It went on sale amid loud cries from Apple's top brass that it would be a full-fledged replacement personal computers, taking over most of their functions. True, without a physical keyboard, the tablet could hardly claim this title even hypothetically.
However, Apple, realizing this, itself developed its own vision of the ideal keyboard, calling it Smart Keyboard. But, unfortunately, the “Apple” accessory has not yet reached Russia, and therefore competitors’ products are becoming more preferable. Introducing Logi Create Blacklit Keyboard.
Let's start the review right away with the advantages. In particular, Logitech's solution is a combined case-keyboard hybrid, so you don't have to constantly attach and unfasten the device. Also, despite its record-breaking thinness, the accessory has a fairly clear and clearly distinguishable key travel and, most interestingly, backlighting. This miracle will cost you even $19 less than the original Apple keyboard. By paying $150 to the guys at Logitech, you will get a device that is much more interesting in its functionality than the MacBook. The latter, by the way, cannot boast of either a touch screen or a Touch ID scanner.
Logi Create truly resembles a laptop lid in its shape and purpose. Despite the apparent flimsiness of the design and the fabric-like upholstery, the keyboard is assembled very well, and outer material seems very practical and durable. In the old tradition of iPad cases, the Logi Create features built-in magnets that automatically turn the device on and off.
There were also some negative aspects. In particular, the weight iPad Pro with the keyboard connected, it reaches about one and a half kilograms, which has quite a noticeable effect when carried. It is noteworthy that even the 13-inch MacBook Air weighs 200 grams less. However, if you remember the weight of the very first iPad, then living with this drawback becomes a little easier. And it’s much more convenient to work directly on your knees - nothing overhangs or falls off. 
Logi Create connects to the iPad Pro using the latter's built-in magnetic connector. No more Bluetooth connections and poor battery life. The magnets are so strong that you can even lift this hybrid design by the edge of the iPad, and the keyboard will remain firmly attached. But, unfortunately, such strength imposes some limitations. So, you won’t be able to adjust the screen angle like you can on a MacBook. The manufacturer has provided for you the “maximum comfortable position”, which cannot be changed. Perhaps, it was possible to come up with some kind of hinge, but then, probably, the structure would have turned out to be much heavier and larger.
Since we started comparing the iPad Pro with the MacBook, the lack of a trackpad on external keyboards is definitely striking. Not only Logitech, but also all other manufacturers are guilty of this. It would seem that who would need a touch panel if there is an excellent touch screen, but believe me, it’s not so easy to retrain yourself. The "Hybrid" really resembles a MacBook. This striking similarity is also supported by the excellent keys, which, apparently, were directly copied from the Mac ones. They are amazingly comfortable and, as mentioned above, have built-in lighting with several gradations of illumination. Working in the dark now takes on much more meaning than before.
Logi Create was developed with MacBook, OS X and iOS in mind. A number of function keys will make your life much easier by replacing some on-screen gestures and actions. And the “Home” button, located in a prominent place, will minimize the application and “throw you out” to the desktop. Very simple and at the same time extremely convenient. Also, the manufacturer did not fail to install separate keys for locking the head unit, calling up the Spotlight search, and even launching a sub-keyboard with Emoji emoticons.
The color palette in which the keyboard comes is quite rich: red, white, blue, black, charcoal gray and gold. The author found the red one to be the most attractive, as it goes wonderfully with the slate gray iPad.
Logi Create turned out to be quite a worthy development that perfectly complements the functionality of the iPad Pro. Despite a number of significant shortcomings, Logitech's brainchild can be called the most advantageous option compared to Apple's Smart Keyboard. The latter, by the way, will cost you a little more. You can purchase a keyboard case on the company’s official website.
An interesting accessory for the iPad Pro - unlike other manufacturers of portable keyboards, which often adapt ordinary accessories to tablets, Apple created the gadget anew and only for the iPad Pro.
Design, construction
The best way to test this device is to write a review of the keyboard directly on the keyboard, which is what I'm doing now. I note that in Russia, tablet owners almost never use such accessories with tablets, at least in real life I have seen such people once or twice. In other countries, and especially in the US, third-party keyboards are very popular. People on the road answer letters, work with documents, write books - in general, they do a lot, a lot of different things. This is surprising, especially at first, but the answer is simple - the tablet takes up minimal space, works for a long time, plus practical Americans often want to get the most out of the purchased gadget. Which is quite understandable. If you follow my thought, you will understand why Apple decided to create such a device as the iPad Pro. In corporate America, it found a place: on the one hand, it is an accessory for creativity and the creative class, on the other hand, an integral accessory for a middle manager. Why not a laptop? Well, many people prefer to work with a mobile OS and there are no special tasks that require special programs. For some reason, people often think that working with mail, correspondence, calls, parsing and correcting documents is some kind of fictitious use case and there is no such thing in real life. Why, yeah. For me personally, correspondence and sorting out various issues takes at least an hour a day, and the iPad, be it Pro or regular, with or without a physical keyboard, always comes in handy and helps in everyday activities. Yes, I agree with those who brand the Pro as a device from the “could do without it” series - I easily agree with this, but I myself will not return to the Air. The company's niche devices like the iPhone 6 Plus, MacBook or iPad Pro are intended for a limited audience, but they are always happy with their toys that help them live and create. Besides, the gentlemen at Apple can certainly afford the most daring experiments - why not? It turns out well.
