Logitech's K811 "Easy Switch" KeyboardHere’s the deal. I have a shortlist of musts for a keyboard:
- Bluetooth (I mean, wires? Really?)
- iOS & OS X compatibility
- Sturdy (well-made)
- Backlit
Bluetooth is a must for two reasons: 1) Wireless means less desktop clutter and adds freedom of movement and 2) Bluetooth built-in to all modern Macs and iOS devices means NO DONGLE to occupy a USB port and ultimately lose. Also, I want a keyboard that works well with OS X and iOS. The more iOS-specific keys the better, but a keyboard “Home Button” is an absolute must. I know, COMMAND + H is the same as pressing the iPad’s Home button, but having a dedicated key is much handier and there’s no key combos to remember. A sturdy, well-made keyboard goes without saying. I’ve wasted too much money on “bargain” keyboards with lots of great features only to abandon it because the keys were mushy and/or the whole keyboard was flimsy. I also really like a keyboard with a backlight. All too often I find myself in a dark setting and I’m not a good enough touch-typist to be anywhere near accurate without an occasional glance down to get my bearings. When using a keyboard that isn’t backlit, I sometimes find myself holding my keyboard up to the screen to see where things are.
Apple’s wireless keyboard only checks 2 ½ of the four boxes. Of course, it’s Bluetooth and of course it’s well-made, but it isn’t backlit and while it works fine with iOS for typing, it lacks any iOS-specific keys. Another keyboard I tried was the $30 Sharkk Backlit Wireless Bluetooth keyboard. It’s pretty well-made and certainly checks all the other boxes, but the backlighting shone more around the outside of the keys than through the key labels and I never felt really comfortable typing on it. It’s a small-footprint keyboard and for my hands, the keys are just a bit too small and a bit too close together. It is compatible with iOS and OS X, plus it has a mode for Android. You switch between modes via a well-labeled function key sequence. Don’t get me wrong, for thirty bucks you won’t find a keyboard that’s better made or has more features. The Sharkk is my second choice for sure.
For my first choice I turn to Logitech. Their $99 K811 “Easy Switch” Bluetooth keyboard is by far “King o’ th’ Hill”. No, it isn’t the cheapest keyboard around, but it does check all my boxes, and then some. First, its aluminum and glass construction makes it very sturdy and aesthetically pleasing. It’s just pretty and looks as well-made as it is. Second, it’s backlit. And not just backlit, the backlighting is predominantly through the key labels and has four manual brightness settings plus an auto-illumination feature that adjusts the backlight brightness depending on the amount of light in the room. It also sports a proximity sensor that turns on the backlight whenever your hand gets close to the keys. Thirdly, it’s designed to work with my Mac and my iOS devices. It includes the standard Mac keys plus a “Home” button for working on an iPad or iPhone. Lastly, is the K811’s Bluetooth capabilities. Of course it connects via Bluetooth, but it also remembers three different Bluetooth connections. You pair the K811 just as you would any Bluetooth keyboard. You can pair up to three different devices and you swap between connections by simply pressing F1, F2 or F3. That’s the “Easy Switch” part. If I’m using the keyboard on my iMac and want to switch to my iPad I simply press F2. Presto, the K811 disconnects from my iMac and connects to my iPad. I never have to go to “Settings” and do anything.
The K811’s keys are large, well-spaced and provide just the right amount of travel and feedback. I find I’m very accurate when using it and never feel cramped when typing. The K811’s footprint is just a tad (3/8”) wider than Apple’s wireless keyboard and virtually identical in height. It’s certainly sized to be portable. Mine stays in my laptop bag when I’m traveling and it easily fits into my iPad messenger bag when I’m ricocheting around town. It’s rechargeable via micro-usb and I’d be hard-pressed to guess how long a charge lasts. I can say I’ve never run the battery down and I’m terrible about charging it regularly. For sure, the K811’s battery life is best measured in weeks, not days.
Apple may have done some good things with their new “Magic Keyboard”, but I haven’t tried one yet. It certainly can’t match specs with the K811 and it sells for the same price. It has no multiple connectivity and no dedicated iOS keys, but for me the show stopper is the Magic Keyboard’s lack of backlighting. If you have a Ben Franklin to spend on a new keyboard, I’d be hard-pressed to recommend anything but the K811, even if you don’t need all its features. It’s just a great keyboard.