by Jason Snell
New Brydge keyboard has bigger trackpad, supports new iPad Pro
On Wednesday Brydge announced the Brydge 12.9 MAX+, a new version of its iPad Pro keyboard-and-trackpad product that converts an iPad Pro into a MacBook Pro-style laptop.
It works with the last three 12.9-inch iPad Pro generations, including the one introduced Tuesday. And even more impressive than the giant trackpad is the fact that this one finally takes advantage of the iPad Pro’s back magnets to attach magnetically, rather than by pushing it into a pair of clips like all previous Brydge designs.
I got a chance to get my hands on a preproduction model, and it feels really nice. In fact, it feels almost exactly like using a MacBook Pro—except running iPadOS. The magnets hold the iPad Pro securely in place—in fact, there’s a small indented portion on the back that you need to use to push the iPad free when you want to remove it.
I appreciate Brydge’s products because they really provide a laptop feel. As I detailed earlier this year, Brydge’s new firmware makes its trackpad the equal of any third-party iPad trackpad around. It’s not as good as Apple’s own Magic Trackpad/Magic Keyboard firmware, but it’s good.
The Brydge 12.9 MAX+ is $250. The company’s existing Pro+ keyboards are now $160 and $170. (In comparison, Apple’s Magic Keyboard for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is $349.)