As you hopefully know by now here at SamsungGeeks when we receive a product to review we put it through it’s paces and we write an open and honest review. We don’t accept freebies in return for writing positive reviews – it’s just not our thing and it’s a pretty rubbish thing to do! We’ve been sent an iClever Tri-Folding Bluetooth Keyboard IC-BK05 to review. It retails for £34.99 in the UK or $54.99 in the US. How does it stack up? Is it worth the money? Read on…
First Impressions (9)
The iClever BK05 Bluetooth Keyboard comes with a travel pouch, a micro USB cable, and a small manual. First impressions are very good – the keyboard feels well built and when fully unfolded (it folds into three to save space) it feels solid and stable. This is helped by a built in battery which helps to keep the keyboard very slim. It’s a very nice added bonus to have a travel pouch included – this helps make keyboard feel like it’s something nice to look after rather than simply throw into a rucksack. The small gripe I have is that iClever have felt that they needed to include a micro USB cable, or a manual in the first place. There’s space on the box for simple instructions, they have a website for the details, and I have a gazillion micro USB cables. I don’t need another!
iClever IC-BK05 Tri-Folding Bluetooth Keyboard
General Use (7)
iClever BK05 vs Anker K1280C
Two small fold out legs help ensure that the keyboard is stable however once setup the device is very flat. A stand to slightly angle the keyboard (like the Anker K1280C) would make for more comfortable use. The keys are relatively quiet and smooth to type with. The LED lighting helps visibility in low light conditions and let’s you choose between three colours – red, green, and blue. The keys are rather compact which may not suit those with chubby fingers and does cause more regular typos. The size of the keyboard could be increased without impacting portability however this is by no means a deal breaker.
Battery Life (8)
The built in battery lasts for approximately 5 hours which means it will not last for a full day of use. However this is designed for use on the go and the benefit of the built in battery (rather than replaceable batteries) is that you can use an external battery or a power socket to keep the keyboard charged. This is a major plus – I cannot tell you the number of times I have taken my current Anker keyboard away to find, whilst on a train, that the batteries are dead. As the iClever BK05 Keyboard turns on and off as you fold / unfold the keyboard this prevents forgetting to turn it the keyboard off and running the battery flat as it powers on/off for you.
Portability (10)
iClever Bluetooth Keyboard
This is an easy one… it folds in three. This makes it very small. The travel pouch helps look after the keyboard in transit. It’s light and thin and takes next to no space in your rucksack.
Verdict (8.5)
You’ve probably already guessed by now but I really like the iClever Tri-Folding Bluetooth Keyboard. Despite there being no stand to increase the angle (it lies flat) it has now become the keyboard I take with me on all of my travels. The retail price is sensible – it’s not the cheapest bluetooth keyboard but the portability, the build quality, and the LED lighting make the extra cash worth it. There are some improvements iClever can make – notably to allow the keyboard to be angled for better ergonomics – but this keyboard is designed for travel rather than everyday use. That being said there is clear scope to increase the size of the keyboard when fully opened to be more ‘chubby finger’ friendly without compromising the quality of the device. You can buy the iClever Tri-Folding LED Bluetooth Keyboard from Amazon (click here) and you can see more details by visiting iClever’s website (click here).
Thanks to iClever for providing the review unit with no-strings attached. As mentioned in the introduction this is an honest review and there has been no pressure / ask to write a good review in exchange for this product. It’s an genuinely impressive piece of kit!