As it says in the title—I am an Apple Smart Keyboard lover since the first day they came out. It was the only keyboard I ever used on my 9.7” iPad Pro (cramped as it was), and it’s the only keyboard I’ve ever used on my 10.5” iPad Pro. I used to try Bluetooth keyboards on other non-Pro iPads and just never liked any of them. However, a few things always bugged me about the ASK:
1) The “hump” when folded up and being used as a cover. Just doesn’t feel or look uniform.
2) The lack of backlighting.
3) The lack of rear protection, and subsequently in the second gen Pros, the lack of an Apple brand solution to that problem. (Though that nifty leather sleeve has been a constant temptation.)
4) The lack of volume and brightness controls, pause/play keys, etc. These are things I still habitually look for on the ASK and then remember they’re not actually there.
I was on the Macrumors forums last weekend browsing around, and was reading some posts about the Logitech Slim Combo, and decided that since I’m not planning on upgrading my 10.5” Pro when the new updated hardware comes out, maybe I could freshen it up with a new case and try a new keyboard out. I went to Best Buy and grabbed a Slim Combo. After about an hour of trying to convince myself that I liked it, I gave up. To me, it felt cheap, poorly designed, poorly thought out, and just plain fiddly in most situations. It went back to Best Buy the following morning to return it.
But while I was at Best Buy doing the return, I decided to look at what other options they had and stumbled across the Zagg Rugged Messenger for 10.5” iPad Pro. They had one on display, so I messed around with it a bit without an iPad actually in it, and it seemed like the opposite of everything I hated about the Logitech. I decided to use my refund money to try it out, so I grabbed one off the rack and took it home.
The most important thing on this case, the actual keyboard itself, is fantastic. It’s on par with the Logitech keyboards, which are always nice, and feels very close to my Magic Keyboard for my Mac, except for far less clackity. Its one drawback is that it does not use the Smart Connector, but it is supposed to last two years on a full charge. That’s crazy. It also allows two devices to be paired, and the quick switching is seamless and painless. The 7 key color options and 3 brightness options are cool too, but not super important to me.
The external part of the case is made from something similar to Apple’s Smart Covers or Smart Keyboards. It’s a silicone material that is VERY tough and resilient to damage. In fact, I had what looked like a stain or spot on the outside of the case when I got it and couldn’t get it off with water, so I tried scratching it off with a fingernail. Whatever it was came off after that, with absolutely zero damage to the actual material.
Instead of a spring loaded hinge like on the Slim Combo or a static one-angle design like the ASK, this case has a multiple angle magnetic flap that doubles as the back cover of the folio. The front cover is the keyboard itself that’s partially covered in a neoprene-like material. (I’m a bit concerned about its durability, to be honest, but time will tell.) This setup makes the iPad much more lappable than either the ASK or Slim Combo as there are no kickstands to deal with, and there is no flex due to a stainless steel plate reinforcing the keys. This is an improvement for me, as I would often forego using the ASK solely because the location or surface I was going to be working on would not easily accommodate its shortcomings.
But the MOST interesting part of this case to me, and this was a big surprise, was the middle portion when using it in “tablet-only” mode. It’s actually a standalone back cover for the iPad itself that attaches magnetically to the spine of the folio. It has an Apple Pencil holder on one side, which I thought I would hate, but I actually love. It is snug against the side and doesn’t add a lot of width to the over all package. The iPad sits flush against the edges so you don’t have to contend with sharp plastic edges or indents when using the pencil or just browsing around on a page. It’s also super thin and light and almost makes it feel like you’re using the iPad with no case at all. I was initially concerned that it covered up all 4 of the speaker grills with no holes for sound, but then I realized that it has vents around the sides of those spots that force the sound toward the user’s face rather than out to the sides. It’s a very well thought out feature.
When the whole thing is assembled and being carried around, it feels like carrying a thin-ish hardback book. No “hump” in the middle to position the right way, nothing flapping around, no worries about where your Pencil is. Sometimes I just pick it up to hold it because I can’t believe how well designed it is.
If it sounds like I’m in love with this case, it’s because I am. And I don’t say that lightly, as someone who has been an ASK evangelist for the last couple of years. I use my iPad Pro as a laptop replacement, but the ASK was starting to feel like it was holding me back. The Zagg Rugged Messenger, even though it’s a little thicker and heavier than what I’m used to, has given me that freedom back. I think it’s a keeper!!!
