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The DraftTable is big and sturdy enough for an iPad Pro 12.9

NEWS – Many stands for iPads are designed for the smaller iPad.  They just aren’t big enough nor stable enough to support the biggest of the iPad Pros so that you can actually do some work.  The DraftTable from ElevationLab is designed for the iPad Pro 12.9.  It functions rather like an artist’s drafting table, and it was designed by digital artists for use by digital artists.   Whether you’re doing app development, photo editing, drawing, or just typing an email, you’ll love the DraftTable for using your iPad Pro.

Strength and stability is built into the DraftTable, with its rigid, laser-cut steel table; fiber-reinforced polymer legs and hidden, spring-loaded hinges; soft, medical-grade silicone cover for the table; and high-friction skids to prevent sliding.

Adjusting the angle is as simple as folding down a leg.  The spring-loaded hinges keep the legs locked in place, although the tallest leg does have additional locks for extra stability.  Although it’s big enough for the biggest Pro, it works with all iPads, including the iPad mini.  You can even use it with Wacom tablets.

Use the DraftTable with just the iPad, or connect the iPad to a Mac, and the DraftTable transforms the iPad into a Wacom Cintiq-like drawing tablet for your computer when used with the Apple Pencil and the AstroPad app.  When you’ve finished work, the DraftTable folds up for storage in your desk or for traveling along with you in your gear bag.

However you use it, the DraftTable kit ($69.95) comes with a wrist pad and a Pencil stand to make it comfortable to work for hours on the iPad.  If you don’t need the accessories, the DraftTable is $49.95 alone.  DraftTable is available at the ElevationLab website or at Amazon.

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The DraftTable is big and sturdy enough for an iPad Pro 12.9 originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 18, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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Pandorra Willgoo Carrying Case and Power Bank for Apple Pencil

REVIEW – Tired of hauling your Apple Pencil accessories around in a zip bag so that you don’t lose them? Me too. The Pandorra Willgoo carrying case solves that problem for you and acts as an alternative charging source for your Pencil to boot. Let’s have a look!

What is it?

It’s a travel case for your Apple Pencil and all it’s accessories that also serves as a charging station.

Hardware specs

  • Length: 7.95 inches
  • Width: 1.73 inches
  • Height: 1 inches
  • Weight: 5.2 oz
  • Battery Capacity: 1700mAh
  • Input: 4.2V
  • Output: 0.3V-4.2V

What’s in the box?

The Pandorra Wilgoo Carrying Case comes with the case and a USB cable to charge the unit. You’ll need to bring your own USB Lightning cable to charge your pencil.

Design and features

The Willgoo is a sharp looking case, made from solid hard plastics with a magnetic lid. The case itself is *just* a bit smaller than the Apple Pencil box itself (see pic below for reference). At roughly 8” by 1.75” by 1” it’s not super-compact, but it does slide easily into open spaces or slightly larger pockets in your bag.

The hard plastic case does a good job of protecting your Pencil from knocks and bumps. The magnetic lid is secure enough that it won’t come loose in the jumble that is your bag. It’s also got a soft-touch padded on the underside to protect the components.

Pop off the lit and you’ll find a set of slots for your Pencil, the charging adaptor, an extra nib & the Pencil cap when charging. The included USB-to-microUSB charging cable also has its own place. Everything has a happy resting place.

You’ll also find two ports on the Willgoo: one for charging the unit (marked “input”), and one for charging your Apple Pencil (marked “output”).

To charge the unit, you’ll plug the included cable into the “input” micro-USB slot, and then into a USB port. Blue indicator lights let you know your charge level.

To charge your pencil, plug a lightning cable into the USB port on the unit. The same blue indicator lights are activated to let you know how much capacity the battery has left. Note that the cap sits nicely in its slot and hasn’t run off to get into mischief…

The case has a battery capacity of 1700 mAh, which will give you plenty of charges for the Pencil (86 mAh capacity). You could use it to give you a partial charge for other devices, but it won’t get you too far.

Performance

The Pandorra Willgoo Carrying Case and Power Bank for Apple Pencil solves a couple of storage problems. It’s a great solution to keep around the office. I like the peace of mind it brings… I was always worried about losing the cap or that little charging adaptor. Mine is parked on the desk in my family room, keeping the whole kit in one space when I need it.

As far as travel and commuting go… well, it depends on your intended use.

For the day tripper, the Apple Pencil already has great battery life and portability. For that reason, most Apple Pencil cases are simply sleeves that you can attach to your iPad or a pocket. While this case does give you a spot for all your components, it is a bigger solution that will take up space in your bag. It seems like the unit is excessively beefy for what it holds and does, so carry minimalists may not be a fan of the solution.

