Brydge 12.3 Keyboard for Surface Pro review

Research Center:
Brydge 12.3

While the Surface Pro line has a great portable keyboard in its Type Cover, some struggle with the “lapability” of the Surface Pro when the Type Cover is attached. Simply put, most detachable tablets suffer from some instability when used in situations other than sitting on a flat surface, and the poor lapability of the Surface Pro remains a sore spot for many. The built-in kickstand just doesn’t work on a lap.

That’s where the Brydge 12.3 keyboard dock comes in. It’s an accessory that’s designed specifically to turn the Surface Pro into a more traditional clamshell notebook. Pop a Surface Pro into the Brydge 12.3, the idea goes, and it gains instant lapability. The Surface Pro 3, Pro 4, and Pro (2017) are all supported.

Sounds great, right? The Brydge 12.3 is $150, however, making it yet another accessory that adds the Surface’s already expensive price. Let’s see if it’s worthwhile.

A solid build that provides some real stability

Brydge, creator of the dock, did a great job of ensuring the Brydge 12.3’s connection to the Surface Pro is both solid and attractive. The Brydge 12.3 is constructed from a chunk of solid aluminum and is a close enough match for the Surface Pro’s machined magnesium. It’s sized to cover the Surface Pro completely, folding into a clamshell form factor with rubber stoppers to keep the display safe from scratches.

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

Mark Coppock/Digital Trends

The Brydge 12.3 is a dense accessory that weighs a hefty 1.48 pounds, which comes close to doubling the Surface Pro’s weight. That’s a good thing, because the weight balances the tablet, and keeps it stable in use. As a result, the Brydge 12.3 lives up to its billing in the lapability department.

The Surface Pro connects to the Brydge 12.3 via the company’s patented hinge, with rubberized clamps that grip the tablet when it’s pushed into the hinges’ grooves. Out of the box, the Brydge 12.3 supports the new Surface Pro and the Surface Pro 4, and an included set of hinge pads can be swapped in to support the Surface Pro 3.

The hinge is easy to open and close, with enough stability to keep the tablet in the preferred position from zero degrees (closed) to 160 degrees. The keyboard does close very quickly when it reaches a certain point, so care should be taken when closing things up.

One strike against the Brydge 12.3 is that inserting and removing the Surface Pro requires some effort. That’s good in terms of keeping the tablet in place, but it makes removing the device for tablet use a real pain.

Pairing is easy and reliable

The Brydge 12.3 connects to the Surface Pro via Bluetooth 3.0. Pairing was easy enough, and a solid connection was maintained throughout our testing. In addition, we experienced little of the lag that sometimes occurs with Bluetooth keyboards. The Brydge 12.3 uses AES encryption, which is a nice privacy touch if you’re worried about having your keystrokes intercepted.

Brydge 12.3 Compared To

Logitech K480

Logitech MK850

Corsair Tenkeyless K63

Logitech K780

Aukey KM-G3

Logitech G213 Prodigy

Razer Turret

Razer Blackwidow X Chroma

Razer Deathstalker Chroma

Logitech K400

Microsoft Wireless Desktop 5000

Cooler Master Storm QuickFire

Logitech iPad 2 Keyboard Case by…

Cherry JK-0300

Logitech K750 Wireless Solar…

The Brydge includes a battery that recharges via micro-USB cable. An AC adapter isn’t included, and so you’ll have to provide your own, or use one of the many USB ports you already own. The company expects the keyboard to last around three months on a charge. A key press provides an indication of remaining battery life.

A decent typing experience, but a disappointing touchpad

The Brydge 12.3 features a full-size keyboard with all the usual function keys. Key travel felt more than sufficient. However, the keys were stiff, and required a bit too much force to depress, which might be fatiguing over long typing sessions.

The touchpad is the Brydge 12.3’s weakest feature.

Keyboard backlighting is supported, and while not exceptionally bright, we thought it perfect for use in a dark room.

The touchpad is the Brydge 12.3’s weakest feature. It’s the smallest touchpad we’ve used on a device in recent memory, smaller even than that on the Surface’s Type Cover. That seems an odd decision. Brydge’s keyboard is supposed to make laptop use better. Its responsiveness, feel, and accuracy are fine, with limited gesture support, and usable-yet-stiff buttons.

