Review: Zagg Keyboard Cover for iPad Air (Updated 1/1/2015)

I provided two updates to the initial review (June '14 and Jan '15). Short version is that it is a good keyboard case but the design seems somewhat flawed once long term usage issues are taken into consideration. 

I have had Zagg cases since they came out with their first keyboard for the iPad. Between the first gen and 3rd gen I got to experience the evolution of their half shell case and slot keyboard design. The first one was hard to get the iPad out of, and the angled rest was a clunky solution. The second one I got for my retina iPad dropped the foam friction for a lipped magnet setup that was awesome. The slot no longer required the odd angle pop up plastic bit and they added backlit keys. Only weaknesses for me were two things. First was a constant double strike issue I had encountered in most BT keyboards. And the slot was not magnetized like the thin cover design with the Smart Cover like magnetic hinge they shared with Logitech. I really wanted this design again when I got my iPad Air. But Zagg was not offering it. They did a folio followed by this cover unit and I shied away from both. I eventually settled on the as yet unreleased clamshell pro concept which is a full on clamshell keyboard with a 180 hinge allowing you to fold it over for tablet use. But alas they have pushed it out one month longer than I could stand.

So, I finally go in search of a keyboard and Belkin decided on a non-standard keyboard layout so I didn't really try them much. Logitech has a very nice folio that I appreciated much more in person than I had from online reviews.... until I noticed they mini sized the left shift key which made for some awkward typing so it went back on the shelf. Ultra thin it was then. Not my favorite design (rigid smart coverish) but they seemed to have solved the 'slips off at any hint of pressure' issue of the first gen of the design. Between that and the standard key layout I was grabbing one and headed to the checkout... but they didn't have one sitting on the shelf under the display. When I asked where they were the salesperson walked to a shelf set I had missed and there much to my surprise I saw Zagg folio and cover both sitting on the shelf as well. Out they came and many minutes futzing ensued. I actually still thought I would get the ultra thin because I had read to many negative impressions of the zagg hinge solution on the cover and the issues extricating from the fragile folio back case. I just wasn't going to pass up the chance to check the Zaggs out, especially the cover as it was a departure from the other offerings. 

Initial Impressions:

When I first got the cover out and tried to move the hinge I was rather shocked at how stiff it was. Almost put it immediately back. But I continued on and got it hooked up and linked. And started typing. Oh my.... much better than the ultra thin or the logitech folio. The Logitech had mild improvements over earlier iterations. This was a different world. This is the closest experience I have had to a 'laptop keyboard' on an iPad to date. Keys have solid and noticeable travel. no flex in the deck and they are not wobbly. And thus far no double strike issue (about a week in now). Same good backlighting solution from my previous version. But that hinge.... hmmmm. Out came the Zagg folio. In went the air, up with the connection and more typing. Same keyboard. Slightly different feel in the hand as the folio was actually a bit lighter feeling. Also made the folio surprisingly less stable in my lap as the base is lighter than the cover and the case shell adds a bit of weight to the iPad section. Not much, but noticeable. protection factor seemed negligible for the shell. Largely scratch protection only. and very fragile feeling at the edges. Popping it out may be something you get the knack for, but I got the distinct concern that if I were in a rush I could easily cause a break. Not necessarily true that would happen. That is tough stuff. but it felt flimsy. And back to the cover. The hinge works. The friction in and out is a concern. but it feels sturdy. Folded up it feels like a little laptop. More so than the folio. More so than any other solution I have sampled (and I sample a lot). 

Negatives: 

Putting it together and splitting it apart sits somewhere between folio designs and the ultra thin magnet Smart Cover style hinge. When in laptop mode it obscures the lower edge from the swipe up gesture to get to the quick settings. Can even be an issue to hit lower edge user interface items... like send button in iMessage.... Really Apple, please add an option in iMessage to have enter send a damn message already.... not a massive issue, but annoying. Some have reported getting scratches on their iPad from the hinge. I can detect no abrasive contact with mine. Perhaps it is a build quality issue that varies  from unit to unit? the packaging is designed for easy in store trails if you can find them on the shelf anywhere. Could pay to check multiple ones. But either they have resolved that or I got lucky on the first try. The stiffness of the hinge is alarming but once the ipad is securely in it you have the needed leverage to easily manipulate it. Stress level on a metal and glass slab is not anywhere approaching concern. Not that I am going to put it to the test but I am pretty sure the hinge would fail before the iPad if you forced it to far. It is worth noting, if you use a screen cover like Zagg's bread and butter shields or from other providers it will cause a problem with this keyboard design and that seems to be where most of the hinge leave a mark issues have come from. The tolerances are tight to make this friction/magent hinge work. Protection is a mixed bag. If it lands right the keyboard will take the brunt. But the air is open on one side...and if it falls with that exposed surface in play it carries along the added weight of the keyboard. If protection is a major concern this is certainly not the option for you. I think I would still like the open face lip solution. It actually provided protection in all cases but a full on back fall. The lips ensured that the ever critical corner drop was going to get largely taken by the keyboard. Toss on a skin backing and you had a decent level of protection. Here a skin back would require some surgery to allow the use of the slot in hinge solution here. Something Zagg does not offer in a pre cut solution as yet. IF they do I will likely add another baseball skin *complete with stitching" back to this for some additional help. 

