ZAGG Slim Book Ultrathin Case, Hinged with Detachable Bluetooth Keyboard for Apple iPad Pro 9.7 - Black (ID8ZF2-BB0)

UPDATE 3/25/2019: Well, they fixed the hinge, but something bad has happened to the quality of the case that covers the iPad. The keyboard is the best I have found, but I have already had to return the keyboard case once under warranty because the case is cracking and breaking. I am NOT hard on my devices - the case has never been dropped, accidentally hit against something, or had any impact. All I have done is open and close it. And the hinge is not breaking (yay!), but the case is. I have included pictures of my home repair to the most recent replacement. I used superglue and aluminum duct sealing tape (NOT duct tape) to repair and reinforce the area that was cracking. It looks funky, but I think it will hold the cracks together and prevent them from growing. Worst case, I’ll ask Zagg to replace it again, but their customer service is not as good as it used to be. They made me pay postage to return the first broken keyboard case. UPDATE: I previously owned the Zagg Slim Book Case for my 12.9" iPad Pro, and the hinge was fatally flawed. The Zagg warranty service was great - they replaced it 3 times in a year after the hinge failed. But when the 4th one failed, I admitted defeat and went with a different product that was really not half as good a keyboard. But Zagg FINALLY fixed the hinge! As soon as I discovered that, I ordered a new Zagg Slim Book Case for my iPad. I made the mistake of first ordering it from Amazon, but they shipped me out the old style without the upgraded hinge, so I immediately returned it and ordered directly from Zagg. The keyboard is as great as I remember it - and none of the keys stick, repeat, or miss. It's as perfect as can be. Now I'm a happy camper and using my iPad with the Zagg keyboard is just what I had hoped.

ANOTHER UPDATE (Oct 11, 2017)We’ll - - I got one that lasted almost a full 8 months this time - - but the same old problems crept in with the “surround” that attaches to the iPad - - and, now, I’ve been treated to the faulty hinge design. I’ve been constantly careful when opening - following their instructions to the letter - but the hinge has finally failed. My resolve to “live with” the cracking surround piece has been thwarted.I guess I’ll have to start the shopping process again. I may be CRAZY - - - but I’m not STUPID enough to buy another one of Zagg’s products.UPDATE (Jan 31, 2017): I've had to replace a fifth Slim Book already and am about to receive my SIXTH - - all for the SAME problem. I plan to find an alternate product (from some other vendor) and to SELL this last Zagg product - - and call it good riddance. I wrote Zagg's President to tell him about this issue - but I doubt that he is not already aware of it anyway.The "good news" is that, if you badger the Zagg support staff sufficiently, they'll break down and send a label to provide pre-paid return shipping. It helps if you drop their President's name a few times. It's "Hales".Anybody want to buy a brand new Slim Book for 60 cents on the dollar?? I'll even pay shipping!!ORIGINAL REVIEW FOLLOWS:I've had Zagg screen protectors for a LONG time - - for all of my iToys - and I've used Zagg keyboards for as long as they have been on the market. They very nearly turn an iPad into a "touch-screen computer". And this keyboard is excellent.But the plastic case which holds the iPad Pro is a DISASTER! I'm on my fourth one in only eight months. That's right. They seem to have an expected useful life of only two months - on average. And this last replacement lasted less than two weeks before it cracked. And Zagg doesn't pay return shipping on warranty replacements - so it costs about 15% of the purchase price - every couple of months - in order to exercise warranty replacement privileges.Previous Zagg keyboards, (the top-of-the-line models) have relied on the iPad case itself and have "connected" the iPad and keyboard via a loose-fitting "slot" in the keyboard. The design for the iPadPro is much improved - in concept - as it has a separate case that encloses the iPad and attaches to a very strong hinge imbedded in the keyboard.The problem is that this iPad casing (of necessity) "pressure fits" onto the iPad - similar to the way some iPhone casings do - and, in combination with the plastic material of which it is formed THIS is the problem. The plastic back 7 or 8 openings around its edges - for power port, 4 speakers, on/off button, volume, etc. and the design - or material utilized - or the molding process - in some combination is/are completely deficient. In my experience, stress cracks begin to form - starting around these openings - and quickly march across the entire casing.At first, it's just unsightly but, after a while, the cracks can become long enough to relax the backing's grip on the iPad itself - rendering the whole assembly USELESS!I have pointed the problem out to Zagg personnel and they have replaced my Slim Book THREE times thus far. But their only other response to the manufacturing/design problem seems to have been to require that ALL warranty replacements be arranged on line - - and no longer by phone. The "good news" is - you get a brand new keyboard along with the iPad backing. The "bad news" is, you have to endure the inconvenience and pay to ship the defective product back to them.The further "bad news" is that there isn't another keyboard for the iPadPro which is as functional or as elegant in appearance as the Zagg product. So - - I have resolved to endure the replacement hassle (as long as they don't go broke replacing faulty product) - and to write this reluctant negative review for a product that would, otherwise rate a full FIVE stars!!FINAL review. Experience taught me to have a “spare” for the SlimBook - so I snatched one from a seller on Amazon which was dumping inventory of a clearly faulty product. Paid only $40. The hinge on this one is starting to break down after only a few months.Zagg has, clearly, not done anything to correct the manifest problems with this product and, as often as they have to provide warranty replacements, it’s a mystery to me that they can make a profit selling this thing.I’m DONE putting up with this junk and will be trying others until I can find a reliable replacement.

