iPad 2 Has A New Best Friend

It’s not often that I’m thoroughly impressed with an iPad accessory, but I have to say that the ZAGGmate with keyboard (also known as the Logitech Keyboard Case) is the must-have accessory for your iPad 2. After it won the Macworld 2011 Best of Show award, the ZAGGmate for iPad 2 was one of the most highly anticipated iPad 2 products, and now it’s finally here!

ZAGG teamed up with Logitech to make this superbly awesome case, and this is unlike any other iPad case I’ve seen. Interestingly, it only covers your iPad 2 screen and leaves the back of it exposed. The case design complements your iPad 2 so well that you know the two of them were meant to go together.

“The Logitech Keyboard Case combines style and function in one great package,” says Azmat Ali, Logitech senior director for tablet products. “This is the first of several products we plan to introduce this year designed specifically to enhance the way people create, consume and communicate using their tablet.”

The ZAGGmate is made of precision-cut aircraft-grade aluminum and features military-grade, high-density padding. The protective case wraps around your iPad 2 to cover the screen and sides. Thanks to its unique design, the case only adds about a quarter of an inch to the overall thickness, so it’s easy to forget it’s even there. It weighs only 12.8 ounces (including the keyboard), so there is no noticeable bulk or heaviness. You can easily view your iPad in both portrait and landscape orientations.

The keyboard connects to your iPad 2 via Bluetooth, so there are no wires involved. I think it’s better than the one that Apple makes, as it’s much less bulky and the keys are highly responsive. These quickie keys make typing a breeze and easy for me to write a story on the go. The keyboard includes special function keys that work specifically with the iPad 2, and has a huge 510 mAH rechargeable battery that will last for several weeks without a recharge. Plus, since the device is rechargeable, you won’t have to worry about changing any batteries out.

Find it for $99.99 at Logitech.com or ZAGG.com. If you for some reason don’t want/need the keyboard portion, you can purchase just the ZAGGmate case for $69.99.

To add additional protection and personal flair, ZAGG sells InvisibleSHIELD covers for your ZAGGmate starting at $34.99 (for a limited time, these are 50 percent off when you purchase a ZAGGmate for iPad 2).

Click Chick’s Mobile App of the Week: SpotWorld

SpotWorld is a new social travel guide with a mission to help you discover the world. The app helps you find the best spots to visit, tap into your social networks to share your own favorite places in real-time and interact with other travelers in the community.

This app merges a travel guide and social networking to give you a fun way to explore travel destinations. After you register, start your search by entering a town, city, attraction or landmark in the search tool, and SpotWorld will give you a brief history and explanation about that search.

When you perform your search, SpotWorld also will display the spots that are in and around that town/city with pictures, interactive media and tips to help you get the most out of your visit.

Make new friends on SpotWorld and give ratings for locations, mark spots you’ve been to and view those locations on a map. Right now there are approximately 500,000 spots available to browse.

Download SpotWorld for free on the Apple iTunes App Store.

Unfortunately, it’s not available on other smart-phone platforms at the moment.