You could do much worse than the Zagg Folio
Although I’m a connoisseur of iPad keyboards and a fan of the new iPad mini 5,
I never really felt much desire for the two to cross over. What I like
most about the iPad mini is that its size encourages you to use it in an
unambitious way, without aspirations to replace your laptop.
Zagg’s new $99.99 Folio keyboard case
has changed my mind a little. It’s not the greatest keyboard in the
world, which won’t come as a surprise. But if you ever find yourself in
situations where you are using an iPad mini as your only computer, it’s
actually pretty good.
Keyboard cases for other iPad models all have the same obvious
problem: the tablet has to be propped up at a viewing angle somehow.
Solutions range from Apple’s complicated origami folios to Brydge’s
laptop-style hinges; Zagg’s own approach to the iPad Pro involves a
bulky, kickstand-equipped case with a thin keyboard that attaches
magnetically. All of these designs have their tradeoffs.
In the case of the iPad mini, though, the solution is pretty simple.
The tablet is small and light enough that it can be placed into a
clamshell-style case and used at a variety of angles without tipping
over, no kickstand required. That’s what Zagg has done here with the
Folio, and the result is a really neat, tiny laptop.
This might be my first choice for in-flight typing
The
case is made of lightweight plastic with a fabric finish. It doesn’t
feel cheap, exactly, but I wouldn’t describe it as premium either. The
most important thing is that it doesn’t add much bulk to the iPad mini.
The resulting combination is about the same size and weight as a
hardback notebook, and you can toss it into just about any bag no
problem. It’s also very easy to take the iPad in and out of the case,
which I’ve often found to be a pain point with similar products for
larger iPads, including those from Zagg. I mostly use the iPad mini
one-handed in portrait mode, so this would have been a dealbreaker.
Now,
obviously the keys are pretty cramped, and sacrifices had to be made in
the layout. The area I found it hardest to get used to is to the right
of the keyboard, where a half-sized ‘ key sits between full-sized (for
this keyboard, at least) ; and enter keys. Typing words with apostrophes
takes a little practice. But the keys themselves feel fine, and the
typing experience is much better than using the on-screen keyboard.
Together with the adjustable RGB backlighting, this actually might be my
first choice for tray-table typing on a flight.
There are a couple of other design quirks I should note. The case
makes it a little awkward to press the sleep/wake button, though opening
the keyboard up wakes the iPad, and you will of course probably want to
unlock it with Touch ID anyway. The iPad’s slim side bezels also mean
that the hinge gets in the way of the slide-up gesture for the dock —
there’s a dedicated multitasking button on the function row, however,
which I liked as a substitute.
My biggest complaint is really
just that the Folio charges over Micro USB. Zagg does, however claim a
somewhat implausible two full years of battery life, so at least that
hassleshould be infrequent.
I love tiny computers, and the Zagg
Folio turns the iPad mini into a great one. This isn’t a product I’d use
every week or even every month, but I would happily take this along
with me whenever I’m traveling light and when my iPad Pro would be
overkill.
It’s kind of surprising that Apple revived the iPad
mini at all this year. The product is clearly pretty niche — just look
at the new mainstream 10.2-inch iPad,
which costs $70 less and has a much bigger screen. But if you did buy
an iPad mini in 2019, you probably love it. And if you do actually want
to type on it, you could do a lot worse than the Zagg Folio.
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