iPad2 Accessories preview

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The  iPad2 was released, to incredible anticipation, a year after the initial iPad launch. Just as with the initial iPad, Apple gave no details on the iPad2 prior to its announcement. When the iPad2 was unveiled, it became clear that most of our Gen1 iPad-specific accessories would not fit the iPad2. The newer iPad is thinner, been given both a front and a rear camera, and sports a few other minor changes. While the overall dimensions are similar to the first generation iPad, they are different enough that Gen1 custom accessories will not fit.

Accessories such as the TwelveSouth’s Compass and Fossil’s leather sleeve for the Gen1 iPad will, of course, work just fine with the iPad2. Others such as the Sena Executive Folio will hold the new iPad, but will not have the appropriate openings for cameras. The Bluetooth keyboard of the Gen1 Zaggmate will work just fine, but the cover is just a hair too loose to stay on the iPad2. The interest and demand for the iPad2 have been phenomenal. As a result, supply has had a lot of problems trying to keep pace with demand. While this has not been all that great for customers or Apple, it has given accessory makers a little bit of breathing room to catch up to this run-away train.

The only accessory on release day available for the iPad2 was Apple’s Smart Cover. Accessory makers have been pushing hard to catch up. Three months later, custom accessories from 3rd parties are starting to surface. We have rounded up a collectionwhich we found worthy of consideration:

• Sena Executive Leather Folio
• HardCandy StreetSkin and BubbleSleeve
• InnoPocket EliteFolio Carbon Fiber case
• Belkin FlipBlade
• XGear SmartCover
• Chef Sleeves
• ZaggMate case with keyboard

While it is great to have custom-fit accessories for a device, if you are like us and tend to upgrade requently, it is reasonable to ask if custom-fit accessories are worth the investment. This week, we’ll share our thoughts on the subject while we take a closer look at some of the newly released gear for the iPad2.