iPad Accessories

If the cases in this photo look familiar, then you probably own an Apple Smart Cover for iPad 2. Even if you don't have one of your own, the Anymode Smart Case for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is a clear ripoff of the Smart Cover. Even the colors and name are strikingly similar.

Samsung was prompted to pull the product after it came to light, citing a lack of "Designed for Samsung Mobile" certification. According to Samsung, Anymode did not have permission to use the mark on the Smart Case and none of the units were sold.

None of the high school Science classes that I ever attended did any of the fun stuff like you see in the movies or on TV; like dropping an egg from a ladder, or having to take care of an egg like it's a baby. We did dissect a frog once, but someone used a stink bomb in class, and the teacher canceled all future dissections. Not a very effective punishment if you ask me.

Maybe that's why this video has me so excited. Imagine being able to throw an iPad off a cherry picker to see what happens. That's exactly what the creators of the G-Form Extreme Portfolio Case did to prove that their iPod case actually protects your device. In a video published on YouTube, the G-Force team demonstrates how a hard and soft tablet case survives a 60-foot drop onto pavement. You can see the results below.

iDJ Live turns any iPad, iPhone or iPod touch owner into the ultimate DJ with its new iOS-DJ controller. The iOS accessory features a mixer (with crossfader), an iPad stand and two turntables for mixing and scratching your favorite tunes from your iTunes library. A custom audio cable allows you to connect to a sound system and headphones, and the 30-pin dock connector is compatible with your iOS device.

The entire setup, which is compatible with algoriddim's djay app (see below), retails for only $100. Visit Numark.com for more info.

ZAGG keeps your iPad and other mobile devices charged on-the-go with the ZAGGsparq 2.0 portable USB charger. When fully charged, the ZAGGsparq can recharge an iPhone four times or bring a dead iPad up to a 60 percent charge. When it comes to backup power, the ZAGGsparq extends iPad video playback time by five or six hours over the iPad battery alone.

The iPhone sure beat crayons when trying to keep toddlers entertained at a restaurant, but some parents may want to keep their expensive Apple devices away from curious babies. That's why Tigcreative invented the the anaPad. A baby friendly iPad mockup built from magnetic white board, with "Companion app magnets."

Now your child can have their own iPad to play with, and hopefully leave yours alone.

You may remember the Fling iPad controller revealed at CES 2011 earlier this year. Well the product is here, and not only this but it's available at Apple Stores everywhere. Ten One Design also sells the Fling analog joystick for iPad on their website for $19.95. Purchase two and you get a $10 discount, bringing the price for dual-handed iPad control to $29.95.

The concept is really simple and has already received rave reviews including Macworld's Best of Show for 2011. The Fling is clear plastic, so it doesn't interrupt the visuals of the game you're playing on the iPad screen. The joystick uses suction cups to attach to the glass above in-game touch control areas, converting them into a real, tactile controller.

As anyone with the Apple Digital AV Adapter knows, HDMI cables currently require the $39 part to connect to an iPad or iPhone. According to a report by CNET a more normal-looking Apple 30-pin to HDMI connector cable is on the way from third party manufacturers.

The photo above, taken by CNET during a meeting with RedMere shows the reference design for a cable in the works. Not only will these cables simplify the process of connecting an iPad to an external HD display, they should be less expensive than the AV Digital Adapter plus HDMI cable combo.

Well now we know the iPad 2 Smart Cover can attach tablet computers to the refrigerator. Definitely a reason to upgrade from the original iPad to a new model, right? Not so fast. That Smart Cover works just fine on the original iPad, if you get crafty.

Dan Provost took the initiative and glued four rare earth magnets to the spine of his iPad 1. Although the original iPad won't turn on or off automatically with the Smart Cover, the cover can be used as a stand just like with the iPad 2. As long as the magnets are placed properly, the Smart Cover attaches to the original iPad perfectly.

iPad owners will be happy to know that the Digital AV Adapter announced with the iPad 2 also works with the first generation iPad. This simple cable adds HDMI output to the tablets via the 30-pin dock connector port. Some were disappointed when the original iPad was revealed to lack HDMI output in January of last year.

Apple did offer the Dock Connector to VGA Adapter, which made it possible to feed 1024 x 768 resolution (4:3 aspect) video to an external device. This accessory is geared towards those making presentations on projectors and the like.