However, using the touchpad feels like navigating a 12.3-inch display using a postage stamp. Worse, the touchpad is recessed into the keyboard, so our fingers tended to bang up against the edges.

Warranty information

The Brydge 12.3 comes with a one-year hardware warranty.

Our Take

The Brydge 12.3 is a solidly built keyboard dock for the Surface Pro that fits tightly to create an attractive and stable clamshell notebook. The keyboard is only average, however, and the touchpad is simply too small.

Is there a better alternative?

Microsoft’s Type Cover provides a more comfortable typing experience, and its touchpad is significantly better. You might not like using the Surface Pro and Type Cover combination on your lap, but you might be more productive.

Both are priced similarly at $130 for the standard Type Cover, and $150 for the new Premium version. You’ll pay $150 for the Brydge 12.3. That makes it hard to recommend the Brydge unless you really need to use your Surface Pro on your lap with perfect stability.

How long will it last?

The Brydge 12.3 works with the last three generations of the Surface Pro, but there’s no guaranteed that it will fit then next version. It’s obviously built to last, so there’s good reason to believe it will work for as long as you have your current Surface Pro, but there’s no guarantee.

Should you buy it?

It’s difficult to recommend the Brydge 12.3 given its poor touchpad experience. You could use it with an external mouse and have a workable solution, but then again, you’re more likely to use a mouse on a desktop that’s stable enough for the standard Type Cover, rendering the Brydge 12.3 unnecessary.

Armani takes on Android Wear 2.0 with its latest smartwatch

Why it matters to you

If you’re in the market for a new smartwatch, Armani’s latest device is fashionable and high-powered.

Fashion brands are increasingly moving into the smartwatch space. Armani, which is owned by Fossil, first did so with the Emporio Armani EA Connected Watch, however that device was more of a hybrid watch. Now, the company is back with a full-fledged touchscreen smartwatch.

The watch is part of Fossil’s effort to launch 300 new smartwatches this year and it will be available through the Armani website starting on September 24. It was first announced at the Milan Fashion Week and while we do not yet know how much it will cost, it will likely come in at slightly more than its $375 hybrid devices.

Like other smartwatches, the new device will boast a selection of custom-built Armani watch faces, and Armani will also offer eight watch bands, which are interchangeable. That is a nice feature for those that might want to use the watch with different outfits or have different colors for different situations.

Apart from that, however, the watch is a generally typical Android Wear 2.0 smartwatch. It offers basic fitness-tracking features, though there is no word on a heart rate monitor in the device. It also comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 processor, and an AMOLED display. We do not yet know exactly what the resolution of that display is, but Fossil says that it is “high resolution.” It also allows users to summon Google Assistant, track your smartphone’s notifications, and even allow you to send and receive text messages.

As mentioned, Fossil is attempting to launch a few hundred new smartwatches this year, both through the Fossil brand and through its sub-brands — like Armani, Michael Kors, Diesel, and so on. So far, it is hovering somewhere around the 100 mark, but it is showing no signs of slowing down. It os important to note that not all of these watches will be Android Wear smartwatches — many will be hybrid devices.

First dual-nozzle 3D-printing pen lets you draw in three dimensions faster

Why it matters to you

A new dual-nozzle 3D-printing pen lets you draw in three-dimensions with greater speed and flexibility than its rivals.

Why settle for drawing in just two dimensions when you could be sketching full 3D models of anything you can dream up? If you can’t think of a good answer to that question, you might be interested to hear about a new Kickstarter campaign for the so-called Scribbler Duo 3D-printing pen.

“The 3D pen in general can be a very unique art and craft tool, which can be very beneficial for young people,” creator Alexander Vasilev told Digital Trends. “It helps them to think in 3D, learn structure, and help in 3D modeling. We have many schools that are getting these pens for the entire class. Our newest model Scribbler Duo has less limits compared to other models of 3D pens; you can draw with right or left nozzle separately, or with both at the same time. Our pen uses standard 1.75 mm plastic filament, which is much cheaper than the plastic that our competitors use.”

