Review: Turning your kindle into a mini computer!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 23, 2013
Perhaps my subject is a little bold, but as long as you have a productivity suite, such as Office Suite or Quick Office Pro, you really can achieve computer-like ability. Granted, you don't have a mouse, but it comes pretty darned close for such a small device.The keyboard is part of a case to protect your Kindle when not in use. When you want to use the keyboard, simply open the case and fold it around - this gives your Kindle a back support, to enable your device to sit at an angle for comfortable viewing. The case front is magnetized to keep it closed. The keys are tactile and soft, so they should not damage your Kindle's screen (although I have a screen protector on mine as well, just to be safe). The keyboard has its own battery - I believe the blurb on it said that it could hold a charge for 155 hours, although I have not had it long enough to test that. To charge the keyboard, there is a supplied usb cord which you plug into a usb port (such as on your computer. It said to charge the keyboard before use, although it must have had a partial charge on it already, as it was ridiculously quick to charge.The keyboard is in a QWERTY format, and the keys are decently spaced and surprisingly large. I did a standard test on it and found that I could type approximately 60 words per minute on it without errors (in other words, I corrected the few errors I did make as I went along). Had I typed with errors I would have achieved a faster rate. I'm a decent typist on a regular keyboard, so I'm not sure how much faster one can go. Like I said, it is smaller, and with practice it may get easier and faster. This was my first time and day of using it. The one thing I did miss were the End Home PageUp PageDown and Delete keys for use while typing. There is a Home icon, but this actually brings you to the home screen (or carousel) of your Kindle. Word to the wise - if you try using the arrow keys for Play and Fast Forward, this will actually start playing your last selected music track, rather than moving around your currently running application....I learned this the hard way when my Kindle started blasting out Keith Urban while I was at the office trying it out.Incidentally, pairing the Kindle with the keyboard was very easy, and took me less than a minute to do (it involves going to your Kindle's wireless settings and start searching for Bluetooth items, turn on your keyboard and put it in sync mode, select the keyboard when it comes up, and type the given code into your keyboard when prompted). You do have to sync the keyboard with every Kindle you have (if you want to, and have multiple Kindles), but you need do this only one time per Kindle. After that, it's as simple as turning on the Bluetooth on your Kindle and turning on your keyboard.My only concern with the case is that while there are corner clips for the bottom edge of your Kindle, there is nothing at the top (although given that the case folds around to provide the angled stand/rest for your Kindle, this is understandable), so I was a little concerned about the Kindle slipping out. However, I found no slippage, even when turning the Kindle upside down (yes, my hand was below it and I have the insurance plan too....I'm not THAT crazy to risk my Kindle for a review). The only other downside I can see is the weight of the case. This is understandable, given the fact that you have the keyboard itself, the technology underneath and the battery to power it. The case does weigh considerably less than the Kindle though. Likewise, I am sure that the entire thing (Kindle and case) weigh considerably less than a laptop or notebook.I highly recommend the keyboard, particularly if you feel you are going to do a lot of typing on your Kindle - it sure beats trying to drag your finger across the virtual keyboard on the screen of the Kindle.