wrong case and compromising the protection of your device, but it’s funny we do it with our MacBooks and such.I mean think about it. You don’t really put a case on your MacBook unless you’re that scared it’ll be damaged by something during daily use. I kind of regret this since I ended up scratching a few areas on mine with my car keys, but I still don’t want to add a case to the beautiful device. With the iPad, things are a bit different.
You see, with something so portable, you’re bound to take it with you more often, which increases the odds of it being damaged. This is why there is protection for the device, but it all depends on what you want to protect. First, there’s the Portenzo type of case that completely covers the device and won’t let it ever get damaged. Then there’s that Smart Cover that leaves the back vulnerable to scratching and such. Decisions, decisions.
In the end of it all, I’d recommend the Smart Cover for those who don’t see themselves using their iPad everywhere. For those who do wish to travel with it, take it to work, and all that, then I’d recommend either a combination of the Smart Cover and a compatible rear cover or something like the Portenzo case. Still, I think that the Smart Cover does a fine job for $39.99 and does protect one of the more easy-to-damage elements of the device. If you want a quick solution, then definitely go with this.