Apple iPad Keyboard Case Alternative Solution

An alternative to the EXPENSIVE Apple products.

My recommendation: Skip the review and just buy both…

Review – https://youtu.be/TXu6480LuYc

Hopefully I’ve got a good review for you specifically for the iPad keyboard case alternative but this is going to apply to a number of models in search of the best case. So I’m going to actually be showing you two different things tonight: the iPad case that I selected after going through several different cases, as well as a keyboard. Now you’re going to notice right off the bat this is not the Apple branded keyboard. Apple makes good products, there’s no doubt about it. The problem, there’s a fundamental flaw in the Apple Keyboard Folio, the Smart Keyboard and even the one with the trackpad. This lead to a search for an iPad keyboard case alternative.

So I’ve got this Fentie case and we’ll come back to in just a few minutes. But before I get into the case and the keyboard, let’s talk about what’s wrong with the Apple Keyboard. So this is the latest generation with the larger camera bump on the back…that still has mobile apps do not port to a full-size iPad. Which means you’re locked into a vertical orientation and there are some apps out there that even though they do go full size on the iPad. They only allow you to use vertical and TikTok is one of those apps. It does have a horizontal orientation but when you go to editing your videos you’re locked into a vertical. So, if you’re trying to edit content on your iPad Pro and you’ve got a case that locks in, and it forces you to be horizontal when you want to do vertical content, fundamentally flawed, because if I need to go to a vertical app, it just doesn’t work at all. The keyboard shuts off, it’s not Bluetooth connected, it’s connected by the dots on the back of the iPad right here.

So the keyboard is useless then when you start looking at some of the finer details the edges of the case are sharp I had to put some felt on this to try to even use this case right here I wanted to like it I went into best buy to try out the higher end the 300 apple smart keyboard and I mean it just it wasn’t useful.

So the search began for an iPad keyboard case alternative.  I’ve tried a few different cases and a few different keyboards the Fentie case that I came up with the iPad pro locks in there’s a place for the pencil to magnetically attach and charge but most importantly you’re going to notice that the Fentie case allows for a vertical orientation so if I’m using TikTok to edit content or I’m using Splice or there are a few others. Lik

iPad Keyboard Case Alternative
iPad with Case in a VERTICAL orientation

e I’ve got an app called Wyze. If you’re familiar with the Wyze camera and all the different supported products underneath the Wyze family of products. The app does not suit well for devices that don’t rotate so I immediately liked this case and it’s only about $20-25 and it has a couple of different positions that it locks into. And it stays up pretty good depending on my orientation. I do like to use the iPad in a horizontal position, a lot of times watching TV and the iPad sits on top my chest. And the case locks in pretty good right there. It does allow it to be picked up quickly and [move] it around. And also it can go around 180 degrees and depending on the exact angle I need I put the case the pencil down at the bottom and it gives a couple extra degrees difference, enough that I like the pencil down at the bottom because I’ve got access to the swipe area down there at the very bottom when I need to swipe up from the edge of the case sometimes that’s very helpful. And then other times I need it around over here to where the pencils up on top. So case by itself allows a lot of functionality that I can rotate and use in the correct orientation. That brings me to the keyboard. 

I came up with a fairly economical keyboard. The first one I bought was about $55 and I did not like it. I have a number of Bluetooth keyboards. I sent it back after just a quick couple of days with it. And I ended up with this case that I’ll put the references down in the description but it came with already right off the bat a little better mounting capability so that if I’m not using the Fentie case and I’ve removed my iPad completely, fits nicely into its case or the top of it has a backdrop…it’s fairly stable enough for me to feel like I can support a 12.9 Pro without worrying about it toppling over. It locks in with one small minor modification which I’ll show you there. The other thing that I really like about the non-comp dedicated case is that I can put a phone in right here. And it’s got three keys up here in the corner that I can switch back and forth between three dedicated Bluetooth devices. So I can put my phone, or multiple phones, and I can swap back and forth. I can swap back and forth from a phone to an iPad. The trackpad works very well the keys are responsive, it lights up nicely with different colors depending on the ambient lighting. You can change back and forth from a blue to a yellow and change the intensity of the lights.

A lot of different reasons to like this, but I’m gonna show you what I ended up with because my goal was to not take this out of its case. I didn’t want to take it out and have to latch it in here. It does work in both vertical and horizontal orientations and depending on what kind of content I’m creating. This was a little bit less expensive than my first choice, it was only about $45 and and so far it’s holding up. I’m liking it. So I don’t have a lot invested in it if it doesn’t work out. Let me show you another reason why I particularly like the solution that I’ve come up with. With the iPad in the Fentie case, with this backdrop right here, I don’t even have to remove it from its Fentie case. It locks in just like that this can go up underneath it and I’m ready to walk around and it’s very mobile. But most importantly, if I don’t need the weight of the keyboard, I cut it off, remove it, and put it off to the side, and have a perfectly functioning case.

One other thing I’ll mention is that there was a little bit of slickness on both the cases. So much like I had to do with the Apple case putting a piece of felt along the edge, I took some Liquid Tape, available at Walmart, and I put some of this electric tape, which would be much different than just applying a piece of masking tape or electrical tape. I put a little bit right along this inside edge. So I took the applicator, opened it up…you got to work very quickly on this…so once you open it up it starts drying out very quickly. But you can see the thickness of it it’s very thick…don’t breathe the fumes, but apply that on. It’s done a very nice job. I’ve got some on this little surface right here as well and it’s got some right here and also right here. So I just took my brush applicator brushed on it, brushed it on, brushed it on, even put a couple of brush marks here on the back. And now the keyboard stays in the position much better doesn’t slip around on me the keyboard and the case work together. I can lock this in right here and feel pretty good about it not slipping off. Now without that electric tape it it had the potential of slipping out of there. But you can feel it…doesn’t want to grab [slip] out of there. That’s pretty sturdy right there…I’m holding it up by the weight of the keyboard. And if you have an iPad Pro 12.9, you know that’s pretty heavy.

So I hope this helps as an excellent iPad keyboard case alternative. I know it’s not what most people want to hear, first that I had to Jerry-rig even a commercial solution. But there’s very few things that I don’t do something to to tweak it straight off the shelves. Frequently products need a little bit of, you know, my engineering. You know if you’re not wanting to spend $300+ on an apple keyboard, these two solutions right here are very effective. If I don’t need the keyboard, keyboard sits around. When I do want a keyboard, flipping through the albums on photo albums works very well. It’s very efficient. The track pad works. Having a keyboard makes the iPad much much more efficient. So I want to encourage you first of all to get a keyboard. But if you’re shying away from the Apple keyboard, this is a pretty good solution at approximately $60 total cost…$45 on the keyboard, $20 on the case. So look for those links in the description and let me know if you have any questions and look forward to sharing some other content with you in the future.