A DIY iPad 2 Case

Sunday
Apr 17, 2011

I was an iPad skeptic initially, thinking it was just a giant iPhone. But having had an iPhone 4 thrust upon me through work, and finding myself squinting at the screen reading books and medical journal pdfs, I realized its niche.

I got an iPad 2 not too long after it was released, and I'm happy to report that it is an enjoyable experience. The apps that I found compelling enough to purchase so far are: 1) Procreate (a fun painting app that my daughter also loves), 2) PDF Expert (a pdf reader for my medical texts and journals with annotations and highlighting), and 3) PLEX (to access my media collection at home). I'd wouldn't get PLEX unless you already run it on a desktop at home.

As of this entry, the market has begun to be flooded with iPad 2 cases, but in the weeks prior, third-party cases were yet unavailable. Apple's smart cover seemed inadequate for real protection. Consequently, I was using it naked (the iPad, not me you sicko) with nothing to protect it from damage. After a package arrived in the mail for me in a bubble-wrapped envelope, I got a glimmer of an idea that resulted in the case in the image above (click on it to see higher-resolution details). Things that you will need: 1) a bubble wrap mailer of the perfect size, 2) a repurposed ID badge clip, 3) scissors, 4) packing tape, and 5) a steady hand.

Ah, but all things come to an end, and I have retired the case after a mere one week of use, after having bought a more respectable case from Portenzo.com. Having made it myself I was a little sad to see it go!