Were you the lucky recipient of a new iPad this holiday season? We’ve been searching for a great all-around keyboard case that’s sturdy, protective, and offers multi-angle viewing, and came across ZAGG’s Rugged Book.
This bad boy has 6.6 feet of drop protection and is constructed using military-grade materials.
[What’s in the box; USB-C cable still inside the box!]
I was sold on the magnetic-hinged case that allows for multiple viewing angles (which unfortunately neither Apple’s nor Logitech’s keyboard cases offer at the moment). I really wish ClamCase would come back onto the scene!
[Red charging indicator light at top right power button]
You can pair the Rugged Book to two devices via holding down one of the Bluetooth keys located on the top left row of keys. This makes it easy to sync an iPad with a smartphone, and toggle between the two.
For evening work/cruising the web, the detachable Rugged Book offers seven different backlit key colours on its detachable keyboard. For durability, ZAGG’s interlocking keys prevent them from popping off.
The built-in holder for an Apple Pencil on top will charge a Pencil while in the case.
[The Rugged Book flipped and inserted into keyboard for movie viewing]
Although the Rugged Book ships with a USB-C charging cable, I wound up using a longer one that I already own so that it would reach the floor (where my Rugged Book was), together with Mophie’s Speedport wall charger (more on that below).
The battery is designed to last two years between charges. USD $149.99
For complete protection, add on ZAGG’s optional Glass Elite Tablet Screen Protector to avoid potential scratches and nicks along your iPad’s surface and corners. The box includes a plastic install tray to perfectly align the shield to your iPad, as well as an anti-microbial alcohol wipe, a finishing cloth to dry off the solution, and a dust-removal sticker to remove any remaining fine particles after cleaning.
After I used the tray to apply the shield, I did notice several air bubbles, even after watching ZAGG’s tutorial video to make sure I was installing it correctly.
This was remedied by slowly moving my finger along the bubbles out to the edges, and I got pretty much all but a couple of tiny bubbles cleared. The screen looks great on the iPad, and knowing that I have an ultra-strong aluminosilicate glass shield to protect my investment gives me peace of mind, especially when travelling.
If the Glass Elite InvisibleShield is ever worn out or damaged, ZAGG will replace it free of charge for as long as you own your device.
On an eco-friendly note, Glass Elite is made using 30% recycled glass, the installation tray with 100% recycled content, while the outer packaging is 100% recyclable. A special surface treatment (using ClearPrint™) disperses the oil from your fingertips, making them nearly invisible when your screen is turned on.
While these images show my iPad Air 11″ with both ZAGG products, the Glass Elite (USD $49.99) is also available for the iPad Pro and Mini, as well as for a wide range of iOS and Android devices.
Mophie, a California-headquartered tech accessory brand (owned by ZAGG), offers the Speedport, a range of fast-charging wall chargers.
From the compact, sustainably-produced 20W Wall Charger to its heftier 140W cousin – with three USB-C ports – the Speedport has a simple, stylish design to complement advanced GaN technology for quick charges with less heating.
The prongs fold in to prevent snags in your bag. Even with the smallest 20W cube, you can get an iPhone powered up to 50% in just 30 minutes.
Here’s the 45W and 20W versions, priced at USD $39.95 and $14.95 respectively.
