The second I opened the iClever Tri-folding Bluetooth keyboard I was immediately impressed. Not only is it made of metal, but it might as well be a freaking Transformer. The hinge system on this thing is pretty amazing. I spent the first few minutes just opening and closing it, observing how the hinges work and moved.
The fact that it is Tri-fold and uses these special hinges helps pack a full sized laptop keyboard in a much smaller footprint. It even comes in a little pouch to make carrying it around easier. There is no power on/off switch on the keyboard instead it automatically turns on when it’s opened and turns off when closed. This makes operating it very simple. It also turns off automatically after being idle for 10 minutes to save battery life. There is one micro USB port on the top for charging the 750mAh battery. It says it should last 5 hours with the backlight on and 300 hours without the backlight. Along with a 90 day standby time.
That’s right it does have a backlight and it even features two different brightness levels plus three different colors. There is red, blue, and my personal favorite Android green.
Pairing up the keyboard was easy enough, and even though it’s Bluetooth you can also use it hardwired with a micro USB cable. The iClever Trifold keyboard is also compatible with Windows, iOS, and Android. So no matter what platform you’re on you can get use out of this keyboard.
I’ve used a couple of different Bluetooth keyboards before in the past with tablets, but I was never a big fan of them. They were either built into a bulky case, too small, or keys didn’t have enough travel while typing. I’m happy to report that this keyboard seems to solve all of those problems. It’s not built into a case meaning I can use it with several different devices. It’s just as large as my laptop keyboard so my fingers don’t feel cramped. Plus the keys have plenty of travel while typing and have a nice springy feeling.
Generally when getting a new laptop or keyboard it takes me a little time to adjust to the keyboard. Not so with this one as I was able to start typing on it full speed immediately. I even typed this full review on it, as well as a couple of others. The keyboard has a bunch of shortcuts built in for the different platforms. To control things such as volume, going to your home screen, media controls, etc. What will and won’t work depends on what platform you are using.
The iClever Tri-fold keyboard certainly lives up to his battery life claims. I’ve been using it on and off for a few weeks now, and I’ve not had to charge it since I first got it. I’m actually amazed by it’s standby time. It claims up to 30ft range, and I was really hoping to use this with my Nexus Player. The problem is I’m about 15ft. away from it when on the couch. While the Bluetooth remote for the Nexus Player works perfectly. I couldn’t get a solid connection with this keyboard. I had to move within about 5ft. in order for it to connect and work consistently. However I was able to use it about 20ft. away with my tablet.
For most situations you’re not going to want to be far away from the device, because you won’t be able to read what you’re typing on screen. Sadly it just didn’t seem to work as I had hoped with the Nexus Player. Also while typing in your lap you will need to be careful to not have it close up on you. The only other critical thing I’d have to say about it is that I wish it had some sort of rubberized feet. Something that would keep it from sliding around on hard smooth desks or tables.
Besides my trouble with the Nexus Player and a couple of very minor issues. This keyboard is fantastic and one of the best I’ve had the pleasure of using. Between the compact size, high quality build, great typing experience, and especially the battery life. I can see this being my go to Bluetooth keyboard in the future. Hisgadget Inc at Amazon was kind enough to send this out for review. If you’d like to pick one up for yourself and see how great it is, hit the link below.
