Zagg Mate Idea, Issues

[rsmin]

Amazon has the original Zaggmate for the 1st gen IPAD on sale, for those that still need one.

 

[slothead]

Michael,
I think most of your points have been mentioned before. I didn't see you mention the cursor key mixup, but maybe I missed it. Regardless, I fully agree with all your points and you addressed them very well. Good post.

 

[richgalen]

I got my "2" last night along with the magic cover. By itself, the new iPad is a bit smaller and so doesn't fit as snugly into the ZAGGmate case. It stands up properly when typing, but it will slide out of the case when stowed. Because it is thinner, it also leaves the edges of the keyboard higher than the beveled sides of the slimmer device.

However, with the cover (the one that turns the iPad off automagically) attached, I found that if I place the device with the attach point facing up, then it fits properly and snugly. Not sure this is a marketing tool for the ZAGG folks, but it will allow me to continue using the ZAGG keyboard until a new design comes onto the market.

 

[ZAGG]

Interesting point about the cover and the ZAGGmate. I'll pass it along. I can also envision people using the Apple cover with the ZAGGmate for iPad 2 and flipping the cover over the back when traveling. I'm not necessarily suggesting it, but I know Apple will sell a lot of their covers and we will sell a lot of the new ZAGGmates and, well, you get the idea. Just to let you know, it will work, I've tried it. I'm going to stick to the ZAGGmate with an Invisible shield for the back of my iPad. I like it as thin and sleek as possible.

The new ZAGGmate for iPad 2 is nearing mass production and we are finalizing all the improvements. I can't mention any in particular until we start mass production, but you can bet this forum will be one of the first places you'll get to see the new version. Give us a few more days.

Also, a couple people have had difficulty finding our email. We aren't trying to be sneaky (if we were, we wouldn't have our phone number on the top right of each of our web pages) but sometimes it's tricky to find. Simply, go to any of our pages and on that top right area, click where it says, "Contact Customer Support," and the next page gives you the link to the form for sending us email. This type of arrangement cuts down on spam dramatically vs. having our email pasted all over our site. I hope you understand. Thanks, and keep your eyes peeled for the new ZAGGmate for the iPad 2.

 

[jtrosky]

Just curious (you may have already mentioned this and I missed it) - is Zagg going to release a "second" model for the iPad 1 as well or are they just concentrating on the iPad 2 at this point?

Just so you know, I WOULD be interested in up-grading my Zaggmate (for iPad 1) if it was improved-upon! So, there may still be a huge market there...

By the way, my super-glue fix for the little rubber feet has worked even better than I expected. The feet have not BUDGED one bit since I super-glued them! No more worrying about those damn little things falling off!! Yeah!

 

[ZAGG]

Glad to hear about the feet. Right now, we are concentrating our efforts on the ZAGGmate for iPad 2. After we get things going full speed there, we will need to gauge demand for an upgraded version for iPad 1. Obviously, it will depend on demand.

 

[wannaride]

My feet were lost long ago and my ZM has gotten scratched pretty badly as a result. Can we get new feet?

 

[michaelplogue]

Michael,
I think most of your points have been mentioned before. I didn't see you mention the cursor key mixup, but maybe I missed it. Regardless, I fully agree with all your points and you addressed them very well. Good post.

Thanks!

I hadn't really found the cursor keys as a huge issue in my case - it's defiantly nice to have them on a keyboard, though I don't use them often as I expect others do.

I'm actually to the point where I think I would prefer to have just a stand-alone keyboard that's not integrated into any type of case. 80% of my iPad usage is simply as an e-book and/or internet browser, with some drawing/sketching (at least currently). Having a separate keyboard has increased my usage of the device for typing documents. However, in most cases I do not need/use the keyboard all the time, and having it just sitting out on the table while I'm reading in a cafe or restaurant always concerns me - fearing that something could be spilt onto it (as I'd mentioned, I still use my existing stand - an Element Case 'Joule'). And shoving the keyboard back into my pack when I'm not using it also worries me - I know how easily these sorts of keys can get popped off (having done so accidentally on several other keyboards I've previously owned).

