Not good. Well hopefully update #4 will be released by the time I get my Brydge and things will be better. I just returned my Magic Keyboard yesterday as I got tired of the battery drain, and no function keys. Also I never did get used to my fingers with the keyboard hovering over them. I know you can tilt it forward bit it personally bothered me.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iPad BRYDGE PRO+ Wireless Keyboard w/Trackpad for iPad Pro
- Thread starter jamezr
- Start date
-
- Tags
- ipad pro
- Sort by reaction score
Just bought one of these a couple days ago, looking forward to getting it. I realize the trackpad is still kinda janky but I really value all the other things that this keyboard offers which the Magic Keyboard does not. How many people still have theirs and are using it? How much has it improved overall since you’ve had it?
I really want function keys too. I’ve decided to start with a Mac keyboard/trackpad and a twelve south magic bridge while Apple fixes the battery drain. I wonder if more Keyboard/trackpad products will come from other companies.
More than likely Logitech will come out with one But for some reason they are dragging their feet.
To me, the experience has gotten a lot better with the firmware updates. I picked up the Magic Keyboard as well to compare. There are benefits/ draw backs on each side for sure.
I figured Apple and Logitech agreed to not compete and divide the keyboard line between pro and non-pro, but I’m just making that up.
That’s good to hear! Do you use it a lot or just sometimes? Would you say it is an overall “good” experience now?
I would definitely say it is a good experience now. It’s a well built product and Brydge seems dedicated to tweaking/ improving the trackpad experience.
I’m using the Brydge Pro + with the firmware update. It’s very good. Like a real laptop. It may be as good as the Apple one, just different. Scrolling is still a tad choppy, but not too bad. The Brydge trackpad I like better (a feel thing). The keyboard on AMK is probably better. This one has function row, but the keys are very small in comparison. Too early to tell for sure, but the Apple Keyboard is very good.
Battery life is an unknown at this point. Oh, and the back cover seems like the magnets are too weak. If they fix this, you might be able to get a replacement.
Thing is, I don’t want to go back to the AMK. I’m sure I will at some point, but that says something. The Apple keyboard is nice, but this thing REALLY turns it into a Apple Netbook type of thing. It’s fit an finish is very Apple.
People will see this in stores soon (hopefully), and it will be interesting to hear others opinions. If I’m right about the back cover, they are going to need to add more magnets. Hasn’t fallen off in the last hour though
But strangly, at one point it just fell off, and I wasn’t even moving it. Just plop. Weird.
I’m thinking they will get this scrolling to work 100%. It may even be a setting. I need to try some things (This forum works well, btw). Actually, It works fine, but we have the AMK to compare now, so the bar is raised. A tough spot. I’d say the scrolling is now about 90% compared to the AMK.
I have both the 11" and 12.9" iPads. I have the AMK and BP+ now for the 11, but nothing for the 12.9. I had the AMK for the 12.9, but gave it to someone. It's ok, but I want to give it some mileage with the 11. Point is, I may just get the Brydge for the 12.9. I'll post back, after a couple weeks (or less ). The AMK has that additional charging port that I may miss, and it's very well designed, but it's unconventional.
Battery life is an unknown at this point. Oh, and the back cover seems like the magnets are too weak. If they fix this, you might be able to get a replacement.
Thing is, I don’t want to go back to the AMK. I’m sure I will at some point, but that says something. The Apple keyboard is nice, but this thing REALLY turns it into a Apple Netbook type of thing. It’s fit an finish is very Apple.
People will see this in stores soon (hopefully), and it will be interesting to hear others opinions. If I’m right about the back cover, they are going to need to add more magnets. Hasn’t fallen off in the last hour though
But strangly, at one point it just fell off, and I wasn’t even moving it. Just plop. Weird.I’m thinking they will get this scrolling to work 100%. It may even be a setting. I need to try some things (This forum works well, btw). Actually, It works fine, but we have the AMK to compare now, so the bar is raised. A tough spot. I’d say the scrolling is now about 90% compared to the AMK.
