Best iPad Accessories: accessories for iPad you can’t miss

If we are to resume this year by spelling the name of the most important gadget for the IT world definitely it will have 4 letters and is made by Apple. It’s the iPad I’m talking about, one of the products that generated so much buzz before launch that almost every tech site had at least one rumor per day, including AllTouchTablet.com.

You must think that Apple makes a lot of money from their product sales, but you have to consider the fact that more money is made by selling accessories like iPad cases (which I’ve wrote about in a separate post), peripherals, carrying cases, protective screens and so much more. There are a lot of manufacturers that had specialized over time in selling accessories for Apple products. Apple’s success is their success too. It’s a magic circle no one wants to break. Apple needs accessories for iPad, manufacturers need products to make accessories for and consumers need both.

Also recommended:

• Best new iPad (2012) cases
• Best iPad screen protector
• Best iPad stands

In this post I’m going to address the need for iPad accessories by making a list of the most interesting and important products you should buy to complete your beloved tablet (yeap, Jerry McGuire talk, I know). I will include official accessories, Apple branded plus other nice new ones from different manufacturers. Of course I will update this article over time, so feel free to check back again on this page as often as you like.

Third party accessories for iPad

CrazyOnDigital 18 Items Accessory Kit [2nd and 3rd gen]

Yes, you’ve heard right: an 18 in one package for your iPad. It’s got almost evetryhing you can think of: Stylish Leather Case + 4 High quality Blue Pink Black Clear sillicon skin cases + 2 Crystal Clear screen protector + audio cable + Compact retractable audio cable + 2 stereo headphones + 2 sharing headphone splitter + car auxiliary cable + 2 Crazyondigital headphone winders, and the price is not bad at all at 35 bucks.

CrazyOnDigital 17 Items Accessory Kit for Apple iPad

Zagg Invisible Shield full body – iPad 1, iPad 2, iPad 3

This is the accessory to buy if you’re concerned about scratches. It’s a thin and hard plastic cover that is applied all over the body of your iPad, making it scratch proof. If you need more convincing here it is: military grade patented material engineered for your specific device (each model from Zagg is tailored to a specific device) and the cover also has self-healing properties, but to a normal extent. What’s also worth mentioning about Zagg Invisible Shield is that the manufacturer offers free replacement during the lifetime of the protected device in case something goes wrong. In case you don’t want to spent that much money there’s the option on getting a Zagg Invisible Shield only for the front and apply later one for the back for the same amount.

Zagg Invisible Shield

You can’t imagine how tough is the Zagg Invisible Shield for iPad, so here’s a video showing perfectly the punishment it can take from a dremel:

Bracketron LTM-205-BX iPad and netbook desktop stand (all iPad models)

This first needs to be described, so you can understand what you’re dealing with here. It’s a five step adjustable laptop desk stand for your iPad or netbook. The adjustment goes from 0 to 35 degrees, enough to cover all the bases and user needs. Even if it looks industrial in design you don’t  need tools to set it up and it just takes a few seconds before it’s ready to receive your gadget.

The surface of the two crossed legs is non skid so you don’t have to worry about it slipping down from the table. This is the stand to buy if you travel a lot and work on your tablet often as it folds flat allowing you to store it easily and at 5.2 oz it won’t break your back either.

Bracketron LTM-205-BX Desktop Stand

Aida Keycase Folio Deluxe, for iPad second, third gen

If you’re low on cash and still want to get an iPad accessory then you should consider the Aida Keycase Folio Deluxe, a combo of iPad protective case made from leather, an iPad stand and wireless Bluetooth keyboard. It’s got all of those for a 99$ retail price. Seems a little bit too much but considering what you get it’s not that bad. For example the wireless QWERTY keyboard lasts for around 45 hours and charges via USB. Once set it up you just have to remember to turn it off when not in use and turn it on again when needed, as the connection is made automatically.

The design of Aida Keycase ensures you are able to find a good inclination of the screen in stand mode, so that you can work just like you do on a laptop or netbook. Just make sure you don’t spill any liquids on the keyboard!

Aida Keycase Folio Deluxe

Cloth Addiction MicroFiber cloth for iPad [all iPads]

This is actually one accessory you could use with your iPad, tablet, laptop and monitor. It’s a microfiber cloth that was kindly send to me by Cloth Addiction and which I’ve used for the past couple of days. What I like about it is the large surface (larger than the screen), that helps you find a clean spot to use on your screen without needing to clean the cloth that often. Cloth Addiction recommends you use the cloth dry and remove any dirt particles from your screen prior to using their product, to make sure you’re not scratching the screen with them. You can also use the cloth moist, but additional care is needed to make sure you’re not putting any liquids in contact with the ‘delicate’ parts of your iPad, or electronic device you want to clean.

