Solutions to Make Your iPad Case Dock Compatible

Solutions to Make Your iPad Case Dock Compatible
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The Dilemma

All iPad owners have been there. We’ve bought our iPad, iPad case, and our iPad dock and we were so excited to use all of these things in harmony when BAM! – a problem arises. The iPad, in its case, will not fit into the dock! What a pain this issue can be. Before you run off to the store to either complain or return one of your accessories, read this article, as the solution to this dilemma awaits you.

A Crafty Solution

If you’re the type of person that’s into crafts and creating your own solutions, then this is the fix for you. The first solution to your iPad dilemma is to modify the iPad’s case. Essentially what we’re going to accomplish here is: making a slit in the bottom of the case large enough to allow the iPad dock to fit.

  • Step 1: Take the iPad out of the case and lay out the case in front of you on a table.
  • Step 2: Get a knife or exacto knife ready (I think an exacto/x-acto knife works best for this, however, anything sharp enough will work.
  • Step 3: Locate the bottom of the iPad case, where the connector ports to the dock are.
  • Step 4: Take your exacto knife (or other sharp tool) and cut a slit at the location found in step 3 (bottom of iPad case, where connector ports to dock are). The slit should be about 3 to 3.5 inches wide and about 1 inch in height. The depth of the slit should be the depth of the iPad (in most iPads it is .3 to .5 inches).
  • Step 5: Put the case back on the iPad. Now it should be as if the area where the iPad connects to the dock is bare and has no case on it. This is essentially what you were trying to accomplish (modify the case so that it does touch or interfere with the dock). Test it out and see if it works.

Image Credit: iPad + Case + Dock hack (literally) by the_seamonkey CC

The Shopper’s Solution

If you’re someone who’s into shopping (or you’re just not into the modifying your case) then this solution is for you. If your current iPad case doesn’t fit into your iPad dock then you may just have to buy a new case. Lucky for you, I am going to help push you into the right direction by suggesting my personal favorite iPad cases (which happen to be compatible with the iPad dock).

Incase Convertible Book Jacket: I absolutely love this case. It is compatible with the Apple iPad dock but some would argue you won’t need the Apple iPad dock because the Incase Convertible Book Jacket has its own built in dock. So now not only will your iPad

Incase Case

have a dock but it will also have a brand new case - it’s like hitting two birds with one stone.

The case can dock the iPad at 3 different angles (that’s more angles than the Apple iPad dock). This feature is also handy because it makes your iPad more portable as you don’t have to carry around multiple accessories anymore.

The Incase Convertible Book Jacket is made with leather, it effectively protects the iPad from possible scratches, and it has holes in it to access all of the iPad’s main ports and buttons. It is currently priced at $59.95. The downside to this case is that it’s a little pricey and although it has a built in dock it lacks all the technology features of the Apple dock (like VGA connectivity, charging, audio etc.). If you want those features you’ll still need to connect to the Apple iPad dock, but luckily the Incase dock can do that.

Image Credit: Convertible Book Jacket

Belkin GripVue for iPad: Silicon cases have always been one of my favorite types of cases, and Belkin has always made great silicon cases. The Belkin GripVue is no different. It effectively protects the iPad from scratches and minor impact. The case is thin enough that it can fit into the iPad dock. The benefits of a case like this are portability, durability, and price. The Belkin GripVue is significantly cheaper than other cases like the Incase Book Jacket, as it can be purchased for about $10.

Speck CandyShell Case for iPad: I saved the best for last. This case offers both affordability and functionality. What I love about this case is that it was designed specifically with the iPad dock in mind (that’s why it’s the best!). Speck probably noticed how annoyed consumers were with other iPad cases so they made their own case and it is one of the few iPad cases that customers are not annoyed with. The case comes with a little flip back panel; the purpose of this is to make it work with the iPad dock. The Speck CandyShell Case also does an excellent job protecting the iPad from impact and scratches. All this while sporting price tags as low as $5!

Conclusion

Hopefully this article helped you resolve the issues you’ve been having with your iPad Case and dock. Comment below and share how your attempt at these solutions went. Did you try the craft solution or did you end up buying a new case?

References

SeaMonkey, The. “IPad Case Dock Hack (literally) | Digital Tirades of an Early Adopter (archived, Pre 2011).” Tech-Recipes Blogs Aggregator. 19 Apr. 2010. Web. 24 July 2011. https://blogs.tech-recipes.com/seamonkey420/2010/04/19/ipad-case-dock-hack-literally/.

“Apple IPad Dock - Apple Store (U.S.).” Shop Online at the Apple Store - Apple Store (U.S.). Apple Inc. Web. 24 July 2011. https://store.apple.com/us/product/MC360ZM/A.