I have both the 11" and 12.9" iPads. I have the AMK and BP+ now for the 11, but nothing for the 12.9. I had the AMK for the 12.9, but gave it to someone. It's ok, but I want to give it some mileage with the 11. Point is, I may just get the Brydge for the 12.9. I'll post back, after a couple weeks (or less
). The AMK has that additional charging port that I may miss, and it's very well designed, but it's unconventional.
Last edited:
Thanks for the in-depth review type of post. I’m still waiting to get my Brydge keyboard but I went ahead and returned my MKB this past weekend as $349 was just too much for the battery drain and no function keys.I’m using the Brydge Pro + with the firmware update. It’s very good. Like a real laptop. It’s may be as good as the Apple one, just different. Scrolling is still a tad choppy, but not too bad. The Brydge trackpad I like better (a feel thing). The keyboard on AMK is probably better. This one has function row, but the keys are very small in comparison. Too early to tell for sure, but the Apple Keyboard is very good.
Battery life is an unknown at this point. Oh, and the back cover seems like the magnets are too weak. If they fix this, you might be able to get a replacement.
Thing is, I don’t want to go back to the AMK. I’m sure I will at some point, but that says something. The Apple keyboard is nice, but this thing REALLY turns it into a Apple Netbook type of thing. It’s fit an finish is very Apple.
People will see this in stores soon (hopefully), and it will be interesting to hear others opinions. If I’m right about the back cover, they are going to need to add more magnets. Hasn’t fallen off in the last hour though
I’m thinking they will get this scrolling to work 100%. It may even be a setting. I need to try some things (This forum works well, btw). Actually, It works fine, but we have the AMK to compare now, so the bar is raised. A tough spot. I’d say the scrolling is now about 90% compared to the AMK.
I have both the 11" and 12.9" iPads. I have the AMK and BP+ now for the 11, but nothing for the 12.9. I had the AMK for the 12.9, but gave it to someone. It's ok, but I want to give it some mileage with the 11. Point is, I may just get the Brydge for the 12.9. I'll post back, after a couple weeks (or less
Just got an email from Brydge about iOS 13.5. It says that there's a 'reduce motion' option now in accessibilities. Says it could help scrolling. Btw, isn't it iPad OS? Old habits?
Old habits?
Last edited:
I just read the same email. Reduce Motion isn’t a new option— it turns off / reduces other animations as well, though I’m not sure specifically what— which makes me wish I didn’t have to turn this option on just to get scrolling to work the way it should. I’ll give it a whirl, though... see what happens.Just got an email from Brydge about iOS 13.5. It says that there's a 'reduce motion' option now in accessibilities. Says it could help scrolling. Btw, isn't it iPad OS?
I guess it was just a suggestion they want people to try. I'm not up to date on versions, but that's probably it.
Out of the box, scrolling was ok with the new firmware. I never used this with the older firmware, which i'm thankful for.
Out of the box, scrolling was ok with the new firmware. I never used this with the older firmware, which i'm thankful for.
I don’t know what it’s supposed to change. My only real beef with this thing right now is the scroll quality, which turning on “Reduce Motion” didn’t impact in any positive way for me.I guess it was just a suggestion they want people to try. I'm not up to date on versions, but that's probably it.
Out of the box, scrolling was ok with the new firmware. I never used this with the older firmware, which i'm thankful for.
It’s like scrolling is really fast but has no inertia, which is why it seems jerky / choppy— its going really fast and then stopping abruptly. I don’t know enough about trackpad hardware to know if there are physical limitations that Brydge is working around (preventing it from having a scrolling experience similar to a native Apple trackpad), or if it’s primarily software. Either way... it’s certainly useable but doesn’t feel nearly as polished or elegant.