I note that before I got the keyboard described, I used (tried to use) the good old set of wireless keyboard Apple and Incase Origami accessory. I’ve been recommending it to all iPad owners for a long time, a case with a keyboard stand, you can put your tablet there and work - but the Pro has one caveat: for some reason, switching languages using the usual keyboard shortcut does not work. I haven’t figured out the problem yet, if you figure it out, please write how to solve it. The keyboard and stand can be seen in the photo, this is, let’s say, the best budget set for the iPad Pro, the keyboard will serve you with other devices. True, you will have to wear it separately, but it doesn’t matter.
Now let's look at the keyboard for the Pro. First, I’ll tell you about the device, please forgive me for using official data, but it will be more correct. The keyboard does not require any manipulations with Bluetooth; it connects to the magnetic connector on the end of the iPad. I’ll say right away that it sits in place very tightly, you can print on your lap or on unstable surfaces. It’s immediately obvious that they paid attention to this during development, thinking about those who work in flight, on small tables and in other strange places. When folded, the keyboard turns into a cover and does not take up much space, although the tablet becomes noticeably heavier. Naturally, you can use the accessory as a stand for watching movies. The thing turned out to be unpretentious, special attention was paid to protection from an aggressive environment. If you look at the buttons, you will see that there are no gaps here - that is, you can spill coffee or something else, then clean the accessory and forget about the incident.
Now the official data plus a little from myself:
- The top layer of the keyboard is made of a special durable laser-cut fabric that follows the shape of the keys. The fabric provides spring tension for the buttons, which made it possible to abandon traditional mechanisms.
- The keyboard thickness is 4 mm, and the buttons have excellent travel. There is no feeling that you have found yourself in the land of Lilliputians, taken away a laptop from one of them and are trying to work. There is plenty of room for my hands, although I periodically press the screen with the fingers of my left hand, everything is fine with my right hand, I have never reached the screen.
- The keyboard has 64 keys, one layout, QWERTY; there are no special options for any country yet - although our craftsmen have already gotten the hang of engraving without damaging the fabric. I have a negative attitude towards such experiments and advise you to learn to type touch-type, such a skill will always come in handy, and you will be able to work with QWERTY or anything else.
- The surface of the keyboard consists of three unique materials, the top layer is made of polyurethane, the bottom layer is made of microfiber - a soft material that cleans and protects the screen (I want to believe). The middle layer is made of a new conductive material, it is responsible for transmitting signals between the keyboard and the tablet. An interesting approach, not at all similar to the experience of other manufacturers of similar accessories. Usually it’s like, let’s take a regular keyboard and modify it a little for a tablet, make it smaller, add Bluetooth, well, maybe add a stand or something else. It usually turns out terrible. It’s another matter when an accessory is created from scratch, out of nothing - and it is intended for one device, and not for all.
- The keyboard sits securely on the table, does not move from side to side, the ports are open - you can charge, connect an audio cable and listen to music. Please note that here they sacrificed the “laptop” buttons for controlling playback and adjusting the sound, in general, a fair reasoning: the screen is touch-sensitive, switching between applications is fast, the buttons on the end are accessible - there is no need to load the keyboard.
Finally, the main feeling is that it was done well. Once connected, you can start working right away. Although we need to make a reservation once again about the blind typing skill, but that’s okay, you can spend a couple of weeks training, and everything will work out - without engraving. In addition, any third-party engraving (not Apple) looks disgusting.
In progress
Here I would like to draw your attention to several points. Firstly, in the settings (General – Keyboards – Physical keyboard) I personally chose Russian-PC; over the years of using Macs, it has become more familiar to me. Secondly, if you plan to use a keyboard, you should remove the emoji layout, it will interfere when switching languages. Thirdly, switching the language here is not via cmd+space, but using a special key in the corner on the left, it works quickly and efficiently, the habit appears after ten minutes of typing. Finally, all keyboard shortcuts work as expected.
Actually, I didn’t encounter any problems while typing, I liked working. Of course it's not as convenient as a keyboard MacBook Pro, but it’s quite possible to work on the road or somewhere in the city - but what do I mean by work? Let's say, with an iPad Pro and this keyboard, I can write an article, answer email, publish a blog post, see what's happening on social networks and add posts there, then fold the keyboard and move on, holding the tablet under my arm.
conclusions
In retail, the keyboard costs 13,290 rubles, the accessory is durable and extremely attractive to its audience - no connection problems, it feels like a miniature laptop, no special size restrictions. Yes, you need to master blind typing - if you haven’t mastered it yet, it’s worth doing, it’s a really necessary skill. A good and useful thing for owners of an iPad Pro; I recommend purchasing it together with the tablet if you are purchasing the device specifically for the use cases described above - for example, sorting out mail in any conditions.
