Review: Dell Venue 8 Pro's wireless keyboard and case
Sunday, January 19, 2014 at 9:11AM 
By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla
The Dell Venue 8 Pro is one of the first 8-inch Windows 8.1 tablets and is a stellar value at $299 for the 32GB version. Dell wants users to consider the Dell Venue 8 Pro as more than just a tablet, they've created a specific wireless keyboard and case to turn it into a makeshift subportable notebook.
I thought I could get behind using the Dell wireless keyboard, so I ordered one soon as I received my Dell tablet. It took close to a month before the keyboard shipped and I was quite happy when I finally got it.
The keyboard is a standalone device but it can magnetically connect with the magnetic case cover for storage and carrying. It is an elegant idea and one that's rather well executed.
The keyboard has a tiny watch or calculator battery that doesn't require recharging (just replace it with a new battery when it dies). This is clever and convenient. Connecting the keyboard to the Dell Venue 8 Pro via Bluetooth is quick and easy.
Aside from keyboard keys, there are special Windows 8 keys that can access the charms bar and enable sharing and quick shortcuts. This is convenient.
What isn't convenient is the apparently arbitrary way they have decided to move some of the critical punctuation keys. The comma key has been inexplicably moved from the lower right side to the upper left-hand side. Short of rewiring one's brain, It is both annoying and time consuming to have to hunt and peck for it.
The shift key has been shortened and is literally easy to miss and I found various other aspects of my typing experience to be equally infuriating.
Yes, Dell made a thin and innovative keyboard and the keys themselves are sufficiently responsive. But the Dell Venue 8 Pro's tiny screen, its high resolution and the poorly conceived keyboard layout make typing on the this accessory keyboard a pain. This is definitely a 'good concept, poor execution' scenario.
The strong point of this keyboard and case combination is the case. Well, built and fitting the Dell Venue Pro exactly, it protects and gives the tablet a easy way to be propped up for viewing videos or taking voice and video calls. There's even a neat receptacle for the capacitive stylus, if one cares to use it.
I'm going to try to give the keyboard another chance this week as I use the Venue 8 Pro to write a few articles and blog posts. Maybe I can still adjust to it as I feel it would be a shame to send it back because I really like the case it comes with.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
Reader Comments (1)
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ummm comma key seems be in the right place.... did you find it yet or still using ``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
This was typed on the venue 8 pro with keyboard case, btw. How did it turn out for you?