I got this because it looked like a decent keyboard attachment for my iPad, and it was. But one thing I didn't consider before getting it will probably keep me from using it long term. I'll get to that.
Overall, it was super easy to set up. Took it out of the case, and it was covered by a paper flap which had instructions on the back. I thought that was a slick packaging design for sure. It was easy to get my iPad into the case itself. I've tried/used some others in the past, and sometimes they're SO tight you feel like you need a crowbar to get it in and out. That's not the case here. It snapped in easily and felt snug, it didn't feel loose, which was a positive for sure. Likewise, taking it out was much the same - no crowbar needed.
The keyboard itself had an overly plastic feel to it. Now I know it's plastic, that's not a shock, but it FELT it. It didn't feel cheap or feel like it was going to fall apart, but it's not a feel I generally like in my keyboards. So that was one minor strike against it. You flip a power switch on the side, press the pair button and pair in the bluetooth area of your iPad, and bam - it's connected.
When you need to do some typing, it does its job. However for me personally, I have larger hands, and found that the keyboard was a bit narrow for my tastes insofar as how I normally type. My daily driver is the keyboard that comes with an iMac, and this one is more narrow. While I could function on it if I had to, I prefer keyboards with a wider reach. See the attached image showing this cases's keyboard vs the one I'm talking about.
But the big thing that will likely stop me from using it is that it has no trackpad, so you need to move your fingers from the screen to the keys all the time. If I'm going to type on a keyboard, I don't want to have to touch the screen as well. I suppose I could bluetooth an actual mouse to the iPad too, but at this point, I'll just use my MacBook.
That's a fundamental issue with all products like this - you're trying to turn this into a laptop, just go use a proper laptop.
Yeah, OK it's obviously not meant for me from what I said. I see that, but I still wanted to point out what I thought when I tried using this.
All of this aside, the device does its job well. You can even turn the screen around and "hide" the keyboard - although that does add some bulk (and weight) to the iPad. If you don't have an actual MacBook, and wanted a laptop, then this would be a good thing to get. Easy to set up, does its job well.
Just be aware of the limitations (no mouse/trackpad) and additional heft if you're gonna carry it around. Other than that, the product does what it says it will do well. That's why I gave it 4 stars anyway despite most of this review being negative.