Is it possible to turn your tablet into a laptop?
At the presentation of the iPad Pro, along with the tablet itself, two key accessories for it were also presented: the Apple Pencil stylus and the Smart Keyboard cover. We told you about Apple Pencil in our iPad Pro review. Now we have the opportunity to get acquainted with the keyboard. For some unknown reason, it went on official sale in Russia much later than the tablet itself - only in the new year (while the tablet was available back in November). In addition, both in Russia and in other countries, the keyboard is sold without the letters of the national language. That is, in the case of Russia we are talking about the absence of the Cyrillic alphabet. However, the product is accessible and not without interest. Therefore, it’s time to study it in detail.
To be honest, the very idea of a keyboard for the iPad Pro caused some skepticism. It seemed, what could Apple come up with so unusual here, and how does this even fit with the philosophy of the company from Cupertino, which prefers to very clearly define the functionality of the device and almost never produces “crutches” for them?
It's no secret that there are many third-party accessories for the regular iPad, including keyboards various types. Apple has never released such things. And this fact was associated with a second doubt: how necessary is a keyboard for the iPad Pro in principle? Third-party manufacturers, understandably, strive to satisfy even the very specific needs of iPad users, offering accessories for every taste. But in the case of the Apple branded accessory, we are clearly talking about a much wider audience.
We will try to figure out how successful this solution was and how justified its considerable price ($170 in the USA and 13,290 rubles here).
Equipment
The keyboard comes in a traditional white box with an image of the accessory.
In addition to the device itself, the package only includes a set of information leaflets.
As a matter of fact, the keyboard does not require any chargers or other auxiliary things, so it’s even difficult to imagine what else could be here.
Design
When closed, the Smart Keyboard looks like a twin of the Smart Cover. We also told you about Smart Cover for iPad Pro, and in general it is one of the most famous accessories for the iPad line. The idea of the Smart Keyboard is that it replaces the Smart Cover, in addition to offering, of course, features that the cover does not have.
Material of external and internal surfaces closed Smart Keyboard are identical to Smart Cover. This is a very pleasant to the touch polyurethane and velvety microfiber.
The Smart Keyboard connects to the iPad Pro using a proprietary three-pin connector made on the iPad Pro specifically for the Smart keyboard.
In the photo below - Smart Cover (left) and Smart Keyboard (right). Here you can notice the visual difference between the Smart Keyboard and the Smart Cover: because of the keyboard, the part of the Smart Keyboard is thicker than the Smart Cover.
But, of course, the main difference becomes obvious when you turn the Smart Keyboard over and open it completely. Here we see the keyboard itself, and above it is a magnetic groove for installing a tablet.
You will notice that the keyboard itself takes up about a quarter of the area of the Smart Keyboard. At first glance, this doesn’t seem like much, but in fact we have an almost full-fledged Mac keyboard.
Keyboard layout
The layout is as close as possible to the usual layout of the MacBook or iMac / Mac Pro / Mac mini (Apple Keyboard) keyboards. Below are photos of the Apple Keyboard and the Smart Keyboard. (ignore the proportions - the Smart Keyboard is actually slightly longer than the Keyboard, so the keys aren't that much smaller).
As we can see, in terms of layout, the five rows of Smart Keyboard keys are absolutely identical to the five bottom rows of the Keyboard. Top row There are no function keys on the Smart Keyboard, but in iOS it is not needed. Otherwise, the only difference is the layout switching key in the lower left corner instead of the Fn key. Out of habit, this gets in the way, because in OS X we are used to switching the layout using the Command+Spacebar combination, but here to do this you just need to press the key with the globe icon (it’s most convenient to do this with the little finger of your left hand).
It is very important that many familiar combinations work: for example, Cmd+C - copy, Command+V - paste, Ctrl+Shift+hyphen - em dash... But Command+Shift+3 for taking a screenshot and some other commands do not work, not related to typing.
Keyboard ergonomics
The weakest point of most of these devices is that the key travel is insufficiently noticeable, their size is too small and the distance between the keys is insufficient. Often, because of these three features, it is almost impossible to touch-type on such a keyboard, even if the layout is completely identical to the usual one.
Fortunately, the Smart Keyboard has all these parameters in perfect order. Of course, the size of the keys is slightly smaller than that of a full-fledged keyboard: 14 mm horizontally versus the usual 16 mm. But this is compensated by the sufficient distance between the keys, due to which there are almost no erroneous hits when typing blindly. Great result!
As for the key travel, it is clear, moderately elastic and, as far as possible in such conditions, even quite high. There is even a sound when pressing fast printing(not particularly annoying). In general, the keyboard is really pleasant to type on (despite the objective shortcomings compared to full-fledged desktop keyboards).
