The iPad Accessory Dilemma

By Shane Craver on April 28, 2010

Owners of Apple’s new iPad more than likely find themselves carrying around their slick tablet like a newborn child. While a laptop will survive a fall or two, as will the typical cell phone and even the iPhone. When you drop an iPad, it magically turns into a $500 brick.

When iPeople aren’t using their device, they’re charging it, or at least trying to.

Unlike the iPhone and other devices rechargeable through a USB connection, the iPad requires a 10watt connection. As a result, the iPad can only be recharged in a reasonable amount of time by either connecting it directly to the provided charger (preventing synching) or directly to a Mac or high-end PC. The iPad will not charge though a USB hub (at least none that we could find); it won’t even charge when connected to the USB extensions on an Apple monitor.

The best solution for any iPad user is to charge the device directly on a Mac. That allows for full charging and synching to iTunes.

In a desk setting, the best place to charge would be with Apple’s iPad dock, but, that’s where the problems continue.

Any iPad user has or is buying a case. It’s much more functional using an iPad that is slid into a stand/protector. If you’re using Apple’s iPad case, the first thing you may notice is that it does not allow the device to fit into the iPad dock.

You may be thinking, “Well, take the doggone case off when you’re charging it!”

Easier said than done.

As with most Apple products, the case has very tight tolerances. It’s not easy to slip the iPad in and out of it. If you do that a few times a day, you’re likely to either tear the case or damage the top button of your iPad (that catches on the case when sliding in and out).

Users are likely to opt to leave their iPad in the case rather than make use of their $29 dock. Or, if they’re creative, they can slice and dice the iPad case to force it to work.

Either way, look for better case/dock combos on the market soon enough to make up for poor pairing on the part of Apple.

As an alternative, users can always opt to look like complete goofballs by sporting a set of iBallz.