Short summary: I've had this dock at my bedside for a week or so and I am happy with it, but I would not pay a premium over list price for it.
If you have an iPad, you will want a dock. The long charging period for a completely discharged iPad--several hours--means it will be spending a fair amount of time hooked up to the wall and it's nice if it can do something useful then. You should probably get in the habit of putting it in its dock while you sleep. if nothing else you can use the iPad as an expensive photo frame and music player. If the dock is on your desk, then this dock is definitely the way to go as it will make text entry much less stressful--I would not say much faster, as I can type nearly as fast on an iPad virtual keyboard as on a physical keyboard but it takes much more of my concentration to avoid errors, and my hand position is often awkward on the virtual keyboard. Even if the dock is at your bedside, like mine, the keyboard is still useful as I can sit up to dash off quick notes, and also access the line of specialized buttons along the top row to control the device.
The keyboard portion of the dock will work with some iDevices running iOS 4. For example, my 2nd generation iPod Touch works, while my iPhone 3G does not. The docks audio out feature does work with the iDevices I've tried and sounds great. The iPhone 4 will not fit in this dock due to its square profile.
Things to watch out for: You can't use the dock and the Apple branded iPad case. I'd recommend getting another case, as I do not like the Apple one, too bulky and hard to access the controls--I use a lovely Gelaskin to protect against scratches. The dock does not come with a charger module. You will have to buy a separate 10W charger or use the one which came with your iPad. The dock's audio out is a line out, which means you cannot control volume from either the iPad or the dock, it will have to be controlled by the sound output device you choose: I have a nice 2.1 powered speaker system with a little twist volume remote. The dock sets the iPad in portrait orientation, so you will not be able to use the full screen size for video playback. There is no mouse support and mice make no sense in the iPad's GUI, so you will have to get in the habit of going from the keyboard to the screen for direct manipulation.
An alternative would be to acquire a simpler dock and a Bluetooth keyboard. This might be more flexible and would allow you to type in your lap while in bed. Keyboard Dock for iPad
The Good:
It works as advertised.
The Bad (depending your point of view)
- The connector is not long enough to connect iPad with most soft or hard cases. (you could purchase a speck hardshell which has a slit for the dock which in case this would not be a problem)
- The iPad essentially rests on the dock when connected without any clamps. So if it's tilted slightly to the left or right it will not make the right connection to work.
My recommendation is to get a cookbook stand and Bluetooth wireless keyboard because it's vastly more useful. I do want to point out that the wireless keyboard was not build for the iPad so there is one key missing from the wireless which is the home key. That suprising became one my most pushed keys when I used the dock- but still prefered the wireless.
It seems that one's experience of this product is all about one's expectations. If you want to leave your case on (regardless of it's design) while you charge or edit docs you may be disappointed. If you want to use it on your lap or in bed or the shower you may be disappointed. If you want the landscape orientation you will definitely be disappointed.
On the other hand if you want a relatively inexpensive, beautiful, rock-solid base on desk, counter, table top you will not be disappointed. The Ipad fits very snugly into the heavy, solid base and stays put nicely against a high plastic, somewhat sculptural support angle. My guess is that a device with wiggle room for cases would wiggle a bit when used without a case. So I prefer to uncase it and have it fit snugly.
It would be nice to have landscape but short of having two connectors on the device itself I don't see how this is possible. I suppose there is the alternative of a cable, stand, and bluetooth keyboard but that is too complicated for me. If you have to have landscape though.........
I hadn't noticed that the Mac keys are not fully updated for the Pad so that needs fixing but I do like the audio out. A USB or Firewire port for future enhancements would be nice but there will always be those among us who desire a whole Ipad computer with HDD and printer functionality.
I hope this was helpful.
Apple's iPad keyboard is basically the standard iPad dock melded together with the wireless keyboard. When at home it I find it a convenient companion for iPad recharging or email writing. The best part about it is the line of specialized keys including a home button that jumps right to the apps display (no need to unlock).
However, I'm seriously let down by its lack of flexibility. It requires the iPad to be perched in the vertical position, and even then it sits pretty unsteadily -- I usually unplug it while typing to keep it from constantly going back into sync mode with my computer. Although it looks compact in the picture it is roughly as heavy as the iPad itself and doesn't fold up easily to take on the go. There is a single "line out" for audio on the rear, but using it will disable the volume controls on the device. It seems kind of silly to still have to plug my speakers to the top of the device. A USB or HDMI outlet would have also been a nice touch considering it is supposed to be for the home.
If you are deciding between this keyboard or another, I would definitely go with a bluetooth option if I had another chance to purchase. The I-Connex keyboard looks promising, and there's sure to be better, more portable options as time goes on. I wouldn't be surprised in Apple even gives this one a redesign. - Ipad Keyboard - Keyboard - Dock - Apple'
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