Let us note one more detail: the surface of the keys and the surface surrounding them is rough and grainy. And in this case it seems quite the right decision, since such a surface does not collect fingerprints at all, is not damaged in any way (well, only if you scratch it on purpose) and does not slip.
On top of that, the keyboard is waterproof, so you can safely spill coffee or tea on it and then wash it under water. There are simply no cracks through which water could penetrate inside. Except that interaction with moisture will not be very beneficial for microfiber. But if you spill coffee on the keyboard while typing, the moisture will not reach the microfiber covering in any case.
Using Smart Keyboard as a Cover
As we have already noted, the design of the Smart Keyboard was deliberately as close as possible to the design of the Smart Cover. And indeed Smart Keyboard can replace Smart Cover in almost everything. Using the Smart Keyboard, the tablet can be placed in one of two positions. The first one is for printing.
In this position, the lower part of the tablet, to which the Smart Keyboard spine is connected, is installed in the magnetic groove, tightly fixed in it. And at the back, the structure is supported by three free Smart Keyboard sections.
The second position is ideal for reading or viewing content.
In this case, the keyboard unit is at the back, being pressed with its back side against the “back” of the tablet.
Of course, all sections can be folded back, completely covering the “back” of the tablet, or they can be used to cover the screen. It will look like this.
Of course, the design turns out to be thicker than in the case of Smart Cover, but in practice this almost never interferes and does not take up much more space in the bag than an iPad Pro with Smart Cover. At the same time, when we open the Smart Keyboard on the screen, the tablet wakes up from sleep mode, as when working with Smart Cover.
The only option for using Smart Cover, which is not available in the case of Smart Keyboard, is the one shown in the photo below.
But in fact, he is not needed here. After all, in the absence of a keyboard, such iPad installation useful just as an opportunity convenient printing on the virtual keyboard. And if we have a physical keyboard, why type on a virtual one?
Settings and additional features
Considering the fact that the Smart Keyboard turns the iPad Pro into a kind of laptop, it would be logical to expect some special settings for this accessory. But here Apple turned out to be true to its minimalism.
Everything related to Smart Keyboard settings is located at Settings / General / Keyboards / Physical keyboard. And this is just a selection of available layouts. Moreover, this menu subsection appears only when the tablet is installed on the Smart Keyboard in the print position. If the Smart Keyboard simply closes the tablet like a cover, then there is no subsection.
Another thing is that for the physical keyboard, of course, the same settings that exist for the virtual keyboard also work. And here we highly recommend going to the “Keyboards” subsection and removing the Emoji keyboard, which, it turns out, is the third (after Russian and English). In general, iPad owners should do this in any case (well, unless you love texting with emoticons :)), but when using the Smart Keyboard, the presence of a third keyboard (it doesn’t matter, emoji or any other) significantly slows down typing. Because then when we press the language switching key, we see this picture.
Therefore, to switch from Russian to English, you must also click on the screen, selecting the right keyboard out of three. Obviously, this is terribly inconvenient (at least if you regularly need to switch between Russian and English layouts). If there are only two keyboards, then this miniature menu does not even appear, but the languages are switched immediately, similar to what is done in iOS by pressing Command+Spacebar.
So, this completes the Smart Keyboard settings. In fact, to work with the keyboard, you just need to connect it to the iPad Pro and set the tablet to typing mode (that is, with the keyboard facing you). That's all. But there is more hidden possibilities. And this various combinations keys, which for a specific application we can find out about by pressing and holding Command. For example, this is what opens in the browser.
And here it is on the home screen.
It is curious that this option works even in some third party applications. For example, in Microsoft Word.
We were, of course, interested in how correctly the Smart Keyboard would work in Parallels Access, with which you can remotely connect to your MacBook and work on the iPad Pro in OS X. As it turned out, there are no obstacles here, except for the fact that Parallels Access is still not properly optimized for the iPad Pro (this manifests itself in screen resolution, as well as some glitches). That is, if the program is launched correctly through Parallels Access, then the physical keyboard will work normally. To the point that you can take a screenshot using Command+Shift+4 (and it will be saved on the MacBook), and switch the layout with the globe key.
Impressions from use and conclusions
We've been using the Smart Keyboard with the iPad Pro for about two weeks. At first glance, this is an optional accessory, especially if you have a MacBook Pro. And it’s clear that serious work, even if you have a physical keyboard, is better done in OS X than in iOS. But I still don’t want to part with the Smart Keyboard, and, as it turns out, this device can really be useful.
However, the result exceeded expectations. First of all, the accessory itself turned out to be very successful. Typing on the keyboard is almost as pleasant and comfortable as on a regular Apple keyboard and incomparably more convenient than on the iPad Pro virtual keyboard. But at the same time, the Smart Keyboard takes up almost no space - with it, the iPad Pro becomes only slightly thicker than with the proprietary Smart Cover, and a little heavier. To be precise, the Smart Keyboard weighs 335 grams, and the Smart Cover weighs 164 grams. But even in case home use, and in the case of some trips this hardly entails any inconvenience. True, the weight of the tablet still becomes more than the psychological threshold of 1 kg, and it is no longer so easy to casually pick it up from a windowsill or shelf with one hand. However, it would be unfair to say that this somehow limits the use cases for the tablet.
