The iPad Accessory Guide

The launch of the iPad brings with it the usual buzz and hoopla of accessories designed to take money from your wallet and make your revolutionary and magical product look more aesthetically pleasing.

This 2010 list of iPad accessories give you a short glance and head start on the growing eco-system of cool things to add to your iPad life.   While Apple has traditionally launched their iOS devices with some Apple-branded accessories, Apple stops short of dominating the market because a diverse accessory eco-system is great business for Apple and allows them to focus on technology while giving others with better core competencies the lead to innovate and extend the beauty of Apple’s technology.

With Apple’s design aesthetic, it is important to not only look cool but be in a position to protect your costly investment. Our short list of iPad accessories will help guide you through this process.

The Official iPad Keyboard Dock

While many consumers have adapted to iPhone’s virtual keyboard over the past three years, there seems to be less acceptance for the virtual keyboard on the iPad.  Part of this perception stems from the fact that there is a behavior gap between what Apple feels users should do with the iPad versus what consumers actually want to do.  While Apple is certainly not naive, their view is that the iPad is primarily a consumption device for media and information through apps or the Internet versus a heavy-duty productivity tool to do more than your usual gambit of minor tasks such as email, calendar invites etc.  The other perception gap rests with the fact that people perceive the iPad as a tool to do things over longer periods of time versus the shorter tasks on the iPhone or iPod Touch.  As a result, Apple did not take any risks here and developed the official iPad Keyboard Dock which providers consumers with the feel of a desktop computer without the burden of a laptop.  The keyboard includes a few special keys designed to activate iPad features.  As with all Apple keyboards, it looks delicious with only a few minor disadvantages.  One disadvantage is simply that you cannot use the iPad in any mode but portrait and herein lies the problem — the dock itself at times feels like it isn’t sturdy enough in design to support the iPad as evidenced by some Apple support forum messages.

The dock does allows you to connect to an electrical outlet with Apple’s USB power adapter (comes with iPad), sync to your computer, and even allows you to use Apple’s iPad Camera Connection Kit.  Other advantages include the ability to connect the iPad to external speakers or headphones via an in-built audio jack.  Connecting TVs or video projectors is possible with Apple’s iPad Dock Connector.

Wrappers

If you are in the market for a low-cost, non-branded case for the iPad, a company called Wrappers provides a simple alternative with a sleeve cover made of cell foam padding which is waterproof.  Simple, low cost, and reasonable in the protection department.

TrendyDigital Waterproof iPad Cover

With more and more people dumping the physical book for an ebook, it has become more important to protect your iPad when you decide to go on vacation or to the beach.  TrendyDigital’s solution helps keep the iPad dry and warm too!  But given some of the overheating issues experienced in the past, one hopes your iPad doesn’t get too warm!

Stylus vs. Finger

While Steve used clever marketing by announcing that nature created the best pointing device ever – your finger — our fingers don’t serve as the perfect ‘device’ during intensive brainstorm, napkin or sketching sessions on your iPad.  In comes Pogo with their Stylus product that was initially produced for the iPhone. Made of a lightweight aluminum alloy and soft-tip design, this product provide a much more accurate control than your finger and dramatically helps users with long nails.

Digital Camera and the iPad

If you want to eliminate the laptop from the media sync loop, Apple’s iPad Camera Connection Kit allows you to upload images from the camera’s SD card directly onto the iPad without any iPhoto sync requirement to the laptop and then an additional sync from the laptop to your iPad.  By removing this critical step when on the move, you can get straight to photo editing or distribution by email without the need for your laptop!

Apple’s iPad Case

This low-cost solution provides a simple alternative to the more expensive and perhaps overdone options on the market.  With Apple’s logo included, the case from Apple isn’t built on being cool but simply functional.  The soft microfiber material and screen protector flap provides just enough coverage against damage and scratches to your new investment. It also has an intuitive design to give your iPad some elevation when typing or simply acts like a stand during presentations.  The case was designed perfectly to give you easy access to the dock connecter port, on/off switch, volume buttons and headphone jack.

Quirky’s Cloak Pad Case

This is a slightly more expensive case that acts as a two-way kickstand.  With its unique design, you can watch movies or even type in landscape mode.  The viewing angle is managed through a unique click-stop hinge controlled by a button on the spine.

Vers Wood iPad Case

This one is a scene stealer.  With the Wood iPad case, your iPad turns into a picture frame and contains a kickstand to set your iPad in portrait mode.  Made from hardwood and bamboo and some reinforced steel, this case not only makes for safety but comes at more than double the price of Apple’s own case.

Feel like Ernest Hemingway?

If you are a fan of the Moleskine notepads popularized by famous artists, M-Edge’s leather Moleskine-style iPad case recreates the effect of the original notepads with the same matching colors.  With leather sleeves and straps to hold your iPad safely, the cover neatly folds to protect the screen from any debris or accident.