Originally Posted by ryck
Originally Posted by artie505
I wonder if it's anything more than the mechanism that keeps the lid closed?
I've always understood that it was also the mechanism that triggered a switch to turn off the device's power.

Yes. I just discovered this about my iPad yesterday. Actually, I noticed that it wakes up when I pull back the cover of its case. I just tested it, and it will hold a “jumbo” paper clip when turned over.