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Test driving the ClamCase Pro keyboard case for iPad Air 2 (Updated)
With the arrival of the iPad Air 2 last fall, many case manufacturers went back to the drawing board to produce new products that would accommodate the slightly thinner tablet. One of the favorite keyboard cases for those of us here at TUAW has always been the ClamCase Pro (US$169.00), and that case has recently been updated for the latest member of the iPad family. Specifications Dimensions: 9.74 x 7.30 x 0.74 inches (247.4 x 185.4 x 18.8 mm) Weight: 1.2 lbs (.544 kg) Battery life: 100 hours uninterrupted use time, 6 months standby time, recharges in 120 minutes Previous Reviews ClamCase Pro for iPad (May 14, 2013) ClamCase Pro for iPad Air (August 6, 2014) Design When it comes to iPad keyboard cases that stand up to a lot of abuse, the ClamCase Pro is the hands-down winner. The case features an aluminum body to hold the keyboard and battery, while the iPad Air is securely surrounded with tough polycarbonate. While it may not be the lightest or thinnest keyboard case on the market, the ClamCase Pro is certainly one of the most versatile. The case features a special hinge that lets the iPad be used in landscape orientation just like a laptop similar to other keyboard cases. But the amazing part of this design is in how the iPad can be flipped a full 360° for tablet use. The keyboard has a great feel with good feedback, and there are separate rows for the number keys and iOS function keys. Those keys include a "home" key, Spotlight search, cut, copy and paste, Siri, switch to alternative keyboards, and music and volume controls. There's also a lock key, a full arrow pad, and one special key to tell you how much of a charge is remaining in the ClamCase Pro battery. A single LED is used to provide users with initial Bluetooth pairing status, caps lock, and the battery level. There's an external power switch on the left side of the keyboard to turn the power on and off. Functionality As with previous models of the ClamCase Pro, the iPad Air 2 version pairs quickly with your tablet, requiring no 4-digit code to be entered. As much as I love the classic ClamCase Pro design, there are several things about the case that are beginning to seem dated in comparison with newer keyboard cases. For example, many of the new cases automatically power on and off and don't even have a power switch. That feature is quite useful, as I often found myself closing the ClamCase Pro "cover" -- which turns off the iPad Air 2 -- but forgetting to power down the keyboard. That's not all bad, as the ClamCase Pro does shut off your iPad Air 2 when the lid is down. However, if you're planning on watching a movie in the configuration shown below or you're holding the case in the "flipped" configuration seen above, you should probably use the power switch to turn the keyboard off or you may find you're inadvertently pushing buttons. Update: the ClamCase Pro does shut off the keyboard power automatically when it is in tablet mode. The design of the keyboard case also provides a nice palm rest below the keyboard, which is not only helpful when typing with the iPad Air 2 and ClamCase Pro in your lap, but almost necessary at any time. As light as the iPad Air 2 is, pushing the "screen" back out of the default position or typing on an angled surface can result in the keyboard lifting up. That makes it important for users to keep their palms on the keyboard in those conditions to ensure that the case and iPad don't take a tumble. After using some other keyboard cases for a while, there's one other thing I noticed about the ClamCase Pro -- the space bar is a bit noisy. I've really become accustomed to typing in complete silence on some competing keyboards. This, however, may be specific to the particular test case I was trying. Conclusion All things considered, the ClamCase Pro for iPad Air 2 is probably the most robust keyboard case I've had the pleasure to test. In my opinion, it really protects the iPad better than any other keyboard case on the market. On the negative side, it's still one of the more expensive keyboard cases available, and is also quite heavy in comparison to many competing cases. It's up to the buyer to determine if the protection and flexibility of the design outweigh the premium price and added weight. For anyone who wants to use their iPad to do laptop-type work, there's no better keyboard case to use. Rating: 3-1/2 stars out of 4 stars possible.
How a keyboard case can turn your 8-inch tablet into a productivity machine
What's up with 8-inch tablets? Microsoft reportedly canceled the Surface Mini at the last minute. Samsung's Galaxy Note 8.0 is long overdue for a refresh. Even the current class leader, the iPad mini, only came about after years of procrastination at Apple. Perhaps it's just a little harder to convince people of the merits of this category of device, compared to the greater pocketability of a phablet, the affordability of a 7-inch Android slate or the extra productivity offered by a full-sized tablet, hybrid or laptop. However, I'm happy to report that with a bit of smart accessorizing -- namely, the addition of a high-quality keyboard case that allows for proper touch-typing -- an 8-inch tablet has plenty of scope to operate as a serious productivity tool, if not an outright laptop replacement.
