Super easy to use and very sturdy. This is where the Totoro stickers migrated to from my Apple Smart Keyboard Folio. I don't own the product, but the review itself seems overly harsh and based on nothing but personal preference. The folio protects the front and back of the iPad. What amounts to the biggest improvement for us was the increased stability. I had the old iPad Pro and this is just an upgrade in every way. I have a couple additional thoughts about Apple’s new Keyboard Folio cover they released for the new iPads. Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2020. I've never been so unimpressed with Apple. "I’m curious how anyone could use a physical keyboard without a trackpad. Only thing Apple could really change is that the battery life still goes down fast. Propping up the iPad into typing mode is as easy as opening the folio and tilting the iPad back, which then locks into place, again using magnets. It’s actually pretty nice to type on given it’s slenderness and small size. I prefer typing on the Magic Keyboard to typing on any other Apple device in my life right now, including the Smart Keyboard Folio and a 2017-era 13-inch MacBook Pro with cursed butterfly keyboard. And with no charging or pairing required, just attach the keyboard and start typing. It’s actually pretty nice to type on given it’s slenderness and small size. AppleInsider has affiliate partnerships and may earn commission on products purchased through affiliate links. Our biggest complaint is the more vertical viewing mode. Fits perfectly on the iPad. The Brydge 10.5 is … There's a problem loading this menu right now. Does it perform as advertised? This is a simple folio, and not necessarily a full-blown case. The Smart Keyboard Folio is available to order now from Apple authorized resellers Adorama and B&H for $179 (11-inch) and $199 (12.9-inch). Many times we pick up our open iPad, set it on our Mac, and walk around the house or office. Since we've started using the new model, it has been exceedingly frustrating to use and we wish Apple didn't remove the capability. Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2020, A major upgrade. The Smart Keyboard Folio is a better fit for what I use both iPad Pro and MacBook Pro for. I've spent a lot of time typing on the Smart Keyboard over the past couple years and I enjoy them a great deal. ... is undoubtedly the best keyboard you can get for the iPad Pro: it's pleasant to type on and a massive upgrade on the Smart Keyboard Folio… Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2020. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. They take something that should be simple, keep it simple and make it work well with their products. It's fine to say you preferred the old configuration for the keyboard, but to give the product 2.5/5 stars? To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. The old iPad Pro had two modes — a typing mode with the keyboard out, then a viewing mode that tucked the keyboard away and positioned the iPad at a steeper angle. The magnetic connection is very strong. As I wrote in my first impressions article following Apple’s Brooklyn event, I was concerned that putting the iPad Pro in the new folio case was going to be a more involved process than attaching one of its sides to the Smart Keyboard. They take a completely different approach. I think its obvious that I highly recommend this the Logitech Folio Touch for the iPad Pro 11”. It was also difficult to pick up the iPad while open in typing mode from the edge of your keyboard, again due to that hinge. It does increase battery drain, but only by a little bit. We travel a lot and are always bringing them along for the ride, often with the original Smart Keyboard in tow. That said, I ordered a keyboard folio with my new iPad 12.9 to give it a test run even though I did not purchase the keyboard folio with my 2017 model. Apple's Smart Keyboard also doesn't sound that great when you're typing quickly. The color is charcoal-gray, not black as it might look in the picture. It looks really good with the iPad, you can tell that Apple put lots of time into making it look nice combined with the iPad. Smart Keyboard Folio. I like it and will use it, but if I were going to do things over again, I would probably buy a less expensive Logitech case. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. Taking user feedback seriously, the new iPad keyboard features a streamlined design that’s finally adjustable for added versatility while protecting both the front and the back of your tablet. It's basically like an iPad Smart Cover with an extra layer inside containing a chiclet-style keyboard. This keyboard does what apple products always do better than (almost) anyone else. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in. This is an excellent keyboard folio case for the iPad Pro 12.9 (fourth generation). It's also great that when the tablet is folded backwards in the folio, the bluetooth keyboard turns off. Apple Smart Keyboard for 9.7-inch iPad Pro review: Typing experience. The keyboard is water-resistant, which has come in handy for me once. The quality of the materials is really nice as well. It does increase battery drain, but only by a little bit. Does either the smart folio or the smart keyboard folio benefit the pencil in any way? We found typing on the 9.7-inch Smart Keyboard less than ideal, but it's still better than most keyboards of this very small size. Somehow this combo of iPad/keyboard folio is a perfect middle ground between my 13” MacBook Pro and my iPhone X. Supremely portable, capable in as much as iOS can be and very well built with seemingly high quality materials and components. The iPad Pro Smart Keyboard did too, plus a rebrand ending up in what is now called the Smart Keyboard Folio. This ends up occupying a large amount of unnecessary space. The previous model had a top panel with the hinge. Apple makes a keyboard designed for the 11 and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models, the Smart Keyboard Folio, but some people dislike it because of the … Somehow this combo of iPad/keyboard folio is