I thought I would give an honest in-depth review of the new smart cover after using it for 2 days. I have some interesting observations which I have not seen in the multiple other reviews I've read and thought I would include them here. For reference sake I have a black leather cover and use my iPad on my lap while on my couch mostly when my wife is watching TV or reading. My review is mostly based off of this kind of usage which I'm going to assume is the way many people use the iPad (but obviously not all) so is geared for that kind of user/experience. You can scroll down to bottom of post for my summary.
Review:
The new smart cover from apple is one of the most talked about accessories I have seen. Reviewers have made entire reviews based off of just this accessory as seen here. While reviews have been mostly positive and the need for a cover does exist for most users (if not only for travel), I have been using the smart cover for two days now and wanted to share my experiences and thoughts on this accessory to future iPad smart cover buyers/owners. Of note, while many people have mentioned the black leather bleeding issue (black leather comes out on clothing in use) that is mentioned by apple here at the bottom of the screen, I have not experienced this issue but may not have used the device long enough to notice it.
The smart cover is inexplicably thin and adds minimal depth to an already thin device. This is important because one of the new iPad's selling points is its thinness and the smart cover when rolled back and held in place does not add much girth to that experience. However, if you are buying an iPad 2 for thinness then this does add a modest amount of bulk to the front and back.
The magnets work well and as mentioned in multiple other reviews, auto-align perfectly. There is obviously a balance between how strong apple wanted to make the smart cover magnets in terms of how adhesive they are to the case and how easy they are to remove and I believe they have chosen a good balance. They are easy enough to remove but that comes at the expense of their strength. In day-day usage I find myself wanting to remove the smart cover when I use it (likely because of the problems with it as mentioned below) and it provides that ability easily. However, because of this, the smart cover is NOT strong enough to hold in portrait orientation using only the smart cover as the grip (which can sometimes briefly happen when holding the iPad on the couch in portrait orientation for long periods of time). From my observations it will hold, but holds at the limits of the smart cover's magnetic strength - ie, jostling it around may detach the iPad and have it fall off - not a desirable thing if it falls off on the hardwood floor.
This iPad is at high risk for detaching from the cover and falling to the ground:
Another nice highly-reviewed feature of the smart cover is the auto-wake functionality. I like this feature a lot and will miss it but as I have chosen to go coverless I think to myself, "What takes more time - flipping the cover back or sliding the bar to unlock the iPad?" I believe it takes less time to slide the bar so if you don't need the cover (which in the house you likely don't for reasons below) this is actually not a huge loss as the amount of time to remove the smart cover or fold it back into correct orientation is likely more time than just unlocking the screen. Another thing about the auto-wake functionality is that it is highly sensitive. I have found that when taking off the cover and putting it next to me the magnets will sometimes get a little too close to the top right corner and the iPad will turn off and on very quickly. Not terrible, but a little annoying and something that I have to watch out for. Also, I have made the mistake more than once to try and reattach the smart cover to the wrong side which will not only not work but will freak out the iPad (which in turn freaks me out until I realize what I have done). Lastly, the magnets do seem like they could easily scratch the screen if allowed to get in contact with it. I mention this because I almost did this once when removing my cover and putting it next to me a little carelessly. These problems are likely unavoidable given the design but still a little annoying.
In day-day usage on the couch is where most of my experiences have been and thus where most of this review will focus on. The most advertised feature is the ability to fold up and use the cover in landscape orientation at an angle. When using the smart cover on a flat surface, like a desk, I find the angle to be perfect for both visualization of the screen and comfort of typing. However, if not using the iPad on a desk, and using it on a couch for instance, there are many problems.
First, I have found that the triangle slips very easily when adjusting my position on the couch. It can move to move to the front, but more often, it just falls back entirely.
The way it should be when sitting on my lap on the couch:
What usually winds up happening on my lap when sitting on the couch:
This tends to happen with minimal movement as the latching mechanism seems be very mobile (obviously this was a design limitation). I find myself having to constantly re-adjust the triangle to the proper location just to use the iPad smart cover in the "correct orientation." This happens so often that I now choose to use the iPad coverless which goes against the main reason why I bought the smart cover in the first place - ie, to add some amount of angle to the iPad to use it comfortably on the couch. However, I have found that the smart cover really does not make the
"using-an-iPad-at-an-angle-while-sitting-on-a-couch " experience necessary. One, when sitting on a couch it is very easy (for me) to adjust the iPad to the proper angle using just my legs/body. Two, because I like to use my iPad in both portrait and landscape orientation depending on the application, the design of the smart cover makes it very difficult to freely switch orientations. As described above, holding the smart cover in portrait orientation is not very supportive of the iPad given the magnet strength, but more importantly, it is not comfortable ergonomically.