ClamCase Pro for iPad Air: The best keyboard just got better
With all of the Bluetooth keyboards that have appeared over the years for the iPad, there was one that really stuck out in my mind as the best overall and that was the ClamCase Pro. When it came to letting me type quickly on an iPad, have flexibility in how I viewed the iPad screen, and overall build quality, ClamCase did an amazing job. It took a while for the ClamCase Pro to show up in a version for the iPad Air, but it is now available to order for US$169 directly from the manufacturer. How does it stack up to the original? Read on. Specifications Dimensions: 9.74 x 7.30 x 0.75 inches (247.40 x 185.42 x 19.05 mm) Weight: 1.2 pounds (0.54 kg) Materials: White polycarbonate, aluminum Hinge range: 360° Battery life: 6 month standby time, 100 hours use time, recharge in 120 minutes, battery life indicator Special function keys: Home, search, on-screen keyboard, media controls, lock, cut, copy, paste, volume controls, caps lock, Siri, battery, Bluetooth Design Highlights Design-wise, the ClamCase Pro hasn't changed much from the previous version that worked with the iPad 2, 3 and 4. It's still made of white polycarbonate, has an aluminum base portion for solidity, and a unique hinge design that makes it simple to hold the iPad screen at any angle. Want to fold the keyboard out of the way for gaming? Not a problem. Want the screen at less than a 90° angle for "tummy typing" in a cramped seat somewhere? That works too. There are four small rubber feet on the bottom of the ClamCase Pro to ensure that your iPad doesn't go sliding across a table while you're typing. There's only one switch on the device; an on-off switch if you wish to shut the keyboard off for longterm storage. Other than that, the keyboard wakes up when you open the ClamCase Pro, and goes to sleep when you close it. Yes, this is a feature that many iPad keyboards provide, but I've found that the ClamCase Pro wakes and sleeps every time, while it's a hit-or-miss proposition for most of the other keyboards. The ClamCase Pro has a small opening for the Lightning port, speaker grilles on the bottom, an opening for the mute/orientation lock switch, holes for microphones and earphones, and pass-through switches for volume and wake/sleep. About my only gripe with the ClamCase Pro is that it's rather plain-Jane, but Apple's recent "Stickers" ad has given me a solution for that -- just cover the outside with colorful stickers. Functionality Highlights People who buy the ClamCase Pro for iPad Air are probably getting it for the protection that it provides for your tablet. Of all of the many iPad keyboard cases I've reviewed, I think the ClamCase Pro does the best job of keeping your iPad safe. Installing your iPad Air into the case is a cinch. It slips into the polycarbonate shell of the "back" easily, but is then held securely. My previous ClamCase Pro was dropped several times and even had some dings in it, but my iPad was spared from damage. I have confidence that the new ClamCase Pro will provide the same protection for the iPad Air. I've always felt that the ClamCase Pro provided me with the most "laptop-like" typing experience of any iPad keyboard, and the iPad Air version is no different. In fact, ABC News tested the maximum typing speed on various keyboard cases for iPad and found the ClamCase to allow typing at 76 words per minute (WPM), 3 WPM more than a Zagg keyboard and 5 WPM more than a Logitech keyboard. Above the top of the keyboard is just one tiny LED that is used for a lot of purposes: it tells you when you're connected via Bluetooth, it flashes to give you the battery level when you press the battery function key, and it turns on when you press the caps lock key. The keyboard layout is very standard -- a good thing, since some iPad keyboards do crazy things like cram multiple keys onto one key, change the width or placement of keys, and more. With this keyboard, my fingers always know where to go. If you're used to typing on an Apple Wireless Keyboard, your hands will feel at home here. What doesn't the ClamCase Pro have? No backlighting (which I've found fairly useless anyway since I rarely look at the keyboard). That's about it -- every other function you might want is built into this keyboard case. My only complaint -- and it's a minor one -- is that the price of the ClamCase Pro for iPad Air is more than just about any other keyboard on the market. At $169, the only keyboard case that comes even close is the Logitech FabricSkin Keyboard Folio at $149.99. Is the ClamCase Pro worth the extra money? If you want protection and the best keyboard feel in the market, the answer is yes. Conclusion My personal opinion is that the feel of the ClamCase Pro keyboard case for iPad Air is actually improved over the original ClamCase Pro. As a longtime fan of the Apple Wireless Keyboard, I have to say that I actually prefer the ClamCase Pro keyboard now -- that's saying a lot. It's pretty much the perfect keyboard case for the iPad Air at this point. I'm not even going to deduct a half-star for the premium price tag. The ClamCase Pro for iPad Air is that good. Rating: 4 stars out of 4 stars possible
ClamCase Pro for iPad mini appears at CES, available to order
If there's one accessory that I've been waiting for, it's the ClamCase Pro for iPad mini. Sure, there are a lot of keyboard cases for the iPad Air and iPad mini that have blossomed onto the market in the past few months, but I've been waiting for the ClamCase product for one good reason -- their ClamCase Pro for the iPad 2/3/4 is absolutely the best keyboard case I've ever used. It provides wrap-around protection for the iPad, while offering long battery life and a top-notch keyboard. Now the company has opened up orders for the ClamCase Pro for iPad mini. The $129 keyboard case looks like its bigger brother, but with a keyboard that is scaled down to fit the petite tablet. Noticeable changes include moving the various bracket keys, tilde and accent keys to function-enabled keys on the QWERTY row, some oddities with the comma, period, question mark and forward slash keys, moving the plus and equal signs out of the number row, and moving the colon and semicolon keys up to the right side of the QWERTY row. Whether those changes -- which are a necessity for almost any iPad mini keyboard -- make it difficult to type on is something that will have to wait for a full hands-on review. Like the existing ClamCase Pro for iPad and the upcoming ClamCase Pro for iPad Air, the mini keyboard case has a hinge that rotates a full 360 degrees for incredible flexibility in usage. The keyboard is made out of solid aluminum, while the case is hard polycarbonate with soft-touch accents. We'll be publishing a full review of the ClamCase Pro for iPad mini in the near future; in the meanwhile, if you have an iPad mini or iPad mini with Retina display, you should jump on the opportunity to order the case today for delivery later this month.
