Section: iPhone / iPod touch / iPad, iPad, iDevice Accessories, Reviews
Provides: Bluetooth keyboard, stand and case
Developer: Logitech
Minimum Requirements: iPad 2
Price: $99.99
Availability: Now
If you had to restrict yourself to just one accessory to make traveling with an iPad 2 even better, the Logitech Keyboard Case for iPad 2 would be among the best choices. It combines a Bluetooth keyboard with iOS specific keys, a stand and a traveling case into one product, and it does it well. When not typing, you can use the keyboard case to protect the screen of your iPad 2 or as a stand to watch movies. And since there’s a built in rechargeable battery, there’s no need to ever worry about buying batteries to keep it working. You can’t ask for much more in a multi-purpose accessory for iPad 2.
You might recognize the design of the Logitech keyboard case as being almost identical to the original ZAGG keyboard case. That’s because they’ve teamed up on the iPad 2 version. Ultimately, it’s Logitech branded, but pretty much the original ZAGG design. It’s basically a metal shell that can act as a screen cover for transport and a keyboard with a built in stand when necessary. The keyboard functions over Bluetooth with a built in rechargeable battery. It recharges with the included micro USB cable and has a very respectable battery life. There’s a switch to turn the keyboard on and off, but the battery life is superb, so you’ll probably only need to turn it off if you are concerned about accidental typing for some reason.
Getting the iPad 2 in and out of this case is a little less elegant than I would prefer. It’s not a major problem, but is probably the one thing that could really be improved. The iPad is help in place by friction from rubber on the inside walls of the case. The metal shell on the back is not fully covered on the front edges, so you may worry about scratching your screen when inserting iPad. As such, the edges could have been designed a little better, but again, it’s not something I worry about too much since I’m mindful of it. It should be noted that the Logitech keyboard case only covers the screen of the iPad and cannot be flipped to the backside like you might imagine. So, it mainly functions as a case for transportation, not an use in case. That said, there are cutouts for the volume controls, headphone port and dock connection, so you can still use the iPad 2 while in the case for things such as audio playback.
There is one noticeable difference between the ZAGG keyboard case for iPad and the Logitech keyboard case for iPad 2. Like the Smart Covers from Apple, taking iPad 2 out of this case can also unlock it. I wasn’t expecting this feature, since it isn’t mentioned in the product description, but it’s definitely there. I’m not sure just how useful this is, but it’s a nice touch. If you don’t like that, you can always turn it off in Settings.
To use the keyboard, you’ll want to flip up the retractable stand. It’s a small piece of plastic that, along with a groove above the keyboard area, allows the case to function as a stand. The stand only provides for one angle, but it works very well. You don’t necessarily need to use the keyboard to use the stand, so feel free to use this guy for watching movies and such. This helps make the Logitech keyboard case a multi-purpose accessory, which I very much appreciate.
Initially, I had some difficulty typing on the reduced size keyboard, but it’s not definitely not impossible. The size of the keyboard is limited by the size of the iPad 2 itself. Still, this keyboard is easily better than the virtual keyboard for a plethora of reasons. First, it’s physical, and thus gives tactile feedback (allowing you to type normally instead of constantly checking your finger placement on screen). Second, it has a number of special keys that give easy access to commonly used functions like cut, copy and paste, undo, redo, music playback controls, Spotlight, Home Button, Photo Slideshow Start, etc. I’ve found myself using these keys ever more often. In fact, I like them so much that they make me not want to go back to a regular bluetooth keyboard with iPad, despite the slightly increased difficulty of typing on a reduced sized keyboard. This difficulty does ease up with practice, provided you don’t have large hands. Since my hands are pretty normal, if not a bit thin, I’ve adapted to using this keyboard fairly easily.
I really think the Logitech keyboard case is a great accessory for anyone who travels with an iPad 2. Instead of bringing a case, a stand and a Bluetooth keyboard, all you need is this guy. With it, you have most of the functionality of a notebook, but much less weight and size. Think of it like a netbook, only with a removable keyboard and a functional interface.
Overall, the Logitech keyboard case is one of the best multi-purpose accessories available for iPad 2. It functions as a case for transport, a bluetooth keyboard with iOS specific keys, has superb battery life and works as an iPad stand. The reduced sized keyboard is something to be aware of, but shouldn’t be a problem for most users with a bit of practice.
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Full Story » | Written by Jake Gaecke for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »
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