iPad Accessories
I actually got an iPad 3rd gen last year but didn’t really have time to write anything about it. It is only 9 months old but it feels older than that because Apple has already released the 4th gen in October last year. Nonetheless, it is still an excellent piece of hardware because of the ultra nice screen. I use it every day and of course, it deserves to be dressed up a little by these accessories.
I got the smart cover together with the iPad. I like the tan leather to match the white iPad and it works really well. I didn’t go for the knock-offs as I have seen those falling apart into pieces and I don’t want to see that happen. So as painfully expensive as the Apple branded leather smart cover is, I paid up and have been happily using it ever since. The tan leather did age a little but I think it adds a little character to it. The magnetic hinge also means that it is quite easy to change the cover if you have multiple. I was considering the red leather smart cover if I have extra cash but that never happened ^^;
You probably noticed the pen on the iPad in the previous photo. I am not a big fan of the stylus but this particular design works really well for me. It looks like a pencil but it is a ballpoint pen with the soft rubbery tip on the other side. The soft rubbery tip is not the most accurate but that is pretty reasonable for the price to get some scribbling done with the iPad.
I got myself a couple if these because I really like the design. One is just plain aluminum colour, the other has a darker grey finish. Both have a sandblasted finish on the body. The tip and the end has a more shiny finish to make it look not so dull.
The chrome does not look too cheap, and when you turn it, the ballpoint pen comes out from the other side.
I heard the rubbery tip tends to become mushier with wear and tear…. so getting two of these pens is my defence strategy ^^
The aluminum version actually matches the colour of the Macbook Pro :)
The darker grey version does not look too shabby. There is also a black version of this pen but I think these two colours work best for me.
The last piece of accessory I have is a boiled wool pouch for the iPad. The smart cover is great for protecting the glass surface but it does not protect the aluminum part of the iPad. This full body boiled wool pouch for the iPad encloses the entire unit with lots of protection.
I like how simple the design is.
It is a snag fit and the iPad does not slide out of it easily.
The quality is excellent and I am very happy with it.
So far, these are all the accessories I got for my iPad. I should stop getting more accessories until the I have money for the next iPad :D
Do you use the wool pouch along with the smart cover? If not, isn’t it inconvenient to carry the two around?
I got a smart cover for my (old) 3rd gen iPad as well and I have to agree the protection it gives to the back of the device is nonexistent. Considering how the back is the only part in contact with things other than your fingers the end result is not pretty.
If the wool pouch offers enough protection for the screen I might just get one of those.
I find the pouch is a bit tight to be used with the smart cover. When I tried to squeeze them in, the smart cover sometimes gets squished from the sides, causing it not flattened on the iPad. This sometimes turns on the iPad inadvertently. So I only use the pouch when I need to carry it out. At home, I just switch back to the smart cover and that seems to work pretty well.
I think if I were to get a pouch that opens on the side, it might work better with the smart cover. I do feel more comfortable if I have the smart cover on it even inside the pouch.