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A**E
Full-featured Bluetooth Keyboard Case
We have had a first-generation iPad since they first came out. Though it is getting a bit long-in-the-tooth in the technology department, it still works great and has never been damaged. One of the reasons the old thing is still cranking along is that it has been in an Apple case almost since day 1. (the reason it wasn't in the case from day 1 is that the Apple Store didn't have any cases in stock at the time I got the iPad. I had to hunt around to find one, so the first few days of ownership we were pretty ginger with it. An iPad out of the case is slippery!)My wife is the primary user of that iPad and the case has preserved it through much travel and an occasional drop to the floor -- not to mention gentle ministrations of our grandchildren who play with it constantly when they are over.So when it came time for me to buy my own iPad (an iPad mini Retina Display) the first thing I thought about was what sort of case to get for it.I bought the mini at Walmart but just a cursory look at their inventory of cases told me they did not have what I wanted. I was looking for a Bluetooth keyboard with excellent protection and not in hot pink. Not Otterbox level perhaps, but I wanted it to be stout. I wanted the outer surface of the case to not be slippery, either. These things can get away from you quite easily; slide off your lap and hit the deck before you know it. I wanted the surface to be somewhat tacky while not looking too tacky, if you get the drift.For me, weight was not a big consideration. Protection and the keyboard were what I was after.The highest-rated cases for the retina minis that had what I wanted were the Sharkk and New Trent Airbender Mini. After watching video reviews of both cases I picked the Airbender, mostly because the review of it I watched was clear about showing the outer skin of silicone rubber being applied. It is this "skin" that gives the case more tactile grip as well as protecting the contents from fracture if I happen to drop it.The case arrived in a well-designed retail box, shipped by Amazon in a large padded manilla envelope. This method was more than adequate for such a sturdy item. The case is shipped assembled, so you will have to take it apart to get the iPad into it. You begin by separating the two clamshell pieces. The metal "hinge arm" separates from iPad half of the case by compressing two spring-loaded catches that function exactly like a lens cap on an SLR but with much heavier springs. Then you peel off the silicone rubber outer blanket revealing a screen protector front and black plastic back. You separate these two halfs and then making sure you have your iPad oriented properly with the buttons/ports lining up with the appropriate cutouts, snap the two case halves back together.Next, you have to maneuver the silicone blanket back into position. I found the most difficult part of this to be getting the "home" button cover to go back into position. There are 4 tiny rubber nubs on the underside of the button cover that are difficult to get into the channels they are supposed to sit in. The way I finally succeeded was by inserting the home button cover first, sort of sliding it into position, then, once the nubs were all seated, working my way around the case fitting the rest of the outer shell.After this it's a simple matter to reattach the hinge via the lenscap apparatus and go to town.Except you won't, at least if you were me. The supplied keyboard was not charged hardly at all when it arrived so there was not enough energy left in the battery to pair it with the iPad. So I charged it up. I think it took about an hour or so to indicate fully charged. From there, pairing is easy.The keyboard itself is, as has been mentioned, is quite small; which is fine. It's an iPad mini we are talking about. I have very large hands and use touch typing. Though my hands barely fit on the thing I can still make it work, much better than the onscreen keyboard that comes with IOS. Keys feel solid enough and make data entry much easier. I have had a few instances of the device losing its pairing, probably because I have inadvertently hit the connect button while fiddling with the screen.Which brings me to a possible detractor of the case and that is balance. You have to maneuver the hinge, which slides in and out of the keyboard base of the case and then set the hinge angle just so to get this thing to sit upright. If you do not get it correct the iPad in the upper clamshell will tip the thing over backwards. This is particularly noticeable when you are using the mini in your lap or on a soft surface. If you have the device on a desk or table the protruding hinge plate will keep it upright.Overall, I am most pleased with the good solid protection this case provides for the iPad mini. It feels really sturdy and adds that tactile ability to grab and hold onto your otherwise slippery iPad.Pros:Very solid construction and heavy materials, absolutely perfect fit for the iPad Retina mini. Super quality.Excellent keyboard for its sizeAble to orient iPad in either portrait or widescreen mode depending upon application.Flawless screen protector very sensitive to gesture controlExcellent tactile feel with the outer covering of silicone rubberFull functionality of the sleep/wake sensor found in the Apple Smart Case/coverCons:Exterior hinge mechanism and lens-cap a bit bulky making it harder to pack than some other cases.Heavy.Poor lap balance.Overall, I give this case 5 stars. It is exactly what I was looking for and the quality was much better than I was expecting it to be. It is definitely worth it to skip the cheap cases at Walmart or the expensive ones at the Apple Store and simply order one of these from Amazon. It is a very nice case.
