Review: Case too thick - keyboard too small
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 03 4, 2014
The Kindle is very easy to clip into the case, but feels solid when it is in place. It feels like the Kindle is secure and will not come loose without your attempting to remove it. The case uses a magnetic strip to hold the Kindle in a position that is very nice for use and it holds very securely, but it does move around a bit if it is held in your lap. This works by using the flap that goes over the top of the Kindle when the case is closed and folding it underneath the Kindle. The magnet then holds the case and the display in position. This works okay, but not perfectly. I don't feel comfortable with it in my lap.In addition to this, the case is very thick. In fact, the case for the 7" Kindle is considerably thicker than the case for the 8.9" Kindle. This is not a great thing, actually, as the case we have for my wife's Kindle, although without a keyboard, is almost perfect, as it adds VERY little size to the Kindle. The same goes for the Belkin QODE case for the 8.9" Kindle; it doesn't add much size at all.The keyboard is very small and pretty hard to type on for me. My hands are not giant or anything, so most people will probably have a similar experience to mine. The keys are just too small and too close together to be comfortable for me. Combine this with the greatly-increased thickness of the case, and it is moving toward deal-breaker territory.Pairing the keyboard is simple. Just go to the Settings menu, select Wireless, select Bluetooth, enable it, touch the Belkin QODE Keyboard Case item in the list of discovered Bluetooth items, then press and hold the pairing button on the keyboard. The pairing will be quick and your keyboard will be ready. Make sure that you have charged the keyboard (or that you have it plugged into a Kindle quick charger) before trying to pair the keyboard. You will see the blue light on the right side of the keyboard flash if it is able to pair.There is a switch that you can use to turn the keyboard off to save battery. This switch is beside the USB port and is easy to miss, as it is not labeled and is very small. The switch is basically a small bump that you slide toward the rear to power off and toward the front to power on.BOTTOM LINE: Not recommended unless you absolutely need a keyboard.2.5 stars