ZAGG Keyboard Case for Galaxy Tab 10.1

ZAGG Keyboard Case for Galazy Tab 10.1

I want to share my impressions of the newly acquired gadget, which is a case and, simultaneously, an external keyboard for one popular tablet, namely the Logitech Keyboard Case for Samsung Galaxy Tab ™ 10.1 (Wi-Fi® Only)
The device is also known under the name ZAGG Keyboard Case and exists in the version for iPad 2


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Idea:

Many understand that the on-screen keyboard has, in addition to the plus in its mobility and universal availability, the principal disadvantage in the form of the almost complete absence of feedback tactile communication. I agree, you can turn on the vibration by pressing. But to blindly place your hands on the keyboard is very, very difficult. Personally, I, it turns out, very much rely on the feeling of boundaries and the shape of the keys with my fingertips. Some might say that I was able to practice typing blindly on the on-screen keyboard — but not me.

Probably because of the problems of typing arrays of text, tablets are usually limited to browsing the Internet, books, videos and some reaction to this — respond with a letter, push a message to a forum, blog or via SMS (if such a module is in the tablet).

But to work, in the sense of generating many thoughts with text, is almost impossible. And this seriously prevents the tablet class from competing with laptops / laptops. Although the limitations of netbooks have already sentenced this class to sacrifice surging tablets.

Therefore, to explore the capabilities of the tablet in the direction of the office functionality, I planned to select and test the full iron keyboard for my Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet.

From the external keyboards dug on the Internet, the Logitech ZAGG model cost 100 USD.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bqle0GHwl3c

It seemed more thoughtful, stylish and sustainable, compared to the native Samsung case with rubber keys, the price of which is 150 USD.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4srLChy

Logistics:

In view of the unsuccessful search for this device in his hometown, the purchase was made by friends in the USA, respectively, brought by them. I will not describe the methods of acquiring on ebay and others like that, since this is outside the scope of this story.

Packaging:

I apologize to the community - the process of unpacking did not photograph in view of the impatience to feel this miracle. Therefore, there will be no photo essay about tearing off plastic covers.

As compensation, two photos (excluding the above polyethylene):

Appearance of delivery


Complete set of delivery


Case-keyboard, USB charging cable, brief instructions, a set of rubber feet for stickers on the back of the case, if such a desire arises. Manufacturers themselves recommend their super-duper film instead of legs.

The material in which the artifact is carved is luminium. For some reason, “aviation accuracy” is mentioned, well, let's leave it on the conscience of their marketers.

Appearance, Case function:

The tablet "sits" in the "box" is quite reliable, does not fall out when turning over. There is nothing for me to weigh this jumble. Mass tangible, but quite termmaya for everyday wear. The screen from damage by the keyboard is well protected by rubber pads.





There are cutouts for USB cable and speakers.



When the keyboard is not needed, you can put the tablet face up. However, it does not hold, but it is normal.

Appearance, stand function:

It turns out that when working with a text document it is more convenient to position the tablet vertically - this is how more text is viewed. This also contributes to the on-screen keyboard, which tupit and stubbornly closes part of the screen.



Whether deformations of the tablet will appear with time due to a loaded inclined position - I cannot predict. Hopefully, such deformations will not occur. Even if they arise, it can coincide with a period of moral obsolescence of the tablet itself, which is not very scary.

Keyboard:

I can not imagine how it will clog, but there is enough space under the keys for this.



The letters are only English, although this can be solved with stickers for the keyboard of laptops.

Function keys: Cut, Copy, Paste, Mail, Internet Browser, Microphone, Contacts, Previous Song, Play / Pause, Next Song, Disable sound ”,“ Reduce sound ”,“ Enhance sound ”,“ Lock / Unlock screen ”,“ Application menu ”,“ Search ”,“ Home ”,“ Back ”.

In addition, there is an “On-Off” switch next to the “Connect to Tablet” button.

Connection:

The keyboard has a factory battery charge, so after unpacking it can be immediately included in the work. To do this, you need to turn on the keyboard with the On / Off switch, turn on Bluetooth on the tablet, find the Keyboard Case in the Logitech environment, and connect with this device. The tablet will require you to type a four-digit numeric password on the keyboard and press Enter. Surprised by the tablet requirement to switch to the Samsung-keypad native (on-screen) keyboard. ZAGG can work with other active keyboards, but I have difficulty switching the language. With the required software keyboard, ZAGG works better in this respect.

