If there's one thing that I've noticed from the marketing of the iPad Pro, it's the almost constant presence of the keyboard cover in the marketing. It is a key part of that iPad's story. Apple doesn't provide keyboard covers for other iPads, so it is left to the third-party manufacturers to provide a winning combination.
I've been using a particularly impressive solution from Brydge Keyboards that turns the iPad Mini into a strong device for writing and composition. While this package is missing the super-sized screen of the iPad Pro, it's incredibly portable, has great battery life, and allows me to write at speed in many more locations. If the iPad Pro is built around creating great content, then this is the solution that delivers exactly the same benefits, but with more flexibility and portability, via the iPad Mini.
Held in place by two clamps that grasp the corners of your iPad Mini, the combination feels like the netbooks of yesteryear, but far more usable. Thanks to the adjustable hinge the iPad screen can be set to a comfortable angle for viewing. There's just a little bit of overhang from the clamps which sets the keyboard up with a slight pitch and lifting the keyboard to a nice angle.
In terms of connectivity, the Brydge keyboard uses BlueTooth for connectivity. That's something iOS expects, which means there are no compatibility problems. The keyboard takes advantage of this and tailors the top line of function keys to the iPad Mini's interface, giving you controls for brightness, power, search, volume, and media playback.
In action, the Brydge keyboard has something that I find very important… travel. There is a noticeable amount of movement that you need to impart on each key for it to register. This positive pressure is something that suits my style of typing (which started many many years ago on an old mechanical action typewriter). With so many people using touch screens or experienced on super-thin laptops with reduced key travel, the Brydge keyboard may not be for everyone. It certainly feels more traditional than many thinner and lighter third-party keyboards. I'd even mark the Brydge as being a better keyboard than the one fitted to the new MacBook.
Because this is for the iPad Mini, the keys are smaller and closer together to fit in the footprint required. Thankfully there is a decent space between each key which means that mistyping is reduced to a minimum. The edges of each key are also really easy to find by touch, and there's enough haptic feedback to help keep your fingers well-positioned during sustained typing.
The modifier and controlling keys - such as tab, ctrl, return, the minor punctuations, and curiously the number '1' - have been cut down to make sure the regular keys are of a consistent and usable size. It does mean that for extended typing it can sometimes get awkward inputting certain phrases, but for the bulk of typing (and especially if you are typing shorter pieces on the iPad mini) the decision to focus on the main keys was the right one.
The Brydge keyboard is a wonderful package for the traveller and anyone who spends a lot of time out and about. It acts as a robust case to protect the screen of the tablet, the keyboard itself has a long battery life, and it offers the iPad Mini a huge amount of creative power.
Apple may try to tell everyone that the iPad is not a replacement for a computer. I think many would disagree with them. I know I would , and if you're in the same camp and looking for a highly portable solution for your iPad Mini, you've got just enough time to put this on your Christmas list.
Disclaimer: Brydge provided a Brydge Mini Keyboard for review purposes.
