Logitech Tablet Keyboard for Android 3.0+ is a great tablet keyboard that works for the iPad, too
As you may have noticed earlier today, I recently gained possession of a brand new Apple third generation iPad. Of course, I also have my Google Nexus 7 tablet, and have just started buying accessories for it. The first thing that I purchased after a Skinomi screen protector was the $54 Logitech Bluetooth Keyboard for Android, something that I have actually had my eye on for quite a while. As an Android keyboard, the Logitech has performed quite well and is very useful, but I’ll be getting to a full review sometime later. For now, I just wanted to mention that since I had the iPad 3 sitting on my desk, I decided to test out the Android branded keyboard on an iOS device.
It isn’t entirely unexpected, but the standard Logitech Bluetooth keyboard connected to the iPad and worked without a hitch, despite the Android branding. Sensibly enough, the included stand is also platform ambiguous and works perfectly well with the iPad. Of course, none of the blue “fn” function buttons along the to of the keyboard work, which includes volume and media controls as well as some app shortcuts. However, the standard Android buttons along the bottom of the device actually work quite well. The home button functions normally, including double taps, and the search button brings up iOS’s universal device search option. Unfortunately, the back button didn’t work in Chrome or Safari, and the menu button also doesn’t have a function on the iPad.
While it may not seem like a big surprise that a Bluetooth keyboard worked with a Bluetooth device, there are a couple small reasons I decided to write this up. First of all, I was surprised that the home and search Android navigation buttons functioned as well as they did, despite being meant for a completely different platform. Also, Logitech sells a version of this same keyboard geared toward the iPad, but which is about $10 more expensive than the Android version on Amazon. Since the home and search buttons work on the Android keyboard, if a user can go without the function buttons buying the Android keyboard for the iPad could save them a few bucks.
Anyways, I was also sipmly quite glad to find that the accessory works across platforms, because it is certainly more convenient for someone who owns multiple devices like me to have one universal accessory rather than having to buy a nearly identical accessory for each platform. So, whether you have an iPad or Android device, you can follow the source link below to buy the keyboard from Amazon, or wait for my full review of the accessory in the following weeks.
[Amazon]