If you’re traveling and foresee a need to charge your iPad on the go, you’re all set here. It will happily find an open space in your backpack, carry-on or messenger bag (or larger briefcase) and give you quick access to all the parts. While the charging capability isn’t an absolute necessity, it gives you a nice option if you need it. I’d like to see a design that’s a bit more compact, but the pros outweigh the cons in my mind.

I should also note that the components do sit loosely in those little slots. If you turn the case upside down with the cover off, they will spill out. It’s something to consider if you’re on the run.

What I like

  • A well-organized solution for your Apple Pencil & accessories
  • Nice protection in your bag or briefcase
  • Magnetized lid
  • Charging feature is a bonus, but not completely necessary

What needs to be improved

  • Could be more streamlined; probably too chunky for those with minimalist bags like thin briefcases or portfolios
  • Components will spill out of the case is flipped over with the lid off

Final thoughts

The Pendorra Willgoo Carrying Case and Power Bank is a nice solution for managing the Apple Pencil and its components. There are a few things I’d change in the design, but it’s a solid overall performer that has found a place in my daily kit. I’m happy to send the zip bag I was using for those little parts to the recycling bin.

Price: $25.99
Where to buy: Pendorra web site and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Pendorra.

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Pandorra Willgoo Carrying Case and Power Bank for Apple Pencil originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 10, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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Sena Vettra Folio 360 Rotating leather iPad Pro 12.9 case review

The iPad Pro 12.9″ is a great device.  It has a beautiful screen, works beautifully with the Pencil, and could serve as a laptop replacement for many.  But it’s bigger and heavier than other iPads, as you would expect, which means you’re likely to want a stand for it sometimes.  Sena, known for their leather accessories, of course offers a beautiful leather case / stand for the iPad Pro.  They actually offer the Vettra Folio 360 Rotating leather case for the new iPad, the iPad Pro 10.5″, and both the original and the 2017 versions of the iPad Pro 12.9″.  I was lucky enough to be selected to give it a try.  I requested and received the Vettra for the new version of the iPad Pro 12.9″ in black.

Hardware specs

  • Dimensions:  12.25″ x 9″ x 0.75″
  • Weight: 1 lb, 5.2 ounces
  • Leather book-style design
  • Microfiber lining

Design and features

For some reason, the 12.9″ iPad Pros seem to be marketed as a business device, and most accessories for it seem to always be in somber colors.  Sena follows this trend by offering the Vettra for the new 12.9″ Pro only in black or tan.  I don’t use my Pro for business, but even if I did, I’d prefer a nice blue or a red case for it, because I love color.  The black case is very suited for business, and of course, it’s great for every day use, as well.

The inside of the front cover is lined with a microfiber material to protect the screen.  The other side has a slightly flexible, snap-in case for the iPad.  The snap-in case is also lined with microfiber to protect the back of the iPad, and the outside edges are covered with the same leather used on the rest of the case.

The grooves on the inside of the front cover are “stops” where the iPad rests when the case is folded into a stand.

The front of the Vettra is plain, with no product branding.  The leather spine of the case is very soft and flexible, so you can fold the front cover completely to the back.  The vertical line on the front of the case is a fold line for the stand function.

The front cover has magnets that operate the iPad’s sleep/wake function.  They didn’t hold the front cover closed on my iPad Pro, though, perhaps because the front cover with its leather and stiffening was just too heavy for the magnets to hold closed.

The back of the case is branded with the Sena name at the bottom right.  You can also see an elastic loop that holds your Apple Pencil.  The vertical line on the back of the Vettra is another fold line for the stand function.

The bottom has a cutout for the Lightning connector.  I had no trouble plugging in the Apple Lightning cable and charging the iPad while it was in the Vettra case.

What you can’t see in this photo, or even very well in person, are the sets of small holes on each side of the Lightning connector that open up the case over the bottom speakers.

The top of the case also has the small speaker holes, again not visible in this photo.  The sound from my iPad wasn’t muffled by the Vettra case.

You’ll also see cutouts for the headphone jack and a hole at the mid-point for the top microphone.  At the far right is a metal button that covers the iPad’s power/standby button.  You need to be sure to press in the center of this button to easily operate the iPad’s power button.

As you can tell from the name of the case, the iPad can rotate from landscape to portrait orientation in this case.  A couple of details you can see in this close up of the portrait orientation is that the back camera and its flash are left uncovered; the case doesn’t interfere with the camera’s operation.  You’ll need to turn the case into the portrait orientation to be able to use the back camera at all, though.  And this case is big and a bit cumbersome to hold while you take photos with the back camera unless you stand it on a stable surface.

