[Personal] Review of ZAGGmate (Bluetooth Keyboard/Case)

[tdmsu]

I played with a zaggmate at a Zagg kiosk at the mall today - I want one!

 

[addiosamigo]

Has anyone in the UK actually received their Zaggmate yet?? Monday will be the 5th week!

edit: I received a card through my door today, with a charge of £19.36 (including a customs charge). What I'm a bit peeved about is that it says the sender didn't pay the full postage! Thanks Zagg!

 

[Game_Writer]

I work at ZAGG and appreciate your comments. To help with your function keys, here are some basics:
Copy: Command C
Cut: Command X
Paste: Command V
Undo: Command Z
End: Command right arrow
Beginning: Command Left Arrow
Page UP: Command Up Arrow
Page Down: Command Down Arrow
Select All: Command A
Select Left: Shift Left
Select Right: Shift Right
Select Down: Shift Down
Select Up: Shift Up

Play around with them a bit. You'll really like the select functions rather than needing to touch the screen all the time. Enjoy.

is there a num lock command? I do a lot of spreadsheet work, and I would like to be able to enter numbers without having to hit Fn every time.

Can someone tell me if pressing the FN button and then the DELETE key gives the functionality of a real DELETE key and not just backspace? (This is how a MacBook keyboard works. I'm guessing this keyboard will be the same maybe???)

 

[USBill]

testing to see if fn+Delete is a real delete and not a backspace...

NOPE

 

[Game_Writer]

Thanks, Bill. I guess they didn't copy that Mac functionality.

Okay, so I ran down to Best Buy and bought one. They had a half-dozen or so of them in. Cool.

So, I'm trying it now and I don't love it. It's cool and I think I'll like it, but so far I don't love it. Oh well.

I DO have a question for it, though. When I first turned it on and before I paired it with my iPad, the little LED above STATUS was lit. Now it's not. I never comes on now. I'm typing right now and no status light. The OFF/ON switch doesn't seem to do anything. I slide it to OFF and the keyboard still works. Is that right or do I need to take it back?

EDIT: Okay, I've read that maybe the status light only comes on when you are about to pair. Okay. That's weird. So is there any way to tell if the keyboard is on? It seems as if the power switch is a momentary switch, that is spring-loaded to return to off, but min isn't doing that. The off switch doesn't feel solid. I really like this set up, but am a bit disappointed in the keyboard and other controls. Types pretty good, though--I think I can get used to the cramped keyboard.

Dar

 

[Game_Writer]

Okay, I'm pretty sure my on/off switch on my ZAGG/mate keyboard does not do anything. This is frustrating, because sometimes I won't want to use the keyboard, so to drop the connection, I'm going to have to go into the Bluetooth settings and turn it off. Without doing this, I can't get the on-screen keyboard to show up without pressing the ZAGG/mate keyboard button (the F3 key).

Not exactly the kind of experience I was hoping for after plinking down my one hundred bucks. :-/

Dar

 

[Mickey330]

Okay, I'm pretty sure my on/off switch on my ZAGG/mate keyboard does not do anything. This is frustrating, because sometimes I won't want to use the keyboard, so to drop the connection, I'm going to have to go into the Bluetooth settings and turn it off. Without doing this, I can't get the on-screen keyboard to show up without pressing the ZAGG/mate keyboard button (the F3 key).

Not exactly the kind of experience I was hoping for after plinking down my one hundred bucks. :-/

Dar

Hi, Dar:

I read your other post, too, so this is to both of them. The light on the Zaggmate only comes on when it's charging or while it is syncing to the iPad. So, you won't see a light while you use the keyboard. You'll know that you're paired by seeing the Bluetooth symbol up in the right-hand corner of your iPad (by the battery icon).

Do check your on/off switch. It's not a spring-loaded kind of thing, it's a firm slide (you'll feel a definite "snick") to turn it on and off. It takes a bit of time to both turn on and off (just keep watching that Bluetooth indicator).

I'm sorry to hear about your on/off button issues. But, the good news is that Zagg is very quick to help people with issues. I'm sure they'll help you...

Good luck.

Marilyn

 

[Game_Writer]

Hi, Dar:

I read your other post, too, so this is to both of them. The light on the Zaggmate only comes on when it's charging or while it is syncing to the iPad. So, you won't see a light while you use the keyboard. You'll know that you're paired by seeing the Bluetooth symbol up in the right-hand corner of your iPad (by the battery icon).

Do check your on/off switch. It's not a spring-loaded kind of thing, it's a firm slide (you'll feel a definite "snick") to turn it on and off. It takes a bit of time to both turn on and off (just keep watching that Bluetooth indicator).

I'm sorry to hear about your on/off button issues. But, the good news is that Zagg is very quick to help people with issues. I'm sure they'll help you...

Good luck.

Marilyn

Thanks for the info, Marilyn.

I think my status light is working correctly. I unpaired the keyboard from the iPad and the status light came back on when I paired. So that's good.

The power switch, however, is another story. I've read both online and in the instructions that the status light is supposed to come on when you turn the keyboard on and possibly when you turn it off (the instructions didn't say that last part, but online reviews did).