I’m very surprised that this case doesn’t get more attention than it does, and that it has so few full blown online reviews. I think it’s because it’s not a Smart Connector keyboard, but that seems silly. There are only two real options in that category, and they’re both lacking in some pretty big ways. If you’re looking for something streamlined, convenient, and powerful, this is the keyboard case you want.
1) The “hump” when folded up and being used as a cover. Just doesn’t feel or look uniform.
2) The lack of backlighting.
3) The lack of rear protection, and subsequently in the second gen Pros, the lack of an Apple brand solution to that problem. (Though that nifty leather sleeve has been a constant temptation.)
4) The lack of volume and brightness controls, pause/play keys, etc. These are things I still habitually look for on the ASK and then remember they’re not actually there.
I was on the Macrumors forums last weekend browsing around, and was reading some posts about the Logitech Slim Combo, and decided that since I’m not planning on upgrading my 10.5” Pro when the new updated hardware comes out, maybe I could freshen it up with a new case and try a new keyboard out. I went to Best Buy and grabbed a Slim Combo. After about an hour of trying to convince myself that I liked it, I gave up. To me, it felt cheap, poorly designed, poorly thought out, and just plain fiddly in most situations. It went back to Best Buy the following morning to return it.
But while I was at Best Buy doing the return, I decided to look at what other options they had and stumbled across the Zagg Rugged Messenger for 10.5” iPad Pro. They had one on display, so I messed around with it a bit without an iPad actually in it, and it seemed like the opposite of everything I hated about the Logitech. I decided to use my refund money to try it out, so I grabbed one off the rack and took it home.
The most important thing on this case, the actual keyboard itself, is fantastic. It’s on par with the Logitech keyboards, which are always nice, and feels very close to my Magic Keyboard for my Mac, except for far less clackity. Its one drawback is that it does not use the Smart Connector, but it is supposed to last two years on a full charge. That’s crazy. It also allows two devices to be paired, and the quick switching is seamless and painless. The 7 key color options and 3 brightness options are cool too, but not super important to me.
The external part of the case is made from something similar to Apple’s Smart Covers or Smart Keyboards. It’s a silicone material that is VERY tough and resilient to damage. In fact, I had what looked like a stain or spot on the outside of the case when I got it and couldn’t get it off with water, so I tried scratching it off with a fingernail. Whatever it was came off after that, with absolutely zero damage to the actual material.
Instead of a spring loaded hinge like on the Slim Combo or a static one-angle design like the ASK, this case has a multiple angle magnetic flap that doubles as the back cover of the folio. The front cover is the keyboard itself that’s partially covered in a neoprene-like material. (I’m a bit concerned about its durability, to be honest, but time will tell.) This setup makes the iPad much more lappable than either the ASK or Slim Combo as there are no kickstands to deal with, and there is no flex due to a stainless steel plate reinforcing the keys. This is an improvement for me, as I would often forego using the ASK solely because the location or surface I was going to be working on would not easily accommodate its shortcomings.
But the MOST interesting part of this case to me, and this was a big surprise, was the middle portion when using it in “tablet-only” mode. It’s actually a standalone back cover for the iPad itself that attaches magnetically to the spine of the folio. It has an Apple Pencil holder on one side, which I thought I would hate, but I actually love. It is snug against the side and doesn’t add a lot of width to the over all package. The iPad sits flush against the edges so you don’t have to contend with sharp plastic edges or indents when using the pencil or just browsing around on a page. It’s also super thin and light and almost makes it feel like you’re using the iPad with no case at all. I was initially concerned that it covered up all 4 of the speaker grills with no holes for sound, but then I realized that it has vents around the sides of those spots that force the sound toward the user’s face rather than out to the sides. It’s a very well thought out feature.
When the whole thing is assembled and being carried around, it feels like carrying a thin-ish hardback book. No “hump” in the middle to position the right way, nothing flapping around, no worries about where your Pencil is. Sometimes I just pick it up to hold it because I can’t believe how well designed it is.
If it sounds like I’m in love with this case, it’s because I am. And I don’t say that lightly, as someone who has been an ASK evangelist for the last couple of years. I use my iPad Pro as a laptop replacement, but the ASK was starting to feel like it was holding me back. The Zagg Rugged Messenger, even though it’s a little thicker and heavier than what I’m used to, has given me that freedom back. I think it’s a keeper!!!
I’m very surprised that this case doesn’t get more attention than it does, and that it has so few full blown online reviews. I think it’s because it’s not a Smart Connector keyboard, but that seems silly. There are only two real options in that category, and they’re both lacking in some pretty big ways. If you’re looking for something streamlined, convenient, and powerful, this is the keyboard case you want.
