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ZAGGKeys Cover iPad mini Keyboard Review

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The ZAGGKeys Cover is an iPad mini keyboard case with backlit keys that delivers the best mobile typing experience for the iPad mini.

In addition to offering backlit keys, the ZAGGKeys Cover iPad mini keyboard is the only slim cover we’ve found that supports multiple viewing angles.

This small iPad mini keyboard case is slim and light, gripping the side of the iPad mini tightly for a very mobile productivity package.

The ZAGGKeys Cover iPad mini keyboard is slim and offers backlit keys.

The ZAGGKeys Cover iPad mini keyboard is slim and offers backlit keys.

Yes the keys are small, and users do need to make some sacrifices when it comes to typing, but the learning curve is small and nimble typers can quickly ramp up to speed.

ZAGGKeys Cover iPad Mini Keyboard Review Video

Users looking for a faster typing experience on the iPad mini should definitely consider this backlit iPad mini keyboard.

While using the ZAGGKeys Cover on the iPad mini I found I could type fast enough to use this very portable combo as a primary work machine for writing articles and responding to emails faster. The keyboard slices down some keys like the “1” key and most punctuation, but the keyboard is still quite easy to adjust to.

The ZAGGKeys Cover iPad mini keyboard is backlit and useful despite the small size.

The ZAGGKeys Cover iPad mini keyboard is backlit and useful despite the small size.

Users will need to adjust to pressing function, shift and Function + Shift for some punctuation, but ZAGG did a good job of keeping commonly used keys and punctuation as the default key press. While writing close to 1,000 words on the ZAGGKeys Cover I did not need to use the fn or fn + shift combo to access punctuation more than once.

The ZAGGKeys Cover iPad mini Keyboard case allows for multiple angles.

The ZAGGKeys Cover iPad mini Keyboard case allows for multiple angles.

The ZAGGKeys Cover iPad mini keyboard is very slim, which limits travel (the distance keys move when pressed) but there is enough travel to work with and the keys offer a slight bounce that helps push fingers back up for the next strike.

The top row of keys offers access to common functions like Home, Siri, Cut, Copy, Paste and media playback.

This is a backlit iPad mini keyboard which offers three levels of backlighting in seven colors. This makes it incredibly easy to type in the dark, where with other keyboards a switch to the on-screen keyboard would be needed. Users can toggle the backlight and the colors using the Fn and arrow keys.

Unlike ZAGG’s first two iPad mini keyboards, the ZAGGKeys Cover is incredibly thin. When attached to the iPad mini the case nearly doubles the thickness of the iPad mini. That’s still a very portable package.

The iPad mini slips into a small grip on the side of the device that holds the iPad tightly. When you are traveling the iPad mini screen is protected by the closed case and if you prefer to read or hold the iPad mini when not typing, it slips in and out easily.

The hinge allows for multiple viewing angles and puts the iPad at the far edge of the keyboard, rather than in the middle like many iPad mini keyboards. This makes typing easier and allows me to use the setup for longer bouts of productivity.

This is a very thin iPad mini keyboard case.

This is a very thin iPad mini keyboard case.

ZAGG mentions a media mode which allows users to reverse the iPad mini and use it with the keyboard attached to the back. The iPad mini doesn’t fit in well in this mode and with easy on and easy off it makes more sense to use the iPad without the keyboard on the back. If you are limited for space you can use this mode to point the iPad mini towards you (as shown below) while watching movies on a plane or in bed.

The ZAGGKeys Cover is rated for three months of use at 2-3 hours a day without the backlight on. The keyboard charges by a Micro USB cable, which is included and is a standard charger for accessories so finding a charge should not be a problem. Users can press a key combo to check the battery life.

The ZAGGKeys Cover iPad mini keyboard with backlit keys is the best iPad mini keyboard on the market. The typing experience is very good for such a small keyboard and backlighting enhances this. Combined with support for multiple angles and the easy on and easy off design make it perfect for users who need a keyboard for productivity, but prefer to use the iPad mini on its own when it comes time for fun.

The ZAGGKeys Cover will retail for $99 when it arrives on ZAGG later this summer.

5 Comments

5 Comments

  1. GG

    06/17/2013 at 5:25 am

    I’d love this item. Zagg itself doesn’t state when it’ll be out :(

  2. Larry B

    07/13/2013 at 5:10 am

    Ready to buy one but I don’t see any mention ANYWHERE (including your video) about whether there is a magnetic closing latch. Does it behave like a Smart Cover? And how well does it stay closed?

  3. Sean K

    07/24/2013 at 8:13 pm

    where do we buy these? Please link!!

  4. cmajkl

    10/04/2013 at 10:36 pm

    You said the reader mode isn’t very practical. It may not be for you, but it IS for me. As a medical student, I need a device that fits in my white coat pocket. I need the mini in reader mode while looking up patients labs walking between rooms (have nowhere to put the keyboard). But then I want the keyboard when we’re done making rounds to protect the screen when I put it back in my pocket. Then, when I sit down to type notes, I have a keyboard. This is the only keyboard I found that will enable me to do these things quickly.

  5. Saut Pandapotan Siagian

    11/10/2014 at 12:37 am

    where can i buy this item and how much the price

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