Logitech iPad 2 Keyboard Case by ZAGG Review & Prize Giveaway
We looove the Logitech Keyboard Case by ZAGG. That's why we're giving away several of them to our fans!
The Logitech Keyboard Case by ZAGG is not a new player in the arena of iPad 2 accessories. ZAGG introduced their ZAGGmate with keyboard for the original iPad. The first iteration won the award for most innovative accessory at the CES. This new edition is not a simple copy of its sibling, but an improvement on an already great product. When you purchase the case, you receive a simple yet well presented box. Inside, you find the keyboard case itself, a USB cable, a getting
started guide and a little silicon square that has four stubs cut into it for those who want a way of preventing their keyboard from sliding on polished surfaces. That is all nice, but I am sure that you are not reading this article to learn about the packaging.
Let’s jump right back into subject. The iPad 2 is an amazing tablet offering its users with impressive
possibilities, one of which is the ability to take notes wherever we are. The virtual keyboard on the iPad screen works well for taking short notes and browsing the internet, but what if you are a professional that uses the tablet as your main mean for taking notes and doing some work while on the move? This is where a physical keyboard becomes the one accessory we can’t live without.
Construction:
The Logitech Keyboard Case by ZAGG is made of an aluminium shell for the back and black plastic for the keyboard on the inside. The inside of the case has cushion lining on its inside edges to hold the iPad in place when snapped onto the case. Still on the keyboard side, there is a a rubber strip at the top and at the bottom of the keyboard. These strips serve as cushion for the iPad when it is snapped to the case too. The top strip, which is much larger than the bottom one, harbours
the Logitech name and logo. The finish of the outside shell mimics the finish of the back of the iPad, resulting in a very polished look when using the Logitech Keyboard Case to carry our iPad around. This gives the iPad with the keyboard case a very professional yet sober look. The quality of the construct is very good. It feels robust and really well built.
When not in use, your iPad 2 conveniently fits snuggly & safely face down in the case.
The dimensions of the keyboard are those of a netbook keyboard. The lettering on the keys is large and easy to see. The layout is a QWERTY keyboard, respecting a US keyboard standard. Just above the keyboard, on the top-left side, we have the power toggle switch and a connect button right under it. Directly to the right of the buttons, there are two lights, one for the charging status and one for the connection status. I won’t describe in length how the lights work, as it is not
something that will help people decide if the Logitech Keyboard Case is the right accessory for them.
Completely lightweight aircraft grade aluminum unibody construction!
The one and only part of the keyboard case that may feel a little weaker is the hinge that serves as the iPad’s stand in conjunction with the groove above the keyboard. This hinge is made out of hard plastic that will most likely be the first piece that will wear on the device. A metallic hinge system would have been the ultimate system, but it would have cost the company more to produce the units. The one thing ZAGG could do in that regard would be to offer users the ability to buy a replacement hinge if it breaks. I haven’t contacted ZAGG to know whether they do already have this replacement piece available, but I haven’t found any sign of it being available on their website.
Keyboard usage:
The keyboard connects via Bluetooth, a short range wireless communication technology. Upon pressing the connect button and selecting the Logitech Keyboard Case in available bluetooth devices/accessories, a pop-up window appears on the iPad screen prompting the user to enter a code displayed in the message itself followed by the enter key. This is the initial pairing sequence you have to go through only once (unless you want to use it with more than one device). The keyboard keys have a travel distance of about 2 mm. The keys are firmly in place and do not show any sign of jiggling
sideways. The keyboard keys are very quiet overall. Typing on the Logitech Keyboard Case by ZAGG will require a small adaptation period for any users who is not familiar with this size of keyboard.
Netbook users on the other end should feel right at home. Typing feels very natural, much more than on the iPad’s virtual keyboard. The accessory truly shines when used with applications such as Apple Pages, QuickOffice HD or Documents To Go. Aside from the regular keys found on every keyboard, the Logitech Keyboard Case by ZAGG offers its users a full set of function keys right at the top. The first half presents functions such as cut, copy, paste, undo, redo. It also has a key for the iPad’s Home button function, a key for the iOS Search function, a slideshow key as well as a key to open the virtual keyboard. On the second half of the function keys presents users with media key to start/pause music, go to next or previous track, mute, volume down or up. There is also a key to lock/unlock the iPad’s screen.
