Is it a laptop, is it a sleek portfolio folded up, or could it be a Keyboard Folio iPad 2 combination? I have tried different standalone keyboards with my iPad. Apple and Logitech have great Bluetooth keyboards that work just as well with iOS devices as with full size computers. Apple also has the iPad Keyboard dock, but to me that is an unpractical and overcomplicated solution. Sena is well established as a creator of great leather cases, and now they have integrated a keyboard in a sleek folio design. I will go through the pros and cons of the leather folio, and the integrated keyboard individually.
The folio is made from high quality leather, and has a nice glossy surface. Starting with the insertion of the iPad 2 this took me some time to grasp. There is no instruction with the case on how to get it in, but finally I found that the strap towards the spine could be folded out. Inserting the iPad properly is easy once you know how. The strap folds in behind the iPad, and holds it in place. There is a fair amount of leather covering the sides, and the impression is secure. Continuing with the leather around the edges of the screen the edges bulge somewhat. It gives an uneven impression, but from my experience it is hard to get leather to fit tightly. All the seams are well made, and there are no loose threads. Great workmanship shows in most aspects of the Folio, as with most products from Sena.
I like that all buttons, controls and sockets are available even when the iPad is in the Folio.
There are three slots for credit cards, or business cards above the keyboard. You can also insert larger papers underneath the actual keyboard. This makes the folio quite handy to keep track on a project.
If you are a gamer the Folio is by no means practical. All action games, and driving games are near impossible to play. Trying to hold the Folio like a steering wheel in Real Racing 2 is not feasible. Especially when you try to do anything in portrait mode there is nowhere to place the keyboard. Games that work are strategy games, and line drawing games where you can place the iPad 2 on a table. Drawrace 2, Flight Control and any type of chess work well.
The keyboard itself reminds me of my first encounters with laptops in the mid nineties. It is the same rubber material used in older cell phones underneath the buttons. It is quite responsive, but it feels wrong. When I write a letter only the part of the button I press responds. This gives a wobbly sensation almost like writing on a child’s play telephone. To me this limits the appeal for writing longer texts, and thus the general appeal of the entire Folio. The keyboard is after all both a big chunk of the price tag, and a big negative when it comes to using the Folio for other things than writing or protection.
As for keyboard layout this is a US standard keyboard at heart. There are some functions added to the F5 to F12 keys such as volume and media controls. A home button is found in the top right corner, and it functions exactly like the physical button on the iPad. You can even use it with the silent button on the iPad to take screen captures. A command key works just like it does on any Mac computer, and only the Function key seems a bit out of place.
Connecting the keyboard by means of Bluetooth is a simple procedure. Charging it using a micro USB from my computer is also easy. The internal battery has got a really good charge, and I have yet to run out. I have charged it every third night for two weeks, and gone one entire week without charging. That week only saw limited use, but still held charge well. There are lights for power, Bluetooth when connecting, and charging when hooked up through USB.
The Keyboard Folio from Sena combines great workmanship, quality materials and good design with a somewhat poor keyboard. To me this would have been much better with a more physical keyboard instead of the rubberized version it now sports. Still it manages to turn the iPad 2 into a laptop, and can be used to write at least shorter texts. By shorter I mean less than 1000 words, and hence most bloggers benefit from this accessory. For those into more professional writing it vanes in comparison with a proper laptop.
Final Rating
Keyboard Folio for iPad 2 at SenaCases.com $149.99