I'm also of the opinion that 'swiss army knife' solutions - where you are trying to combine several functions into a single unit (ie keyboard/case/stand) - generally don't do any of the individual tasks very well, as there are always compromises to get everything to work together. I much prefer to have single-task accessories that do their specific jobs very well, rather than to have a commingling of functions that doesn't do any of them well at all because of the inevitable compromises.

I think for me, the best solution (in regards to the Zagg line) would be to have a slimmed up version of the Zaggmate, with the majority of the edge being just at the height of the keyboard insert (with a deeper cutout in front of the space bar of course). And then just having a simple aluminum cover that can be placed on top of it (the manner the current Zaggmate fits over the iPad). You could eliminate the 'stand' portion of the keyboard, and either reduce its depth or increase its battery capacity.

You would end up with a very slim and portable keyboard (that you could use with any bluetooth enabled device), that would be well protected from getting banged up in a carrying bag.

 

[iChuckNorris]

I want one really bad....but I'm just not sold on how often I'd need a keyboard for the iPad. I still carry my laptop with me as well, when I need to type something up I just pull it out.

 

[kc2ped]

The height of the cutout and the rubber inside the front of the case is directly related to the need to keep the screen, which rests on that rubber, from coming in contact with the keys. I suppose you could do away with all support for the iPad across the front of the keyboard but then you would run the risk of that edge of the iPad being depressed into the area lacking support and levering the opposite side of the iPad out of the case with possibly disastrous results.

 

[michaelplogue]

The height of the cutout and the rubber inside the front of the case is directly related to the need to keep the screen, which rests on that rubber, from coming in contact with the keys. I suppose you could do away with all support for the iPad across the front of the keyboard but then you would run the risk of that edge of the iPad being depressed into the area lacking support and levering the opposite side of the iPad out of the case with possibly disastrous results.

Actually, all you would need to do would be to remove/lower the section directly in front of the space bar. The rest of it could remain and support the face of the iPad when placed as a cover.

 

[richgalen]

I haven't seen the new iPad or the new ZAGGmate, but this already exists for the current iPad and ZAGGmate. You just open the iPad support as normal and instead of placing in the notch you lay the bottom edge of the iPad against the aluminum at the front corners of the keyboard. This works great in landscape mode but in portrait mode the iPad is narrower than the cutout is wide and you are relying on the stiction between the back of the iPad and the neoprene inside the case to hold the iPad in place.

Stiction?

Great word. I'm stealing ...

 

[richgalen]

Michael,
I think most of your points have been mentioned before. I didn't see you mention the cursor key mixup, but maybe I missed it. Regardless, I fully agree with all your points and you addressed them very well. Good post.

Thanks!

I hadn't really found the cursor keys as a huge issue in my case - it's defiantly nice to have them on a keyboard, though I don't use them often as I expect others do.

I'm actually to the point where I think I would prefer to have just a stand-alone keyboard that's not integrated into any type of case. 80% of my iPad usage is simply as an e-book and/or internet browser, with some drawing/sketching (at least currently). Having a separate keyboard has increased my usage of the device for typing documents. <SNIP>

Interestingly, I have exactly the opposite take. When I got my "2" I decided I would go back to the tripod stand and stand-alone Apple keyboard (which is much closer to full-size) to see how that worked. In my case I found having to deal with stuffing three devices (iPad, tripod & keyboard) into my backpack was just irritating enough to go back to my ZAGGmate.

 

[Mountainbikermark]

My feet were lost long ago and my ZM has gotten scratched pretty badly as a result. Can we get new feet?

Any home improvement store, dept store like Walmart,Target, craft stores such as Michaels.
Though mine work well I've already got some semi circle ones in a drawer that I'll use if/when these fall off. Instead of flat they are like a ball,leaving less touching,dragging,whatever that can knock them off. Plus they can often find them in colors should you want them


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[stillestund]

Does anyone know if it is possible to get the keyboard to write the scandinavian (Danish) letters æ,ø,å ? It looks like a great accessorie for the ipad I plan to get, and I can't find any Danish keyboard except for the "big" apple bluetooth keyboard,