I realize that I may be in the minority here, but I prefer the humble Apple iPad case over designs by other companies. I also prefer the keyboard dock to a bluetooth keyboard. This leaves me with a problem which will be immediately familiar to people like me (few though they may be) who would like to use both a case and a keyboard dock. It doesn’t fit.

Both the keyboard and standard iPad dock are designed so that the rear cradle fits snuggly against the back of the iPad. As such, the Apple case and (I assume) any other case that covers the rear of the iPad will not fit in the dock at all.

I use my iPad every day at work, often in tough and dirty conditions, so protection is a must. Unfortunately the Apple case is huge pain to take on and off, turning what should be the simple act of dropping the iPad into the dock a five minute ordeal of cursing and struggles.

My simple solution was to cut two small slits in the back of the case, creating a flap above the dock connector just big enough for the cradle of the keyboard dock. The case material is surprisingly durable, so unless you have a pair of heavy-duty scissors, I’d recommend using a sharp blade to make the cuts.

I’ve been using my modified case for several months now and have not noticed any side-effects of cutting the flap. When the iPad is not docked, the stiff material will stay shut so it still protects the back. The case did lose some of its rigidity around the immediate area, but during normal use I actually never notice the change. Now when I want to dock, I simply open the front flap of the case and slide the iPad into the  dock normally. The flap tends to open on its own.

This quick mod allows me to have the best of both worlds. I keep the iPad in the case at all times, and dock freely when I want to. If you are like me and need to keep your iPad shielded from the elements but still want to occasionally use a dock, I’d highly recommend it!