But the opposite is obvious: Smart Keyboard significantly expands the possibilities of using the iPad Pro, turning it into a full-fledged laptop replacement when it comes to typing, working with email, communicating on social networks and instant messengers... That is, if you have a laptop and an iPad Pro with Smart Keyboard, there will be much fewer cases when you need to take a laptop with you rather than an iPad. Do you like to write text in transport? Please. Do you want to work outdoors or in a cafe, sorting out mail and communicating with colleagues via the Internet? That's possible too. Let's say more: if you have iPad version Pro with a cellular module, then the iPad Pro becomes an even better option because you won't be tied to Wi-Fi hotspots.
Perhaps the main thing that does not allow you to forget when working with the iPad Pro and Smart Keyboard that this is still not a full-fledged laptop is the lack of a mouse, which can be very useful even in text editor, not to mention other professional tasks. For example, selecting large chunks of text with your finger is still not as convenient as using a mouse. But this remark has nothing to do directly with the Smart Keyboard.
As for home use, here too the Smart Keyboard turns out to be an unexpectedly useful accessory. Imagine lying on the couch surfing the Internet or watching YouTube using your iPad Pro. And now you have received some kind of letter, to which it is advisable to respond in detail. Or a friend started communicating in messenger. Or you wanted to comment on a post on a social network. It seems like you don’t want to get up, turn on the computer and move to it for the sake of this, but typing any extended phrases on the virtual keyboard is not very pleasant. It is in this situation that Smart Keyboard comes to the rescue. By the way, the tablet in the Smart Keyboard is quite stable even on your lap or other uneven surface (which, by the way, not all external keyboards can boast of).
In general, this is, of course, not an essential item. But this is a very nice and in many cases useful addition to the iPad Pro, which in many ways exceeded our expectations and allayed our fears. Three things can keep you from buying a Smart Keyboard: firstly, the high price (although Apple accessories have never been cheap), secondly, the lack of Russian letters on the keys, and thirdly, the mass - despite all the success of the keyboard, a tablet with it becomes , of course, harder. Whether these points outweigh or not depends primarily on how and where you use the iPad Pro, whether you type touch-sensitively, and whether you are willing to spend 13,290 rubles on such a thing.
To conclude, we offer you our video review of the Smart Keyboard, which clearly shows the possibilities of its use.
P.S. For the worthy appearance, water resistance and excellent functionality, we award the Smart Keyboard our editorial Original Design award:
This is my personal accessory, which I have been using for more than a month and a half; accordingly, this is a story about real-life operating experience, and not an essay on the topic “ how I tinkered with the test device for three days" The thing is unusual and there is something to compare it with. It will be interesting.
Adventures with delivery
The keyboard was ordered before the new year at the busiest time, when the accessory was available in limited quantities only in the USA. Moreover, even in the Apple Store it was difficult to buy it due to the efforts of smart resellers. In general, I found myself a copy on Amazon from those same resellers who only shipped within the USA. Considering the fact that I myself am from Ukraine, sending directly from Amazon was not suitable in any case, even if it were available. It's all about the duty-free limit in my country €150 . Anything that is more expensive is, at best, subject to a 30 percent tax; at worst, it is sent back, often without even the knowledge of the recipient. For example, DHL does this - there have been precedents.
In the past, I had a positive experience with Banderolka, when additional services were required in addition to delivery of goods. Then I made a large combined parcel (the duty-free limit was also higher), which, among other things, included an expensive package ordered from Amazon. But in the end it turned out to be unnecessary, since it was provided for review by the customer and ultimately came out cheaper than purchased from the USA. Through Banderolka I was able to return the backpack back to Amazon without any problems and get my money back.
This time a task of a different nature arose. It was necessary to remove the Amazon invoice and insert a new one. The amount indicated in the first exceeded the duty-free limit (the reseller tried his best). Even the real American price from Apple is a couple of euros higher. In general, in order to get a keyboard without unnecessary hassle, it was necessary to price it a little cheaper. Which is what Banderolka did, depositing an invoice with the amount of $159.
The point here is not even that I feel sorry for paying an additional 30% of the cost. The Apple Smart Keyboard in conjunction with is a small personal dream from the moment of its announcement (yes, I’m such a pervert and a lover of big and strange gadgets), and accordingly I was ready for financial expenses. But apart from them, it is quite possible that you would have to spend a lot of time and effort on a trip to Kyiv in order to arrange everything and pay for it on the spot. It’s so strange how the post office works here. And that's the best case scenario. At worst, the package would simply be returned, and I would be left without the coveted gadget.
