AppleInsider Staff
A number of iPad mini buyers who purchased a Smart Cover for their device have already received the accessory, offering an early glimpse at what to expect when the mid-size Apple tablet launches on Friday.
An AppleInsider reader from Boston, Mass., was among a number of customers to receive the iPad mini's Smart Cover on Monday, some four days ahead of the tablet's release.
While nothing extraordinary can be gleaned from the unboxing images, the photos offer a closer look at the cover's materials and new non-metal hinge mechanism, both of which were highlighted during the mini's announcement last week.
Unlike the full-size iPad's Smart Cover, which comes in both polyurethane and leather designs, the mini's version will initially be offered only in the former configuration. The materials appear to be consistent with the versions built for the 9.7-inch iPad, including the soft microfiber inner lining and magnetic closure system.
The mini's Smart Cover is unique in that it eschews the metal hinge mechanism found in all other Smart Covers, replacing it with a magnet array covered in polyurethane and microfiber. The new design could be a move to protect the device's anodized aluminum shell which is offered in a black and slate colorway, the first for an Apple tablet.
Apple's $39 iPad mini Smart Cover is available in six colors, including dark gray, light gray, blue, pink, green, and red, with all styles in stock and ready for shipment from the Online Apple Store.
It was reported earlier on Monday that Apple had sold out of all iPad mini models only three days after the tablet went up for pre sale. Deliveries of the device are scheduled to hit customer's doorsteps and brick-and-mortar Apple Stores this Friday.
Charles Martin
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14 Comments
Arrrrgghh.. i'm still waiting for "itunes 11 arrives".
I found the smart covers to be terrible. My wife dropped her iPad (with smart cover properly attached to it) from two feet off the ground and the corner glass shattered. The cover offers virtually no protection to the edges of your iPad. We now use smart *cases* for iPads which offer far better protection when dropped.
[quote name="jd_in_sb" url="/t/153864/ipad-mini-smart-covers-being-delivered-ahead-of-tablets-launch#post_2222252"]I found the smart covers to be terrible. My wife dropped her iPad (with smart cover properly attached to it) from two feet off the ground and the corner glass shattered. The cover offers virtually no protection to the edges of your iPad. We now use smart *cases* for iPads which offer far better protection when dropped.[/quote] There purpose isn't to protect areas that aren't covered by the cover. It's a Smart Cover™ not an intelligent, morphing cover. I wouldn't even say protection is its primary purpose, but a portable stand for the device that you easily carry with you without bulk. Covering the front seems more like a secondary result of the primary function. My complaints about the Smart Cover is that they are noticeably less quality in the top leather and lack of underlying microfiber between the 1st gen (iPad 2) to 2nd gen (iPad 3), as well as the lack of SW and additional magnets so it knows when you lift up just one section so you can see notifications, stocks, weather, time and other minor and quick data at a glance.
I found the smart covers to be terrible. My wife dropped her iPad (with smart cover properly attached to it) from two feet off the ground and the corner glass shattered. The cover offers virtually no protection to the edges of your iPad. We now use smart *cases* for iPads which offer far better protection when dropped.
Good choice. I’d never have expected a screen protector to somehow protect other parts of the device from 2 foot drops. It can only protect what it covers.
Me, I use a rear shell to prevent scratches, and next time not even that: I like slim! A bag with handles for travel will cover the likely drop scenarios. In everyday use, I’ll take my chances.
Arrrrgghh.. i'm still waiting for "itunes 11 arrives".
Two more days before we can really complain.