The center of the back has another microphone opening.  And you’ll see two metal button covers on the left side of the image that covers the volume buttons.  Adjusting the volume was easily accomplished with these buttons.

The last thing you need to notice in this image is how the case is cut away on the side opposite the volume buttons.  This leaves the iPad Pro’s Smart Connector exposed, making the Vettra usable with the Smart Keyboard, if you use one.

Here’s the iPad Pro standing in the landscape orientation.  The stand was very stable, and it worked well for watching videos on the iPad.  You can use the grooves on the front cover to adjust the viewing angle.

Here’s the iPad Pro in the portrait orientation.  I personally never use my iPad in this orientation, but it seemed that I couldn’t quite get the iPad as nearly vertical as I’d like.  It seems that you would always see a slanted view of the screen in portrait orientation.

I don’t know what type of material was used as the stiffening inside the front and back of the case, but you can see it started to bow after I’d been using the case for a few weeks.  That’s the back of the case you see here.  The front of the case also bowed a bit, but it’s not visible when the case is laying on its front, as it is here.

Performance

The Vettra Folio 360 Rotating leather case for the new iPad Pro 12.9 is sturdy and very protective.  I didn’t worry about the screen at all when I put the iPad in this case inside my bigger gear bag.  I liked the stand function very much, especially the landscape orientation that I primarily use.

The Vettra for the big iPad Pro is heavy, at 1.33 pounds, but that’s because of the quality and the sturdiness of the materials used for it.  However, it does make the iPad Pro 12.9 even heavier, bringing it to about 2.9 pounds.

What I like

  • Sturdy and protective
  • Well made
  • Works well as a stand for watching videos or reading
  • Magnets in front cover operate the iPad’s sleep/wake function

What needs to be improved

  • It’s a bit cumbersome to hold in your hands while using the back camera
  • It makes the already heavy iPad Pro 12.9 even heavier

Final thoughts

The Sena Vettra Folio 360 Rotating leather case for iPad Pro 12.9″ (2017 model) is a sturdy, protective case that also serves as a stable landscape or portrait stand for this big, heavy tablet.  Because of its style and quality, you’ll find it will fit into the business environment beautifully, and it works just as well for more casual environments.

Price: $89.95
Where to buy: Sena Cases and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Sena Cases

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Sena Vettra Folio 360 Rotating leather iPad Pro 12.9 case review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 23, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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Logitech Slim Combo iPad case with Detachable Backlit Keyboard and Smart Connector Technology review

Keyboard cases for the iPad arrived very shortly after the device itself. We’ve covered many here at The Gadgeteer. Most of these have incorporated a Bluetooth keyboard. I’ve usually not been interested in these, because the typing surface of the keyboard is so much smaller than a standard keyboard. With the release of the 10.5” iPad Pro last year, the idea of a Smart Keyboard-equipped model became more interesting to me. The surface of the screen is just a touch larger, so I’ve kinda gotten used to typing on a smaller than normal keyboard. Recently, the Logitech Slim Combo caught my eye, and they sent one to us for review.

Note: Photos may be tapped or clicked for a larger image.

What is it?

The Slim Combo, as the name implies, is a two-piece keyboard and case for the 10.5” iPad Pro. The Case is interesting in that it has a kickstand a la Microsoft Surface built into the back. It has padded corners, which are also raised so that the screen cover/keyboard fits into it and makes a flush, snag-free whole.

Hardware specs

  • Two-piece cover and keyboard for iPad Pro 10.5
  • Keyboard is backlit with ambient light sensor and control keys
  • Cover has a kickstand, adjustable from 90º to 30º
  • Loop for Apple Pencil
  • All edge buttons (volume and sleep/wake) are covered, all ports are open.

What’s in the box?

  • Smart Connector keyboard screen cover
  • Form-fitting protective case with built-in kickstand

Design and features

The cover is made from a hard plastic. The fit is tight and secure, without being difficult to put on or take off. The back cover is mostly slightly textured plastic with generous, well-placed cutouts for the mic, camera, speakers, and ports, as well as an exposed edge for the Smart Keyboard. Opposite this edge, there is a fabric ribbon loop 3.25” wide. It is not stretchy but fits the pencil precisely. The area over the kickstand is of a different texture and patterned to mimic the fabric on the front cover. There is a “Logi” logo debossed into the center of it, but there is no color or other markings. The action of the kickstand feels smooth and well-constructed, and there are rubber bumpers on each corner. There is a good bit of heft in this cover, which does add weight, but you feel your iPad is well-protected. The cover weighs 8.4 oz. by my kitchen scale.