a perfect middle ground between my 13” MacBook Pro and my iPhone X. Supremely portable, capable in as much as iOS can be and very well built with seemingly high quality materials and components. The keyboard does add a bit of heft, especially compared to the Smart Cover. With the 12.9-inch, it feels — other than the material — similar to typing on your Mac. A series of new magnets are embedded within the back panel of the new iPad to make this work. The Apple keyboard folio for my 11” iPad Pro is very good. The Smart Keyboard is unusually slim and easily detached. The other, more obvious downside of the Smart Folio Keyboard is the price. We are disappointed Apple is forcing the back protection upon us for this product which adds unnecessary weight and thickness to the combined unit for not enough in return. On the old model, you had a panel of microfiber against your hand which supplied more grip. So frustrating. The Smart Keyboard Folio only allows for two viewing angles, and both are pretty steep. Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2020. Prime members enjoy FREE Delivery and exclusive access to music, movies, TV shows, original audio series, and Kindle books. Seems to be holding up well through daily use in the home and office. The Apple Smart Keyboard Folio for the 2018 iPad Pro is slim, lightweight and very useful. The Apple keyboard folio for my 11” iPad Pro is very good. Please make sure that you are posting in the form of a question. It’s also ugly as a mud fence. And yes, the new model also comes with some back protection, thus making it the folio rather than just the keyboard. The iPad does NOT fall out of the folio--whoever says this doesn't actually have the first party case. The Smart Keyboard Folio for iPad Pro and iPad Air is a full-size keyboard when you need one, and provides elegant front and back protection when you don’t. The 11-inch model in comparison is a bit more cramped, and certainly a tough experience. It's very slim and looks like a regular folio. It will set you back £179/$179 for the 11-inch version and £199/$199 for the 12.9-inch. They only have subtle audio feedback and don't have a super satisfying click to them, but they are quick and responsive. The best change the made was simplifying the experience. What has always made Apple's iPad-centric keyboard somewhat unique was the lack of any moving parts. Flat surfaces were no issue, but trying to type on your lap or the armrest of a couch were tough to do. We're hoping that manufacturers are rushing to bring their own keyboards to the new iPad Pros — but aren't optimistic given the dearth of options for the iPad Pro. With two convenient viewing angles and no charging or pairing required, it’s simple to just attach the keyboard and start typing. Apple Smart Keyboard Folio (12.9-inch iPad Pro) overview and full product specs on CNET. Disabling it will result in some disabled or missing features. I am a huge fan of the Smart Keyboard Cover, for either size iPad Pro, I’ve long believed it made your purchase better. Keyboard is lightweight. Very sweet and professional looking. The Smart Keyboard we’re reviewing here works both as a keyboard and as a screen protector when not in use. Just wish I could get my money back. Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2020. There is no mechanical or butterfly mechanism moving the keys. Thankfully I got apple care - so finally got around to brining it in. See all details for Apple Smart Keyboard Folio for iPad Pro 12.9-inch (4th Generation) -... © 1996-2020, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. The keys are quick, responsive, and easy to type on. While Apple has succeeded in making a number of improvements, they've also introduced a number of new downsides. The perfect balance of functionality and portability, Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2020. Is it priced correctly? Apple's iPad Pro wasn't the only hardware to receive a major redesign at Apple October event. Basically, if you treat the iPad as you would a laptop, then you’ll be fine. The new model has a completely solid top which fixes all of those complaints. Reviewed in the United States on October 1, 2020. That is something you cannot easily do with any of the other 3rd party cases I've seen. It’s thin, tough, water-resistant and very expensive at £139/$169. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content. My iPad 12.9 remains my goto mobile platform and this keyboard folio addresses my needs on the go. I was debating between getting the Smart Keyboard, the magic keyboard, and one of the low cost no name keyboards. I have to say, I'm disappointed in this review. Does it have any bugs? I was worried that the typing experience would be bad, but I was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable it was to type on it. Another issue we had was when folding the keyboard back behind the iPad. Slim, lightweight, durable, functional, looks good. The new one feels awkward when holding. Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2020. These are $179 and $199 add ons for the two models (Smart Keyboard Cover is/was $159/179). I just used an Apple Magic key board that I carried along with it because I hated the feel of the keys on the old Smart Folio. Apple trimmed up the extra space on the sides, retaining the full-keyboard size. Fits perfectly on the iPad. You can still see all customer reviews for the product. They aren't as satisfying as some dedicated keyboards, but once you adjust, you can touch type as quickly and as accurately as on your Mac. Apple didn't just shrink down their existing keyboard for the smaller 12.9-inch iPad Pro, they instead took this as an opportunity to try to improve upon it. The combination now slides around while in transit, rather than staying put. We take our iPads everywhere. There’s no tactile click and the activation force feels linear, but that’s totally fine with me as I prefer that feel anyway. We'd have preferred an optional implementation. Its keys are fine, not great, and it’s expensive, but the overall package is slim, relatively light, and easy to attach