ZAGGKeys Pro Plus Backlit iPad Keyboard Shines for $129

ZAGG, the company which set the standard for iPad keyboards up til the Logitech Ultrathin keyboard cover launched, is back with a new slim iPad keyboard that includes backlit keys.

Zagg took the cover off of the ZAGGkeys Pro and ZAGGkeys Pro Plus keyboards at IFA 2012 in berlin today, upping the ante for iPad keyboards and providing users with the light to keep working even when the lights go down.

The new ZAGGKeys Pro and ZAGGkeys Pro Plus keyboards connect to the iPad with magnets to protect the screen while traveling and include a notch to hold the iPad in landscape mode while typing.

The new ZAGGkeys Pro Plus keyboard is the first iPad keyboard I’ve seen with backlighting and something I’ve wanted since discovering the added productivity of an iPad keyboard.

I love ht backlit keys on my MacBook Air, even though I can touch type most of the time. The backlit keys make it easy to find less used keys and locate the home row.

On the iPad, backlit keys are even more important for productivity in low light situations. Even with good key layout, I’m not as familiar with the smaller keyboards so I need to look for the right placement, and I’m always looking for the special function keys. I’m also taking my hands off the keyboard more often when I use an iPad keyboard, in order to switch apps or touch the screen.

The backlit keys will take a toll on battery life, but with Bluetooth 4.0, I’m hopeful Zagg can deliver battery life measured in weeks. The Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard cover is rated for 6 months of use at 2 hours a day.

The ZAGGkeys Pro Plus will retail for $129 when it launches in late September, and the ZAGGkeys Pro without backlighting will retail for $99.

We’re looking forward to reviewing the ZAGGkeys Pro Plus when it lands next month.