[REVIEW] Belkin QODE Ultimate Pro for iPad Air 2

metllicamilitia

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Dec 25, 2011
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Disclaimer: I apologize for some blurry photos, with poor lighting and an unstable tripod it's very very difficult to take non blurry photos that need a long exposure. Just pressing the shutter button causes enough vibration to create blur.

Overview
I have used a number of keyboards for iPad’s over the years and none of them have been quite right. Some don’t have very good keys, one even had broken keys within a couple days, and some aren’t easy to remove when necessary. This is where the Belkin QODE Ultimate Pro wins out over the rest. There a lot of things to love about it, and some things that I think could be better. To start with you won’t find a Bluetooth or power button anywhere on the keyboard. It’s all automatic. Belkin actually uses the magnets on the keyboard to tell whether or not your iPad is attached and only then will it power on the keyboard. With the smart power and keeping the backlight off, Belkin says you can see a year of battery life without needing to charge. I don’t have the time to really put that to the test, but I haven’t had any issues with battery life yet. Did you catch that? The keys have a backlight, three levels actually. Technically four depending on how you look at it, you have off, low, medium, and high settings for the backlight. The backlight does a great job of lighting all the keys evenly as well. Like all iPad keyboards should, the QODE Ultimate Pro has controls for volume, play/pause, skip forward, skip back, backlight brightness, bringing the software keyboard up or dismissing it, taking a screenshot, bringing up the app switcher, locking your iPad, and bringing up spotlight search. These are all performed using the number row while holding the function key.

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That’s not all though, all the letter keys also have hidden special characters that you can access while holding the option key. I don’t know if that’s been on all the keyboards I’ve used before, but I do really like it. You also have arrow keys in the lower right portion of the keyboard which is really helpful for moving the cursor accurately or for copying and pasting. Speaking of, you also have standard keyboard shortcuts like cut, copy, and paste that is accessed like any regular keyboard using the command key. The body of the keyboard is aluminum and feels really nice and premium. The keyboard itself only takes up about half the body, which I like and dislike. This causes the keyboard to feel a little cramped, however, it allows for two magnets on the top half. These magnets are what your iPad attaches to for landscape and portrait orientation. You can use either one for either orientation, but I think the back magnet for portrait works best and the front magnet works best for landscape. There is also a folio type flap on the keyboard body that attaches to the iPad and holds it up while you’re typing. Before I forget to mention, the keys have some nice tactility to them and press easily. The keys are also plastic, but the hardest part to get used to is how close together the keys are.

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Another thing that sets the Belkin QODE Ultimate Pro apart from other keyboards is the separate case for the iPad. There are other keyboards that do this, but not as well. It’s a thin plastic case with a soft rubber back. This is where the keyboard flap attaches to the iPad. The case leaves all the ports and buttons open and easy to access. Unlike other keyboard cases, the QODE Ultimate Pro leaves the left side of the iPad completely exposed. Don’t worry, this is again where the flap of the keyboard attaches to the iPad for storage. If you didn’t guess already, the case is easily removed from the keyboard. And the left side being exposed is by design not just for the flap, but also to allow you to use your Apple Smart Cover with the case. The Smart Cover doesn’t work with the keyboard, but if you just want to take your iPad without the keyboard and want your Smart Cover, you can use both. The keyboard takes a while to charge and uses a micro USB cable to charge with. Belkin does give you a cable to charge with and it matches the color of your keyboard. There is an even an app for the keyboard which will show you the battery percentage, update the firmware, change the language, and allow you to set keyboard shortcuts.

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The Good
  • Smart power on/off
  • Keys are accurate
  • Task switcher and media controls

The Bad
  • Keyboard is a little tight
  • iPad can easily detach from magnets
  • Changing between landscape and portrait could be easier

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Conclusion
While I have some things I don’t like about the Belkin QODE Ultimate Pro, it is still overall the best keyboard I’ve used for iPad. It’s thin, lightweight, easily removable, let’s you switch between portrait and landscape orientation, and the case is not only removable but works with the Apple Smart Cover. The companion app is nifty, and I probably won’t use it for much myself. All in all, if you’re looking for a rock solid keyboard for your iPad, I definitely recommend the Belkin QODE Ultimate Pro, and you can you buy it directly from Belkin here.
 
Last edited:

sparksd

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May 31, 2015
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I have this for my Air 2 and concur - it is a very nice keyboard. From a usage perspective, I like it much better than the ASK on my iPP 10.5; the only negative in that comparison is the weight and bulk of the Belkin.
 

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