A Simple Hack Lets Original iPad Owners Enjoy Smart Covers Too
March 21, 2011
Thanks to an inexpensive hack, original iPad owners can also use Apple’s revolutionary Smart Cover on their tablet. This news comes directly from the hack’s developer, Dan Provost, who posted directions on The Russians Used A Pencil blog.
The Smart Cover line, like the iPad 2 itself, is fast becoming one of the top tech stories of 2011. Simple in design, the Cover protects the tablet’s glass front, while also serving as something of an on/off switch, thanks to its inclusion of 31 magnets.
Out of the box, a Smart Cover will not work on an original iPad, since the first generation iDevice doesn’t come with magnets. However, using $.20 block magnets, 3/8” x 3/16” x 1/32” (found here), Provost was able to create a perfect fix.
Here are the directions:
To place the magnets, I stuck them first to the magnetized hinge of the Smart Cover. I slid them around until they became locked into a position. This ended being asymmetrical, but I didn’t mind. I then lined up the cover with the iPad and used masking tape to mark where the magnets should be placed. I wanted this to be a somewhat permanent solution, so I used super glue to affix the magnets to the iPad. If you are not so daring, or want to test it out to make sure you like it, just use transparent tape. Even though the super glue keeps the magnets secure and in place, they are actually pretty easy to remove by just “chipping” them off with a flathead screwdriver and a very light tap of the hammer.Here is the finished product: Provost suggests original iPad owners buy the necessary magnets as a group, since the shipping costs are actually more expensive than the magnets themselves. Either way, this fix is a great way for first-generation iPad owners to get in on the Smart Cover fun.