Bobology Blog

iPad users in my classes about what keyboard are best for an iPad. This is a product where you get what you pay for in quality. There are several high quality keyboards on the market, and the decision is based more on whether you want a keyboard integrated with an iPad case, or a keyboard alone.

Keyboards should offer your fingers good feedback when pressing on a key, be durable, and allow you to position your hands in a comfortable position for typing. Here's two of the best choices on the market now:

Kensington KeyFolio Pro 2 Removable Keyboard - about $68 on Amazon

This is one of the better keyboard/case models currently on the market, because the keyboard is removeable. When using the iPad in a tilted position, the keyboard, when attached to the case, can end up being in a awkward position for typing. A removeable keyboard allows more freedom of movement and is more comfortable than a permanently fixed keyboard. This item used to sell for almost $100 and is now priced comparable to cases with a fixed keyboard.

Apple Bluetooth Keyboard - about $69 on Amazon

The Apple Bluetooth keyboard, which is included with new iMacs, is comfortable and easy to use, although a bit on the large size for carrying with an iPad. The advantage is that you'll find the feeling of the keys very good, and for Mac users the layout will be familiar.

Today Google launched Google Drive, which is Google's cloud storage and file sharing. Microsoft has Skydrive, Apple has iCloud, Amazon has a cloud, and third parties like Dropbox and Box.net have cloud storage.

Any cloud needs the ability to synchronize storage and files across any device, like synchronizing a file from an iPhone to a PC, or from an Android phone to a Mac, or from a tablet to phone, etc. etc., you get the idea. No one wants to be captive to a sole-source single vendor cloud and have data tied up with one vendor, and being forced to use that vendor's hardware and operating system in order to access the data.

Google did it right with Google Drive, it's got 5GB of storage for free, works on Android, PC, Mac, iOS through a browser, with an app coming in a few weeks, and provides storage of just about anything, including large video files. It also does optical cahracter recognition to make text searchable, using, of course, Google search.

Additional storage is dirt cheap, with an upgrade to 25GB only $2.49 a month, 100GB $4.99 a month, and 1Terabyte for $49. a month.

Google Drive also includes applications for opening the files stored. For example, if you have a video, the video player is included with Google Drive so you don't need an application on your PC. In addition to videos, photos, graphics, Microsoft documents, PDF files and others can be stored. Compared to Dropbox, Box.net and other third party cloud services, Google got everything right and when the iOS app comes, expect a heavy download day on the App Store.