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Microsoft's folding keyboard is available now for $99.95

Microsoft's folding keyboard is available now for $99.95

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It works with iOS and Android, but is cool because it folds

By Dan Seifert / @dcseifert

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Back at Mobile World Congress this past winter, Microsoft demoed a new Bluetooth keyboard for mobile devices that could quite literally be folded in half. The aptly-named Universal Foldable Keyboard could be paired with Windows, Android, iOS, or OS X devices, much like Microsoft's popular, but not foldable, Universal Mobile Keyboard. According to the company the folding keyboard provides a better typing experience than tapping on a screen. It's available for purchase starting today for $99.95.

The Universal Folding Keyboard can last for up to three months between charges and is eminently lightweight and portable: just snap it closed and toss it in your bag. It even snaps shut with a magnetic closure. Two devices can be paired to it at the same time, and you can switch between them with the buttons on the top row.

Typing is easier on Microsoft's other, non-foldable keyboardI've had a chance to use the folding keyboard for a couple of weeks, and as Microsoft claims, it's easier to type on it than just pecking on a tablet's display. The typing experience is similar to the keyboard for the Surface 3, which means the keys are pretty shallow and hard to tell apart. I much prefer using Microsoft's other universal keyboard, which is cheaper, has bigger keys, can prop up a tablet for use on a lap, and can be paired with more devices at the same time. But it's not as portable and doesn't have the cool factor of being able to fold in half. If that's important to you, you can pick up the Universal Folding Keyboard at Microsoft stores, Microsoft's online store, and Amazon starting today.

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