Please advise me an inexpensive Bluetooth keyboard compatible with iOS devices and with the ability to connect to a computer via an adapter. And also with a convenient key layout for the blind.
Logitech has a lot of keyboards with the capability to connect to ios, mac and windows devices. I'm using a k380 to write this post. It has an USB to use on PCs but I had good experiences with the bluetooth connection.
Well, for a little more, I think roughly $130 CAD, I got myself the MX Keys by Logitech and love it.
I heard it on the Double Tap Canada podcast by Stephen Scott and decided to give it a try.
It's a full keyboard with numerical keybpad and can connect to three different devices via bluetooth or with the included Logitech Unified dongle. I currently have it using the dongle for my work Windows 10 laptop, and my iPhone and Mac using bluetooth and find that, whether connected through the dongle or bluetooth, there doesn't seem to be any lag.
I mainly got it because I was looking for one keyboard that I could use for the three listed devices, but also because I'm not crazy about the butterfly keyboard on the 2017 MacBook Pro, and using this external keyboard has made it better.
JUst now, I'm using an MX Keys keyboard from Logitech to type this. Logitech makes pairing and aspects like that very simple for blind people. I don't use the Logitech software and I'm only using the keyboard with iOS devices presently. There's absolutely no lag and I've never had it fail to register a stroke. The on/off switch is a tactile physical one. Also, it reports the battery level to the battery widget on iOS devices. The only thing you really want to consider as a possible negative is the keyboard's form factor. It's great for desk or tabletop use. However, it's somewhat long for travel and not well suited to use on one's lap.
One great find I've made keyboard wise is called a Keychron K6. Keychron makes a bunch of keyboards. They're mechanical Bluetooth keyboards and they build them splendidly well at very affordable prices. Especially if you go for the plastic versus the aluminium alternative. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of the Bluetooth seems to either be superb or horrid depending on which keyboard you get. I absolutely love the K6. It's a 65% compact keyboard well suited to travel provided you get a sleeve for it. Holding down the fn key lets you have multimedia functions like track skipping, etc. Sadly, it doesn't report batttery level to iOS. Pairing is easy and the switches for power and such are all tactile. There's no lag or missed keystrokes. However, the larger K8 keyboard suffers from a worse Bluetooth connection at least with iOS. I can't use it effectively due to the misssed strokes. Hhowever it works fine as a USB keyboard on my laptop.
I also still have a Microsoft Universal Mobile keyboard. It's as thin as a paperback book so there's not much key travel. However, it's very quiet and as portable as one could want. There are tactile multimedia and volume controls above the keys andan actual on/off button. I can go faster and longer on my K6 but if you need something ultraquiet, the Microsoft keyboard might be just the thing presuming they still make them or a similar one.
Best of luck with your keyboard hunt. My wife cringes every time I think to try yet another in a quest for perfection which never seems to come to a permanent resolution. I'm at a very nice plateau now with the K6 for travel and the MX Keys for my desk at the apartment. There are always temptations though. I've heard very good things about the Appple Magic keyboard for instance.
Hi. I'm on my second Magic Keyboard with numpad. Battery charge lasts 30 days. Keys have a lot of resistance, if you like that sort of thing. Physical power switch. USB to Lightning cable for power and/or data if you prefer a wired connection. My first Magic Keyboard lasted 4 years. I'm not sure exactly went wrong. The battery level indicated I only had 2 hours left, both before and after charging, so I replaced it.
Comments
Logitech
Logitech has a lot of keyboards with the capability to connect to ios, mac and windows devices. I'm using a k380 to write this post. It has an USB to use on PCs but I had good experiences with the bluetooth connection.
Logitech MX Keys
Well, for a little more, I think roughly $130 CAD, I got myself the MX Keys by Logitech and love it.
I heard it on the Double Tap Canada podcast by Stephen Scott and decided to give it a try.
It's a full keyboard with numerical keybpad and can connect to three different devices via bluetooth or with the included Logitech Unified dongle. I currently have it using the dongle for my work Windows 10 laptop, and my iPhone and Mac using bluetooth and find that, whether connected through the dongle or bluetooth, there doesn't seem to be any lag.
I mainly got it because I was looking for one keyboard that I could use for the three listed devices, but also because I'm not crazy about the butterfly keyboard on the 2017 MacBook Pro, and using this external keyboard has made it better.
RE: MX Keys
I think that’s what my wife is using. I’ve always had a thing for ergonomic keyboards, so I spent a little more and went with the Ergo k-860
Some keyboard experiences and thoughts
JUst now, I'm using an MX Keys keyboard from Logitech to type this. Logitech makes pairing and aspects like that very simple for blind people. I don't use the Logitech software and I'm only using the keyboard with iOS devices presently. There's absolutely no lag and I've never had it fail to register a stroke. The on/off switch is a tactile physical one. Also, it reports the battery level to the battery widget on iOS devices. The only thing you really want to consider as a possible negative is the keyboard's form factor. It's great for desk or tabletop use. However, it's somewhat long for travel and not well suited to use on one's lap.
One great find I've made keyboard wise is called a Keychron K6. Keychron makes a bunch of keyboards. They're mechanical Bluetooth keyboards and they build them splendidly well at very affordable prices. Especially if you go for the plastic versus the aluminium alternative. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of the Bluetooth seems to either be superb or horrid depending on which keyboard you get. I absolutely love the K6. It's a 65% compact keyboard well suited to travel provided you get a sleeve for it. Holding down the fn key lets you have multimedia functions like track skipping, etc. Sadly, it doesn't report batttery level to iOS. Pairing is easy and the switches for power and such are all tactile. There's no lag or missed keystrokes. However, the larger K8 keyboard suffers from a worse Bluetooth connection at least with iOS. I can't use it effectively due to the misssed strokes. Hhowever it works fine as a USB keyboard on my laptop.
I also still have a Microsoft Universal Mobile keyboard. It's as thin as a paperback book so there's not much key travel. However, it's very quiet and as portable as one could want. There are tactile multimedia and volume controls above the keys andan actual on/off button. I can go faster and longer on my K6 but if you need something ultraquiet, the Microsoft keyboard might be just the thing presuming they still make them or a similar one.
Best of luck with your keyboard hunt. My wife cringes every time I think to try yet another in a quest for perfection which never seems to come to a permanent resolution. I'm at a very nice plateau now with the K6 for travel and the MX Keys for my desk at the apartment. There are always temptations though. I've heard very good things about the Appple Magic keyboard for instance.
Apple Magic Keyboard with numpad
Hi. I'm on my second Magic Keyboard with numpad. Battery charge lasts 30 days. Keys have a lot of resistance, if you like that sort of thing. Physical power switch. USB to Lightning cable for power and/or data if you prefer a wired connection. My first Magic Keyboard lasted 4 years. I'm not sure exactly went wrong. The battery level indicated I only had 2 hours left, both before and after charging, so I replaced it.
Good luck!
Bruce
Comparing the Ergo K860 and the MX Keys
Hi everyone. Was just scrolling through the comments and I'm curious about the Ergo K860 and the MX Keys. What do you think about those two keyboards?