My iPad Pro 12.9 from Verizon should be here today. But wanted to get any input from people about the Brydge products. Has anyone used these keyboard? What are your thoughts on them?
BRYDGE PRO+ Wireless Keyboard w/Trackpad for iPad Pro
![TP-12-Brydge-top-down-sg_2000x_1e60f028-9ef1-46f6-9f18-88454f17c20f_2000x.png]()
Brydge Pro+
Wireless keyboard with a precision trackpad for iPad Pro. Featuring native multi-touch and Bluetooth wireless technology.www.brydge.com
I have three beefs with this keyboard.
1. Whenever I enter an area in which I which to type some text/numbers, the iPad Pro's virtual on screen keyboard appears on the screen and I need to press the keyboard/virtual toggle button.
2. The back cover supplied isn't magnetic as advertised and it falls to the floor easily.
3. The bottom of the keyboard is exposed aluminum which will scratch over time.
I downloaded the Brydge Firmware Update App from the Apple Store and the App crashed on me repeatedly.
[automerge]1590112889[/automerge]
Here's the load-down: I am weighing whether to buy the 500GB, 2.0GHz MacBook Pro (2000 Edition) which sells for $2,400 Cdn and use a $20 USB Logitech Mouse (Total = $2,420 Cdn) OR the 256GB iPad Pro 12.9" (2000 Edition) selling for $1,430 Cdn, and a Brydge Keyboard $170 Cdn, and a Logitech MX2 Mouse $80 (Total = $1,680 Cdn). Since the Brydge Keyboard is glitchy from my recent experience, I will refund it and get the Apple Magic Keyboard for $450 Cdn (Total = $1,430 + $450 + $80 = $1,960)
Last edited:
Since three finger doesn't work presently, it would be nice to be able to map a key for this function. Or maybe I'm missing something?
Second. I really got addicted to the 3 finger feature to see all your open apps on the MKB.
I know there’s a way to assign the app switcher function to things using Assistive Touch, I have one of the extra buttons on my Logitech MX Anywhere 2S assigned to that. So maybe there’s a way.
I got my Pro+ today in the mail and it’s awesome. I found that you can assign a 3 finger tap on the trackpad to pull up the app switcher (or any other function - home, spotlight, whatever). You just need to turn on Assistive Touch.
Go to Accessibility, Pointer Control, tap on Assistive Touch settings at the bottom, and then tap on Brydge Pro+ under Connected Devices. In here you might have some functions already, not sure. Mine had “Button 2 - Secondary Click.” In this case “Button 2” is a two-finger tap which brings up the right-click type menu. So, you can add a function and tap with 3 fingers when it prompts you and that is “Button 3”, then you can choose what to register it as. I chose App Switcher but you can make it anything.
I use the same setup with my Logitech MX Anywhere 2S Mouse that has some extra buttons and iPadOS lets you customize their function the same way. So this was familiar to me. It’s kind of listed in the instruction booklet but not nearly detailed enough. Let me know if this works for you, it’s working for me.
Hello, do you know if there is a way to add a 'page back' with the three finger and Assistive Touch. I know you can do page forward and back using the CMD and left and right arrow keys...any way to duplicate that in a touch gesture that you know of...thanks in advance.
Just received my Pro + for my 11. Granted, the scrolling is not the smoothest but it’s not a dealbreaker for me as the keyboard, function keys, build quality and overall aesthetics won me over. Picked this over the AMK so I’m hoping this will serve me well for a long time. Transitioning towards the ipad pro as my daily driver over my MBA 11 2015 and thus far it’s been smooth.
Seems a litle quiet on here. Everyone doing great with the Brydge thus far? I’ve contacted support twice regarding the battery indicator (which doesn’t want to show 100% even after a full charge, dropping immediately to 95%) but they’ve said it was a known issue with the latest ios that the numbers are not indicated accurately. Other than that, no complaints and I’ve been bringing my pro plus everywhere since day 1. Support also replies within a day, so that’s great too.