Belkin Wireless Keyboard and Case for iPad Mini

I have used and owned a number of iPad keyboard cases, including Zagg and Kensington. I was happy with my Zagg for the iPad, but wondered what I'd do when I got my iPad Mini. I needed a keyboard case to take notes and type quickly when in meetings. This Belkin keyboard/case combo is the nicest available. The case is very sleek and keyboard is well designed. Comparing this to the keyboard/case offerings I have used with my full size iPad, this is the best keyboard/case available today.

This is a well-engineered product, but not well designed. Let me run through some of the pros & cons:

On the positive side:

+The rubbery case feels great. I love leather, but the rubber feel to this case is very reassuring when I'm carrying around my iPad mini.

+The keys (when I hit them properly) have a pretty good response, though they occasionally need a stronger press than I'm used to (and I end up missing letters from time to time).

+It's svelte. It doesn't add much bulk at all to the mini and is very easy to carry.

+The command and option keys are nice add-ons for working with text selections.

And for the negatives:

-Belkin made some very odd choices for key layouts. The apostrophe requires pressing a function key and it's very awkward. I find myself constantly backspacing and retyping my words that have them.

-The space bar is shifted just enough to the left of center that I keep missing it when trying to hit it with my right thumb.

-I'm used to the top-right key being a "delete" key, but on this keyboard it's the equal sign.

-The entire keyset is set in a well of sorts (surrounded by a little rise around the perimeter of the keyboard). What this means is that it's impossible to use your pinkies to orient your hands to the smaller keyboard.

All in all, it's a well-made product, but I think it was rushed to market and the design/usability suffered. If anyone at Belkin actually used this for more than a day, I think they would have rethought some of their design choices. I bought this case to be able to type notes at conferences, but I can't imagine trying to take notes with this thing and dealing with all of the errors from the key layout on this thing.

Mine will be going back and I'll be waiting to see what Logitech's answer for the iPad mini is. (I had their ultraslim for my iPad 2 and I loved it!)

PS-I'm not affiliated with Belkin or Logitech

PPS-Every apostrophe in this review needed to be retyped. UGH!

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Finally an iPad that can be held with one hand. And a nice Bluetooth keyboard accessory.

+ Can type quite fast with the Belkin keyboard.

+ Pairs up with the iPad Mini nicely with Bluetooth

+ Has a keyboard shortcut for the screen keyboard to use Apple Dictation key

Big disappointment was no dual magnets to automatically turn the iPad On/Off (It was difficult to mount magnets myself.)

No Forward Delete

Case cover has a thin rubber feel instead of a leather feel like some other brands

Clumsy to use in portrait mode, but it can stand up vertically

Belkin Wireless Keyboard and Case for iPad Mini

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I have all manner of tablet devices. Ipad 4th generation, iPad mini, Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1, Kindle HD 8.9, iPhone 5, etc. I am a snob regarding cases. I will personally go through 2-3 cases before I find one that fits my needs and style. For the iPad mini, there are not many options yet. While the Belkin case leaves some things to be desired, it works well for my personal situation.

I work primarily on flat serfaces. I take notes a lot in various meetings, nd I use it to teach (I am a Youth Pastor). It still allows the ipad to fit comfortably in my hand but gives me fast access to a keyboard when needed. I was not looking for the same level of use as I get from my ZaggKeys for the iPad 4 where I might be typing for an hour +. I wanted a case that makes it convenient to type and didn't add a lot of bulk. I was as concerned with overall protection, but I did want a good quality product.

The keys, and surrounding plastic do rub up against the screen when closed. I have a screen cover on my iPad so this is no concern to me. It might be for you, though. When the keyboard is in use, you need to fold down the flap that covers the back of the iPad itselv and fold a piece under so it creates a way for the ipad to stand up and be angled. This setup is great on paper, but if you need to touch the screen a lot, you will see that there is a lot of "wiggle." This doesn't bother me, but I also don't mind holding the ipad with one hand while I tap with the other, then go back to typing. You do not want to put this on a very slipery surface as the mechanics that hold up the ipad at an angle require some resistance on the table or it will simply slide out from the weight of the iPad.

Like I said. For my purposes it works good. It's merely a way to have easier access to typing when I need it. Most of my time is spent holding and tapping right on the screen. If you need to do a LOT of typing, this may not be for your. The keyboard itself is a bit small but I have already gotten used to it and I have big hands.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program Let me start off this review by saying that I absolutely adore this keyboard/case. Most of the complaints I have read are around personal preferences rather than something actually wrong with the design of the product. They had to cram a keyboard into a very small package. This is not meant for writing novels, it is for typing on your iPad mini. If you want to type long documents, please use a proper full sized keyboard.

This is meant for ergonomics and extreme portability. If you buy this with that level of expectation, then you will love this. It is durable and it does protect the iPad Mini. This takes the iPad Mini from fantastic to indispensable. Highly recommended.

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