Apple’s iPad Accessories: What Should You Buy (or Skip)?

March 29th, 2010 by Mark Spoonauer, LAPTOP Editor in Chief  

Let’s face it. Your iPad just won’t be as fun or useful naked. But what should you get to complement your shiny new tablet before you check out? As you would expect, there’s a ton of third-party accessories hitting the market, but you’ll also find a bunch of add-ons made directly by Apple, including a keyboard dock, a case that doubles as a stand, a camera connection kit, and more. With prices ranging from $29 to $69, these items are not exactly impulse buys. So we’ll tell you which of these accessories are must-haves, nice-to-haves, and which ones you might want to skip.

iPad Keyboard Dock ($69)

Whether you're typing a longer e-mail or you want to get the most out of Apple's Pages app, this aluminum keyboard dock is the ticket to increased productivity. This accessory has the same isolated layout you'll find on the Apple Wireless Keyboard. Typing was comfortable during our brief hands-on at the iPad launch event, and often-used keys like Shift are full sized. Plus, Apple includes keys to activate certain iPad features, including Spotlight search and picture frame mode. When docked you can only use the iPad in portrait mode, but we like that the rear 30-pin connector lets you plug in for power, sync with your computer, or attach the iPad Camera kit. Want to rock when docked? There's also a separate audio jack for connecting speakers.

VERDICT: Must-Have


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One Response to “Apple’s iPad Accessories: What Should You Buy (or Skip)?”

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    May 31st, 2010 at 6:23 pm

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