Apple pulled a surprise stun (a mini one actually) during their iPad event by announcing a new Smart Covers for their new iPad. It’s not a case because it only protects the front screen of the new iPad, not the back or even the side. Here’s what Steve Jobs said: “We designed the case right alongside the product. It’s not a case — it’s a cover.” Yes, quite literally. A piece of expensive cloth (or leather), though a smart one with some sort of magnetic voodoo magic that starts up the iPad whenever you flip it (I mean the iPad).

Available in multiple colors and in your choice of polyurethane or leather variants, the covers attach to the iPad with a self-aligning magnetic hinge and can also be folded into a triangle and used as a stand. What’s more, they’ll automatically wake or put your iPad to sleep when you open or close the cover due to the proximity sensor (probably), and they even pack a microfiber lining that cleans your screen each time you flip it open.

As Steve Jobs explained, Apple designed the covers right alongside the iPad itself and, as he pointed out in true sound bite fashion, “it’s not a case — it’s a cover.” Look for the poly covers to set you back $39, while the leather ones will run $69 apiece. Poisonous stuff indeed.