Another really nice touch is an International Keyboard selection key at the bottom left part of the keyboard. Add to this the TAB as well as the arrow keys and you have a very complete keyboard solution. ZAGG has done an extremely good job with the keyboard’s layout and all the function keys as the user does not need to touch the iPad’s screen for the most part of the time. The only moment where we are required to use our finger is for browsing through apps and launching them. This shows that ZAGG has put some good thoughts in their designs. In order to prevent the keyboard to start sliding with the iPad set on it, users can install the little silicone stubs included in the package. Once they are on, the keyboard becomes extremely stable on any flat surfaces. Another nice feature that a lot of people might not be aware of is the ability of the Logitech Keyboard Case by ZAGG to automatically put the iPad 2 to sleep, exactly like Apple’s own Smart Cover.
Ultra responsive soft touch keys turn your powerful iPad 2 into a computer powerhouse!
Compatibility with skins and protective films:
When we see the name ZAGG, we think about the InvisibleShield right away, the product that is in part the origin of the company’s success. The iPad, like the iPhone and iPod Touch, are all beautifully crafted devices that users will usually want to protect to various degrees. People usually like their mobile devices to remain small and lightweight. That is why film protectors have become so popular. One challenge people encounter when they start shopping for accessories for their iDevices is knowing if the new accessory will work with the ones already owned. The question I see the most frequently on various popular blogs and forums is if such and such case will work with such and such film protector on the device. In the case of the Logitech Keyboard Case by ZAGG, it is fairly simple to answer. The iPad 2 is held its edges around, especially at the corners. If you use any film protector to cover only the screen of the iPad 2, you won’t have any
problems whatsoever.
If you go for a full body protection such as the like the ZAGG InvisibleShield Full Body for iPad 2, you’ll still have no problems. The one exception I have found is with solutions such as the ZAGG InvisibleShield Maximum protection where the back piece will go nearly all the way to the edge between the aluminium piece and the
front glass piece. What will happen in this case is that after a few use, the Logitech Keyboard Case will start peeling the parts of the film protector that run the closest to the edges. Fortunately, there is a simple fix for this situation. All you need to do is simply cut the film protector at the corners so that there is between one and two millimetres clear from the edges. If you own and use Apple’s Smart Cover and came to like it, you will be disappointed to learn that it cannot be used in conjunction with the Logitech Keyboard Case by ZAGG.
Built with the same satin finish aluminum as the iPad 2, this case feels expensive & sleek.
Personal thoughts and observations:
I have been using the Logitech Keyboard Case by ZAGG for over a week now in order to see how it performs. The first thing that comes to mind is how much I love this accessory and how much it helps me using my iPad 2 even more than I used to. I work as a Technological Architect and IT Consultant and I have a lot of documents and reports to write for the various projects I work on. On top of that, I have to participate to many meetings at our various clients offices. As such,
I decided to try to work without my work laptop as much as possible and rely on my iPad 2 with the Logitech Keyboard Case. The experiment has gone extremely well, enough so that I decided to write this whole article using the keyboard case with my iPad 2. One small thing I have observed that might be a glitch or an issue is that I sometimes have key strokes duplicated. This has not occurred often, so I can’t call this a bug. It could be something as simple as the sensitivity of the keyboard keys when I tap a little too hard on the keys. I will continue investigating this and will gladly post an update on the matter if the MRT team accepts me writing more for them.
Reality Grade: “A”
I would strongly recommend this accessory for any mobile professional who has a lot of notes to take and meetings to participate to. I would also strongly recommend the keyboard case to any student already owning an iPad 2. From the mazing bluetooth keyboard to the beautifully machined aluminum unibody construction, the Logitech Keyboard Case by ZAGG is a quality product that is well worth the asked price of $99.
Quality build, awesome features and convenient storage, this case is for the road warrior.
Giveaway Details:
Because MRT and ZAGG want you to be a cool road warrior as well, our chief Jenna Gonzalez has decided to give away 3 of these awesome $99 aluminum unibody cases!
Prizes: 3 Logitech iPad 2 Keyboard Cases by ZAGG
Entry Period: 5/24/2011 to 6/24/2011
Entry Methods: FaceBook Fans Only!
- Get 1 entry from liking My Reality Tech on Facebook
- Get 1 additional Entry for sharing this contest or the My Reality Tech fan page with your friends (make an additional comment letting us know you did this!)
- Get 1 more entry by commenting down below on the comments section on why you’d like this awesome case for yourself.
With the help of our pals from ZAGG, we will be randomly drawing winners from all qualified entries on June 24, 2011. All 3 winners will be contacted via Facebook message and/or email. What are you waiting for? Go tell everyone!
