Logitech Fold-Up Keyboard for iPad

The corner stone, or shall we just say selling point of the iPad is its portability.  

The tablet is a robust device that can be used in variety of formats and easily extends its versatility beyond the home and into the board room.  However, all the practice in the world with its virtual keyboard will never lead to an equivalent ‘words per minute’, or accuracy, as using a physical keyboard.  Sure, there are a variety of Bluetooth compatible keyboards to choose from, but most if not all don’t offer a full sized keyboard.  Plus who wants to lug around an additional item in their already over weighted bag.

Logitech’s Fold-Up Keyboard for iPad solves the majority of these conundrums.  It attaches to the back of the iPad 2 providing additional protection to the rear of the device, all the while doubling as a stand for viewing the tablet in landscape mode.  But that’s not all.  There is also a hidden, slide out, full-sized Bluetooth keyboard.  Unfold the keyboard and the Bluetooth powers on. Fold it up and it turns off to conserve battery life.

Logitech hadn’t planned to announce the product this soon, so they are a bit remiss when it comes to the device’s weight and size.  But from the images alone it appears to be pretty lightweight and svelte.  There are, though, some caveats.   In this case (no pun intended) it’s the price, which is $129.99.  That’s more than a fourth of the cost of the lowest end iPad 2, so in theory to justify this purchase your productivity has to probably increase a fair bit, but what that is is for you to determine.

Additionally, Logitech’s Fold-Up Keyboard for the iPad doesn’t protect the screen, though they say it works seamlessly with Apple’s Smart Covers.

We’ll try to get our hands on one for a review, but in the meanwhile you can preorder it from Logitech’s website.  No word on an official ship date, but we’re assuming sometime in September of this year.