The Cloth Addiction MicroFiber has two different sides, one smoother than the other. Below is a closeup photo with this iPad accessory and my tablet, after a few minutes of use. So you understand why it’s mandatory to have a cleaning cloth at your disposal at any time.

Cloth Addiction microfiber

Fosmon Premium Quality Metal Stylus (works with all models)

Even if the iPad has a big enough screen for almost all finger sizes sometimes there’s need for a good-old stylus. Fosmon is one of the stylus providers that managed to add style to its products by using a stylish Premium metal casing with a soft rubber tip so that your screen doesn’t get scratched during operation. You might want to know that the Fosmon stylus works with Apple iPad / iPhone / iPod Touch, so you don’t need to carry more then one around if your backpack is filled with Apple gadgets.

Fosmon metal stylus for iPad

Macally RESYNCCABLE Retractable Sync Cable (all models)

If you feel ripped of by Apple as the iPad accessories are priced quite high it’s nice to have an alternative. One of them is the Macally retractable sync cable for iPad and iPhone. It’s cheap, can sync two of your devices and also occupies little space in your backpack thanks to its small footprint.

Macally RESYNCCABLE Retractable Sync Cable for iPhone and iPad

Macally DUALUSB Charger for iPad and iPhone (all models)

This is a great accessory as it can charge your iPad and iPhone at the same time and it’s small enough to not feel its additional weight in your backpack. It’s white finish is in line with all other Apple products, so it’s easy to pretend is an official accessory, but one you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for. Plus the swivel power plug tucks in and out for maximum portability.

Macally DUALUSB Charger for iPhone and iPad

Car charger (all models)

This is by far one of the cheapest accessories and also one of the most useful: a car charger. It will come in handy if you travel a lot. The white finish is, how shall we say, Apple design style like, so it won’t be a contrast if you get all your Apple gadgets on the table. The car charger is easy to use as it plugs into cigarette lighter port to power your device. As a plus the cable retains its original shape after extended periods of use. Safety is an important matter so the charger features integrated electrical fuse to prevent damage to the iPad or its internal battery.

Car charger

List of the best accessories made by Apple

We will continue with the official Apple accessories after presenting the models from third party manufacturers. As expected the Apple products are more expensive but really look good together with the iPad and manage to complement it with new capabilities.

Apple Wireless keyboard

This is a must have for people who don’t like virtual keyboards. It’s the best accessory for touch typists, who will use the iPad for more than entertainment. Apple Wireless keyboard connects to your Apple tablet via Bluetooth and offers the award winning chiclet design we’re all used to on the latest Apple products. It’s powered by two AA batteries that will last you a couple of months thanks to the Apple energy saving features that powers down the keyboard when not in use. The Apple Wireless keyboard is also compatible with any Bluetooth devices so you’ll be able to use it also with your MacBook Pro, iMac or Windows PC if you want that.

Apple Wireless keyboard

Keyboard dock

This is one of the multipurpose accessories for iPad as it is used to hold the tablet at a slightly inclined angle and helps you type faster at the same time using the integrated keyboard. That’s supposed to be the most frequent use for the keyboard dock, but you’ll be happy to know it works in conjunction with other accessories by Apple like the USB cable that once connected to your PC charges the tablet while syncing it.

Keyboard dock

Connect it to a power plug using the 10W USB Power Adapter and you can charge the internal battery. Furthermore, connecting the Dock Connector to VGA Adapter or the Apple Component or Composite AV Cable you can hook up your iPad to a large screen TV or projector.

If you feel like the keyboard dock it’s too expensive or you prefer having the keyboard separated from the dock then you’ll be happy to find out that for 16.5$ Apple provides an iPad dock.

iPad dock

Apple Smart Cover [buy]

If you want a really unique accessory for the iPad 2 or the new iPad get the Smart Cover. It’s slim, light, looks great and protects the screen like no screen protector (when not in use, of course). It’s fitted with magnets that align magnetically to the edges of the tablet in a matter of milliseconds. It can wake up/sleep the iPad upon opening/closing and comes in many colors to choose from - Gray, Black, Blue, Orange, Green, Pink, Navy, Red, Cream, Tan.

Apple Smart Cover: slim and light

Apple Camera Connection Kit

This is one of the most interesting accessories for the iPad, one which would have been nice to be bundled with the tablet for default, but that’s not the way Apple does business. Anyway, the Camera Connection kit is used to import photos and videos from a digital camera: using your cameras USB cable or directly from an SD card. The supported formats are JPG and RAW.

Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit

Apple Dock Connector to VGA Adapter

This is an essential accessory if you want to use your iPad as a media playback device, allowing you to connect it to a big screen TV fitted with a VGA port. The device connects to your iPad or Dock via the dock connector and to the screen/projector via the VGA port.

Apple Dock Connector to VGA Adapter

There are of course other small accessories for iPad made by Apple, but the ones worth mentioning are presented in this post.