By Moseley Labour
Zagg Folio for iPad 2 £83 (zagg.com/amazon.co.uk)
Being a university student, I use my iPad wheneverI’m at lectures or researching in the library. Currently I just have a smart cover to protect the front of my iPad and use it as a stand, and then use a Bluetooth wireless keyboard. The Folio gives me full protestation in terms of front and back and also throws in a Bluetooth keyboard in there for good measure.
Firstly the case is made from carbonfibre meaning that it provides maximum protection whilst also being light and portable. Inside there is a microfiber lining meaning the back of your iPad is nestled comfortable against the case. The case is available in 11 different colours and designs and there are even three colours available for the keyboard also.
The keyboard is placed on the left hand side of the case with the iPad slot on the right. The top half has two grooves were you slide your iPad into and on the bottom half there are rounded grooves that the iPad nestles into securely. The whole process of sliding your iPad in and out of the case is made easier by the ridge at the back that allows you to bend that side of the case in half for easier access.
When your iPad is placed in the case there are the usual cut outs for the earphone jack, volume rockers, orientation lock, sleep/wake button, 30-pin connector and the speaker grill.
When closed the case has the same action as the smart covers, whereby the screen is automatically locked when closed and is awoken when you open the case. This is always a nice touch when cases have this feature.
The main positives of this case come in terms of the actually usage with the keyboard. Firstly by just opening the case you can rest the iPad in landscape orientation and begin typing. Alternatively you can take the iPad 2 out and place it in portrait within the grooved stand on the keyboard. The best part of this case is the fact that you can also slide out the Bluetooth keyboard it’s self, therefore giving those options as before but withouthaving the case on, or just using the keyboard separate from your iPad in any manner you may choose.
Although there a lot of positives with this case, there are however a couple of negatives. Now although the keyboard design is the same as apple keyboards whereby the keys are flat and feel great for long periods of usage. The keys are however placed to close together because it has to be able to fit into a case. Therefore your hands are notably closer together giving a very unnatural feel to the whole typing experience. It may just be a case of having to get used to the set up but on initial thoughts it does seem awkward.
Next the case doesn’t seem to shut properly, the latch just about secures into place but with any kind of movement means that it immediately opens. A realisation then occurred when I saw how close the keyboard is placed to the exposed iPad screen when the case is closed. If the closing mechanisms was any tighter the keyboard would sit fully flushed against the iPad screen, therefore they had to make sure this wouldn’t occur but in doing so meant the case didn’t remain closed securely.
However with these negatives I still feel there is enough here to warrant the usage of this case. In terms of having your iPad in a rucksack with this case, will mean adequate protection and a great usage of space in terms of cutting out bulk. This is a case that I will definitely be using for university but I feel that during other times I can make do with just my smart cover.
