Belkin Keyboard Folio case for iPad The myth that the iPad is only for content consumption was debunked many moons ago. And this Belkin Keyboard Folio is as good an example as any of how the iPad, with a little help, can in some circumstances be a replacement for a laptop. The soft case folds up to make carrying keyboard and iPad together easy. Pairing it with …
How can they possibly justify this price? For £10 I got a USB keyboard case for my (£60) tablet. It's leatherette, provides excellent protection, I can type away happily on it, the function buttons are all programmable and it has cursor keys. In other words, it does exactly what this one does for one tenth of the price and, because it is USB, I don't have to keep it charged.
£100 is just criminal!
Your £10 keyboard has a cable, doesn't integrate into a case, and doesn't allow the tablet to be angled appropriately. It may have only cost £10, but if you want those three features it would be a waste of £10.
This keyboard is bluetooth. Cheapest bluetooth keyboards are ~£20, good ones ~£50
The case looks to be well designed, providing a variety of stand positions and viewing angles. Good ipad cases range from £20 - £60, depending on the quality of the components - anything with real leather (sometimes even real imitation leather) will be towards the high end of that.
Personally, I wouldn't buy it - already have a nice case and bluetooth keyboard - but if I didn't, this looks like a good case.
If it gives you £100 of utility, then it is worth it. If you don't like the price, then don't buy it. From your choice of tablet it would seem you value cost over quality.
"Your £10 keyboard has a cable, doesn't integrate into a case, and doesn't allow the tablet to be angled appropriately."
That's bizarre. I'm sat here with the case and, it would appear to the untrained eye, that I CAN adjust the viewing angle and it IS fully integrated into the case. It's ALMOST as if I can see the case and you haven't got a clue what you're talking about.
Seriously? Why would you comment telling me what MY case can and can't do you freak?
Yep, my bad there. I read it as 'USB keyboard' and missed the very crucial thing about it also being a case. I was actually commenting that a USB keyboard vs a keyboard integrated into a case has downsides, and not about your keyboard in particular.
Nice to sneak in a personal insult at the end, but hey, I have an ipad, so I'm lucky to only be called a freak. Carry on.
The case is thick and heavy, if you don't need to carry the keyboard you have to wrestle the iPad out of the case (and put it into another one)... Just get a nice separate BT keyboard instead (even the really nice standard Apple BT keyboard *plus* a case is cheaper than that).
I can somewhat understand people doubting the advantages of this case over a netbook. But an iPad and a BT keyboard is a good option when you're travelling light. Use the keyboard when you have to do lots of writing, keep it in the bag otherwise.
I'm not doubting the advantages over a netbook, i'm doubting the advantages, for the cost, over a netbook.
There *must* be something cheaper to achieve the same result. £100 seems very expensive, especially when, as has been said, you'll probably want a slimmer more lightweight sleeve/cover for the ipad when not wanting a keyboard to use with it.
If you are always carrying it around in its case with the keyboard, it is a netbook, but a £500 netbook, which its crazy.
The keys are too close together to do any sort of decent typing and too soft when typing. I've found the Kengsington keyboard case to be a lot better.
Anyone thinking of a keyboard folio case should really try before they buy because your finger size does make such a difference - as does your preference for a style of keyboard.
But agree that they are a great thing. The people slagging it off are kinda missing the point - it's a very convenient laptop replacement for 90% of tasks. Instead of a laptop case/rucksack, I can carry an iPad and throw the charger in my pocket, which makes life a lot easier.
Also, if you do a 3 deal (I did the £260 option for the wifi/3G 32GB model) with 15GB a month for £25, it's a total winner. I needed two new laptop batteries - that would have been £200 for a MacBook Pro - and a 3G connection, which would have been (at least) £8-£10 a month. For a wee bit more, I got something lighter and a lot more convenient than a laptop.
(Having said that, would never have paid the full price upfront for an iPad.)
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