Review of 9.7 Pro Zagg version; based on how good it is, I've just ordered another two - one for my iPad Air 2, and the other for my kid's 9.7 Pro.What a world of difference it makes when the right accessory keyboard is attached! This Zagg has it all, and at a close-out price under $20 for the 9.7 Pro version (grab it while you can) there's no sticker shock holding me back.+ Like the Brydge (I have one), this turns an iPad into a fully functioning Macbook Air replacement at a fraction of the cost. I have everything except a touchpad now!+UNlike the Bridge, this doesn't use "prongs" to clamp onto the lower edge of the iPad and cover the non-"live" portion of the screen, and UNlike the Brydge it comes with a rear cover for the iPad. On my Brydge, the prongs reach up and onto the glass screen. I don't like that intrusion even though it doesn't intrude into the actual viewing area (and I don't like the pressure it puts on the glass itself when opening and closing). The Zagg, in contrast, mounts it's full length slot onto the lower edge of the included rear plastic cover meaning the torque from opening and closing the cover is both distributed over a much wider area, AND operates on the plastic rear case not on the iPad's screen itself.+ Connection is by Bluetooth, not via edge connector built-into the Pro. In this regard it is no better or worse than the Logitech and Belkin accessory keyboard cases I have for the 9.7 Pro. Unlike the Logitech and Belkin, the screen tilts back naturally just like a laptop due to the rotating hinge along the edge where screen and accessory keyboard snap together. On Logitech and Belkin basic keyboard cover cases, there isn't a hinge area, instead the bottom edge of the iPad slides forward onto the top of the keyboard deck and is held in place magnetically.+ The ends of the Zagg iPad Pro 9.7 case have channels to direct the twin stereos speakers forward on the Pro 9.7 instead of uselessly firing towards the sides. The net result is a louder audio at lower settings.+ Belkin implements some weird locations for some punctuation keys and symbol keys I use frequently, which is a pain on their otherwise fine feeling keyboard. This Zagg, like the Logitech, has better punctuation and special symbol placements.+ The Zagg is BACKLIGHTED for use in dim or nonexistent room lighting. In multiple colors no less.+ Handsome case with incredible, Apple-like attention to cosmetics - the case has extended coverage along the edges to keep the iPad secured in the rear cover, BUT reveals enough portions of the edges to show off the bright metal edge polish.+ This Zagg has a deep recess for the Apple Lightning recharging cable, but unlike some makers who flub it by making the recess narrow, Zagg keeps it wide so even my "fat" non-Apple Lightning cables will fit in.+ This Zagg permits reversing the screen so the keyboard is BEHIND the screen, which allows some good viewing-only angles And of course the screen portion can be pulled out of the mounting slot for pure handheld viewing.Counterpoints and comments:* This is more of a semi-permanent conversion to a laptop, than an easy on, easy off, setup (BUT, it is sure a lot more easily detached into screen and keyboard components than Brydge). Compared to Logitech's upgraded combo, the keyboard can't be rapidly and easily tugged off (Logitech uses magnets; the Zagg uses a full-length pressure/friction clamp). Even the basic Belkin and Logitech combos are easier to quick conversion to tablet use by simply folding the keyboard behind the case due to the fabric "hinge" area; with this Zagg, the more authentic rotating hinge area is limited to tilting, not wrapping behind.Of course Zagg is an excellent, fully effective laptop conversion, while Logitech and Belkin are good, not great, compromises. (Think of Zagg as a semi-permanent conversion, Logitech and Belkin as accessories that allow easier on what's mainly a tablet.)- No amount of fancy conversion hardware - this Zagg - is ever going to convert a 9.7" screen iPad into an 11.6" or 13" Macbook screen. (On the other hand there ARE Zagg's for 11" and 12.9" iPad screens). The flip side is Amazon Renewed 9.7" iPad Pro's are a good value now, still with most likely long-remaining iOS version upgrades from Apple, a real bargain for what they can do.* However, there's only mediocre touchpad and mouse support on iPads running iOS 13.3 right now. If you can touch type and like touchpad control of text scrolling and cursor placement, nothing beats a tradkpad or mouse. But iPad still lags on trackpad and mouse support - trackpad implementation is buried in assistive settings. at present.* The use of a built-in lithium battery means no batteries to purchase, BUT also means it can't be stowed in checked luggage on my flights, and I have to carry a micro USB charging cable (which I do anyway for other devices). I've only encountered two Logitechs than use watch batteries to power themselves. (My favorite alternative is a AA powered Apple Bluetooth keyboard - the one without Num pad - it can be stowed in checked luggage.)- The curse of the laptop - any laptop - is the extra weight, and Zagg can 't pull a rabbit out of the hat to fix this problem. It looks like a laptop and quacks like a laptop and is heavy like a laptop, no escaping it.I've now experienced with iPads in different configurations:1. Naked with just the removable Apple clip-on Smart Cover (no rear case);2. Slim cover/cases (no keyboards) from Moko and Fintie for the lightest, slimmest-possible protection;3. A Logitech education-market rugged case with snap on direct-connecting keyboard (heaviest, thickest option, rear mounted kickstand great);4. Belkin combo keyboard cases, not too thin or light, but with a few annoying punctuation key re-locations;5. Logitech combo keyboard cases, with all the Belkin virtues and minus the weird punctuation key locations (the best of these use rear kickstands with snap-off backlight keyboards);6. Brydge; don't like the keyoard layout, or the prongs that slide up onto the glass screen - Zagg's approach is much better IMHO (rear case with extension lip to fit into the wide hinge slot);7. Zagg - the best so far AS A LAPTOP but only middling as a detachable keyboard since the keyboard doesn't easily slide off. I THINK I MIGHT LEAVE MY LAPTOP BEHIND NEXT TRIP, this combination is THAT good.And the winner is - Zagg, for LAPTOP conversion (with an especially satisfactory deeper tilt for regular laptop viewing angle). With the caveat that for current model iPads, they are priced like they are gold-plated.