This is NOT ergonomic:
In this position I feel as if my hand is being contorted out of shape and that my grip is not strong enough. After a few minutes of this I usually wind up removing the smart cover entirely when I want to use the iPad in portrait orientation. This is a big limitation as once the cover is removed I don't normally feel like putting it back on, I just want to use the device, not interrupt my flow. In summary, when these two issues are combined I have found that in landscape orientation the triangle slips very often causing me to readjust quite often and that when I want to use portrait orientation I wind up removing the cover all together.
Of note, choosing to fold over the display so that it rests flush with the back of the iPad also leaves much to be desired. What winds up happening in portrait orientation is that the cover moves about a half inch mostly uncontrollably leading to a haphazard and, in my opinion, uncomfortable experience. This also happens in landscape orientation (but less often) but more importantly, in landscape orientation the mute/volume buttons become buried in the recess of the cover and front of the glass making them very difficult to press. Thus, I do not recommend using the cover folded over in either orientation.
The cover slips very easily and haphazardly between these two orientations:
There is one other issue when using the smart cover in landscape display with the smart cover triangle. Namely, because of the angle of the iPad when in landscape display, the buttons become very difficult to access. This is compounded when on a lap as it seems the buttons are buried into your thighs and it takes conscious effort to find and press them (see closeup of how close the buttons are to the desk when in landscape orientation). As mentioned above, this is also present (and worse) when folding the cover over.
Second, there are many issues regarding the use of the iPad as a stand for use as a display. As advertised, I find the iPad to be at an optimal angle when sitting up in landscape orientation, but one of my intended uses was to have it sit up and display photos while charging, thus saving me the price of a dock. This does not work well as the plug looks pretty darn ugly (to my eyes) when sitting in a very visible part of the living room charging in landscape orientation. First, it is a black display (which goes with the base and TV that it is next to) with a white plug. This can obviously be avoided by buying in white. However, more importantly, the plug just looks ugly coming out of the back and is not visually appealing at all. I will not be charging my iPad like this and will now have to buy a black dock (non-apple) to charge the iPad in the living room.
What I would like:
What it actually looks like:
In addition, holding the iPad up in portrait orientation using the smart cover is NOT recommended and also likely not what apple had in mind. It holds the display up at 90 degrees and is completely unstable (ie it will fall forward with the slightest touch to the back). I don't think apple ever intended this use for the cover but want to make sure I mention it in case anyone was thinking about doing this.
Third, I bought the smart cover to use as a general cover for my iPad when walking around and going places. This is not going to be happening anytime soon as the magnet on the upper right hand corner of the display (the one that prevents the cover from slipping off) is not very strong at the least. I have done some unofficial testing at home and can say that if next to a another item in a bag there is a definite possibility that the cover will slip and expose the glass to the contents of my bag (I would not want a windbreaker jacket zipper to get anywhere near that screen). Thus, I will now have to buy a dedicated cover for use with transportation of the iPad.
In summary, while the smart cover is definitely sleek and has an excellent design for holding up the iPad in landscape orientation on a flat surface, in day-day usage it disappoints. I can't use it on the couch (95% of my time using the device), for charging, or on the go. Obviously my experience was highly subjective and your experience in day-day usage could be dramatically different. However, for me, given the price ($39 minimum) I find the price-performance unsatisfactory and will definitely be returning it. I will now need to buy both a separate dock and case for travel. While these two items will be more expensive than a smart cover, they will perform well at their jobs and do what the smart cover has failed to do. In summary, I cannot recommend the smart cover for these reasons as summarized below.
Summary:
The Good:
-Provides good front glass protection when not traveling around that is both sleek and of true apple quality
-Usage in landscape orientation on a flat surface is excellent and well designed (aside from button access issue)
-Awake on opening works well as advertised and is a nice feature
The Bad:
-Smart cover slips easily when using iPad in landscape orientation on lap
-Magnets are not strong enough to support iPad in portrait orientation using only the smart cover triangle as a grip - ie, your iPad could detach and fall/break
-Holding iPad in portrait orientation with smart cover folded back is not comfortable as the cover slips easily and is not ergonomic when held with triangle configuration
-When using iPad in landscape orientation (on desk or lap) or when cover is wrapped around device it is very difficult to access mute/volume buttons
-Smart cover will not hold display up in portrait orientation well
-Reports of leather bleeding out (I have not experienced this though)
-Looks silly when charging in landscape orientation (a concern if this is what your intention was for where to keep your iPad when charged)
-Magnets seems like they can scratch the front glass accidentally
-Will NOT hold well if traveling in a bag and being jostled around - ie, will likely be "pushed off" and expose screen to damage
Review:
The new smart cover from apple is one of the most talked about accessories I have seen. Reviewers have made entire reviews based off of just this accessory as seen here. While reviews have been mostly positive and the need for a cover does exist for most users (if not only for travel), I have been using the smart cover for two days now and wanted to share my experiences and thoughts on this accessory to future iPad smart cover buyers/owners. Of note, while many people have mentioned the black leather bleeding issue (black leather comes out on clothing in use) that is mentioned by apple here at the bottom of the screen, I have not experienced this issue but may not have used the device long enough to notice it.
