Filip Brož There are dozens of external keyboards for iPads today. I still remember a time when there were only a few keyboards available that were compatible with the first generations of iPads. Now you can buy a keyboard for any apple tablet, in practically any form. One of the pioneers in the portable keyboard market is undoubtedly the American company Zagg, which offers a whole range of variants. The smallest keyboard ever made it to our editorial office for testing – the Zagg Pocket.
As a really small keyboard, the Zagg Pocket is also incredibly light and thin. It weighs only 194 grams. However, when unfolded, it almost corresponds to the size of a classic desktop keyboard. Unlike her, however, it can be folded to make it as compact as possible. The Zagg Pocket consists of four parts and can be easily folded or unfolded in an accordion style. When folded, you won't even know it's a keyboard.
Zagg is betting on an aluminum-plastic design for the Pocket, which hides a full-sized keyboard, including the top row with Czech characters and letters. Due to the size of the keyboard, I tested the Zagg Pocket with an iPhone 6S Plus and an iPad mini, it won't even hold larger devices. That is, if you want to use the practical stand that the keyboard has. Once you send a pairing request and connect the keyboard to your iOS device via Bluetooth, you can type.
Surprisingly comfortable and fast typing
The alpha and omega of all keyboards is the layout of the individual keys and the response. When I first saw reviews of Pocket abroad, I was surprised by how positively they evaluate the writing itself. I was quite skeptical and didn't believe that you could type on such a small keyboard with all ten keys.
In the end, however, I was pleased to confirm that you can really write fully on Pocket. The only thing that bothered me while typing was that I often caught my fingertips on the edge of the stand on which the iPhone rested. It's not dramatic, but it always slowed me down a bit. However, there are natural spaces between the individual keys, so that, for example, there is no accidental clicking on the button next to it. Also, the response is what you would expect from a keyboard like this, so no problem.
What pleasantly surprised me was the battery saving mode. As soon as you fold the Zagg Pocket, it automatically turns off and saves the battery, the status of which is indicated by a green LED. The Pocket can last up to three months on a single charge. Charging takes place using the micro USB connector, which you can find in the package.
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When folded, the Zagg Pocket measures 14,5 x 54,5 x 223,5 millimeters, so you can easily fit it into a deeper jacket or jacket pocket. Integrated magnets guarantee that it will not open on its own anywhere. For its design, the Zagg Pocket received an award in the CES Innovation Awards 2015 and is especially perfect for owners of larger "plush" devices. You can always have it at hand and ready to write. But you also need to have a firm pad handy, because it's not very easy to write on your feet.
I consider Pocket's biggest minus to be the fact that Zagg decided to make it universal for both iOS and Android. Because of this, the keyboard has practically no special characters and buttons, known from macOS and iOS, used for easier control, etc. Fortunately, some keyboard shortcuts, for example for search, still work.
For Zagg Pocket you have to pay 1 crowns, which is quite a lot, but it is not so surprising for Zagg. His keyboards were never among the cheapest.
Other alternatives
However, some users prefer more traditional keyboards. An interesting novelty also from Zagg is the Limitless Czech wireless keyboard, to which you can connect up to three devices at once. In addition, you can place any iOS device in the universal groove above the buttons themselves, except for the 12-inch iPad Pro. But an iPad mini and an iPhone can fit next to each other.
The size of the Zagg Limitless corresponds to a twelve-inch space, so it offers maximum typing comfort and a natural layout of the keys. Czech diacritics are also present in the top line.
The main advantage of Limitless lies in the already announced connection of up to three devices at the same time. In addition, you don't only need to have iPhones and iPads connected, but also Android devices or computers. Using special buttons, you just switch which device you want to write on. Many users will certainly see great efficiency in this option when switching between multiple devices. The uses are countless.
Zagg Limitles also boasts incredible battery life. It can be used for up to two years on a single charge. Although it is not as compact as the Pocket, it is still very thin, so it can easily be put in a bag or among some documents. As for typing, the experience is very similar to typing on a MacBook Air/Pro, for example. The present trough then reliably holds all iPhones and iPads, so typing is trouble-free and comfortable. Plus Limitless costs slightly less than Pocket - 1 crowns.
What about the competition
However, if we look away from the American company Zagg, we can find that the competition is not bad at all. I've been using wireless a lot lately the Logitech Keys-To-Go keyboard, which is tailor-made for use in combination with the iPad.
I especially appreciate the fact that it has special keys for controlling iOS. If you move exclusively in the Apple ecosystem and try to use iOS to the maximum, such buttons really come in handy. In addition, the Logitech Keys-To-Go has an incredibly pleasant FabricSkin surface, which is also used by Apple's Smart Keyboard for iPad Pro. Writing on Keys-To-Go is so much fun, and for me personally, it's addictive. I like its complete noiselessness and quick response. At the same time, the purchase price is almost the same as in the case of Pocket, i.e. 1 crowns.
In the end, it is primarily about what each user prefers, because we are at similar price levels. Many still carry the original wireless keyboard from Apple with their iPads, for example, which I once liked with the Origami Workstation case. However, the Incase company has already stopped producing it, and Apple has also stopped producing it released an upgraded Magic Keyboard, so you have to look elsewhere. For example, in combination with the classic Smart Cover, this connection with the Magic Keyboard continues to work.
However, the aforementioned keyboards are far from the only available alternatives. In addition to the big players, such as Zagg and Logitech, other companies are also entering the market with external keyboards, so everyone should be able to find their ideal keyboard for the iPhone or iPad today.
Can you share your experiences with the Logitech Keys-To-Go regarding durability? Can it be stuck between an ipad and A4 notebooks in a backpack on the back, does it not turn itself on during transfer, does the surface catch grease and dirt, can it be cleaned? Thanks!