Last fall, two of my favourite tech accessory companies announced a strategic collaboration. OtterBox is the maker of some of the most effective protective cases for smartphones and tablets. Brydge is a leader in bringing a laptop-like experience to iPads, with an excellent range of wireless keyboards. Brydge keyboard even attach to the iPad using a clamp hinge, turning the tablets into miniature MacBooks—only smaller, lighter, and running iPadOS. Having these two brands working closely together is paying off with the Brydge 10.2 MAX+, a keyboard case that also offers military-grade drop protection for your iPad.
Brydge 10.2 MAX+ makes your iPad a productivity workhorse
This is a keyboard case that’s designed to make your 7th gen or 8th gen 10.2-inch iPad a productivity workhorse.
The keyboard features chiclet-style physical keys. You’ll be able to type at full speed, easily blowing past what you can do with the iPad’s virtual keyboard. They keys have some travel, so it feels just like a laptop keyboard, just slightly smaller. The keys are also backlit, so you can work just as effectively in dim lighting.
The top row of keys is dedicated iPadOS functions such as media controls, brightness, and microphone. The lower third of the keyboard case is taken up by a trackpad that recognizes iPadOS gestures including swiping, scrolling, clicking, and navigation.
The keyboard holds the iPad with new magnetic SnapFit clamps that offer 160-degree “display” rotation and easy release if you want to use the iPad as a tablet instead of a laptop.
The keyboard charges via USB-C and is rated to last up to six months on a charge.
Military-grade drop protection
OtterBox’s contribution to the Brydge 10.2 MAX+ is a protective case the iPad fits into. Made of plastic and silicon, the case meets MIL-STD-810G standards for drop protection. That means you can drop the iPad from 4 feet (1.2 metres) and have it survive intact. In addition, the exterior of the case (and the bottom of the keyboard) are treated with an antimicrobial coating that protects against the growth of microorganisms for the lifetime of the case.
The case also includes an integrated loop for stowing an Apple Pencil stylus.
My experience with Brydge keyboards
I’ve been reviewing Brydge keyboards for years (here’s one from 2019). I’ve always had a great experience with these. They are well-made, the hinges have never failed, the keyboards are responsive, and battery life is excellent. With a Brydge, an iPad really is transformed into a laptop—the addition of the trackpad on the Brydge 10.2 MAX+ is going to blur the lines even more.
My wife is a big iPad user (it’s practically attached to her) and since 2016 every iPad she’s owned—including an iPad Pro—has been equipped with a Brydge keyboard. Not coincidentally, since that time, her MacBook Air has been relegated purely to work use. With a Brydge keyboard connected to an iPad, everything else from e-mail, to commenting on social media posts, and messaging is done with the iPad.
If you type on your iPad, the Brydge 10.2 MAX+ is going to seriously upgrade your experience
If you own a 7th generation or 8th generation 10.2-inch iPad and you spend a lot of time poking away at the virtual keyboard, the Brydge 10.2 MAX+ is going to make a huge difference. The protection of an OtterBox case is the icing on the cake. Brydge also makes wireless keyboards and keyboard cases for a wide range of iPad models.