and detach. After endless hours of tapping away, Apple's iPad keyboard is still the best, but has far too many compromises for our liking. The item I received is the old version which is only compatible with 2018 12.9 iPad Pro. And the item is obviously used by someone else before, it has scratch on the keyboard and the back, and a very bad smelling. Very disappointed!! Instead of being limited to one orientation for typing, there are two angles the screen can be placed at. How does it feel? After a year of doing that with our second generation iPad Pro, there are still no scratches or scuffs on the back of our iPad. Apple Magic Keyboard vs Brydge Pro+ and Apple Smart Keyboard Folio. The "Smart Keyboard Folio" for the 11" iPad Pro (review posted separately) does exactly what it is supposed to an integrates beautifully. The Smart Connector is how the Smart Keyboard Folio connects to your iPad Pro and draws power, meaning it never needs to be plugged in and charged on its own, unlike Bluetooth models. Does the product function well? This was convenient to use with a small footprint in a variety of scenarios and took up very little space. If you've ever used any Apple Smart Keyboards then this will be very similar. I have always loved that aspect fo the smart covers, ditch the extra weight and just tablet out. The previous microfiber helped it stay in place. In fact this review is typed on the Smart Keyboard Folio itself. Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2020. When I'm using my iPad as jst a tablet, I tend to detach it from the folio. Perhaps one with a separately sold magnetic back panel to go with the Smart Keyboard. The keyboard connects very quickly and I love being able to close the cover and have it turn the screen off. One my second one (thank you apple care) and it ALSO does not work! This is a strange choice given that the the new iPad Pro by itself is thinner than the previous year. Apple made so it is very good quality. It’s actually pretty nice to type on given it’s slenderness and small size. The touch screen is the trackpad. Also consider Apple's Smart Keyboard Folio ($179): Best slim case with keyboard benefits Apple's older keyboard case lacks a trackpad and … It has a soft, muffled sound rather than a substantial click from a membrane or mechanical keyboard. The new iPad Pro and Smart Keyboard Folio weighs more, and is thicker than the old iPad Pro and Smart Keyboard combination. Apple Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro review. But, with any luck, Apple will be dethroned by a newcomer this year. The keys on the new Smart folio feel much better. Check out Microsoft's Surface Book and Surface Studio. This increases ease of use a bit. Apple Smart Keyboard Folio for iPad Pro 12.9-inch (4th Generation) -... Apple Smart Keyboard Folio for iPad Pro 12.9-inch (4th Generation) - US English. On the new iPad Pro with the Smart Keyboard Folio, you still have this more vertical angle, but you have the keyboard out at the same time. Regardless of all our complaints, the Smart Keyboard Folio remains the best typing experience on iPad. I bought this product in May, along with my new ipad pro 12.9 - and it worked for about a month. Mini review of Logitech Combo Touch versus Apple Smart Keyboard Folio Review So I recently posted a photo of my setup with the Logitech Combo Touch for the 10.2” iPad and one of the commentors asked me which keyboard case I found better, the Logitech or the Apple case. It would drive me nuts." Oh it also has a little Apple logo on the back! Apple Smart Keyboard Folio is available for the new 11-inch iPad Pro and 12.9-inch iPad Pro starting at A$289. Top subscription boxes – right to your door. The Smart Keyboard Folio hooks up to your iPad Pro magnetically. I ended up with the Smart Keyboard and boy was it a great choice. All purchases from Apple online exclusively include free delivery or … As with apple’s Smart Folio, this Smart Keyboard isn’t going to protect the edges of the iPad from falls, but I’ve always been careful with my iPads. It can be purchased separately from major retailers, Apple Retail, or from Apple’s online store. Apple’s Smart Keyboard Folio is the best option if you value portability and don’t plan to use your iPad Pro as a primary writing machine. Like the Magic Keyboard, the Smart Keyboard Folio comes for both the 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Because the amount of key travel, the Smart Keyboard Folio actually feels not too dissimilar to the butterfly keyboard on the Mac. If you are looking for a better one versus the Apple Smart Keyboard Folio, you can’t go wrong with the Folio Touch. It's a good keyboard and will bridge the gap until the release of the Apple Magic Keyboard with Magic Trackpad. However, it is very overpriced. Other than than the color change to black it's the same thing with a bigger camera cutout and is completely backwards compatible with the previous iPad Pro. When it comes to sizes and convenience when typing, there are two models to consider — the larger 12.9-inch model actually contains a full-sized keyboard, same as the last generation despite it being physically shrunken down. I use it as an art tablet in within 10 minutes it feels like it’s already missing 25%, Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2020. Like its predecessor, the new Smart Keyboard Folio lacks any wires or standard keyboard components and therefore does not need to be charged. Apple Smart Keyboard Folio review As its name indicates, this is a folio cover that wraps around the front, left side and back of the iPad Pro. The iPad does NOT fall out of the folio--whoever says this doesn't actually have the first party case. It would drive me nuts. The Smart Keyboard Folio for 12.9-inch iPad Pro is a full-size keyboard when you need it to be, provides elegant front and back protection when you don’t, and allows for convenient viewing angles. Literally every single "con" of the review (for which I assume it was marked down) is a pet peeve. The Apple keyboard folio for my 11” iPad Pro is very good. 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