T**S
Should be a 5 star review,BUT...
Writing this review on 4/25/15Everything about this product delivers...when you get it set up,you'll swear you just purchased a mini laptop! The look,feel and more so it seems as thou it was factory built with the ipad mini already inside,that's how tight it is.However,3 issues,depending on your needs and temperament,are for me,big deals.1)It's tight,so tight,that i almost was unable to open it to get the tablet inside. I had trouble even finding the silicone as it is so hard i thought it was part of the plastic. Once in,it is equally dificult to get it out,not so with other protective covers I've tried. I should explain that i was intent on purchasing a keyboard with a protective cover,(i had dropped mine twice)this was hard to find,most offer a keyboard,but no real protection for your tablet. I had my ipad in a "Pepkoo" highly recomend it BTW. It has a large,soft easy to remove silicone frame and all the ports are very easy to access,no keyboard though!Once i tore it open,i really thought i would break it,the cover device was also equally hard to open and that is hard plasic. But all went well...the two you tube reviews i could find don't mention this. Again,once put ittogether,it is AWSOME! And so far no trouble with keyboard. It works well...but if you don't type alot otherwise,it takes some time to get use to the ipad not making letters capital after a paragraph,sentence,etc...i was so use to typing on the mini i forgot i have to think about using the shift key..stupid stuff like that. For me it is responsive and i have no complaints with it.2)The port for the headphone is impossible to use!!! If i had known this i would not have not purchased the product,but now that i have it i'm glad i do. My hands were numb from holding and typing on the mini directly,so i had to do something,but, i use the headphone port all the time. The design around this one port is almost like they messured wrong and decided to F it!!! It simply cant be accessed i have many jacks and accessories,none are small enough. It doesn't work! And they had to have known this. i know for many it will be moot,but if you want to use headphones and do frequently,then you have to take it out and that it why i went into the long discussion of it's being so difficult to open.3) The port for the home button is toutchy as well. I get it to work,sometimes. but that is not too big of a deal. The options are it fitting well,or letting it kinda hang,. Since i have to open mine up to use the headphones,it has to be dealt with repeatedly. This was mentined on the you tube review.If you don't care about the headphones,or opening it up all the time to use the port you will be 5 star happy with this product. It is that good once you have it in the cover. Like i said..it is like is was a factory made mini laptop. It is going to be resistant from dust,water and the world,not proof,but resistant. It isn't going to protect like a "Pepkoo",you don't want to drop it like you can with that,esp. with the keyboard attatched,but it will protect it from the elements.If it were not for the ports i would have given this a 5 STAR RATING!Addition on 4/27/15I like this product so much that i wanted to add a developement. if i had known like i said that i would have to remove the mini from the case everytime i needed headphones,i would have passed. But after owning this product i was bound to resolve it. like i keep saying..it is a very good product. i have many jacks,some tiny,but none worked. This AM i was cleaning up and noticed a pair of ear buds that came with my Roku. The remote has a port for the buds which is awsome as you don't have a dangling wire. WELL,THEY FIT!!!! So now i have to,not take back my review,it stands,but alter it,as these ear buds do work. now if i can find a jack that is thar small to attach my good phones,i'll be 100%.Now that i don't have to remove the mini from the very sturdy case(esp. with painful,numb fingers,which are already 90% better now that i am not holding my ipad and typing on it)i have changed the review to the 5 stars i wanted to give it all alongBTW,the home button issue has many resolves,you'll find one and it's possible not everyone will have the problem.If you want protection and need a keyboard...it you work outside with your ipad,use it for photography,etc...or if you just have numb hands and fingers and have dropped you mini like me...GET THIS PRODUCT!...Ok,think i'm done now. i wrote this review on the new keyboard. WONDERFUL!
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