Can’t decide if you want to have an iPad or a MacBook Air? If you pick up the CruxSKUNK Keyboard Case from CruxCase, you can almost have the best of both worlds. This is a protective case for the iPad 2 and the “new” iPad, but what it really does is transform that tablet into a notebook. You get a complete Apple-style keyboard that very much mirrors what you get from the MacBook series, except you’re still being powered by iOS.

The CruxSKUNK goes even further by providing a 360-degree hinge. What this means is that when you don’t want to use the keyboard, the case can be rotated all the way through so that you can more easily use the touchscreen. The keyboard portion is just 6mm thin and the whole thing is made from aircraft-grade aluminum. The CruxSKUNK uses Bluetooth to connect to your iPad and the built-in 350mAh battery is said to last about a month.

CruxCase has even integrated Smart Cover technology, so just like the regular Smart Cover from Apple, your iPad will turn itself on and off when you open and close the CruxSKUNK. It’s currently seeking funding on Kickstarter, but with over $87,000 raised of the $90,000 goal with 36 days to go, I think they’re in good shape. Pledge a minimum of $135 to get your hands on one of the first CruxSKUNK cases, plus a bonus leather sleeve. Shipments are expected to commence in December.

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With the Microsoft Surface we’ve seen how the idea of a cover that acts as a keyboard could truly add both beauty and function to the tablet experience, but it seems that Apple has an even more ambitious smart cover system in mind. A year-old patent filing from Apple has now been made public, in the filing Apple details out a cover that can take power and data from a dedicated connector on the side of a tablet and then can use at least one segment of the Smart Cover to augment the main display with useful information such as notifications, additional icons, multimedia controllers and similar functions. The drawings included with the patent even suggest that the inner surface of the cover would have the ability to work as a drawing area or a virtual keyboard.

While a patent doesn’t necessarily mean that Apple will ever build such a cover, it is certainly a unique idea that I wouldn’t mind seeing come to light. What about you?

[ source ]

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The so-called iTravel app would work in tandem with Passbook, a feature that is set to come with iOS 6 this fall. Passbook is designed to capture your documents and save them in digital form, including boarding passes and possibly even your actual passport or driver’s license. It’s debatable whether TSA and other border control people would accept a digital passport, but airlines will probably start shifting to NFC to accept this new system. And it’s not just flights either; iTravel can be used for car rentals, cruises, trains, buses and more. Apple has been working on this for quite a while, as it appears the patent was originally filed way back in Q3 2008.

Not surprisingly, Apple has also filed and been awarded several more patents in the last while too. You know that Smart Cover and Smart Case for the iPad? It looks like they may be planning to miniaturize the whole thing and slap it onto the iPod nano too. I get the utility for something the size of an iPad, but do you really need a magnetic folding cover for your tiny MP3 player?

[Patently Apple via NFC News]

The post NFC-Enabled iTravel App Patented by Apple for iPhone 5 appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Ruh-roh. You thought that your iPad was reasonably secure because you set a passcode on a lock screen? Think again. It’s actually really easy to bypass that passcode by simply using a Smart Cover. I hope you have nothing to hide.

Basically, if you have the iPad 2 and it’s password protected, you only need to take a couple of steps to get past the lock screen. First, hold the power button until the iPad 2 takes you to the screen where you can slide to turn off the iPad. Then, close the Smart Cover on the iPad 2. Then, open the Smart Cover and tap on the cancel button. Tada! Unlocked iPad 2.

The original story says that this flaw exists in iOS 5, but there are also tales on the web of the same flaw being experienced on the iPad 2 running iOS 4.3. The good news is that there is a temporary fix that is just as easy to do. Go into the settings menu under the general tab and disable Smart Cover unlocking.

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