Buy from local comrades without all these adventures and difficulties? A dream is a dream, but I still wasn’t ready to shell out $350 for a keyboard.
Whatever it was, everything worked out. The customs officers cheerfully gutted the parcel, were satisfied with the parcel invoice, and the accessory arrived to me without any extra hassle.
The customs officers did not bother to re-pack the keyboard in bubble wrap, but simply stuffed it into a white bag. Fortunately, the accessory was not damaged on the way from Kyiv to Chernigov, even the original Apple box turned out to be without a single dent. Either the post office began to work carefully with parcels, or the thick “Banderolka” box with air bags helped.
I would also like to draw your attention to the packaging: a strong box, a solid layer of bubble wrap, air seals - the parcel will withstand the attack of any vandalist mover. There’s also a bonus in the form of jelly candies :).
Why does a tablet need a hardware keyboard?
Before I proceed directly to the review of the accessory and my impressions of it, I want to philosophize a little on the topic. Moreover, I have a lot of experience working with this kind of devices and have something to talk about.
Good question, especially if we're talking about the huge iPad Pro. It is even more interesting for the owner, which I am. In the past - in the case of - for me, a combination of a tablet and a keyboard was used as a typewriter on the road - a kind of ultra-compact laptop replacement:
A lot of articles were typed in this mode on trains, planes, at a party, and at home too, when it was necessary to isolate myself from everything. The tablet is equipped for this - you turn on the “ Do not disturb"and you are left alone with the text. The last point is also relevant for the iPad Pro. And specifically the Apple Smart Keyboard is ideal tablet stand, when it is used in content consumption mode on the table and on the lap. I'll tell you more about this below.
Finally, it is worth noting that consuming content on a tablet is much more convenient than on a laptop, even if the device is on the table. We are talking specifically about tablet software, which is excellent on iOS. , social networking applications, web surfing using a touch screen, reading books, . It's beautiful and comfortable - you quickly get used to it all.
In the process of engaging with your tablet, you answer emails and post various things on social networks, which is much more efficient to do with a hardware keyboard than with a screen one. Although I got used to working with the latter, holding the tablet in portrait orientation and typing with my thumbs. But that's a completely different story. Let's return to the Smart Keyboard.
Do it differently
I’m sure some of the readers had the idea that Roma is again being a fanboy and attributing some kind of space innovations to Apple, while everything was invented before her. If we are talking about Microsoft Touch Cover And Type Cover, presented together with the Surface tablet yet, the company from Cupertino actually borrowed one detail - the method of connecting the accessory through a contact pad. Otherwise, Smart Keyboard is unique.
So, the Microsoft Touch Cover keyboard is actually a touch pad; there is no mechanism or tactile feedback from pressing the buttons. Microsoft Type Cover is an almost standard mobile keyboard, made on the same principle as a scissor key mechanism. And the thickness is similar - 7 mm versus 4 mm for the Smart Keyboard. The latter, by the way, is only 1 mm thicker than the Touch Cover, but in terms of response it is very close to devices with the scissor key mechanism mentioned above. Which in fact is not present in the Apple keyboard.
In principle, everything in the design of a branded accessory is different from others. Used as a spring (that is, instead of a scissor mechanism or “butterfly”) special fabric, laser cut for each key. This made it possible to “kill” three birds with one stone: save on thickness, simplify the design and make it more reliable. It also acts as an outer covering and protects the keyboard from splashes of water.
Among other advantages, it is worth noting the rough surface of the keyboard, pleasant to the touch: it does not mark, does not collect grease and dust, and is very easy to clean. In general, in terms of tactile sensations, this is the most pleasant keyboard of all that I have dealt with. Even better than the one in the MacBook 12 and others Apple laptops. There, the plastic keys quickly become covered with grease, become slippery, and require wiping from time to time.
Another innovation is the use of wires instead of wires. conductive fabric. That is, you don’t have to be afraid of pushing through some buttons, squeezing the contact, or breaking the wires during frequent bending of the cover. Thus, the latter consists of three layers:
- External polyurethane- it is exactly the same as in Smart Cover, without any frills. This material proved its suitability for use in Apple accessories back in 2011. Yes, it gets dirty, but it’s also easy to clean off any excess.
- Microfiber inner layer- soft, pleasant to the touch, protects the display from various bad things.
- And between these layers is conductive fabric.
Origami
At first glance, the design of the Apple Smart Keyboard is not much different from the Smart Cover, except that a module with a keyboard has been added. All the same two options for installing the tablet: as a photo frame and for printing. But there are nuances.
It was important to make the structure stable and monolithic. After all, the keyboard cover weighs only 335 g with a 13-inch tablet weighing more than 700 g and very impressive dimensions. Try to hold this “sail” in the desired position. For example, Microsoft's keyboard cover design is not very stable in any conditions other than being used on a desk. In the case of Smart Keyboard, everything is exactly the opposite.
In print mode, the tablet is located almost in the center of the structure. Its tilt and balance are designed in such a way that the device remains stable even when used on your lap.