The smart cover is inexplicably thin and adds minimal depth to an already thin device. This is important because one of the new iPad's selling points is its thinness and the smart cover when rolled back and held in place does not add much girth to that experience. However, if you are buying an iPad 2 for thinness then this does add a modest amount of bulk to the front and back.
The magnets work well and as mentioned in multiple other reviews, auto-align perfectly. There is obviously a balance between how strong apple wanted to make the smart cover magnets in terms of how adhesive they are to the case and how easy they are to remove and I believe they have chosen a good balance. They are easy enough to remove but that comes at the expense of their strength. In day-day usage I find myself wanting to remove the smart cover when I use it (likely because of the problems with it as mentioned below) and it provides that ability easily. However, because of this, the smart cover is NOT strong enough to hold in portrait orientation using only the smart cover as the grip (which can sometimes briefly happen when holding the iPad on the couch in portrait orientation for long periods of time). From my observations it will hold, but holds at the limits of the smart cover's magnetic strength - ie, jostling it around may detach the iPad and have it fall off - not a desirable thing if it falls off on the hardwood floor.
This iPad is at high risk for detaching from the cover and falling to the ground:
Another nice highly-reviewed feature of the smart cover is the auto-wake functionality. I like this feature a lot and will miss it but as I have chosen to go coverless I think to myself, "What takes more time - flipping the cover back or sliding the bar to unlock the iPad?" I believe it takes less time to slide the bar so if you don't need the cover (which in the house you likely don't for reasons below) this is actually not a huge loss as the amount of time to remove the smart cover or fold it back into correct orientation is likely more time than just unlocking the screen. Another thing about the auto-wake functionality is that it is highly sensitive. I have found that when taking off the cover and putting it next to me the magnets will sometimes get a little too close to the top right corner and the iPad will turn off and on very quickly. Not terrible, but a little annoying and something that I have to watch out for. Also, I have made the mistake more than once to try and reattach the smart cover to the wrong side which will not only not work but will freak out the iPad (which in turn freaks me out until I realize what I have done). Lastly, the magnets do seem like they could easily scratch the screen if allowed to get in contact with it. I mention this because I almost did this once when removing my cover and putting it next to me a little carelessly. These problems are likely unavoidable given the design but still a little annoying.
In day-day usage on the couch is where most of my experiences have been and thus where most of this review will focus on. The most advertised feature is the ability to fold up and use the cover in landscape orientation at an angle. When using the smart cover on a flat surface, like a desk, I find the angle to be perfect for both visualization of the screen and comfort of typing. However, if not using the iPad on a desk, and using it on a couch for instance, there are many problems.
First, I have found that the triangle slips very easily when adjusting my position on the couch. It can move to move to the front, but more often, it just falls back entirely.
The way it should be when sitting on my lap on the couch:
What usually winds up happening on my lap when sitting on the couch:
This tends to happen with minimal movement as the latching mechanism seems be very mobile (obviously this was a design limitation). I find myself having to constantly re-adjust the triangle to the proper location just to use the iPad smart cover in the "correct orientation." This happens so often that I now choose to use the iPad coverless which goes against the main reason why I bought the smart cover in the first place - ie, to add some amount of angle to the iPad to use it comfortably on the couch. However, I have found that the smart cover really does not make the
"using-an-iPad-at-an-angle-while-sitting-on-a-couch " experience necessary. One, when sitting on a couch it is very easy (for me) to adjust the iPad to the proper angle using just my legs/body. Two, because I like to use my iPad in both portrait and landscape orientation depending on the application, the design of the smart cover makes it very difficult to freely switch orientations. As described above, holding the smart cover in portrait orientation is not very supportive of the iPad given the magnet strength, but more importantly, it is not comfortable ergonomically.