In the future, ZAGG / Logitech believe that you can connect the keyboard by pressing the hardware button "Connect". So far I can only connect it from the bluetooth settings of the tablet. The named key "Connect" does not work.

The hard condition "(Wi-Fi® Only)" in the name of the device hints at the GT-P7510, without a GSM module, but this condition does not actually work. With my GT-P7500 (with a GSM module), the keyboard docked without problems.

Integration and work:

Keyboard integration with existing software is far from perfect. On-screen keyboards usually work as they claim, but they often don’t have any familiar keys. For example, the cursor keys. Therefore, the use of new hardware keys does not guarantee the effect: the same “Cut / Copy” may or may not work. The “Paste” key works even less often - usually you have to use on-screen graphic elements to paste the copied. Shift-cursor text selection can also be ignored by a specific software.

It also amazes turning off the screen by timer while typing.

It may be that iPad integration is more complete and smooth, which should be facilitated by Apple’s greater uniformity of policy. But in the absence of apple products, I cannot confidently assert that "they" have much better things.

Assuming the principle of operation of this keyboard, we can expect similar roughness from the native Samsung cover-keyboard, and even the Samsung docking station.

Language switching

This is a gigantic failure of the gadget - in other words, this is not called. The key to switch the input language on the ZAGG keyboard is absent as such. Therefore, the lack of integration of the on-screen Samsung-keypad with the hardware evokes twofold feelings: on the one hand, the keyboard pops up on the screen wherever you are supposed to type text. The factory keyboard in principle does not have the option of hiding from the screen during the presence of the hardware. The keyboard can be removed by pressing "Back", "but the residue remains." On the other hand, if she didn’t jump out, the button “Change language” would be inaccessible. Of course, I will try to search the forums for ways to tie the language switch to any Alt-Shift, but out of the box the situation is absolutely sad.

Urgent addition: language switch shortcut - Shift-Space - detected by accident. In the accompanying sheet and on the site it is silent. (kekeke - it is mentioned on the website for the model for the iPad. sensibly conceived)

Further, the first impressions of the keyboard in a different software. I do not claim to complete the study of functionality.

Shell

The “Browser” key launches not the default browser, but the Samsung browser. Not good. The one, as an honest gentleman, sends the printed to the default browser, but the overlay is visible.
Pressing any letter causes the search program, as if the “Search” button is pressed, but only the first letter is driven in, and no further ones work.
The keys “Home”, “Back”, “Menu”, “Mail”, “Microphone”, “Contacts”, the player and volume keys always and everywhere work normally.

Dolphin Browser for Pad

Tab jumps to the URL entry bar and that's it. Cut / Copy / Paste / CtrlXCV work fine. Ctrl-Tab performs incomprehensible jumps on the page. The arrow keys provide navigation through the elements of the page or the entered text. Shift-cursor selects the entered text. Ctrl-Up / Down work as PgUp / PgDn.

Picsel Smart Office

The cursor keys "Up-Down" do not move the cursor - they will scroll the entire document. If you need to put the cursor on the line-two above, you either press down the "Left" key, or poke your finger across the screen. Shift-Left / Right move the cursor, and Shift-Up / Down scroll the document again. “Cut / Copy” works, but “Paste” does not. Ctrl-XCV could no longer be checked - the program entered the non-selection mode of the text, from which I could not get it out.

Polaris Office

The cursor keys move the cursor, with Shift select the text normally. Ctrl-Left / Right trigger as Home / End. Ctrl-Up / Down - as a jump to the beginning / end of the document (or PgUp / PgDown? You need to practice). Ctrl-XCV work. It even works Ctrl-Z.

ThinkFree Office

Shift-Up / Down jump over the document unpredictably. Up / Down do not work at all. Shift-Left / Right select text. Ctrl-arrows do not respond.

Total commander

Tab moves between the panels, Left-Right keys jump to the top menu and move the focus there. Ctrl-Up / Down work as PgUp / Dn, Ctrl-Left / Right as Home / End. Ctrl-XCV not implemented.