As its name implies, the big selling point of the Scribbler Duo is that it claims to be the world’s first dual-nozzle 3D-printing pen — thereby offering a plethora of new possibilities when it comes to your hand-drawn 3D printing. In terms of materials, the pen can support a wide variety of filaments, including ABS, PLA, glow-in-the-dark materials, metals, silk, and more.

The dual nozzle makes drawing twice as fast, while an innovative new method for quickly changing the nozzle head makes that task easier than ever. No, it’s not a replacement for your regular 3D printer, but as an extra tool, it’s a pretty nifty thing to get your hands on.

You can currently pre-order the Scribbler Duo 3D-printing pen on Kickstarter, with prices starting at $60. You can also get more expensive options that come bundled with up to 500 feet of PLA filament to create 3D models to your heart’s content. Shipping is set to take place in August.

That leaves the rest of the year for some heavy-duty three-dimensional drawing.

What PC game announcement from E3 2017 has you hyped?

As we round the corner on our way out of another E3, it’s worth taking a look back and seeing what really stuck with us throughout the gigantic, announcement-filled gaming conference. Computers tend to take a back seat to consoles in the summer, but that doesn’t stop some big names from leaking through — here are some of our favorites, in no particular order.

What PC game announced at E3 2017 are you most excited for? ????

— Digital Trends (@DigitalTrends) June 19, 2017

At the top of the list, Age of Empires: Definitive Edition snuck in at the end of PC Gaming Show. The remastered, re-engineered version brings updated graphics, better resolution scaling, and of course heavy doses of nostalgia. The updated version will make its appearance in the later part of 2017.

Next up, Bungie’s latest franchise is finally making the leap from console to computer with Destiny 2, and while PC gamers will have to wait a few weeks to actually play, it promises unlocked framerates, 21:9 and 4K support, and full keyboard and mouse integration. This MMOFPS looks gorgeous as ever, with a distinct art style and engaging social features to keep players talking and working together.

Although you may not have heard of it until E3, Lone Echo is poised to strike at the heart of virtual reality with a story-fueled, zero gravity adventure on a futuristic space station. Its multiplayer component, Echo Arena, pits real players against each other in a high-flying, full-contact version of Ultimate Frisbee. Intel announced that the game would be free for all Oculus Rift users to claim for a limited time after its July 22nd release date.

Finally, a unique Rogue-lite adventure from Devolver Digital makes our list for a unique take on the genre. The protagonist of Sword of Ditto attempts to cure the land of an evil force, but should they die, the world will collapse into darkness, and the player’s reincarnated spirit will have to try all over again. It’s always nice to see an indie game shine among titles with much bigger budgets.

What PC title are you most excited for that was announced at E3 2017? Let us know in the poll above, or respond on Twitter and Facebook to let us know if something else caught your eye.

Google offers a free Home smart speaker with your Pixel XL purchase

Why it matters to you

If you’re on the verge of buying Google’s larger Pixel phone, do it now and you’ll have a chance of receiving the Google Home smart speaker for free.

If you’re in two minds about whether to buy Google’s Pixel XL handset, might the offer of a free Google Home connected speaker help to seal the deal?

The Mountain View, California-based company launched the offer on Monday, though you’ll need to hurry as it will only run “while supplies last.”

To secure your own free Google Home smart speaker, you’ll have to purchase Google’s newest smartphone via its online store, a transaction that’ll set you back $769 for the 32GB version of the 5.5-inch phone.

If that’s too much to hand over in one go, there’s also the option to spread your payments with Google Store financing at $32.04 a month for 24 months. Google’s smart speaker, which launched in the United States in November 2016, usually costs $129.

“Both products (Google Home and Pixel XL) must be added to your shopping cart to receive the offer,” Google notes as part of the offer’s terms, adding that “customers who return or cancel their order of Pixel XL must also return the Google Home device to receive a full refund.”

Oh, and if you need a case for your new handset, check out Google’s accessories page, where you’ll see it’s knocked 50 percent off all its offerings for a limited period.