iPad keyboard case roundup: Logitech Folio vs. Belkin Ultimate vs. ClamCase Pro
Listen, you probably shouldn't be here. The iPad is a pure and carefully honed machine. If its designers wanted you to use some kind of ludicrous hybrid contraption that fused a tablet with a physical keyboard and doubled the weight, they'd have built one for you. But they didn't. So go away and don't come back until you've saved enough money to buy a MacBook Air. (Still here? Good, because we're about to compare three of the latest iPad keyboard cases: the ClamCase Pro, Logitech's Folio and Belkin's Ultimate Keyboard, designed to fit 2nd, 3rd and 4th-gen tablets. Read on for more.)%Gallery-186229%%Gallery-185199%%Gallery-186230%
ClamCase Pro for iPad: Solid protection, amazing keyboard
With this review, I think that we're just about through the Spring 2013 crop of iPad Bluetooth keyboard folio cases, and it appears that I've saved the best for last. The ClamCase Pro for iPad (US$169, currently available for $20 off with coupon code SPRING20) was a pleasant surprise, providing the best keyboard I've ever used on an iPad along with some of the best protection to be found on any of the new keyboard folios. Design The ClamCase Pro is designed to look like a little laptop computer. The area around the keyboard is solid aluminum, and the keyboard itself uses black keys with white lettering. The top and bottom of the case are encased in white polycarbonate, which lends a very clean look and provides excellent protection. The iPad is held securely into place with two barely visible clips on either side of the device, and that design makes it simple to remove the iPad when necessary. On the back of the case is a perforated "grille" so that sound isn't muffled, and there's a lower opening that accommodates either a Lightning or 30-pin Dock connector. As you'd expect, there are openings for the camera and headphone port, as well as the a small one for the iPad microphone. The on/off/sleep/wake button and volume toggle have their own pass-through switches; there is not a pass through for the seldom-used mute/rotation lock switch. The big difference with this case from all of the rest is the hinge mechanism that connects the bottom (keyboard and battery) section with the top (iPad) section. This hinge can actually rotate through a full 360 degrees, meaning that you can swivel the keyboard around to the back of the case when you want to just use your iPad as a tablet, or put it into a literally infinite number of angles for typing. %Gallery-188327% There's one button on the ClamCase Pro, a small power switch on the left side as you look at the keyboard. The battery, like those on most of the other cases we've tested, is recharged via a USB to micro-USB cable that is included. One charge should get you through about 100 hours of typing; that, of course, is longer than your iPad battery is going to last. The ClamCase folks say that the device will fully charge in about 2 hours, and that a case has a battery standby time of six months. When you want to check the battery life, there's a small "battery" key on the keyboard located near the arrow keys. Push and hold that button, and the white power light located in the upper right corner of the keyboard flashes up to 4 times (meaning fully charged) or just once to indicate that you'd better plug it in. The keyboard itself has a standard QWERTY layout, which is nice to see. Unlike the new Logitech cases with their EasyType keyboards, there's no need to type "Fn-Q" to hit the Tab key or "Fn-A" to go into Caps Lock. The keys are just there. There's also a separate top row of keys so that you don't need to use a function key to perform tasks like changing the volume on your iPad or cut/copy/paste. Functionality The ClamCase Pro had one interesting effect on me; I kept thinking that I was typing on an 11" MacBook Air and continually tried to use the non-existent trackpad. It has that solid feeling of one of Apple's diminutive laptops. I never once had the feeling that the screen was going to flop over, and although I'm not going to try it out, I think this case could protect your iPad from a drop quite well. Previously, my favorite iPad keyboard was the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover. Well, move over Logitech. The keyboard on the ClamCase Pro actually feels better to me than my favorite Mac keyboard -- Apple's Wireless Keyboard. Since I spend my life sitting at a keyboard, I can tell almost immediately if I'm going to love or hate a keyboard, and my first impression of the ClamCase Pro was very positive. Writing this post on a third-generation iPad using Daedalus cemented that impression -- this keyboard has wonderful positive feedback, quiet keys, and a touch that encourages typing. ClamCase's website cites an ABC News test that shows that the keyboard can result in a higher number of words per minute typed, and I can entirely believe