10 Best iPad Cases Cover Work, Play
Your iPad or iPad Mini needs protection in an unforgiving world. These 10 iPad cases add style, keyboards, water proofing and more.
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Begin shipping for an iPad or iPad Mini case and you'll soon learn that the variety of choices is staggering. If you're parachuting, iPad in hand, from 30,000 feet into a swamp, odds are good you'll want a case with military-grade water and shock protection rather than one with chinchilla faux fur and rhinestones. (Or maybe both, who knows?)
There's a tablet case for just about every kind of user imaginable: business travelers who need built-in keyboards, sun-and-surf aficionados, battery-life enthusiasts, even fashionistas.
A year ago we spotlighted the best iPad cases for summer, with a strong focus on waterproof models. This time around we've broadened our roundup to include the best cases for a wide variety of users. And rather than repeat our May 2012 selections, we're showcasing a fresh crop of covers, including some for the über-popular iPad Mini, which began shipping last November.
The abundance of iPad cases helps keep prices competitive. Many are priced at or slightly above the $69 leather edition of the Apple iPad Smart Cover but provide many more features, including water resistance or a built-in keyboard.
This proliferation of iPad peripherals comes at an opportune time: Tablets are starting to take the place of laptops in many work environments, including law enforcement, food service and maintenance. In fact, research firm IDC estimates that tablets will out-ship portable PCs for the first time ever this year. Obviously, this is great news for tablet case makers, who find themselves in a booming market.
A recent J.D. Power and Associates study on U.S. tablet user satisfaction found that 51% of slate owners share their devices with at least one other person. Unlike smartphones, which are highly personal gadgets, tablets are more likely to be shared at home and work, a reality that increases the likelihood of drops, spills and other hardware-damaging incidents.
On the business side of things, 20% of U.S. tablet owners say they use their devices for work as well, the study found. The iPad might not match the versatility of a conventional laptop -- at least not yet -- but its future is bright. It's a great traveling companion, a good choice for note-taking and well-suited to wall mounting, an important consideration in factory settings.
Click through our slideshow to find 10 great cases for your iPad. For even more options, check out our 2012 summer picks as well.
The iPad makes a great poolside or beach companion, provided you don't mind a little screen glare. But sand and surf can wreak havoc on your delicate silicon slate, hence a heavy-duty case is essential for frequent outdoor use. The LifeProof nüüd case and cover/stand ($130) keeps a full-size iPad dry even when submerged under 6.6 feet (two meters) of water, the company claims. It safeguards your slate from drops of up to four feet (1.2 meters), and it meets the stringent IP-68 requirements for protection against dirt and snow too. So what doesn't it have? There is no screen protector, but those often reduce screen clarity and degrade touch input anyway.
The iPad's on-screen keyboard is fine for pecking out quick emails and texts, but it's a pain for crafting long documents or doing intensive spreadsheet work. Belkin's cover-keyboard combos are a good option for people who use their iPads as laptops. The Portable Keyboard Case and FastFit Bluetooth Keyboard Case, both $80 accessories for the iPad Mini, feature slim keyboards with surprisingly far key travel for their size. For full-size iPads (generations 2 to 4), the Ultimate Keyboard Case ($100) squeezes a 6.4-millimeter-thick keyboard into a protective case that weighs just 17 ounces.
Small and light tablets with 7- to 8-inch screens make better travel companions than their larger siblings. They're lighter and easier to hold with one hand so we tend to take them with us more often. The Aryca Rock Mini ($70), which fits the iPad Mini and similar-size slates, is waterproof up to three feet. It also protects against dirt and drops, and comes with an adjustable stand. Have a full-size iPad? The Rock ($80) fits the larger slates and provides the same level of water, sand and shock protection as the Rock Mini.
A wall-mounted iPad can prove quite useful at home or on the factory floor. The Sanus VTM16 iPad Mini mount features the magnetic MagFit case, which allows you to attach the slate to a metal surface, such as a refrigerator, toolbox or filing cabinet. Because it swivels, you can easily move the Mini from landscape mode to portrait mode and back again. Priced from $40 to $50 online, the VTM16 also includes a screw for mounting the case to a concrete, drywall or wood surface. The Sanus VTM7 ($40) works with full-size iPads. Both mounts protect the iPad's backside but not its screen. They're compatible with the Apple Smart Cover, however.
Need attention? You're sure to get it with the Jison Luxury Leather Smart Case ($250), a spare-no-expense iPad case draped in rose-tinted ostrich leather. The three-position folding cover doubles as a stand for portrait and landscape viewing. Although not the best choice for pool or beach use, the Jison case will turn heads.