Google Home is a voice-controlled smart speaker and home assistant similar to the Amazon Echo and Apple’s recently unveiled HomePod. Via the incorporated Google Assistant software, it can perform a myriad of tricks, including controlling home appliances, playing requested music tracks, and giving out news updates. Google recently announced a slew of new functions, including the ability to make hands-free voice calls, and more features are being added all the time.

It seems that the Google Home incentive only applies to U.S.-based customers. Hit the same page on, for example, Google’s United Kingdom site, and you’ll see that purchasing either the Pixel XL or the smaller 5-inch Pixel phone will only get you three free months of Google Play Music — there’s no mention of a free Google Home.

Nokia retires Withings brand, introduces redesigned digital health lineup

Why it matters to you

Looking on the shelves for a Withings product? You won’t find any, as Nokia has pulled them from stores and replaced them under the Nokia brand.

After operating a little under 10 years, Withings, the French digital health company, is no more. Its products, or at least most of them, will live on under a new brand — Nokia.

Nokia, once king of the mobile phone market, bought Withings last year for $191 million. At CES 2017, the French company announced it would retire the Withings brand name in favor of its own. The reason? In marketing surveys, the company found the Nokia brand name had 95 percent awareness globally. In India specifically, 99 percent of those surveyed had heard of Nokia before.

“There’s a great positive sentiment,” Rob Le Bras-Brown, chief marketing officer at Nokia Technologies, told Digital Trends. “People love the brand, and they want to love the brand more. When we asked them, ‘what does the brand mean to you,’ they say ‘trust, reliability, and quality.’ We couldn’t wish for better attributes when it comes to a digital health line.”

Nokia is pulling Withings products from retail stores, so you will no longer be able to find Withings-branded products from official sellers. Instead, you can find most of the same products under the Nokia name in redesigned packages. Nokia’s digital health range now includes: Nokia Steel (Withings Steel), Go (Withings Go), Nokia Body Cardio (Withings Body Cardio), Nokia Body+ (Withings Body), Nokia BPM (Withings BPM), Nokia Home (Withings Home), and Nokia Thermo (Withings Thermo).

But there are two new products as well — the Nokia Body and the Nokia BPM+. The Nokia Body strips down a lot of the features of the Body+ and the Body Cardio to offer basic smart scale features at a low cost. Namely, you can sync up to eight people’s weight, get coaching from the Health Mate app, and see your progress during each weigh-in. It is available now for $60.

The BPM+ is a blood pressure monitor that is more compact than the BPM. Le Bras-Brown said customers requested for a BPM that was easier to carry, considering they sometimes need to measure their blood pressure several times a day. The data is logged through the Health Mate app and it is shareable with medical professionals.

The third “new” product to come from this brand transition is a redesigned Health Mate app. The app houses data from most of the products above, and you can share access with family members. It also now includes coaching programs, but Le Bras-Brown said it’s more about health than fitness.

The Withings Steel HR, an analog watch with smart features, also has been rebranded to Nokia Steel HR — but it won’t be available until the fall due to some quality issues in the manufacturing process.

“As part of the final manufacturing ramp-up, we have seen a small, but unacceptable level of Steel HR product fail to reach our quality standards,” Nokia told Digital Trends. “Although the number of devices involved is low, we want all Nokia customers to have the best possible experience with our products and therefore we are instituting modifications to the production process.”

When asked if current Withings-branded Steel HR devices were affected by the same issue, the company said, “a small number of Withings Steel HR units have manifested this issue periodically.” But the reported problem does not affect the functionality of the watch, and it’s “purely aesthetic.”

“We have a comprehensive customer service program in place to respond quickly to any customers contacting us who are experiencing the issue,” Nokia said.

The rest of the lineup, including the new BPM+ and the Nokia Body, are available at Best Buy, Amazon, Bed, Bath & Beyond, as well as Nokia’s website. The company said the products will also be available at CVS, Target, and Babies ‘R’ Us soon.

Apple stopped selling Withings products earlier this year after Nokia filed a lawsuit claiming patent infringements. The two companies buried the hatchet and it seems like Nokia-branded products will soon be available at Apple stores as well.