The second option - photo album or TV mode - turned out to be no less stable. Not for the knees, of course, but on the table the tablet stands much more securely than its 10-inch counterparts in a similar position with Smart Cover.
When folded, the Smart Keyboard turns into a cover. In this mode, the keyboard folds inward and only the microfiber surface adheres to the display. On the outside, the keyboard part protrudes a little, but it is completely uncritical.
You can fold the keyboard or set it into working position in literally one movement within a couple of seconds. You get used to it very quickly and in the future you do it automatically.
Operating experience
This is where I philosophize on the topic of why Apple Smart Keyboard - best keyboard for iPad Pro.
When I was planning to buy such an accessory, I was tormented by the choice: whether to take it or a branded item. Yes, I initially dreamed of a Smart Keyboard, but when there is a choice, doubts begin. For less money, the new product from Logitech offered backlit keys, a more convenient cursor control unit, and a number of additional buttons for controlling iOS (player, brightness, Home, etc.).
But do I need another one compact laptop in the presence of ? No, not needed. Because I often use the tablet while lying on the couch and in this case the keyboard is superfluous. And Logitech CREATE turns the iPad Pro into a laptop, and you can’t immediately remove the gadget from the accessory. You can't immediately put it back in either. There are no such problems with the Smart Keyboard - you can detach and attach the cover in one motion, just like the Smart Cover.
In addition, the Smart Keyboard has virtually no effect on the dimensions of the tablet - it adds a little to the thickness, but not as much as the Logitech CREATE. In general, having savored the thoughts described above, I took the branded accessory and don’t regret it at all.
Logitech CREATE in all its monstrous glory. Yes, yes, the Retina MacBook Pro 13" turned out to be thinner than the iPad Pro with Logitech CREATE included
I'll go directly to operating experience.
The design is held on by magnets, and very firmly - the keyboard hangs on the iPad and does not fall off if it is lifted into the air. It is important to pay attention to the pad that is magnetized to the tablet. It is made of soft, but still plastic. That is, if a hard grain of sand gets between the tablet and the pad, you can scratch the edge of the iPad Pro. I somehow managed to install a small “kock”. So keep an eye on the contact pad and clean it from time to time.
The buttons are slightly smaller in size than on the MacBook 12 and at the same time have a little more travel. But not as big as other MacBook models. It turns out something average in terms of printing experience. You can feel a distinct click, but the sound is duller than in laptops. By the way, the keyboard is quite quiet. Not silent, but quieter than Logitech laptops and cover keyboards.
Apple Smart Keyboard vs. Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover
The pressing force is calculated perfectly, reminiscent of that in keyboards with a scissor mechanism. I can’t believe that this was done only with the help of the top fabric layer and without any additional springs or tricks. The only caveat is that the “up” and “down” arrows are pressed quite hard. Apparently, due to the fact that the buttons themselves are too small and the stiffness of the fabric for such a small pressing area turned out to be too large.
And, yes, the cursor control buttons will take some getting used to. Due to the fact that the side arrows are located a little further from the pair of keys in the center than on the MacBook 12 keyboard, this block is a little more convenient, but it would be better if the side arrows were the same size as the up/down ones. That is, the classic format, as in the MacBook Air and Pro keyboard.
The tilting of the tablet in print mode is ideal for both working at a desk and on your knees. This same mode is the most convenient for consuming content under the mentioned conditions. I often watch videos and wander around social networks sitting in a chair - the iPad Pro stands monolithically:
In iOS settings (“ Basic → Keyboard") there is a separate item for the physical keyboard, where you can select a layout. I use " Russian PC", just like in OS X. I got used to this from the first days of working with Mac.
This is a good reason to remember the absence of Russian letters on the Apple Smart Keyboard. Even in the Russian Federation it is sold in the American layout. As far as I know, our Kulibins have already learned how to accurately apply Russian letters, but, as in the case of engraving American MacBooks, the result does not look very good. So to work with the gadget you will have to master 10-finger touch typing. A very useful skill, believe me. I type quickly enough with two fingers (about 300 characters per minute) and practically don’t look at the keyboard, which was an obstacle to mastering the 10-finger method. But the acquisition of a Smart Keyboard was a good reason to start self-development in this direction.
By the way, this is one of my ways - to put myself in conditions where you just have to do it and that’s it, without options. Currently, I have completed 65 exercises from the “” course and typed this entire article on the Smart Keyboard using the blind 10-finger method.
Another big advantage of using a hardware keyboard is the support hotkeys. There was a topic on this - I recommend studying it and I will not focus on this issue. I will note only the most important points.
To view hotkeys for a specific application, just hold down on the keyboard cmd.
