iPad 2 Silicone Cases Hands-On

The Apple iPad 2 will be released on March 2 but we already have our hands on the iPad 2 cases sent to us from Budgetgadgets in China. I can't say for sure that these silicone cases are spot-on but I have a feeling they do have the correct thickness and form to fit the iPad 2. As you may already know, the iPad 2 will feature a back facing camera as well as a front facing camera for FaceTime. These silicone cases from Budgetgadgets have a few new cutouts made for the iPad 2 including back and front facing cameras, a larger cutout for the speaker and another small cutout at the top for some sort of mini-USB port which I'm sure will not be found on the iPad 2.

The current iPad does not fit the iPad 2 silicone case even if you try to stretch the case over. These cases suggest the iPad 2 will have a thinner form-factor and a thinner bezel much like the iPod Touch 4G. The cutouts on these iPad 2 cases have the same exact contours as the iPod Touch 4G with the volume rocker, headphone port, dock connector port and rotation lock switch pushed to the back instead of being on the side of the bezel like the current iPad and iPhone 4. I think these design changes will surely hold true when Apple officially reveals the new iPad 2 next month. 

I'm not a fan of the overly contoured iPod Touch 4G and I think the iPad's bezel is just perfect the way it is right now. I find pushing buttons around the back of the device is much harder then it is on the iPhone 4 and iPad.

Overall the iPad 2 silicone cases from Budgetgadgets feels very nice and have a good thickness to them. For obvious reasons I can't test them out for fit just yet. You can get yours now in 11 colors for around $6 over at Budgetgadgets.com.