Spotify may soon insert ‘sponsored songs’ to your playlists

Why it matters to you

For users of Spotify’s free tier, the inclusion of sponsored songs could be a big turn off.

A number of Spotify users have started to notice sponsored tracks appearing at the top of playlists on both desktop and mobile. It’s actually part of a new trial by the music streaming giant aimed at giving music labels the chance to highlight particular songs by select artists — for a fee.

Spotify confirmed to TechCrunch on Monday that it’s started testing sponsored songs, explaining that it’s showing them only to users of its free tier. However, it seems that some of Spotify’s paying subscribers are also seeing tracks chosen and paid for by music labels at the top of their display.

Apparently disgruntled at having sponsored content pushed his way, Spotify subscriber Liam Maloney dived into his Settings to discover that he had to toggle a new “sponsored song” button to get rid of the unwanted content, indicating it’s opt-out rather than opt-in. We’ve reached out to Spotify for clarification on whether paying subscribers are supposed to be seeing sponsored songs and will update when we hear back.

Below you can see an example of a sponsored song, with Call Me by Neiked positioned at the top of a playlist along with a “save song” button.

Liam Maloney

As you can see, there’s no visual note informing users that the song is sponsored, though a verbal announcement is made just before the track starts playing.

Revenue stream

If Spotify decides to make sponsored songs a permanent part of its service, it will give music labels another way to push their artists, which could ultimately lead to an increase in sales of concert tickets and artist merchandise. For Spotify, sponsored songs offers another revenue stream via its free tier as the company continues with preparations to go public, possibly later this year.

While Spotify’s money-making efforts have long included banner ads as part of its free service, last year it also started letting brands sponsor its more popular playlists by allowing them to include logos and videos. Sponsored playlists try to blend content and context, so, for example, Spotify’s “Cardio” playlist that offers “upbeat songs to keep you motivated while doing your cardio” could be “perfect for a footwear brand expanding from lifestyle shoes to workout sneakers,” the company suggested.

If you’re seeing sponsored songs but would rather not, you can disable the function on desktop by hitting Settings and scrolling down to Display Options and toggling the Show Sponsored Songs button. On mobile, go to Sponsored Content in Settings and you’ll see the same option there.

Yota’s back with another dual-screen phone, but buying it will be a challenge

Why it matters to you

The Yota3 phone is different to every other phone on sale, but we should be wary of getting too excited, due to company struggles in the past.

Remember the headline-grabbing Yota phones, which stood out due to integrating both a regular touchscreen and an E Ink screen on the same device? The company is making a comeback with the Yota3, a new model set to go on sale later this year; but once again a wide international release seems unlikely. It’s the first we’ve heard of Yota since 2016, when a 30 percent stake in the Russian firm was acquired by Rex Global Entertainment Holdings, a Hong Kong-based entertainment company, under the name of China Baoli Innovation Technologies.

Should we be excited about the Yota3? If you liked the previous models, then probably, as the new model is more of the same, just a little bigger. The phone was revealed at a China-Russia Expo held in China in mid-June, but details from the event are slim. Apparently, we should expect a 5.5-inch AMOLED screen on the front, and a 5.2-inch E Ink screen on the back, according to specs published by Engadget.

A Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor and 4GB of RAM is likely to power the phone, putting it squarely up against other mid-range Android phones such as the Motorola Moto Z Play, and the Huawei Nova. Two screens won’t stop the Yota3 from having two cameras. Expect a 12-megapixel camera on the back, and a 13-megapixel selfie cam on the front. Other specifications include a MicroSD card slot, Android 7.0 Nougat, and dual-SIM configuration.

Two versions are likely to be made, a $350 64GB model and a more expensive $450 model with 128GB of storage space. However, a Russian source say the Yota3 is only destined for release in China — where China Baoli have the sales rights — and in Russia around November this year. However, while Yota’s intentions are undoubtably good, the company has struggled recently, following a no-show manufacturing partnership with ZTE, various executives including the CEO leaving the firm, and a failed crowdfunding campaign to bring the YotaPhone 2 to the United States.

Whether the Yota3 actually goes on sale, and if anyone will want one if it does given the ageing specs, remains to be seen.

