In terms of usability, a smartphone today lacks a friendly soft keyboard. With tiny display screens (even if we talk about a display as huge as a large iPad), the keyboard still feels smaller. Moreover, when you are used to a desktop keyboard or a laptop, you tend to end up being sluggish when using a smartphone or tablet—the speed of typing and the accuracy can never be achieved with an onscreen keyboard. So what do you do? Employ an external physical keyboard. Well, using an OTG cable or a standard wireless Bluetooth keyboard can be an alternative, but what one would prefer is mobility and portability. Here comes in ZAGG Pocket, which could be a solution for your keyboard on smartphone needs.
ZAGG, a company that many may not have heard of in India, has been into manufacturing high-quality accessories for smartphones and tablets. Their product range includes cases, protective sleeves, shields, keyboards, audio products and a few more. The intention is care, protection and usability for all expensive technology gadgets that we use today.
The ZAGG Pocket is a versatile keyboard that is very light, highly portable and foldable. Best of all, it works effortlessly with the use of Bluetooth technology. With a built-in battery that can last you for months on a single charge (depending on your use), you could be carefree and carry the keyboard around wherever you travel.
The Pocket is a foldable keyboard that is made from metal and ABS plastic. The Pocket employs a three-fold design and folds inwards into a thin long package, making it easily pocketable at 194g and 223.5mm in length (54.5mm width, 14.5mm height when folded). The keyboard is basically 85 per cent the size of a conventional laptop keyboard and suits all typing needs. The keyboard folds into half and then folds again into the upper half which holds the circuitry and battery.
The Pocket is an all-black keyboard with a metal top and bottom sporting a brushed aluminium finish. The Pocket is held by a simple magnet as a locking mechanism and opens up to reveal the keyboard. On the right side, you will find a micro USB slot which is used for charging the internal battery. You can use your Android charger or simply plug it into any USB port on your PC or laptop. A small LED on the right denotes the charge with a red colour. With a simple key combination, you can get the status of the battery, which blinks in green (thrice for full power, twice for medium and once for low battery). The LED glows blue denoting Bluetooth connectivity.
The keyboard feels and looks very feeble—thanks to the slim profile and plastic build that makes it look weak, but equally elegant. The keyboard is meant to be kept on a flat surface only and cannot be used on a lap. The rear half of the Pocket, as explained, contains the circuitry and the battery, which sits at an angle slightly more than 45-degrees. A small ledge or lip opens up to accommodate the smartphone where the device can sit comfortably. The ledge can hold a smartphone of any size, with or without a case. The keyboard can also support smaller tablets, but larger tablets and iPads are not recommended. The read has a kickstand to support the smartphone/tablet on the rear end.
Pairing the keyboard is very simple. As mentioned earlier, Pocket has a magnetic lock that also acts as a power switch. Once you open it, the keyboard turns on. Use the key combinations and pair with the smartphone, rest the phone on the ledge and you are ready to type away.
The keyboard has tiny Chiclet keys, similar to conventional laptops. But these are smaller, and yet comfortable. Those with stubby fingers could find it a little cumbersome. The keyboard has all the necessary keys, however, we did notice that the ‘Esc’ key isn’t present and that could cause a little issue with those used to an Esc key (Android or iPhones don’t use an Esc key anyways). Nevertheless, you can use the home button on the lower left which will take you to the home screen. There are two large space keys that can make typing easy, but the smaller keys, especially the tiny Enter key will need a little getting used to. All in all, the Pocket is a perfect companion for your smartphone and if you type a lot on that little device, and are usually at your desk in office or at home, you should opt for one.
The ZAGG Pocket is probably a unique product for many. While the keyboard may be a little expensive, this one can be used across a range of devices you own. We recommend the Pocket for those who are chatter boxes, and even for executives continuously on the move. Whether you are in office, at home or in a hotel, you don’t need to pull out your laptop to send those urgent long emails, or make changes to your online documents or even send speedy instant messages. The ZAGG Pocket is a quick, portable and comfortable physical input alternative to the sluggish onscreen keyboard. The ZAGG Pocket is available in India and priced at Rs 5,399.
