A mobile keyboard can turn a frustrating work session into a productive one by eliminating the tapping on the tiny keys onscreen. The five good ones in this collection have all been field tested and proven their worth through extensive hands-on use.
All of these keyboards fit three criteria: they have a good keyboard that handles touch typing, they are very portable in design, and they work with any Windows, Android, or iOS device. They have special control keys for operating devices on any of these platforms.
These devices all connect to devices over Bluetooth, and are rechargeable with included microUSB cables. Each provides months of typical usage on a single charge.
These keyboards have been extensively tested and a link to the full review on ZDNet is included for each.
Those looking for a good mobile solution should start the search with these five mobile keyboards, presented here in no particular order.
This keyboard from Microsoft is a nice device that provides a solid typing experience. It has a detachable lid that forms a stand with two viewing angles. The stand can handle any device up to the size of the iPad Air, in both landscape and portrait orientations. It has a slider switch to indicate if it is to be used with Android, iOS, or Windows. It remembers the last device paired in each platform so it stores three different pairings at the same time.
The lid/ stand is detachable for using the screen away from the keyboard.
The Microsoft Universal Mobile Keyboard is $59.99 on Amazon.
The stand supports the iPad Air 2 in both portrait and landscape.
This keyboard is a single unit covered with a spill- and dust-resistant material that is only slightly thicker than a paperback book cover. The keys are mechanical and have good feedback and travel. Given its thin profile, the Keys-To-Go can be transported in the tightest pocket in most bags.
Not much bigger than the iPhone 6 Plus in the photo.
This is one of the smallest keyboards available when folded for transport. Once opened it exposes a keyboard the same size as most mobile keyboards. It has a sturdy folding mechanism and good keys for rapid typing. It comes with a carrying case that unfolds into a nice stand that can support mobile devices at slightly varying viewing angles.
Opens to expose a quality keyboard.
The design of this keyboard has been around for a decade, and it still works well on the Lapworks Amigo. Small enough to fit in a shirt pocket for transport, it unfolds into a full-sized keyboard, bigger than the other keyboards in this collection. It has real keys as on laptops of old, with deep key travel and comfortable when pressed. This keyboard supports faster typing than the others covered in this article. It comes with a small folding stand.
This opens into a full-sized keyboard.
This keyboard is ultra-thin when closed yet opens into a nice sized keyboard. It takes a while to get used to due to the gap down the middle where it folds and the variable sized keys on either side of the gap, similar to ergonomic keyboards. Some folks like it a lot and others have a lot of trouble with this design. It is included in this collection for those who fall in the like it camp.
The Microsoft Universal Foldable Keyboard is $85.43 on Amazon.
Note the large gap in the middle of the keyboard.