My files

Tab and Left / Right go between panels. Ctrl-arrows, like Total Commander, are the keys Home / End / PgUp / PgDn. Cut-Copy-Paste, Ctrl-XCV do not work.

SMS

The “Menu” key actually brings up the menu, but the cursor keys in the menu do not work. Ctrl-XCV, Cut / Copy / Paste function.

Email

Similar to the SMS program, but in the menu you can already move the cursor keys. Text is inserted without a space, while in SMS it is inserted with a space. This is surprising - because these programs are from one supplier.

The keyboard slows down and braking depends on the software: in Picsel it slows down significantly, and in Polaris Backspace it can erase several paragraphs after a little thought.

In general, of these offices, the keyboard is best understood by Polaris Office.

Work paradigm:

If you expect the screen to be “unloaded” after purchasing a hardware Bluetooth keyboard, you are mistaken. Poke into the screen will have, and will have a lot. The usual combinations are Ctrl-S, Ctrl-O, Ctrl-B, Ctrl-U, etc. do not wait. Ctrl-ZXCV work on the mood of programmers of different software. Shift-Arrows sometimes work as text selection, sometimes not. Ctrl-Arrows work like Home, End, "Start / End of Document" instead of what you thought. A single standard for how the keyboard should work either in Samsung, or in Google, or in both companies is completely absent. From the keys Delete and Escape will have to wean.

So you need to understand how the keys work in your applications in order to start using them completely. And it does not save you from working with the screen every ten to thirty seconds.

Pros:

• The first plus is still the tactile sensations of the shape and boundaries of the keys. Now it is quite possible to type the text blindly.
• The keyboard captures the tablet at a very good angle, allowing you to comfortably view the screen in a wide range of sitting postures.
• According to the manufacturer's assurances, the keyboard can work on a single charge for weeks. Surely it depends on the activity of using the keyboard. I am sure that it can be planted in a few days.

Minuses:

• The absence of a separate key to switch the input language will confound almost any user.
• The lack of such usual for office work auxiliary keys as Ctrl-S, Ctrl-O, Ctrl-W, non-standard behavior of Shift-Shooter and Ctrl-Shooter sensitively slow down the work.

Flight performance:

Weight - secret. By the eye of grams 300-400
Dimensions - 4 millimeters more than a tablet. Depth / Height 14mm independently and 20mm with a hidden tablet.
Autonomy - according to the site and this frivolous attached paper “weeks!”
Battery - soldered. With aging, it is proposed to throw out the device entirely. It is proposed to pick out the battery with the destruction of the keyboard for accurate disposal in accordance with local environmental laws.
Bluetooth connectivity with tablet
Price - 100 USD "there they have"
Frost - not yet tested
Water resistance - it looks better and does not check
There are no additional chips - there is no USB slot, no SD slot.

Personal impressions and conclusions:

For the first time I was able to use my tablet just to prepare this article almost completely. Only pictures made by phone, but text correction on a laptop. Previously, using the on-screen keyboard, I would not have mastered any article.

The Logitech ZAGG Keyboard Case will be a very useful addition to your tablet if you really feel the inconvenience of typing in a certain amount of text using the on-screen keyboard. The gadget compares favorably with the cover of the native company (in which the tablet is required to be pushed deeply) in that the tablet is easy to use alone when a full keyboard is not required. At the same time, it should be more convenient than the native keyboard dock, due to its mobility and transportability. ZAGG itself is thought out very carefully and with obvious love - it can be seen at a glance.

However, when a person has a tool for entering text into his Android massively - the dampness of the Google-Samsung product for office work rises to its full height. This and the non-standard effect of the keys in different software in the absence of a unified policy of working with the device. This and the fundamental difference between the “Back key” script will always fit (and the typed text is not saved) from the usual office “save-close”. This is the lack of a mouse, and, as a result, vague interaction of poking on the screen with a hardware keyboard.

It is clear that no one - neither Google nor Samsung have tested their products at the User Experience.

However, progress is evident. In the future, the tablet with the right design design can easily overcome laptops and laptops in office work and become a single tool for humans.

In the meantime, we hope to wait for this, I still recommend confidently thinking about purchasing such a gadget.

PS Not paid. Everything written is my personal opinion.

PPS Added price. Transferred to the general section of the personal blog.