Why You Can Trust CNET ClamCase Pro for iPad Mini review: The best way to type on the iPad Mini
The ClamCase Pro tries to turn an iPad Mini into an itty-bitty tablet-to-laptop hybrid. And it actually does a pretty good job.
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I've never found typing on an 8-inch tablet to be a comfortable experience. But then came the ClamCase Pro for iPad Mini , and...things got a little bit better. I'm still not going to say that your dream writer's tool is an iPad Mini with keyboard. But, this ClamCase Pro on a Mini makes a case, literally, for being the best little travel typing tool for those who are just looking for an on-the-go keyboard security blanket.
ClamCase Pro for iPad Mini
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
The $129 accessory is, basically, a keyboard bonded to a folio case that turns your iPad Mini or iPad Mini Retina , when snapped in, into a veritable netbook-alike. Minus the trackpad, of course. It's available now direct from the company's website. (Pricing outside of the US has not yet been announced, but previous ClamCases are on sale, so it should be available soon. $129 converts to around £76 or AU$129. ClamCase itself does not ship outside of the US, however, but a third-party site may do.)
These types of cases are everywhere, but the ClamCase does two things better: one, its keyboard base can flip around so you can use the tablet to read, or prop it up like the Lenovo Yoga or many other Windows 8 flip-top hybrids -- and that keyboard deactivates automatically when flipped. Two, that keyboard's laid out much more logically than ones like the Logitech Ultrathin for iPad Mini . The keys are cramped, but you can actually type at a clip, and the layout isn't oddly compressed. My fingers knew where to go.
The ClamCase Pro's outer shell is white matte plastic, which feels durable and can take scratches well. Inside, the keyboard base is all aluminum, like a mini MacBook Air . There's even spiritual space below for the keyboard for a trackpad, which of course isn't there (iOS doesn't support trackpads anyway).
The keys, as you'd expect, are compact. But their layout makes much more sense than other small iPad Mini keyboards. My fingers were cramped, but I found myself able to get in a groove and write at a speed that was, at times, at least faster than what I could already do by tapping on the iPad's screen.
iOS-specific key functions are compressed into the number keys; just hold down Fn instead of Shift, which also adds the standard set of extra keys (@, &, * and the like).
Flip the keyboard around and back, like a Lenovo Yoga , and you can hold the Mini and use it for reading or other uses. The keyboard on the back is exposed, but it deactivates from Bluetooth automatically once the bend-back passes 180 degrees, so it won't interfere. This also means you can bend the ClamCase Pro into a table-stand mode for movie viewing, too.
The ClamCase Pro charges via the micro-USB cable included in the box, and a full charge promises months of use. Like most keyboard cases, I still haven't needed to charge mine after taking it out of the box. A side on/off switch keeps the case turned off when not in use, but you don't even need to use it; after all, when the case is closed or flipped around in any position other than laptop-style, the Bluetooth connection is turned off.
Pairing is a quick and easy process, too. I did have a few re-connection issues when flipping the case back open to type something, but after a few key presses everything ended up working just fine. The case also automatically turns off after a period of inactivity, even when opened in laptop mode. Again, just press a key, and everything reconnects. (Check your iPad's Bluetooth icon, and you can see the ClamCase's connection blink back to life.)
A few things are frustrating, however. The ClamCase Pro weighs 14 ounces (395g), which is basically the same as the entire iPad Mini. The added thickness and weight aren't deal-breakers, but they turn your Mini into something more like a slim netbook in terms of heft. Also, in hand-held mode and table-stand mode, the keyboard ends up exposed either on the back, or on the part that rests on the table, much like Lenovo's Yoga Windows 8 PC. The keys are deactivated, but you'll still need to keep an eye out for wear and tear, or exposure to random junk or puddles on tables.
None of this has made me dislike the ClamCase Pro. $129 is a lot to pay, but you get a lot: it's protective, not too heavy, and the keyboard feels good. It's even a fairly useful travel companion when you aren't using the keyboard. It's up there among my very favorite iPad Mini cases.