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Logitech Launches New 'Folio Touch' Keyboard Case With Trackpad for 11-Inch iPad Pro
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The malfunctioning keys and the hinged trackpad would be an instant return for me.
Yes. The only reason I have not begin the process of returning it yet is because I want to hear back from Logitech about possible solutions. I got so frustrated typing my post above that I am now back to using my Smart Keyboard Folio. It’s a shame because in many ways it is the perfect keyboard case for me.
This sounds a bit like all the problems the new Brydge keyboards/trackpads are having. They still haven’t fully figured it out yet, so hopefully it’s not the same situation for Logitech.
Hot dang! That looks great. I've been looking seriously at the Magic Keyboard but just can't justify shelling out 300 dollars. This looks like a great alternative, and at a much cheaper cost
This keyboard has proper Caps lock and Return key. On MK, it's too small. Also function keys are present on this.
Since one of the recent OS updates, Logitech keyboards don’t work with the default keyboard setting of “Automagic.” Keystrokes for specific keys simply won’t register. Set the hardware keyboard setting to “English (US)” or whatever your main language requires see if it fixes the problem.
Thanks. I saw that Jason Snell had recommended that and made the change. Unfortunately it has not solved the issue. Performance varies depending on app. Typing in Safari is the worst I've experienced so far. Scrolling with the track pad is inconsistent across all apps including Twitter and NYT. Disappointed that I have not heard from Logitech yet.
Waiting for reviews or others to report here how it works on iPadOS 13.
This is the first review I've seen of it (excellent review BTW) and it does NOT mention any of the issues that I am having.
Long time reader, first time reviewer here. Got my Folio Touch today, walked into my local Apple Store and there they were so I went ahead and picked one up. I already have the MK, so I’ve been testing both to see the differences. I love the fact that the FT is basically half the price of the MK, but I can honestly see why.
The keys, while functional, seem a tad mushy for my tastes. The MK keys have a nice satisfying click that just feels better. The mushier feeling of the FT doesn’t mean it’s hard to type on, however; I’m typing this review on it and it is perfectly adequate, not bad but not memorable either. The iOS shortcut keys are a nice touch. Apple definitely needs to add these to the next iteration of the MK. When measuring the two keyboards side by side, the MK could definitely fit a row in there.
The trackpad, as others have pointed out, is a diving board style. Not a fan of this style as I tend to click towards the top of the trackpad. Yes, I know I can enable ‘tap to click’ but I much prefer the sensation of the physical click. Scrolling is not bad at all, and gestures work equally as well as the MK. I do believe the MK trackpad has a smoother surface feel to it that just lends itself to a much more pleasant scrolling experience, however.
Weight is a BIG difference. It’s easy to feel how much heavier the FT is than the MK (not that the MK is a lightweight by any means). The FT also easily triples the thickness of the IPP. I prefer the leaner feel of the MK. On the other hand, I do feel safer knowing that all corners and sides of the IPP are protected. The buttons are covered but not hard to press, and the USB-C port is open enough to accommodate both the Apple USB-C cable and the various generic USB-C cables I have. The case does seem a bit loose on the top and bottom, but I have no fear of it falling out or anything. I just wish it were a bit more form-fitting, could just be a small QA issue. The magnetic strap to hold the keyboard to the case is a nice touch as well, no worries about the IPP falling out as well as keeping your Apple Pencil secured.
I read a few comments made about the feel of the material. Yes, it’s plastic made to look and feel like cloth. Again, I prefer the smoothness of the MK material. The positive I see to the FT material is so far I can’t see any smudging or dirtying up of the keyboard/case material. The edge of the keyboard does feel a bit sharp compared to the MK keyboard, so I don’t know that I’d be able to hammer out an 8 hour day without having to either cover my wrists or switch to the MK.
Lapability leaves quite a bit to be desired in my opinion. The kickstand does give much more range than the MK but just like my Surface Pro and Surface Go, the kickstand will bite into your legs. Granted it isn’t anywhere near as sharp as the Surface line’s magnesium kickstand but after a while you can definitely feel it (especially when wearing shorts). I couldn’t see using this anywhere that space was limited. It really does feel like a hybrid mix of the Surface Pro and IPP when using this case. The MK feels much more comfortable in my lap. Typing on my lap is quite bouncy with the FT, not so much with the MK.
Reading mode (keyboard wrapped around the back) isn’t too bad, if you can ignore the weight and thickness. One can pull the iPad from the case, but it’s nowhere near as simple as simply detaching the IPP from the MK. I’ll stick with just popping mine off the MK with one hand any day.
Drawing mode is great! The kickstand does put the IPP at the perfect angle for drawing. It’s still not quite as firm as I would like, but I‘m a bit heavy-handed when it comes to drawing. I‘m probably lucky I haven’t cracked my screen yet!
Media mode? Not much to say, it works as it should. IPP is propped up, you can watch whatever you want.
All in all, if you’re on a budget the FT is a good alternative to the MK. It will serve decently enough in just about any situation you may need it, as long as you have enough space.
