Simple hack retrofits iPad 1 for Smart Cover

Smart Cover is one of the killer features of iPad 2. It automagically snaps into place with the satisfyingly clicking sound, thanks to the use of 21 hidden magnets. The cover auto-aligns and props up the device perfectly while its microfiber cloth keeps the screen clean when the iPad is not in use. And now, you can retrofit the original iPad for the use with the new cover, thanks to a nifty DIY trickery from the guys behind The Russians Used A Pencil website.

Although not a hack per se, it nevertheless works like a charm. “The solution is incredibly simple and not for the fain of heart. Basically, I glued four rare earth magnets to the spine of the iPad,” one of the guys behind the project explains in the below video. The trick is in finding the right place for the magnets, he explains:

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.

The solution won’t wake up the device from sleep when you open the cover because that requires additional sensors inside the tablet. It does, however, feel completely natural and looks awesome.

You can use transparent tape to affix the magnets to the iPad or opt for super glue should you dare explore a more permanent solution, he writes. Eventually removing the super glue-affixed magnets involves “chipping them off with a flathead screwdriver and a very light tap of the hammer.”
[vimeo 21247198 w=670 h=377]