ZAGG KEYBOARD CASE FOR IPAD AIR
I recently upgraded from my trusty iPad 3 to the new and slim iPad Air. (For my review of the Air click here). The Air is smaller than my iPad 3. It’s thinner and more narrow. So, of course, I had to get new accessories for my new Air. I use my iPad on a daily basis at home and it has traveled with me throughout the United States and China. I do a lot of of typing ,so a case with a blue tooth keyboard is a “must have” for me. I had previously used a great keyboard / case combo from Zagg for my iPad 3 (my reviews here and here ) so I picked up a new Zagg Keyboard Case for iPad Air.
Zagg has put out a newly designed case/keyboard folio for the iPad Air. I have been using mine for a few days now and I thought it would be good to share a few impressions.
My previous Zagg Folio worked extremely well, providing good protection and the bluetooth keyboard was very comfortable and responsive. The only issue I had with that Zagg case was the tendency of the color overlay (I had the red case) to separate from the case along the edges (mentioned in the reviews referenced above). It was irritating and detracted a bit from the appearance of the case. As for the new Zagg case for the Air? I definitely will not have any color overlay separation problem – mainly because there is no color overlay. At present Zagg only markets a black case ( like the old Model T – any color you want as long as it is black) and it is made of black plastic. Zagg’s web site indicates they will have a white model available in the future – but not yet. For me the black color is fine. My iPad Air is the Space Gray model and looks fine in the black case. And I’m pleased that I won’t have to worry about colors peeling off.
Zagg for Air case has a new design. The image below shows the design of the previous model I have used. Note how the iPad fits in a slot toward the back of the keyboard and leans back against a folded portion of the case top. (note: apparently this model case is no longer available from Zagg – they have a new design for iPad 3s and 4s.)
Here is an image of the newly designed case.
Here is a side image of the newly designed case. The case opens in a more traditional “clam shell” fashion. In some respects this is more sleek. But with no support behind the iPad there is some noticeable “wobble” or movement when you use “touch screen” features on the iPad. You can position the iPad screen to lean more forward or back as far as 110 degrees by report. Since I am tall I find it most comfortable to view the screen tilted as far back as possible. I’ve found that the “wobble” issue increases more as you lean the screen further backwards. At times when I touch the screen I notice the keyboard actually rising upward. I have tried to develop a light touch but still, the movement is a bit irritating. My previous version – with the iPad sitting firmly in an integrated channel in the keyboard and with the additional back support was quite stable, with no wobble issues at all.
In keeping with the smaller format of the iPad Air, the new Zagg for the Air is smaller as well. The Air fits snuggly into the case and when closed the case provides protection to the front and back of the iPad. I had been a bit concerned that with a smaller case I would be challenged to type on a smaller keyboard. Fortunately this was not a problem. While the overall dimensions of the Zagg case are smaller, the case was well designed in a manner which allowed the keyboard to maintain essentially the same dimensions as my previous model. Keys are not cramped and are very responsive. The bluetooth oonnects quickly without lag and maintains connection without any problem. I can’t comment yet about battery life but if it’s like my previous Zagg in this regard (and I truly hope it is) it will be outstanding. And this keyboard has the nice bonus of being backlit – you can even vary the brightness of the backlight according to need as well as the color of the light according to your taste or mood. A nice touch.
One of the very attractive features of the iPad Air is it’s weight – it’s nice and light. My previous iPad 3 weighed in at 23.5 oz and my new Air weighs on 16.4 oz. For something this size, that reduction of 7.1 oz (roughly 30% in my case) is quite noticable and very pleasant. Unfortunately, the new Zagg case for the Air didn’t benefit nearly as much from a weight reduction. My previous Zagg case / keyboard combo weighed 19.5 oz. My new Air Zagg? That one weighs 18.6 oz. Yes, it’s lighter. But only by 9 tenths of an oz – a reduction of around 4%. My iPad 3 in it’s case weighed a total of 43.1 ounces. My new iPad Air in it’s case weighs 35.1 ounce so it is around 8 ounces lighter than my previous package. That’s a little disappointing. I have to say, the Zagg case with the Air feels almost as heavy as my previous combo. But it does have a very “solid” feel. I think this case will provide very good protection to the iPad Air – both front and back.
I’ve read a few reviews which mentioned a concern with the case muffling sound from the iPad Air’s speakers. The case has cut outs for various iPad controls and plugs but there are no cut outs or openings for the speakers. Nonetheless, I am very satisfied with the sound and have no complaints in this regard. But then, I’m probably not the biggest audiophile on the block so my expectations may be different than yours. So keep the sound issue in mind.
Overall I am thus far very pleased with the Zagg Keyboard / Case combo for my iPad Air. Is it perfect? No. But so far for me the “pros” far outweigh the “cons.” I think this case will be great for my typing and travels.
On The Road With the iPad Air ……… Enjoy The Adventure!
Dr.B, The PhotoTrekker
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