There are a number of keyboards on the market today that facilitate quick and easier typing for users of Apple’s wildly popular iPad.
As you may recall, most iPad keyboards were rather bulky when they hit store shelves for the first iteration of the tablet – but are currently streamlined and vastly improved, both in terms of function and aesthetics.
For example, Logitech recently unveiled its own Ultrathin Keyboard that clips to the iPad and acts as a keyboard for typing, as well as a case to protect the screen.
A similar device, dubbed the Brydge, recently surfaced on KickStarter and it looks like something Apple itself would design, as it boasts squared-off edges along with an aluminum body.
When you close the keyboard over the screen for protection, the keyboard and iPad shift into sleep mode, effectively conserving battery power for both devices.
Another interesting Brydge feature is the clamping system the keyboard employs – which holds the iPad so securely that even if you pick up the tablet with the keyboard dangling, it won’t fall off. The hinges also allow you to move the iPad through 180° of travel, with the screen staying anywhere in that range.
The keyboard connects to the iPad using Bluetooth and there are versions with or without integrated stereo speakers. The company hopes to have the keyboard accessory ready to ship by October of 2012, and the device is on Kickstarter right now seeking cash for production.
The team asked for a cool $90,000 and has already raised $95,749, with 39 days to go. If you pledge $170, you will get the Brydge with no speakers when it’s ready to ship, while $210 will get you a keyboard with integrated speakers.