that. My fingers didn't need to search for certain keys like they did on the latest crop of Logitech cases; everything was exactly where I expected it to be. If there's one downside to the ClamCase Pro, it's the weight. This thing weighs 1.5 pounds, which means with the iPad added in you're looking at a total weight of just about 3 pounds. That's almost identical to the weight of a 13" MacBook Air and almost .6 pounds more than an 11" MBA. The ClamCase Pro, like any other keyboard folio case, is going to add thickness to your iPad as well. It's .85 inches thick, which is .17" thicker than a MacBook Air. This brings up the old debate about whether one should buy a light MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, or just use an iPad with something like a ClamCase. There's certainly no lack of applications in the iPad world now, and with a top-notch keyboard like that in the ClamCase Pro you can definitely get your work done efficiently. Price-wise, someone could buy a 64 GB Wi-Fi iPad with Retina display and ClamCase Pro for $868, less than the $999 cost of a 64 GB 11" non-Retina MacBook Air. The ClamCase Pro pairs with your iPad with the press of a Bluetooth button that's on the keyboard and a tap on the ClamCase Pro name in the Bluetooth settings on the iPad. It has magnets to shut off your iPad when closed, and turn it back on when you pop the top open again. However, this doesn't help you when you flip the keyboard over into "tablet mode," as you can end up knee-typing. So, when using your iPad as Steve Jobs intended, be sure to hit the power switch. There's one little quirk I noticed with the case design. There are four little rubber feet on the bottom of the case that are probably designed to keep it from sliding on a desktop. That works fine, provided that the case is closed. When you open it, the hinge extends down onto the surface you have the case on and pushes two of the feet off of the surface, making it susceptible to sliding. Conclusion Pros Excellent keyboard, one of the best I've used on Mac, PC or iPad Completely unique 360-degree hinge holds the "screen" in place regardless of how you have the case configured Probably the sturdiest iPad keyboard case TUAW has ever tested Very fast pairing process, built-in battery level capability Good battery life; much longer than your iPad battery is going to last Power button is easy to find and shut off, making it easy to power down the keyboard when using the iPad as a tablet Cons Fairly heavy; with the iPad installed, it's about the same weight of a 13" MacBook Air One of the most expensive iPad keyboard cases we've tested; however, it's worth every dime Who is it for? Professionals who are thinking about using an iPad and keyboard case as a replacement for a traditional laptop or anyone who wants the best possible experience with a keyboard case.
ClamCase Pro released, latest iteration of iconic iPad keyboard case
ClamCase reported today that the newest version of their ClamCase iPad keyboard case is available for order with shipping expected in February. The ClamCase Pro (US$169) is a redesign of the original model and uses an aluminum and white polycarbonate enclosure that compliments the design of the iPad. Usable on the second- through fourth-generation iPads, the ClamCase Pro has a more robust battery for literally months of use per charge. Pairing with your iPad is now much easier, requiring only a single push of a button to pair and begin typing. The case not only serves as an elevated keyboard for the iPad, but also swivels around 360 degrees, making it incredibly easy to use your tablet as a ... tablet. We're hoping to get a ClamCase Pro soon for a full review. In the meantime, feast your eyes on a video showing off the sleek lines and flexibility of this new keyboard case.
ClamCase Pro makes your iPad look like a thick MacBook Air
When we reviewed the original ClamCase, we found a few flaws that kept it from being a homerun: a cramped keyboard, a mediocre plastic build and a cumbersome power switch. It was decent, but it could have been better. The peripheral's makers seemed to agree -- the ClamCase Pro addresses every single one of our original complaints. Although the Pro is still a double-jointed iPad Bluetooth Keyboard at heart, it now features a more widly spaced chicklet keyboard, aluminium and polycarbonate construction and automatic wake / sleep functions, to keep its battery life in check. Drop in your tablet, and the whole package looks a lot like something that might come straight from Cupertino. Groundbreaking? No, but it's always nice to see follow up product directly answer its predecessor's flaws. The ClamCase Pro is compatible with the iPad 2 and up, too -- so you won't have to worry about buying different versions for multiple generations. The asking price sits at $170 -- but the company will toss you a $20 discount if you "like" them on Zuckerberg's social network.