This is NOT ergonomic:
In this position I feel as if my hand is being contorted out of shape and that my grip is not strong enough. After a few minutes of this I usually wind up removing the smart cover entirely when I want to use the iPad in portrait orientation. This is a big limitation as once the cover is removed I don't normally feel like putting it back on, I just want to use the device, not interrupt my flow. In summary, when these two issues are combined I have found that in landscape orientation the triangle slips very often causing me to readjust quite often and that when I want to use portrait orientation I wind up removing the cover all together.
Of note, choosing to fold over the display so that it rests flush with the back of the iPad also leaves much to be desired. What winds up happening in portrait orientation is that the cover moves about a half inch mostly uncontrollably leading to a haphazard and, in my opinion, uncomfortable experience. This also happens in landscape orientation (but less often) but more importantly, in landscape orientation the mute/volume buttons become buried in the recess of the cover and front of the glass making them very difficult to press. Thus, I do not recommend using the cover folded over in either orientation.
The cover slips very easily and haphazardly between these two orientations:
There is one other issue when using the smart cover in landscape display with the smart cover triangle. Namely, because of the angle of the iPad when in landscape display, the buttons become very difficult to access. This is compounded when on a lap as it seems the buttons are buried into your thighs and it takes conscious effort to find and press them (see closeup of how close the buttons are to the desk when in landscape orientation). As mentioned above, this is also present (and worse) when folding the cover over.
Second, there are many issues regarding the use of the iPad as a stand for use as a display. As advertised, I find the iPad to be at an optimal angle when sitting up in landscape orientation, but one of my intended uses was to have it sit up and display photos while charging, thus saving me the price of a dock. This does not work well as the plug looks pretty darn ugly (to my eyes) when sitting in a very visible part of the living room charging in landscape orientation. First, it is a black display (which goes with the base and TV that it is next to) with a white plug. This can obviously be avoided by buying in white. However, more importantly, the plug just looks ugly coming out of the back and is not visually appealing at all. I will not be charging my iPad like this and will now have to buy a black dock (non-apple) to charge the iPad in the living room.
What I would like:
What it actually looks like:
In addition, holding the iPad up in portrait orientation using the smart cover is NOT recommended and also likely not what apple had in mind. It holds the display up at 90 degrees and is completely unstable (ie it will fall forward with the slightest touch to the back). I don't think apple ever intended this use for the cover but want to make sure I mention it in case anyone was thinking about doing this.
Third, I bought the smart cover to use as a general cover for my iPad when walking around and going places. This is not going to be happening anytime soon as the magnet on the upper right hand corner of the display (the one that prevents the cover from slipping off) is not very strong at the least. I have done some unofficial testing at home and can say that if next to a another item in a bag there is a definite possibility that the cover will slip and expose the glass to the contents of my bag (I would not want a windbreaker jacket zipper to get anywhere near that screen). Thus, I will now have to buy a dedicated cover for use with transportation of the iPad.
In summary, while the smart cover is definitely sleek and has an excellent design for holding up the iPad in landscape orientation on a flat surface, in day-day usage it disappoints. I can't use it on the couch (95% of my time using the device), for charging, or on the go. Obviously my experience was highly subjective and your experience in day-day usage could be dramatically different. However, for me, given the price ($39 minimum) I find the price-performance unsatisfactory and will definitely be returning it. I will now need to buy both a separate dock and case for travel. While these two items will be more expensive than a smart cover, they will perform well at their jobs and do what the smart cover has failed to do. In summary, I cannot recommend the smart cover for these reasons as summarized below.
Summary:
The Good:
-Provides good front glass protection when not traveling around that is both sleek and of true apple quality
-Usage in landscape orientation on a flat surface is excellent and well designed (aside from button access issue)
-Awake on opening works well as advertised and is a nice feature
The Bad:
-Smart cover slips easily when using iPad in landscape orientation on lap
-Magnets are not strong enough to support iPad in portrait orientation using only the smart cover triangle as a grip - ie, your iPad could detach and fall/break
-Holding iPad in portrait orientation with smart cover folded back is not comfortable as the cover slips easily and is not ergonomic when held with triangle configuration
-When using iPad in landscape orientation (on desk or lap) or when cover is wrapped around device it is very difficult to access mute/volume buttons
-Smart cover will not hold display up in portrait orientation well
-Reports of leather bleeding out (I have not experienced this though)
-Looks silly when charging in landscape orientation (a concern if this is what your intention was for where to keep your iPad when charged)
-Magnets seems like they can scratch the front glass accidentally
-Will NOT hold well if traveling in a bag and being jostled around - ie, will likely be "pushed off" and expose screen to damage
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