iPad Mini Bluetooth Keyboard

The iPad Mini has become a very successful tablet for Apple, even though Steve Jobs once said they would not produce one. And for some of that success, it has come at the expense of the full size iPad which some had suspected. With a smaller iPad Mini, there are some issues which come up which are solved by adding accessories to the mobile device. One of those is the need to provide a physical keyboard to be able to type quickly.

The iPad Mini Bluetooth keyboard from Zagg may be exactly what you are looking for. The idea of having to type on 7 inch tablets is what has made the Bluetooth keyboards popular. And with the popularity of the iPad Mini, the ability to have a keyboard to type on adds value. And not just with the keyboard either.

he Zagg iPad Mini Bluetooth keyboard is more of a clam shell case for the Mini and provides added protection. When closed, you can carry around the iPad Mini and it is protected from nicks and scratches that one would get when out and about. That added features makes this a worthwhile item to have. In addition, there is a "kickstand" in the back for holding your iPad Mini up at the correct angle for you to be working with.

As with any Bluetooth keyboard, it relies on a battery for power and connectivity. And with any mobile device, one can expect issues with how long you can use something before you have to recharge it. There have been some making comments where the battery life of the Zagg 7 and 9 inch keyboards are not as good as they should be. But, most people working with the keyboard are reporting battery life of about a month, so you should not have any problems with this.

You can pick up the Zagg iPad Mini Bluetooth keyboard at the Zagg site. The 7 inch Bluetooth keyboard is listed at $89.99 on the site. The 9 inch Bluetooth keyboard for the iPad Mini is currently listed at $44.99 on sale and looks to be a great bargain.

Lightning And MicroUSB Connector Startup Offers A New Perk

A few weeks ago we wrote about a cool new Lightning connector for new iPhones iPad Minis that elegantly integrates a built-in microUSB jack. The project is currently being crowd funded at Indiegogo and at the time we published the article the lowest contribution that would put one of these ingenious cables in your hands was $25.

The guys at Orobis contacted me yesterday to inform us that as a result of the recent positive media coverage, they have some support from the manufacturer to be able to make a special offer. Right now, the team is offering 1,000 Orobis Transform cables for only $18, normally a $29.99 retail value each. Plus free shipping in the US.

Upon the news I immediately snatched up two cables. As someone who carries around an iPad Mini, Samsung Galaxy phone, and Sony eReader, I appreciate the ability to use one cable for all my devices. Especially when traveling, it seems I always forget at least one adapter at home when I go on the road. Even the name is cool: Orobis, which is derived from the Greek Ouroboros, a snake which eats its own tail.

For the full story on Orobis, you can check out our original article: Orobis Transform – Lightning And MicroUSB Connector.

If you’re ready to support the project and be one of the first to get your hands on one of these brilliantly designed cables, just head on over to the Indiegogo campaign page:

The Orobis Transform: Amazingly Transformative Cable for iPhone 5 & iPad mini

On the right side you’ll see the contribution options with the new $18 level.

Is Apple Losing Its Ability To Keep Things Secret?

No big surprises with release of iPhone 5.

Apple over the past 5 or so years has been a company which has been known for extreme secrecy on the products which it was developing. Leaks would come out, but you never knew whether it was Apple manipulating the rumor mill or people were just able to secure enough information to make an educated guess. Even as the iPhone 5 was approaching its announcement date, you were never completely sure about all the rumors. The change to create the Lightning connector to the iPhone for connectivity and charging was one of those that sounded like it might be true, but you could not be sure.

It seems that all the mystery surrounding Apple and their ability to keep their upcoming products secret is now gone. Is seems to make you wonder whether Apple is going to be able to keep things secret as they develop new products. It seems that leaks are everywhere and too many of them are turning out to be accurate and on the mark. Though they are not 100% on the mark. Take for instance rumors of the iPhone 5 coming with Near Field Communications (NFC). While smart phones coming from most companies include the features, Apple has chosen to not include the chip in the iPhone 5. Lost opportunity.

But there are so many other things which were rumored and came to be true that it should be a concern to Apple. As an example, the new Lightning connector which is a smaller connector for the iPhone which I spoke of earlier should have been kept more secret. That has been talked about for a while and has been seen in actual product leaks which is not like Apple at all. There is the 4 inch screen, which people have seen in leaked frames for the new iPhone. Things have gotten so bad in the area of leaks that a collection of all the parts which were leaked allowed them to be assembled to see what the new iPhone would look like.

If Steve Jobs were alive, heads would roll and he would have been very angry. But these are now different times and different people. And other products are coming and have been leaked. The rumors of a refreshed iMac next month with a Retina Display are more than likely true and accurate given all the rumors about the iPhone 5 which turned out to be true. Rumors of the iPad Mini are all but proven to be true and given everything that we have seen and heard, we already know just about everything about it other than a specific and accurate price. It does look like Apple has lost the ability to keep products truly secret as they have in the past.

What do you think?