The keys, while functional, seem a tad mushy for my tastes. The MK keys have a nice satisfying click that just feels better. The mushier feeling of the FT doesn’t mean it’s hard to type on, however; I’m typing this review on it and it is perfectly adequate, not bad but not memorable either. The iOS shortcut keys are a nice touch. Apple definitely needs to add these to the next iteration of the MK. When measuring the two keyboards side by side, the MK could definitely fit a row in there.
The trackpad, as others have pointed out, is a diving board style. Not a fan of this style as I tend to click towards the top of the trackpad. Yes, I know I can enable ‘tap to click’ but I much prefer the sensation of the physical click. Scrolling is not bad at all, and gestures work equally as well as the MK. I do believe the MK trackpad has a smoother surface feel to it that just lends itself to a much more pleasant scrolling experience, however.
Weight is a BIG difference. It’s easy to feel how much heavier the FT is than the MK (not that the MK is a lightweight by any means). The FT also easily triples the thickness of the IPP. I prefer the leaner feel of the MK. On the other hand, I do feel safer knowing that all corners and sides of the IPP are protected. The buttons are covered but not hard to press, and the USB-C port is open enough to accommodate both the Apple USB-C cable and the various generic USB-C cables I have. The case does seem a bit loose on the top and bottom, but I have no fear of it falling out or anything. I just wish it were a bit more form-fitting, could just be a small QA issue. The magnetic strap to hold the keyboard to the case is a nice touch as well, no worries about the IPP falling out as well as keeping your Apple Pencil secured.
I read a few comments made about the feel of the material. Yes, it’s plastic made to look and feel like cloth. Again, I prefer the smoothness of the MK material. The positive I see to the FT material is so far I can’t see any smudging or dirtying up of the keyboard/case material. The edge of the keyboard does feel a bit sharp compared to the MK keyboard, so I don’t know that I’d be able to hammer out an 8 hour day without having to either cover my wrists or switch to the MK.
Lapability leaves quite a bit to be desired in my opinion. The kickstand does give much more range than the MK but just like my Surface Pro and Surface Go, the kickstand will bite into your legs. Granted it isn’t anywhere near as sharp as the Surface line’s magnesium kickstand but after a while you can definitely feel it (especially when wearing shorts). I couldn’t see using this anywhere that space was limited. It really does feel like a hybrid mix of the Surface Pro and IPP when using this case. The MK feels much more comfortable in my lap. Typing on my lap is quite bouncy with the FT, not so much with the MK.
Reading mode (keyboard wrapped around the back) isn’t too bad, if you can ignore the weight and thickness. One can pull the iPad from the case, but it’s nowhere near as simple as simply detaching the IPP from the MK. I’ll stick with just popping mine off the MK with one hand any day.
Drawing mode is great! The kickstand does put the IPP at the perfect angle for drawing. It’s still not quite as firm as I would like, but I‘m a bit heavy-handed when it comes to drawing. I‘m probably lucky I haven’t cracked my screen yet!
Media mode? Not much to say, it works as it should. IPP is propped up, you can watch whatever you want.
All in all, if you’re on a budget the FT is a good alternative to the MK. It will serve decently enough in just about any situation you may need it, as long as you have enough space.
Nobody needs to know how you dress when using your iPad.
Interesting side note to this video that wasn’t mentioned, the cursor keys on the Folio Touch are not an inverted-T. This something of a deal breaker for me.
You must have a bad one. I just got mine and tested all of the keys, both in MS Word and in Safari (as I am now). So far everything works. There’s a bit of a learning curve for the keyboard (I use several different keyboards), but so far I’m pleased with it. The trackpad is smooth and responsive, much better than I expected. That said, I don’t use The NY Times app. I can’t stand it. The standard ipad Twitter app works well with the track pad.
Perhaps you have an intermittent connectivity problem with the electrodes on the back of the iPad. Try removing the case, leaning the connectors on both the iPad and the case, and remounting the iPad. I have no experience with this problem, so it’s just a WAG.
Thanks. Are you running the developer or public iPadOS beta as well? I thought about connectivity issues and wonder if my iPad is warped (though it doesn’t seem to be). I did try to clean the connectors but will try that again. Not sure it is worth it for me to order another one. Now that I am back to using the Smart Keyboard Folio I realize again (experimented with the Magic Keyboard when it came out) that it works quite well for me.
No, I’m just running the standard release version of iPadOS. 13.6 at the moment.
I had two Smart Keyboard Folios. The first lost the “up” arrow key to a butterfly keyboard problem. The second has a problem with the back cover staying attached to the iPad. I had been using a Logitech keyboard case that worked reliably but was bulky. This one is probably about the same, but because the ”new” hasn’t worn off yet, I don’t notice it.
I hadn’t thought of a bending problem. Given these things’ propensity to bend, it bears checking. Some may groan when they read this, but I’ve been successful at straightening mine when I notice a slight bend.
Tin foil hat on: Apple "asked" them to delay the release 12.9 version just as they probably did for the 11-inch version(It was released months after the MK).
I've only got the 11" because I felt the 12.9" would be too big to effectively travel with, especially on planes. That said perhaps the joke is on me now since the pandemic I'm not travelling anywhere.