iPad Smart Cover - Polyurethane - Blue

Thinking of getting a smart cover? Here's what nobody will tell you...

1. They're stupidly expensive for what they are but also vital. Watch out for third party ones if you have an iPad 3 because their magnets might not be the right sort, so won't work.
2. Although lightweight the smart cover does add weight to the whole iPad caboodle. The iPad 3 I have is already pretty heavy. With a smart cover attached its like I'm holding a large and heavy hardback book. My hands get sore (but this is perhaps more a fault of the iPad 3).
3. Typical "form over function" Apple design: When used to hold the iPad almost at 90 degrees to the table, the way the smart cover folds means the felt side goes against the table. So you'd better make sure the surface is clean and dry (not easy in a cafe for example!) because the felt is what touches your screen when the cover is closed. Accidentally get some grit in there and... Ouch. Scratched screen.
4. The magnets that hold the cover to the glass aren't that strong. It's far from a vice-like grip. I don't think the cover will open in a bag provided the hinge side is topmost but gravity can pull the cover off in certain circumstances, or certainly cause it to sag in the middle.

In summary this is a vital piece of equipment that works but its primary benefit is that it's small and lightweight. The only alternatives are third party covers that are bigger but which come with physical clasps, catches or Velcro to hold the cover closed. The price is silly but you've just paid four hundred quid for a gadget so let's be honest you don't have a leg to stand on. Buying Apple stuff can be like moving house -- supifyingly expensive but it's better not to think about it too much. …More

95 of 107 people found this useful

The case is a nice, clever design for protecting the screen without covering the whole iPad and losing the aesthetics of the product. Works well as a stand as well.

BUT....like some others here, I am highly unimpressed by the product's durability. Within a few months the polyurethane cover was pulling away from the suede-ey protecting inner lining, and now after 6 months it looks nothing but tatty. I don't think I have been particularly abusive, rarely ever taking it outside the house. It's actually so poor, I may try getting a warranty replacement because the glue seems to be faulty and for £35, I would expect better....or at least a longer lifespan. …More

13 of 20 people found this useful