Review on Logitech K380 Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard for Mac - Off White: Multi-Device Convenience and Versatility by Zach Flores

GENERAL INFORMATION The Logitech K380 for Mac is a compact Bluetooth keyboard for your Mac, iPad or iPhone... or all three! The keyboard weighs just under 15 ounces and measures approximately 11 x 5 inches. It has four rubber feet on the bottom to keep it in place and is slightly tilted to provide a comfortable typing angle. The keyboard is just the right weight to feel solid while not being too heavy for portable use. POWER It uses two AAA batteries (included) for power, which Logitech claims will last up to two years under normal conditions. I like that it uses regular batteries because even if they die you can swap out the batteries quickly and don't have to worry about charging the keyboard or carrying around special cables like you do with some other wireless keyboards . The keyboard has a physical on/off switch on the left if you keep it in your pocket and don't want it to randomly control your devices or drain your batteries. When not being transported, you can just leave the switch on and it will go into power saving mode if no button is pressed for a while. KEY LAYOUT The keyboard has all the usual Mac-specific shortcut keys such as Control, Option and Command and their associated symbols. If you've used a Windows keyboard before on your Mac, you'll appreciate the real Mac-specific keys and their placement in the right place. When using a Windows keyboard, the option and command keys are usually swapped where they should be. Everything on the K380 is exactly how it should be for a Mac. Along the top row of the keyboard are the regular function keys, which can be accessed for their own functions by holding down the FN key in the lower-left corner of the keyboard while pressing the function key. The width of the entire key layout is almost the same as the standard Apple Magic Keyboard, except for the number pad (as shown in my picture). SPECIAL FEATURES The function keys also serve as shortcuts and their function changes depending on whether you have a Mac or iOS device connected. On a Mac, you can use the function keys to control screen brightness, switch to exposure mode (show all open windows), fast forward/rewind/play/pause, and mute/volume/up media functions. There is a button to show the launcher, the same as on my MacBook, but it did nothing when I pressed it on the K380, although pressing it on my actual MacBook keyboard shows the launcher. In fact, I've never known the purpose of this key since I don't use it, so I don't care if it works on the K380 or not. There's also an eject button, which most people will probably never use, but if you have an optical drive on your Mac, it will work to eject the disc. On the iPad, you can use the function keys to control all of these functions. Things with the only difference being that two buttons change function. The Expose key brings up the task switcher and allows you to scroll through running applications (similar to Command-Tab on a Mac). The Launchpad button works just like the home button on iPad, allowing you to quickly return to the home screen. It's also worth noting that an iPad keyboard adds many other handy features, like the ability to use things like Command-C and Command-V to copy/paste instead of using the onscreen menus. Everything on the iPhone is the same as on the iPad, except that the Expose button does nothing. KEYSTROKE The keys themselves can take some getting used to, as they are rounded on the edges rather than square. If you occasionally type by pressing the edges of the traditionally shaped keys, this may be a small adjustment for you. You may not even know you are doing this until you start using this keyboard and hit the right key sometimes. It took me a little getting used to at first, but it doesn't really bother me. I would have preferred Logitech to just use the standard rectangular keys, but obviously there was a design reason for the choice, either mechanical or aesthetic. Action buttons, as is the case with the K380. Typing on the K380 is very quiet and you don't have to worry about disturbing others. SWITCHING DEVICES What makes this keyboard stand out compared to some others is that it can store 3 different bluetooth configurations. This allows you to pair it with your Mac, iPad, and iPhone and quickly switch between all three with one click. The F1, F2 and F3 keys are used to select which device to use. Pairing a new device is very easy: just press and hold any button you want to assign to that device until the indicator starts flashing. Then on your device, find the keyboard from the Bluetooth menu and follow the instructions. Did! Once you have selected a configured device using the F1, F2 and F3 keys, it will be reconnected in a few seconds (see it in action in my video). From there you can also switch the keyboard to iOS or Mac mode by holding down the FN key and either O for Mac or I for iOS until the light above the function key illuminates, indicating your settings are applied became. SUMMARY Logitech has created one of the best keyboard solutions if you are an Apple user with multiple devices. The speed and ease of device switching means you can use this keyboard at your desk with your Mac all day, then toss it in your bag with your iPad and switch it to controlling your iPad with literally one touch. Rounded keys may take some time. It takes a little getting used to, but you'll get used to it, especially if you use this as both a desktop keyboard and a mobile keyboard, since you'll be using the same keyboard for all tasks on multiple devices. If you've always wanted a keyboard for your iPad then I think this is a perfect choice even if you don't intend to use it with other devices. I don't always need a keyboard when using my iPad, which is why I refuse to keep my iPad in a "keyboard case". This keyboard can be carried around in your bag as long as you keep your iPad in a regular slim case. When you need to use the keyboard, just pull it out and use it without connecting to your iPad when you don't need it. BENEFITS - Very quick and easy pairing and switching devices - Special features tailored for both Mac and Mac. iOS devices - Correct keyboard layout for Mac - Uses normal AAA batteries with long battery life (2 years) and automatic sleep mode when not in use - Quiet scissor keys - Compact and lightweight design, easy to take with you. - Rounded keys take some getting used to, VERDICT5 stars - Highly recommended. This is one of the best compact wireless keyboards you can get.