Portable / foldable bluetooth keyboard - Microsoft @ $140-ish good value?

Forums › Laptops and mobile computers › Portable / foldable bluetooth keyboard - Microsoft @ $140-ish good value?

mdf

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#185330 18-Nov-2015 16:15

I am in the market for a good foldable/portable bluetooth keyboard.

The Microsoft Universal Foldable Keyboard (doesn't that name just flow off the tongue?) looks like a top quality keyboard, similar to the Surface Pro keyboard. I've used a surface pro keyboard before and they're pretty impressive for the size (particularly the depth). But at $140-ish, it's not cheap compared to most (all?) other options.

I don't mind paying this amount for something really good, but would be interested in anyone else's perspective as to whether it's good value for money or whether something half the price is just as good?

EDIT: grammar

EDIT EDIT: spelling "grammar" correctly

gzt

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#1430754 18-Nov-2015 22:46

Not the same as sp because of the 1" gap down the centre. Reviewers tend to have trouble with touch typing speed etc. In contrast the 'universal mobile' version gets very good reviews.

Surface pro keyboard is stupid expensive so it is in the same category.

mdf

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#1430764 18-Nov-2015 23:08

Thanks for that. I've spent much of the evening researching.

The Zagg portable keyboard sounded good (and had an interesting way of folding vertically rather than the traditional horizontal), but got some poor reviews on the build quality/feel.

Textblade is really small (I was expecting some kind of T9/predictive text variant for the size) but I know would drive me nuts.

WS has the microsoft portable one on sale for $99 at the moment. I will pop in to check it out. I worry it's just a little too big for what I'm after (really more a phone add on than a tablet, but I man-bag about most of the time so not a total deal breaker).

roobarb

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#1430809 19-Nov-2015 06:25

I have one of the MS universal foldable keyboards and I like it.

I use it with both a 640XL and an HP Stream 8.

I don't find the central divide a problem, but sometimes a key gets stuck in auto-repeat with the 640XL, presumably the key-up message gets lost occasionally.

mdf

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#1441949 7-Dec-2015 12:33

So I ended up going with the Microsft Universal Mobile keyboard (the non-folidng option) primarily due to price and availability.

Only day one, but pretty impressed so far. It's smaller than I realised (a good thing for portability) but typing seems fine if not quite as comfortable/fast as a full sized keyboard (obviously).

If I completely had my way, the keys would be slightly firmer (they are possibly a little spongey for me - personal preference only though), but other than that, really pleased with the purchase. Coonectivity is good and very solid build construction.

Wade

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#1442013 7-Dec-2015 13:55

I have the MS Wedge keyboard, not foldable but still fairly compact, got it from PBTech for around $40 on special a few months back, well worth a look if you can get one for the right price

BlueShift

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#1442022 7-Dec-2015 13:59

I have the Wedge keyboard too, its worked well with several different Android and Windows devices. The snap on cover that converts to a tablet stand is a nice touch.
Have just ordered a keyboard cover for the wife's HP Stream 8 from HP for $130. The Wedge works fine, but its a separate object, having it built into the cover adds convenience.

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Wade

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#1442037 7-Dec-2015 14:06

BlueShift: I have the Wedge keyboard too, its worked well with several different Android and Windows devices. The snap on cover that converts to a tablet stand is a nice touch.
Have just ordered a keyboard cover for the wife's HP Stream 8 from HP for $130. The Wedge works fine, but its a separate object, having it built into the cover adds convenience.

The Wedge also works nicely with iPad as well, I also have a Stream8 and was looking at keyboard case options but found my hands were too big to make it a pleasant experience lol the Wedge on the other hand almost feels like a bigger keyboard then it is