While trying to go without my iPad in favor of the Google Nexus 7 Tablet, I really miss the iPad Smart Cover, which unlocks my iPad by opening the cover. You can make your own Nexus 7 Smart Cover for less than $10 with a case and magnet, thanks to a hack I discovered on YouTube.
This seems like a simple enough hack, and the $10 price comes from the cost of a particular case, assuming the manufacturer already has a magnet and a glue gun, some epoxy or some other type of glue.
I haven’t tried this myself yet, but I’m planning to.
Here’s what you need to make your own Nexus 7 Smart Cover style folio case:
The case listed above provides users with an elastic hand strap when the user folds the front of the case to the back of the case. In this way, the elastic strap can hold the magnet and prevent it from scratching the screen.
Take the magnet and stick it inside the elastic hand strap at the right spot. Find that spot by testing the magnet with the Nexus 7. Tap this dot along the bottom left of the tablet. Before sticking the magnet inside the case, test it to make sure it is properly inserted into the elastic to wake the tablet.
Stick the magnet inside and let the glue sit. Put the case on the tablet and test it. According to the video we found it should work Phandroid.
Our own Josh Smith also listed a few Nexus 7 cases that look pretty sweet for those who don’t mind the above. Fortunately, most Kindle Fire cases fit the tablet, so give it a try to see if it works. A thin, soft magnet that won’t scratch the screen, it can work with almost any folio-style Kindle Fire or Nexus 7 case, even without an elastic band. For those who don’t mind cutting through a case, it’s possible to slice open the case at the right spot on the inside cover and slide a magnet in to achieve the same result.