To take this screenshot, I had to press cmd with my nose, otherwise I couldn’t reach the Home and power buttons of the tablet :)
All commands known from OS X for cursor control and text selection work. The hotkey for switching between applications is similar - via cmd+tab(iOS 9 feature). And then you can choose the right application cursor keys. And the switching option itself began to work more stable, previously it was often simply disabled - you press cmd+tab and nothing happens. Now this has also happened a couple of times, but it happens much less often. It can be treated by disconnecting and connecting the keyboard.
Language switches by pressing the button at the bottom left. The one with the globe icon. In addition, the standard combination from OS X El Capitan works - ctrl+space. Moreover, Apple also “fixed” it with the keyboard update mentioned above - the layout itself no longer switches back to Russian if, after pressing a key combination, you immediately start typing.
Another useful hotkey for iOS only - cmd+shift+H. It duplicates a single button press Home, that is, it returns to the desktop from any application. But double-clicking on “H” while holding cmd+shift no longer works, and this way you won’t be able to get into the multitasking menu. I hope this point will be implemented in the future; it is logical.
I really like the ability to scroll web pages using the up and down keyboard arrows - it’s often more comfortable than pulling your finger towards the screen.
I would like to note my delight at Smart Connector- it is much more convenient to work with it than with Bluetooth, as I can judge from my past experience with cover keyboards. It happened that they got lost or popped up out of the blue screen keyboard. And the worst pain is when you take a tablet without a keyboard to lie on the couch, try to reply to a tweet, and the on-screen keyboard does not appear. You have to turn off Bluetooth in the tablet - an unnecessary gesture. And with it, the music is cut off and broadcast to the BT speaker.
Another option is to turn off the physically external keyboard using the power lever. But sometimes I forgot to do this, sometimes I simply didn’t want to, because sometimes the accessory started acting up after that, and I had to create a Bluetooth pair again.
Well, food is another cost of time or money (Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover for iPad Air 2 runs on a pair of coin-cell batteries). Maybe not often, but still. The Smart Keyboard is powered by the iPad and, judging by experience, the tablet does not drain much power. This Smart Connector seems to be a small thing, but during operation such a small thing is very clearly felt in a positive light.
Best keyboard for iPad Pro
I don’t force my opinion on anyone, but based on my experience using the Apple Smart Keyboard, I can safely call it the best keyboard for the iPad Pro. It doesn’t particularly increase the size of the tablet, it can be quickly unfastened and fastened, it’s very stable in any conditions, it’s an ideal stand for consuming content, and it’s also protected from water.
Smart Keyboard does not try to turn the iPad Pro into a laptop, but only expands the capabilities of the tablet into a full-fledged typewriter. No more is needed. A tablet is a tablet, a laptop is a laptop.
Microsoft has even two experiences of turning a tablet into a laptop. This and . Good devices, great for a very small category of users, but these are completely niche products. Not fish or meat. The adaptation to the touch interface in Windows is too weak and the “tiled” software is of little use.
I hope that in the future there will be worthy hybrids that work equally well in tablet and laptop mode, but for now specialized devices rule. And in the case of the iPad, it is important to understand that it will not turn out to be a laptop, no matter how hard you try. I understand this and Apple understands this, which is clearly demonstrated by the Smart Keyboard with its original features.
(5.00 out of 5, rated: 1 )
The Apple Smart Keyboard is a sleek new ultra-thin keyboard case designed specifically for use with the Apple iPad Pro. Unlike traditional keyboards, this smart model has no gaps between the keys, which makes the coating water- and dirt-repellent.
Exclusive materials
Using traditional wires and components to design a device as thin and durable as the Smart Keyboard is simply unthinkable. So manufacturers combined nylon and metal into a single layer, creating a unique conductive material for two-way data and power transfer. Therefore, you do not need to charge the Smart Keyboard. Just connect it to your iPad Pro and start working. Fold and unfold the Smart Keyboard as much as you like - the material will withstand the load of even the most energetic users.
Unique connection
Apple Smart Keyboard connects to your device using an all-new Smart Connector. This port provides power and connectivity for the keyboard.
Cable, adapter and Bluetooth are no longer relevant
The Apple-designed Smart Connector provides seamless interaction between the Smart Keyboard and iPad Pro. It is located on the plug-in side of the keyboard and on the corresponding side of the iPad Pro. The Smart Connector interacts with the conductive material inside the Smart Keyboard and provides two-way data transfer and power. Printing technology has never been so advanced and convenient.
Innovation and more
The appearance of letters and numbers is the only thing that has not been affected by innovations in the Smart Keyboard. The top layer of the keyboard is made of a special durable fabric, which is laser cut and follows the shape of the keys. The fabric provides spring tension for the buttons, eliminating the need for traditional mechanisms. As a result, the Smart Keyboard is just 4mm thick and delivers incredible clarity and stability.
Peculiarities:
- Connects to a special Smart Connector interface (located on the side of the iPad Pro)
- No need to charge the keyboard separately
- Protected with a special coating (not afraid of dirt and liquid)
- 64 keys, keyboard thickness only 3.2 mm
- Multiple support useful functions QuickType with iOS 9
Product code: 012-851
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