I've also monitored the Bluetooth menu when trying to turn it off. Nothing I do with the on/off switch seems to do anything at all. I hold it, slide it firmly, gently, whatever--NOTHING.

I'm assuming that when you turn off the keyboard, that you can use the iPad as normal and the on-screen keyboard comes up when you select text fields. Right now I cannot do that without turning off the Bluetooth on the iPad.

So, right now I'm less than happy that I visited Best Buy today--on top of the fact that I forgot my Reward Zone coupons when I went.

I'm tempted to just take it back to Best Buy and either trade it or get my money back. I have, on the other hand, already gotten used to typing on the small keyboard and I like the system.

Sigh. I'll let you guys know how it goes....

 

[Mickey330]

Heh. I'd take it back - with your iPad so show how it's not working correctly.

Oh, but one thing: You will see a light when you turn on the keyboard - but not when you turn it off. Well, that's how mine just behaved.

And yes, when you turn off the keyboard, you should get the onscreen keyboard back. For example, I just turned mine off and as soon as the Bluetooth indicator went out, I got the onscreen keyboard so I could keep typing here. And, when I turned it on, after the Bluetooth thingy came up, boom - down with the onscreen keyboard and now I'm typing with the Zaggmate.

So, I'd save this particular forum page to your iPad and take it to the Best Buy folk. I should imagine they should switch it out right there, given that it's not working right.

Then, after the refund ... use the coupons and buy another. Win win!

Again, sorry you're having such troubles. It is a great little keyboard, once you get one without quirks...

Marilyn

 

[Game_Writer]

Thanks. I'll do that tomorrow. I like the keyboard; I just wished it worked like I was expecting.

Thanks!
Dar

 

[Debragail]

Hello I just purchased the Zagging mate and I can't pair it to the IPad. Only lights I get is when charging and both stay on and are bright blue. I am in Sydney Australia and purchased this direct from Zagging. The delivery cost more than the keyboard but I was I patient to receive it. How disappointed am I. It won't pair with the IPad. Can't get any recognition the Bluetooth has turned on. Sad thing is can't send it back, the shipping costs too much or if I go cheaper takes too long. Can someone help.

 

[Game_Writer]

Hello I just purchased the Zagging mate and I can't pair it to the IPad. Only lights I get is when charging and both stay on and are bright blue. I am in Sydney Australia and purchased this direct from Zagging. The delivery cost more than the keyboard but I was I patient to receive it. How disappointed am I. It won't pair with the IPad. Can't get any recognition the Bluetooth has turned on. Sad thing is can't send it back, the shipping costs too much or if I go cheaper takes too long. Can someone help.

I wonder if you have the same problem I do--that the on/off switch isn't working. For some reason, I was able to get mine on when I opened it, but I can't turn it off. Even overnight, it was just asleep, and if I press a key, it wakes up. Probably bad for the battery power, but still works.

I'm guessing you can't turn it on. Just a guess, though.

Dar

 

[ZAGG]

ON / OFF Switch

Sorry, I have been away at CES and have been unable to keep up with this forum for the past few days. Well, I'm back. Regarding the two users who are having issues with the ON/ OFF switch, it sounds like they are broken. One sounds like it is broken in the ON position and the other is broken in the OFF position. In any event, we need to get you taken care of. Please call or email customer service with the info located at the top of all our web pages. Regarding the user in Australia, feel free to contact me directly via direct email if possible. I think you need to have a few posts before that is allowed. If not, explain to customer service your issue and we will take care of it. You need not worry about paying postage to get it back to us.

I'm sorry for the hassle this has caused the two of you and we look forward to resolving this issue as fast as possible.

On another note, leaving the ZAGGmate on all the time is just fine. That's how I use mine. The sleep works great. If you want to be sure your switch is working correctly, whenever you slide it from off to on, the light turns on for a few seconds as it performs a self test and then shuts off to save battery. That's how most Bluetooth keyboards work, including Apple's. In the future, we may consider giving more notice if people seem to want it. Another way I know whether my ZAGGmate keyboard is asleep or not is by looking at my iPad screen and checking the Bluetooth icon. If the icon is bright, my ZAGGmate is on and connected. If it is dim, then my ZAGGmate has gone to sleep. We figured this should be good for most users and again, it prolongs battery life.

Carry on....

 

[addiosamigo]

I just picked up my Zaggmate today, its quite cool I think it will grow on me, just a few quick questions..

1. These shortcuts, where do they work? for instance if I use them in safari they do not work. i.e to scroll down the page.

2. say I wanted to copy just this sentence is there an easy way to do this? if at all even possible.

3. Anyone scratched it yet?

cheers

 

[Game_Writer]

I'm sorry for the hassle this has caused the two of you and we look forward to resolving this issue as fast as possible.
Carry on....

Thanks. I'm sure I'll be happy with it. I really like the keyboard and don't mind the size at all--but then, I've worked a lot with small keyboards. I still own a couple Asus EEE PC 700's with the 7-inch screens. I think the Zagg/mate keyboard is bigger than those!

Dar