The keyboard is a separate piece, with a Smart Connector placed on a tab that magnetically attaches to the iPad, just like Apple’s covers and Smart Keyboards do. This piece weighs 10.4 oz. Above the keyboard’s top row and below the connector is a thick, soft strip of rubber that prevents the keys from making contact with the iPad screen when it’s folded. The palm rest is also raised a bit from the keyboard level in order for it to hold the bottom of the keys clear of your screen as well. The “outside” of the keyboard has a strip of hard plastic running up the keyboard connector edge for just over an inch. The remainder of it is a fabric glued on inside a slightly lower area of the plastic. The fabric and naked plastic edge is precise, and you can’t tell where the two meet except for the change in texture.

There is a magnetic connection between the keyboard and cover that pulls them together and activates the built-in sleep/wake feature of the iPad, if you have that turned on. This also keeps the keyboard from starting up and using battery power. Given the pair weighs 18.7 oz. together, you’re looking at a doubling of the weight of a naked iPad.

The backlighting of the keyboard is sufficient for use in dimly lit areas, and adjustable from totally off to a good brightness even when the room is lit. Key travel is very shallow, and while each key has its own individual travel path, there’s a visible movement of the whole keyboard when you type in the area around the space bar. Keys are cupped and separated and of equal size and level, except for the media/control keys across the top. These are half size, and include all the standard Apple items – screen brightness, keyboard brightness, previous/play/next playback controls, volume up, down, and mute, plus a key to pull up the software keyboard. Two that are added are a home button and a lock key. These quit the current app to reveal the Springboard and immediately lock the screen, respectively. Each of these are good additions and worked as expected reliably.

Setup

There is no setup other than putting the iPad into the back cover. Connecting the Smart Keyboard makes it active and removing it deactivates it.

Performance

Performance varies on occasion. I’m not sure if it’s the keyboard layout or the Smart Connector or the feel of the keys, but I found myself getting random spaces and random periods rather than commas. I tend to type very quickly while looking at my fingers, but I’ve been typing this way for decades, and haven’t seen this on any other keyboard. Perhaps I’m not as used to this size keyboard as I thought I was. Or maybe it’s the slight difference in the layout and size of the keys. This issue lessened as I used the keyboard more and paid attention to those issues.
If you’re one who likes to chat via video in Portrait mode, you’ll find this a great case. When you pull the kickstand out fully and turn the iPad 90º, the kickstand holds the iPad at a 72° angle that is perfect for video chats. It’s also great for reading the news or email, if you’re not wanting to reply.
Even with the magnetic latch, I found the unit would come on in my bag frequently, making the battery run down a bit. This could have happened because of the keyboard being disconnected or because the closure slid open a bit.

What I Like

  • Kickstand is a nice feature
  • Case is very protective
  • Portrait mode for video calls and no-hands reading
  • Keyboard never touches screen

What needs to be improved

  • The case doesn’t stay together very well in a bag
  • The connection with the keyboard is flimsy
  • Smart Connector means keyboard must always be connected to iPad.

 Final thoughts

The Slim Combo is a solid performer. The Smart Connector means there is no battery to replace or charge for the keyboard, but the trade-off is that it must remain connected while using. The flimsy connector between keyboard and iPad needs to be addressed so that the keyboard doesn’t wake up during transport. This connector also affected the performance of the keyboard itself.

While I’m sold on the Kickstand, I don’t think it’s quite the be-all-end-all that Microsoft made it out to be in early Surface marketing. But with it, I can use a Bluetooth keyboard and have the iPad in portrait or horizontal. I may invest in a standard Apple cover and try just the case with my trusty K811. Watch this space for updates.

Price: List price $129.99 current price $112.75
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Logitech.

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Logitech Slim Combo iPad case with Detachable Backlit Keyboard and Smart Connector Technology review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 13, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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Take my advice check out Gamevice controllers for the iPad Pro

Not content to rest on their laurels, the folks at Gamevice have made new game controllers that work with the Apple iPad Pro 10.5 and 12.9. These new controllers fall in line with the ones that are made for the iPhone 6 through 8 (no information on the X as of yet). If you are not familiar with Gamevice controllers, they are designed to plug into your Lightning port and use your device for power. The Gamevice controller also allows for pass-through charging with a charging port built into the controller.

With mobile devices becoming more powerful and having better screens, gaming on one seems more appealing than ever and the Gamevice controllers for the iPad Pro series seems like it may be a perfect fit.

The Gamevice controllers can be purchased for $99.95 from the Gamevice website and Amazon. They also have controllers for Android products (Galaxy S8/S8+/Note8 and Galaxy S7/S7 edge).

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Take my advice check out Gamevice controllers for the iPad Pro originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 6, 2017 at 2:57 pm.

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