The Kensington KeyCover Hard Shell Keyboard ($80) brings a MacBook-like sensibility to your iPad. This sturdy and stylish aluminum case includes a Bluetooth keyboard that's spacious enough for touch typing. A pop-up stand supports the iPad in either landscape or portrait mode, and the Kensington case has rubber feet for stability while you work.
The iPad has excellent battery life but the more staying power the better, right? The Justin Ultra-Slim Power Case by Innovative Technology hides an 11,600-mAh rechargeable battery inside a synthetic leather cover. It can charge a full-size iPad up to two times -- or an iPhone or another smartphone up to seven times -- via its USB connector, the company says. The cover has a magnetic clasp to keep the iPad safe and secure when not in use. Priced around $70 online, the Justin Case weighs a little over two pounds, so you will have to endure the added heft of the portable battery.
The Logitech FabricSkin Keyboard Folio ($150) wraps around the iPad and has a magnetic clasp to keep the case closed. Its clever design allows you to position the iPad in one of two ways: upright for use with the included FabricSkin Keyboard or flat with the keyboard hidden. The water-resistant Bluetooth keyboard is rechargeable via an included USB cable and can run for up to three months between charges, the company claims. The folio-style case comes in black, blue, yellow and red. Sure, it's expensive for an iPad case, but it's also well-designed and stylish.
The Moshi Versacover ($50) is a contortionist among iPad cases. Its unique folding capabilities allow it to double as a cover and a stand. It supports viewing in both landscape and portrait modes, and its microfiber cover protects the iPad Mini screen when not in use. The Versacover doesn't block any of your tablet's buttons and cameras, and its built-in magnets support the iPad Mini's auto-wake/sleep feature.
The Toast collection of tastefully designed wood covers harkens back to a bygone era when station wagons and home electronics featured the warm glow of faux tree trunk. The Toast products for the iPad and iPad Mini aren't fakes, however; they're real wood covers, stylishly designed, and offer solid protection for the back and sides of the slate. Unlike most iPad cases, the Toast products use a peel-and-stick adhesive to attach to the tablet's metal back. As a result, they're not easy to remove. So make sure you love wood grain before affixing one. Prices range from $35 to $55.
The Toast collection of tastefully designed wood covers harkens back to a bygone era when station wagons and home electronics featured the warm glow of faux tree trunk. The Toast products for the iPad and iPad Mini aren't fakes, however; they're real wood covers, stylishly designed, and offer solid protection for the back and sides of the slate. Unlike most iPad cases, the Toast products use a peel-and-stick adhesive to attach to the tablet's metal back. As a result, they're not easy to remove. So make sure you love wood grain before affixing one. Prices range from $35 to $55.
Begin shipping for an iPad or iPad Mini case and you'll soon learn that the variety of choices is staggering. If you're parachuting, iPad in hand, from 30,000 feet into a swamp, odds are good you'll want a case with military-grade water and shock protection rather than one with chinchilla faux fur and rhinestones. (Or maybe both, who knows?)
There's a tablet case for just about every kind of user imaginable: business travelers who need built-in keyboards, sun-and-surf aficionados, battery-life enthusiasts, even fashionistas.
A year ago we spotlighted the best iPad cases for summer, with a strong focus on waterproof models. This time around we've broadened our roundup to include the best cases for a wide variety of users. And rather than repeat our May 2012 selections, we're showcasing a fresh crop of covers, including some for the über-popular iPad Mini, which began shipping last November.
The abundance of iPad cases helps keep prices competitive. Many are priced at or slightly above the $69 leather edition of the Apple iPad Smart Cover but provide many more features, including water resistance or a built-in keyboard.
This proliferation of iPad peripherals comes at an opportune time: Tablets are starting to take the place of laptops in many work environments, including law enforcement, food service and maintenance. In fact, research firm IDC estimates that tablets will out-ship portable PCs for the first time ever this year. Obviously, this is great news for tablet case makers, who find themselves in a booming market.
A recent J.D. Power and Associates study on U.S. tablet user satisfaction found that 51% of slate owners share their devices with at least one other person. Unlike smartphones, which are highly personal gadgets, tablets are more likely to be shared at home and work, a reality that increases the likelihood of drops, spills and other hardware-damaging incidents.
On the business side of things, 20% of U.S. tablet owners say they use their devices for work as well, the study found. The iPad might not match the versatility of a conventional laptop -- at least not yet -- but its future is bright. It's a great traveling companion, a good choice for note-taking and well-suited to wall mounting, an important consideration in factory settings.
Click through our slideshow to find 10 great cases for your iPad. For even more options, check out our 2012 summer picks as well.
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