U.K. brand Vertu brings in BlackBerry maker TCL to build 30,000 new devices

Why it matters to you

Vertu’s British luxury heritage is changing with a new partnership with TCL Communication, but it will mean more phones are coming soon.

Things are really changing at luxury phone maker Vertu. An acquisition by a controversial Turkish businessman earlier this year was surprise enough, and now the brand has now partnered with TCL Communication to build 30,000 new Vertu smartphones at its Hampshire, United Kingdom production facility. Vertu made its name with luxury phones, often costing more than $10,000 each, and usually with the signature of the person responsible for making the device stamped under a panel. TCL Communication will give Vertu access to, “advanced and innovative technology,” in a deal worth $40 million to build the 30,000 devices, which are still referred to as handcrafted.

It has also been revealed Vertu’s corporate office has moved from the U.K. to Paris, and is named as Vertu AK France, in the press release. New owner Hakan Uzan said the TCL deal was the first of many, “considerable investments,” being made in Vertu, and talked about a, “substantial restructuring and modernization” process being carried out at the firm.

In July, Vertu will release a limited run of Constellation X smartphones, which may be the Constellation phone we tried in February, with a wider release slated for September. After this, Uzan says the Vertu Concierge service will be revamped. Concierge is a major selling point of Vertu devices, giving owners their own personal assistant, available 24/7 through the phone, to do their bidding. A new range of Vertu lifestyle products will launch in September, but no further details are given.

Vertu currently sells a pair of headphones, a wireless charging dock, and a Bluetooth speaker in addition to its smartphones. Finally, several partnerships with other luxury brands will be announced in September. Vertu has always been selective with its partnerships, with the best known being carmaker Bentley.

TCL Communication is part of Chinese electronics company TCL Corporation, which designs and markets an ever-widening array of smartphones and other electronics devices. It received plenty of attention after licensing the BlackBerry name, which resulted in the launch of the BlackBerry KeyOne, but also manages Alcatel devices, and most recently partnered with Turing Robotic Industries to build a new Turing branded device.

Vertu has always prided itself on its British heritage — a large part of the company’s appeal — its craftsmanship, and dedication to only selecting the very best materials and components. How TCL Communication’s involvement, and owner Hakan Uzan’s plans, will alter this remains to be seen. We’ve reached out to Vertu for comment, and will update this post when we hear back.

Lost your Joy-Con? Nintendo’s new Switch firmware will help you find it

Why it matters to you

It’s a good idea to keep your software updated, and the new features added to the Switch in this firmware update should be of real benefit.

Nintendo has released firmware version 3.0 for the Nintendo Switch, adding a number of new features, including one that helps find Joy-Cons that have slipped down the side of the couch. It also helps you bring over old friends from your 3DS and Wii U systems, and lets you connect a USB keyboard to make text communication far easier.

Since the Nintendo Switch first debuted in March, Nintendo has released a number of firmware updates that have improved stability and enhanced the user experience. This latest version, 3.0, goes well beyond that, though, and adds a number of exciting and much-requested features.

USB keyboard support is a big one, making it much easier to type to friends or search on the Nintendo store, but it’s far from the only one. You can now remotely enable the Joy-Con vibration feature, making it easy to find them if lost and you can now change the user icon on the Home Menu, with a selection of six new Splatoon 2 characters to choose from, as well as the original options.

Other changes include the ability to adjust the system volume from the quick settings menu, the option to drop the maximum volume for headphone or speakers connected to the audio jack, and a choice of advanced screen color effects, letting you invert what’s on screen, or switch to grayscale.

Further improving its online service, Nintendo has also made it possible to import your friends from lists on the 3DS and Wii U. After applying this latest update, you’ll also receive new notifications when your friends go online, making it easier to connect with them for joint gaming experiences.

To top it all off, this firmware update adds the option to subscribe to certain game feeds and news sources, helping you stay up to date with the latest happenings with your favorite, or most anticipated games.

Your Switch should download the latest firmware update itself, but if it doesn’t, try restarting the system. You can also check which version you’re running in the settings menu, as well as trigger a manual update from there.

If you’re having any other problems with your Switch, check out our handy guide for some of the most common fixes.