IPad keyboard, mouse, Microsoft office

Hello,

iPad works with nearly ever USB and Bluetooth keyboards. iPad Pro 11-inch has the added benefit of working with keyboards that connect using Apple’s Smart Connector. If you are looking for the very best experience then you may want to consider Apple’s new Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro. This provides real backlight keys with a trackpad. It essentially turns the iPad into a laptop. Apple’s Magic Mouse 2 and Magic Trackpad 2 also work great with iPad.

You would need to download and subscribe to Microsoft Office through the App Store. iPad comes with Apple’s iWork applications which are very similar to Microsoft Office and do not require any additional charges. They are also fully compatible with Microsoft’s Office file formats.

Hello,

Magic Keyboard will function as both rear and front protection for iPad when it is folded up.

Here is Apple’s iPad User Guide. If you have any questions regarding your iPad then feel free to reach back out to us!

I use my iPad Pro 12.9” Gen3 with the Smart Keyboard Folio with MS Office 365 at the moment.

It depends on your budget. The new soon to be released Magic Keyboard has all the features that a laptop keyboard (other than Function keys) has but it is £299/$299. If you don’t need a Trackpad or Backlit Keys, the standard Smart Keyboard Folio is cheaper at around £150/$150 but doesn’t have the trackpad or back lit keys. Both protect the iPad when not in use like a case/cover would. If you want additional protection, then the Switcheasy Coverbuddy fits between the Smart Keyboard/Magic Keyboard & the iPad Pro itself offering more protection as well as protection for the Pencil when in transit especially if you don’t already use a separate sleeve.

If you want the best of both worlds without spending a fortune in comparison, the Logitech keyboard cover for the 3rd generation iPad Pro will be a good choice. Around £99/$99 for the 11” version the keyboard is more like a traditional laptop keyboard & the actual iPad Pro case section protects the corners & offers a better edge protection than the standard Smart Keyboard Folio alone would. It does weigh a little more as well as making the iPad itself a little bigger. The only drawback is that it has its own battery that will need charging occasionally although you can connect the iPad Pro to the keyboard to charge it using the USB-C PD function that the iPad Pro 3rd gen+ provides to charge it should you run out without access to a power point.

If you can wait, it would be best to compare all the solutions together in an Apple store but that could be a little while away with the store closures because of COVID-19.

I have tried the Logitech & the Smart Keyboard & both had Pro’s & Con’s as preferred the keyboard on the Logitech to the fabric covered keyboard on the Smart one but the additional weight & size of the Logitech solution was what swayed me to go with the Smart Keyboard.

Would I change to the Magic Keyboard once it launches? Possibly but only if I got a good price for the Smart Keyboard as no chance I am spending the same money I paid for the wife’s 10.2” 7th gen iPad For a keyboard, when I can get a used Magic Trackpad 1 for £50/$50 if I need a Trackpad that desperately (at this time I would only use it for RDP or VNC connections to Microsoft Desktops/Servers where using the touchscreen is not as nice as a Mouse/Trackpad).