Quality of keyboard cases?

[ea7770]

So, I'm wanting to get a blue tooth keyboard case, and I've read a bunch of reviews on here, and on Amazon and it seems that a lot of people have issues with the quality of the keyboards (ie keys popping off etc). I don't mind spending a little bit more for a quality product, but so many of these cases look to be the exact same thing with just a different brand name that it makes it hard to pick what to buy. So, I thought I'd ask here for specific brands. Like I said, I'd rather pay more upfront that deal with getting a crappy one that has to be replaced a month down the road. I'm open to the idea of either the portfolio style cases or the "aluminum" type snap in cases. I just want something that will fit well, protect the tablet, and has a decent quality keyboard. Like I said, price is not so much an issue.

 

[Praggles]

My poetic keyboard case is now sever months old and is still OK.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Android Central Forums

 

[anon(924308)]

If you want quality, avoid keyboard cases. They're all essentially the same. Just posted this in another thread, but I'd instead recommend getting a slim folding bluetooth keyboard:

(full review here)
I got mine on amazon, but they have a generic version on ebay for ~$30 last time I checked. Believe it or not, that keyboard was $28 when I first saw it, but it jumped to $32 in my cart because I waited a day. And now it's $38 . Still worth it, but if you can get it cheaper you might as well.

With keyboard cases, the method of securing is either: a couple prongs on the top/bottom (unless you DIY like I did with mine, it's unsecure); a couple elastic tabs; or, a faux leather bezel (which I find aesthetically unappealing). If you get a separate keyboard altogether, you can use your favorite case and not have to worry about the keyboard when you don't want it--e.g. you don't have to switch out cases when you're reading on your bed.

With keyboard cases, they keys are going to be ultra-mini. Mine--the generic one with prongs--had a keyboard that was 8" by 3"--keys were miniscule and cramped. Fine for me because I already type fast and don't have large hands, but it still reduced my WPM to like ~30 as opposed to ~100 on a decent sized keyboard.

Though, I have that "crappy" $10 one, and I used it for a good few months before switching out. It still works great, it's just that my shoddy OTG cable crapped out and I decided to go bluetooth. I took it everywhere, and I never had issues with the keys popping out or anything like that; I'm sure quality control isn't too great, but chances are you won't have issues. Browse here until you see the modified case pic with instructions--in case you plan on getting the one I did, you really should modify it.

 

[Indigoquilter]

I've just bought that cheapie keyboard case, and the top prong is now adjustable. Admittedly I also put it in a gel case when it's in the keyboard case, for added security, but even without it, I think it would clamp down and hang on for dear life. A friend of mine also bought this case the other week, and reports the same thing. Hers is the basic black model, mine is blue, but I think they're all the same. It's a nice blue, incidentally. I don't know how robust that adjustable prong is, that said, and I can't see it lasting forever.

If you do need to find some method to keep the tablet in the case, a lot of people have been using self-adhesive velcro, sometimes attached to a gel skin instead of the original tablet. If I ever start to worry that mine won't be secure enough, I'll spend a pound on some velcro.

Typing is harder than I expected, however, and I say this as a woman of 4'11" with accordingly small hands. It's partly the key spacing and partly the occasional oddities in the layout, such as the position of the apostrophe key. But then I gather that the bluetooth keyboards tend to have similar problems. I bought it for occasional use, and ironically I think I'll have to practice before that's really feasible. At least, if I want to use it for taking notes somewhere without making a mistake in every other word. But I'm fairly close to that stage already, so I don't think it'll be too hard. It just means that I won't be able to ask someone else to take notes for me.

The other thing which is slightly annoying is that the USB adaptor sticks out at the side. I did at least work out where to store it safely when the case is folded up: unplug it from the tablet and put it so that it's resting just above the top of the tablet. You'll have the thinner cable trailing over the screen, but I can't see that this would cause any problems. It does at least mean that the cable is safely tucked away and not likely to fall out or get damaged in transit.

 

[flickstar]

Would be great to see a photo of your setup if possible - we're researching keyboard options for my mum (also a lady of dainty stature and hands) and trying to figure out what would work best for her. Thanks!

 

[Indigoquilter]

Very late reply: I never ended up using it. The keyboard is just a nightmare, and I don't type on it that much when I'm out of the home. When I'm at home, mostly I use it without a keyboard, and when I do want to do some serious typing, I plug in an ordinary, cabled keyboard (albeit a laptop-sized one, as I prefer them due to the size of my hands).