- I'm Andru Edwards, and you're watching "Gear Live".
(mid tempo music)
With the release of the Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro,
Apple is aiming to show that now more than ever,
the iPad Pro can be more than enough computer
for a lot more people.
In this episode, I give you my thoughts
after using the iPad Pro Magic Keyboard
for a couple of weeks and tell you exactly
who this one is for.
What's going on Tech squad,
Andru Edwards here, Editor in Chief of GearLive.com,
and as I mentioned,
we're taking a look at the new iPad Pro Magic Keyboard.
Apple sent over the 12.9 inch version
and I bought this 11 inch version myself
because I wanted to try it with both iPad Pro sizes
to see if the experience was different enough to mention
when comparing the two.
I have links to both models down in the description below.
Now, let's jump right in, as I said,
I've been using the new Magic Keyboard for a couple of weeks
and in this video I'm sharing the features
that I love about the Magic Keyboard,
but I do have another video coming
that specifically addresses
what I think Apple needs to improve.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button
if you don't wanna miss that one.
By the way, before we jump in,
I just wanted to give a big thank you to you guys.
We're approaching 220,000 subscribers on the YouTube channel
and we just crossed 150,000 over on Instagram
and a even bigger shout out to those of you
who have become channel members on YouTube.
If you've watched, liked, shared, commented,
or became a member, you guys are what allow me to do
what I do for a living and the support is humbling.
So again, thank you.
Now, let's jump into what I love
about the iPad Pro Magic Keyboard,
starting with the build quality.
This thing is solid.
When you take it out of the box for the first time
and feel the weight, you instantly realize
that it's much more substantial
than the Smart Keyboard Folio.
When you open it for the first time
and feel the force needed to do so,
you get that it's a premium product.
So when you attach your 2018 or 2020 iPad Pro,
and by the way, kudos to Apple on making it compatible
with both models, you'll feel the pull of the magnets.
(magnets banging)
Just like that, and once it's in, it's locked in.
This makes you feel confident
that your iPad Pro isn't gonna fall out, and that it's safe,
and despite the entire package being top heavy,
it was made in a way that it still feels even and balanced.
Another thing I love about the magnets
is that this is the easiest iPad keyboard cover
to put on and take off.
You basically just hold the iPad up against it,
when you're done
and you wanna use the iPad as a handheld tablet,
just pull it away from the keyboard.
That ease of transitioning from one state to the other,
is part of why I love this thing so much.
The primary hinge is made of metal and is what's used
when you open and close the device,
and the secondary hinge inside the top cover
allows you up to 130 degrees of tilt.
The stiffness of each is great and you can set them
to the angles that you prefer and the iPad won't move
unless you physically choose to change it.
Next up, I wanna give a shout out to the Smart Connector
on the back of the iPad Pro.
This is what allows the instant connection
and operation of the keyboard, powering both the keys
and the backlight, as well as charging the iPad
through the keyboard's USB-C port when plugged in.
There's no need to head into your Bluetooth settings
and pair anything manually.
Just attach the iPad and you can start typing
and swiping instantly.
Next up, let's talk about the angles
that the Magic Keyboard offers.
As a longtime user of the Smart Keyboard Folio.
I can tell you that one of the main frustrations
that I had was the fact that you only had two angles
that you could use, and that's it.
Unless you turned it upside down and got creative.
The Magic Keyboard changes that by giving you a nice range
of viewing angles, up to 130 degrees.
You'll basically be using the second hinge to adjust angles
as the main hinge seems to be more for just opening
and closing the device.
I found the much wider array of angles
that I can use with the Magic Keyboard
to be much more conducive to typing and working
than what you get with the Smart Keyboard Folio.
Now, up next, we have to talk about one of the main features
of the Magic Keyboard, in fact,
it's likely the main reason to buy the keyboard,
that being the keyboard itself.
When it comes to iPad Pro keyboards,
I haven't found a better typing experience
than what Apple is offering here.
It's almost a night and day difference
from the Smart Keyboard Folio.
It's nicer than any third-party keyboard I've used,
including those from companies like Logitech and Brydge.
What you are getting is a full sized keyboard,
using scissor-switch keys,
which are similar to what you'd find
on the current 16 inch MacBook Pro or MacBook Air,
including a good amount of key travel
and like Apple's notebooks, the keys are back-lit,
which makes it fantastic for typing in a dim or dark room.
The spacing between the keys is nice too,
making touch-typing something that is easily doable.
Now, the 11 inch Magic Keyboard is a little smaller,
so I find typing on the 12.9 inch model
to be the better experience,
but you still won't find another typing experience better
than the Magic Keyboard, even on the 11 inch iPad Pro.
All right, lastly, let's talk about the sleeper hit
of the Magic Keyboard and something that many people
have been clamoring for, for years.
A real trackpad.
As I mentioned in my iPad Pro 2020 video,
which I can leave a link to, in case you've missed it,
all iPads running the latest version of iOS,
now support mouse and trackpad input,
so you don't need to buy the Magic Keyboard
in order to get trackpad support,
but it's sure nice having it in this all in one package.
The rectangular trackpad measures a little over four inches
from corner to corner and I found that at first,
I kept forgetting that it was there,
since it's such a paradigm shift
from the past decade of using an iPad,
but once you settle in and accept it,
it really does offer a whole new experience.
The trackpad's functionality on the iPad Pro
is surprisingly user-friendly and the way
that the pointer works and interacts
with the elements on the screen is fantastic.
Small buttons like X-icons for closing tabs
are instantly selected
when you move your mouse close enough,
saving you from having to precisely hit a small target.
When you move the pointer near text,
the circle changes to a text selection element instantly,
which then lets you highlight and copy or paste
whatever you're hovering over.
The trackpad also supports gesture controls,
letting you swipe with multiple fingers to switch apps
or return to the home screen.
In a lot of ways, it's an improvement over the way
we've been using mouse pointers for decades,
and I love that Apple rethought how it should work,
rather than just copying what's already been out there.
Any questions you have about this device,
please do drop them down in the comments below
and I will meet you there for further discussion.
Now, as I said, this device is not perfect.
This video was talking about what I liked about it.
I do have another video coming next,
which is gonna tell you about the things
that I think Apple needs to improve
or that they can improve on the Magic Keyboard
to make it an even better experience
when they eventually release a new model.
So again, if you wanna see that one,
please do hit that subscribe button down below.
If you wanna hear even more about the iPad Pro,
the Smart Keyboard and tech news in general,
be sure to check out the "Geared Up Podcast".
That's the show I do each and every week
with Jon Rettinger, where we take a look at the latest
in tech, gadgets and games.
Head to your favorite podcast app
and search for "Geared Up",
two words and not one, and you'll find us there.
Thank you so much as always, guys, for watching.
I appreciate your support.
I'm Andru Edwards, and I will catch you in the next video.