The simplicity of the Smart Cover is great: a foldable, typable, flexible accessory that looks thin and sleek on your Apple iPad. But aren’t you forgetting about something? Aren’t you neglecting the less glamorous parts of your tablet? Just because you love the Smart Cover doesn’t mean that you can’t have it all—protection and grip all around, something that Smart cover compatible cases offer.

This week, I take a look at an elite group of cases specially designed to fit with your Smart Cover.

The Smart Cover

If you haven’t already invested in the Smart Cover, but they’ve caught your eye on others’ tablets, let me take you on a brief tour of what these things are.



So, what’s so smart? To begin, these guys get a lot of bang for their buck. Smart Covers attach to the left side of your iPad via fashionable and innovative magnetic clips—no stuffing your tablet into a clunky case. These magnetic clips are more or less sturdy, meaning that won’t come off without a determined tug. What’s more, Apple has integrated magnets on the right side, which work to wake up/put to sleep your iPad. Indeed, intelligent!

Next point, Smart Covers just don’t cover your iPad, they also act as a tablet stand and viewing platform. By using a three-segmented foldable cover, they are perfect for the office, the plane, the desk, or your lap.

Finally, Smart Covers come in polyurethane and leather covers in a multitude of colors. What’s nice about this is that they can fit with a lot of different styles of cases that are specifically designed to be compatible with the Smart Cover.

The Shell and Smart Cover Combo

Case-Mate has put out a great Smart Cover-compatible case they rightfully call Barely There because of its thinness. The case is a shell design, which gives you some added protection along the back and some extra grip. The Case-Mate tablet case seamlessly accommodates the Smart Cover’s magnetic clips leaving you with a sleek, smooth and highly useable and highly protected tablet.



In a similar shell design, Australia-based CaseBuddy has released its CaseBuddy Clear iPad iShield case. Like Barely There, this one lets you keep the Smart Cover attached for a highly functional duo.

The Bag and Smart Cover Tag-Team

Many cases out there are, of course, not just form-fitting shells. There are plenty of tablet sleeves that allow you to slip in a naked iPad for protection when you are on the go. This is a bonus for those of you who like to feel the Apple aluminum on your fingertips. If you do have a Smart Cover and are looking for a sleeve case, be warned that even though sleeves fit a bit looser, not all will accommodate a Smart Cover.

One of my favorite case designers out there is WaterField. Many of their bags allow you to customize a few options, one of those being if you want Smart Cover compatibility. Browse their catalog of sleeves, cases and tablet messenger bags and you’ll be sure to find top-notch quality that won’t disappoint.

Thin Wallet?

The only problem I have with the Smart Cover and the compatible cases is that in the end you are paying for two different cases, sometimes costing you well over $60. Luckily, there are some generic options out there that won’t have you breaking the bank. Check out an exclusive case that you can only get from tablet2cases.com.

In the End

The Smart Cover is a great tool to add to your iPad’s use and functionality. But the drawbacks are also great, such as extra damage to the sides and back of your tablet. Smart Cover compatible cases are the way forward for you if you want the best of all worlds.

Tablet Insight is a weekly column by Thomas Andersen that focuses on the innovative tablet uses and considers what is the most compatible and necessary tablet case.