Hasta La Gadget!

The ZAGGMate iPad case comes in two flavors, both of which look like aluminum tea-trays, only smaller. The cases protect just the screen of the iPad, clipping on like an iPhone shell-style case, only in the front instead of on the back.

Both cases also double as stands, with a neat, hinged plastic wedge that flips out of the interior and pushes at the back of the tablet while the case’s lip stops it from slipping forward.

Then things part ways. The ZAGGmate keyboard-case contains an hardware QWERTY keyboard on its inner surface. Once the iPad is propped into place, the Bluetooth keyboard can be used for typing, and has the full-complement of media keys for volume, home, starting a slideshow and adjusting the brightness. A 510 mAh rechargeable lithium polymer battery provides juice for a couple weeks of normal use (and charges via USB).

I scoffed for a while at these keyboard cases, thinking that the iPad’s on-screen keyboard was plenty good enough. It’s surprising still just how fast I can type on it, but with iOS 4.2 and all its fancy multitasking ways, the iPad just got a lot better at doing work, and even the simple addition of cursor keys and keyboard shortcuts for copy-and-paste make a huge difference.

The ZAGGmate costs $100 in its keyboard form, and $70 case-only. Available soon.

ZaggMate product page [ZAGGmate]

See Also:

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• Gates On iPad: Needs Pen, Keyboard, Voice
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