The so so: 

I will actually class the hinge level of movement so so.... BUT that is in comparison to laptops and the issue of using a tablet like a tablet. Usuable range of motion is actually pretty small and it cannot lay over back from verticle as much as you would expect which is mostly an issue in trying to read the screen in your lap if you have to be fairly upright. That said... for a tablet case solution it hands down beats any other option I tried (this one or the folio). I suspect the clamcase will top it. But it will also be twice the cost... and possibly significantly heavier. Another issue.... and this one is truly mild except for the obsessives out there. Because the hinge is open slot without end guides it can be off kilter a bit unless you take the time to ensure it is all the way in and aligned with the keyboard. Otherwise it might be slightly angled in the slot and off center with the keyboard. Again not by much (plan to post pictures at some point) for for those of a certain mindset it might drive them crazy. Other designs were self aligning and this could never really happen. Backlight keys. It is one of those features that is absolutely awesome when you need it... but for me it just isn't that often. I do like that this one seems to remember your color selection. Last one I had did not. Cool blue or subtle red for me. To each their own :-)

Last impressions: 

Earlier keyboards all seemed to leave a funk on the screen. Either gunk off keys or Smart Cover funk etc... This case has standoffs that all align on the bezel, and it shuts without anything touching the screen. Again the slab nature of the air comes into play here This design is very clearly optimized for the Air. Anyway if being able to type full steam on your iPad is high on your list, but ability to separate quickly and go back to using a tablet outweighs any case protection concerns, this is clearly a solution you should get your hands on to try out. I'd give it about 95% vrs typing on my Retina MacBook Pro 15" or older 17" MacBook Pro model. Two final things for bonus points. First, this design still supports portrait mode typing (one of my favorite capabilities of the lip and slot designs). Do not recommend that in your lap, but it works fine on a desktop/tabletop.  And finally you can flip the screen around to face away from the keyboard to use in a 'media mode', basically means the keyboard becomes a back stand if you use it to prop up for a movie. Now this works excellently in your lap for something like a plane ride because the angle is going back to closed which means you can angle it for looking down at it much better than you can tilting back away from the keyboard in the typing orientation. (again will do some pictures later).

Upon Further Review (6/25/2014)

Double strikes are very low compared to previous versions of Zagg keyboards I have used. However, it seems in its place a troublesome missing keystroke problem has developed in its place. For example in say the text of this story it will pop up a handful of times. Just like with the double strike it means a spell check is in order after any significant typing... darn.

Next, there is one troublesome aspect of this design has become apparent after longer use. The flexibility of the board means it is possible for a keystroke to be registered while the device is closed. Apparently, the fact the cover is engaged with the iPad in a closed position is not known on the device so the keystroke will wake up the keyboard (if not the iPad). The result can be a lost pairing requiring a power cycle to restore connectivity (annoying but it only takes a few seconds). more problematic is a significantly reduced battery life, even if you do not have the backlights on, and extremely short if they are. I had to charge the device a couple of times in the same week before I figured out what was happening. The simplest work around is to turn the keyboard off whenever going to store it (ie toss in a bag). However, this means the device looses its memory of your backlight choices (on/off, brightness and color). Not a deal breaker but it is annoying.

Last minor issue is the keyboard can only store one bluetooth device profile. Thus if you are like me and have a couple of iPads you switch the keyboard between you have to de-pair and re-pair whenever switching devices. Definitely a 'first world problem'. But of note if you happen to be in this particular situation.

Upon even further Review (1/1/2015)

I now sit here typing this on a new Logitech TYPE +.... and it was not a gift. I bought it to replace the Zagg. I stand by my general review of the device but something has become apparent and it is that this design does not seem to age well with constant use. First the little rubber feet came out that spaced the board from the screen when closed. Then the hinge stopped really gripping... Both are issues I think most of theses devices will experience with heavy use and regular device switching (home and work iPads) are likely to experience. The lack of grip was not a huge issue for typical use as there are still magnets that hold things together. However, it made the 'media' orientation and portrait orientation very precarious affairs as they did not have any proper device magnets to align with. 

But those are not the reasons I replaced it. The two reasons why I replaced are first, the lack of edge protection. I had used an open back keyboards before but they had a lip which provided much better edge protection, even the zagg pro with its very minor lip (still my favorit keyboard case). My air has 'aged' a bit more than my previous iPads because of this. The final nail in its coffin was a failure of the left shift key, delete key and the 'T' key. I can probably go exchange it as it is still less than a year since I bought it but I haven't tried yet. 

The key death is what finally forced me to find an alternative but it was the rest (including the bugs from my first update) that cumulatively made me a bit ambivilent about trying to go get a new version of this board.