Logitech’s Ultrathin Keyboard Cover (US$99) has been out for a while, but TUAW didn’t receive a review device until last week. After a weekend of happily pounding on the keyboard and giving this shiny new product a workout, I’m pleased to say that it’s the best iPad keyboard case I’ve reviewed so far.
Logitech appears to have started with a clean sheet of paper when they came up with the design for the Ultrathin Keyboard Cover. While the rest of the teeming mass of accessory manufacturers have pretty much all chosen to take a folio case and throw a keyboard — removable in some cases — into it, Logitech took the unique idea of making the keyboard the case cover.The thin (.31 inch) and light (11.6 ounce) keyboard has a Smart Cover-like hinged magnet on one side. Drag that magnet against the left side of an iPad and it snaps into place. The Ultrathin also has magnets on the right side to turn the iPad 2 or third-generation iPad on or off.
When it comes to Bluetooth keyboard functionality, there’s really only one thing that I’m interested in — the feel of the keyboard. If it has a good feel, good positive feedback, and the keys are spaced properly, I can type quickly. That’s the case with the Ultrathin.With most other keyboard folios and standalone keyboards for iPad, the spacing and placement of the keys is all wrong. Since typing is mainly all muscle memory at work, those other keyboard really throw off my typing until I have used them for a while. I had no such issues with the Ultrathin; it felt so much like my Apple Wireless Keyboard that I was able to type at full speed almost immediately. Kudos to the engineers at Logitech for creating a keyboard with such a perfect touch.As a protective device, the keyboard cover suppliers provides just as much care for the screen on your second- or third-generation iPad as the Smart Cover; possibly more. If you would like for the back of your iPad to be protected as well, you won’t be happy. I tried using one of the many lightweight iPad shells to protect the back and found that it made the iPad too thick to use with the Ultrathin. You might be able to squeak by with a film cover like those made by Zagg. However, there’s one thing missing, and that’s the ability to prop the iPad up in several configurations. I wasn’t used to using my iPad in a “standup” mode similar to that of a laptop screen, but fortunately it didn’t take long for it to me to get used to that configuration.

Not surprisingly, here at AppAdvice, we do a lot of writing. But while the iPad excels at many different tasks, writing has never been the tablet’s strong suit.I’ve seen many interesting add-on keyboards for the iPad like the ClamCase, ZaggFolio, and Brydge Kickstarter project. But I was always turned off by the compromises that were required – especially on the size and weight fronts. Normally, for any iPad writing sessions, I simply lug around my Apple Wireless Keyboard.
But I was very intrigued when Logitech recently announced its new Ultrathin Keyboard Cover. As the name suggests, the solution promises to combine a Smart Cover experience with a built-in keyboard on the other side to help make iPad productivity that much easier.So, to dive in head first, I’ve been using Logitech’s product the past week for the bulk of my writing (including this review), and have generally liked the experience so far.Overall, the keyboard cover is very thin doesn’t add much weight when attatched to your iPad via a magnetic hinge. The front cover is composed of Apple-inspired silver metal while the keyboard side is a piano-black finish. Past the top of the keyboard is the slot designed for a non-covered iPad in the landscape position.
The slot, which has some rubber lining for protection of your iPad, only allows one angle – about 30 degrees. While I was a little disappointed at first that I couldn’t situate my iPad exactly how I would like, the angle was a nice compromise and hasn’t caused me any problems. My iPad is also held very firmly in place while typing, which is very nice to see.Connection between keyboard and iPad is achieved with Bluetooth. On the right side, there are buttons for pairing, turning the keyboard on and off, and a micro-USB slot for charging. With two hours of use per day, Logitech promises that the rechargable battery will last for around six months before needing recharged.
Managing the keyboard cover suppliers has been a learning experience. The keys are a little smaller than normal, but after spending a little bit of time getting used to typing, it’s easy to navigate.Featuring nice, high-contrast letters and numbers, the comfortable keyboard should look very familiar to any Mac user. Along with the normal three rows of letters and symbols, there is a number/function row on top and a group of function, control, option, and command keys that go along with the space bar on the bottom row.

The good: The BlackBerry Mini Keyboard with Convertible Case brings a high-end faux-leather feel and a well-designed keyboard to the PlayBook. The integrated touch pad simplifies the tablet’s UI.The bad: On top of its high $119 price tag, many of the Mini Keyboard’s premium abilities, such as Windows desktop replication, must be purchased by corporate keyboard cover suppliers.The bottom line: RIM’s new BlackBerry Mini Keyboard quickly converts a PlayBook tablet into a virtual laptop while adding protection and a lot of style.
RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook didn’t exactly set the world on fire, but the company’s latest and most stylish accessory aims to both protect and add greater functionality. Armed with a touch pad and full QWERTY keyboard, the BlackBerry Mini Keyboard shields the tablet from harm and attempts to transform it into a laptop like device. Find out if we think that’s enough to entice PlayBook buyers.
From solely a design perspective, the ultracompact BlackBerry Mini keyboard cover with Convertible Case is thoughtfully constructed. Like other tablet-and-case combos from Belkin and Tagus, this product squeezes a full QWERTY keyboard and protective cover into a tiny footprint to match the PlayBook’s small size. The keyboard itself is just a quarter of an inch thick, 7.6 inches tall, and 5.1 inches wide. To protect the tablet, the case provides a tough rectangular shell on the right side where the PlayBook squeezes in. This stiff shell has apertures for the tablet’s major ports and physical connections including the rear camera lens. Also, there are corresponding buttons for Power and the PlayBook’s combined volume bar and Play and Pause key.

Not one, not two, but three Nokia interviews at Mobile World Congress? Yes, we were lucky to catch up with CEO Stephen Elop — whom we last saw at CES — and chat about the Lumia 610, the white Lumia 900, the 808 PureView imaging flagship, and a hint at what kind of cameras we can expect in the company’s future Windows Phone handsets. Just hit the break to watch our video interview.

This week Inhabitat hit the streets of Detroit to bring you the hottest hybrid vehicles and electric cars from the 2012 North American International Auto Show! We saw automakers unveil scores of sexy keyboard cover supplier like the Lexus LF-LC coupe, the Chevy MiRay, and the NSX concept hybrid, and we also showcased more realistic street-ready vehicles like Ford’s Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid, VW’s brand new hybrid Jetta, and Via Motors’ VTRUX extended-range EV pickup. We also peered into the future of sustainable transportation as we brought you the finalists in Michelin’s city car design challenge, we learned that the world’s largest driverless personal transit system is set to break ground in India, and we saw the UK green light the first phase of its new HS2 high-speed rail line.
It was also a bright week for alternative energy as MIT scientists discovered a way to make more efficient solar plants modeled after sunflowers and Sweden announced plans for a massive 700 megawatt wind farm in the Baltic Sea. Meanwhile, we learned that Rwanda’s poo-powered prisons are able to produce 75% of their power from human waste, we showcased plans for an energy-generating rolling suitcase that charges your gadgets, and we saw the launch of several keyboard cover shining solar-powered devices – OLPC’s XO3 tablet computer and the sun-powered Solarkindle e-reader cover.
In other news, this week we rounded up our favorite eco gadgets from CES 2012 – including a hydrophobic nanocoating that makes any gadget completely waterproof. We also saw 200 Chinese works construct a 30 story prefab building in just 15 days, and we watched superman fly across a cute animated LEGO TV. Finally, we brought you the latest and greatest developments in wearable technology – including a set of smart sunglasses that merge virtual information with the real world, a set of bone-conducting earphones, and a set of motorized skates that can be attached to any boring old pair of shoes.