Michelle Mastin

On March 8, I purchased the full version of Adobe Acrobat 10 over the phone, using an Adobe account registered with my organization’s address in Sanford, Florida. The sales rep said I would receive a confirmation email with download instructions and a serial number to activate the software. Weeks later, despite numerous phone calls and chats with customer service, I still haven’t gotten a serial number. Help!

­—Chris Walker, Goroka, Papua New Guinea

The Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover is the thinnest iPad keyboard cover I've encountered. Even at its thickest point, the keyboard cover is just shy of the thickness of the third-generation iPad, and it's more tapered, too. More important, the Ultrathin Keyboard Cover ($99 as of May 11, 2012) provided one of the best typing experiences in my recent tests of six models.

The keyboard is cleverly designed, staying on by using the same magnetic hinge and edge magnets that the Apple Smart Cover uses. That also means it provides the same back coverage as the Apple Smart Cover does--none.

The Logitech Keyboard Case by ZAGG, originally created for the iPad 2, covers only the front of the tablet when it's closed. The slight increase in thickness of the third-generation iPad is therefore no problem, and the designers didn't need to redo this keyboard cover ($99 as of May 11, 2012) to accommodate Apple's latest slate. However, while the aluminum frame provides solid protection for the front, the case leaves the tablet's back fully exposed. At least it matches the aluminum back of the iPad for a seamless look.

Rubber pieces at each corner, and in a strip behind the keyboard, hold the screen off the keys to protect it when closed. The same padding runs around the inner edge of the case to hold the outside edges of the iPad. Nothing clips or locks into place, but the iPad stays in securely as long as you make sure to press all of the edges down.

ZAGG's folio-style keyboard case was popular with iPad 2 users, and fortunately the existing design accommodates the third-generation iPad, too. While many slim-fit cases don't work with the slightly thicker build of the latest iPad, the ZAGGfolio ($99 as of May 11, 2012) snugly slips around the new tablet.

The outside of the case is hard plastic, wrapped in various colors and materials. The carbon-fiber version I tested feels stylish and durable. The folio-style cover holds the iPad on one side and the keyboard on the other; both the iPad and the keyboard slide in from an opening along the center of the folio.

Want to head down to the café to work on your novel, but worried about spills near your precious iPad? Going to a meeting, and bringing your coffee along? Either way, the waterproof rubberized keys and the stylish synthetic leather of the Kensington KeyFolio ($79 as of May 11, 2012) should fit the bill--as long as you don’t intend to do a lot of typing.

The KeyFolio’s rubberized keys are durable and spill-proof, and they won't leave a mark on your new iPad's screen, but they certainly take some getting used to. Pressing down to contact the sensor under the rubber requires considerable force, so I tired quickly while typing on these keys. The keys also don't spring back the same way that plastic ones do.

Currently, the iPad is best known as a consumer device, designed more for the enjoyment of content rather than the creation of it. But there's no denying its growing popularity for all kinds of applications, including content creation and other business needs. For extended sessions, however, no app can replace the comfort and speed of typing on a physical keyboard.

[If you're looking to add a physical keyboard to your Android tablet, check out our reviews of Bluetooth keyboards and keyboards that physically attach.]

You want a keyboard case for your iPad because sometimes you need physical keys for an extended typing session. The problem is that most keyboard cases add lots of bulk to your sleek Apple tablet. Belkin solves that problem with the YourType Folio and Keyboard ($100 as of May 11, 2012), which makes the keyboard portion removable.

On its own, the case adds no more bulk than the average folio-style case, although that slim fit makes getting the third-generation iPad in and out difficult. The case has no specific grooves for slotting the iPad in when it's propped open, so the viewing angle is wherever you want it to be. I also found the setup to be stable enough on my lap.

The ClamCase ($149 as of May 11, 2012) takes a straightforward approach to the idea of adding a keyboard to your iPad by turning it into a laptop. Made of a sturdy matte plastic, the case surrounds the iPad and attaches via a hinge in the back to the keyboard base. Unfortunately, this model stumbles in usability and design.

The ClamCase looks like a sleek netbook when closed. It's also about the size and weight of a netbook, adding 1.6 pounds to the 1.44 pounds of the iPad, bringing the whole package in at just over 3 pounds.

The popular note-taking service Evernote has announced today that it has acquired popular iPad note- taking app Penultimate. Penultimate will remain a separate app, but will gain many features including closer sync integration with Evernote and search capabilities. The creator of Penultimate, Ben Zotto will be joining the Evernote team.

These two note-taking apps have very complimentary features. Penultimate is one of the best handwriting apps for the iPad, offering smooth inking and great palm rejection. Evernote has expanded from a desktop application for taking, storing, and searching notes, onto most major mobile platforms, giving you searchable access to all of your notes nearly everywhere.

If you’ve ever wanted to utilize Adobe’s Master Collection of creative tools in your business, but blanched at the suite’s $2,600 price tag, take a look at Adobe Creative Cloud. This new subscription service delivers full access to the company’s Creative Suite 6 on a monthly or annual basis for a fraction of that price.

Subscribers will also gain two HTML 5 applications--Muse and Edge--that aren’t available any other way. And you needn’t worry about being tied to your Internet connection while you’re using them: You can download and install any application in Adobe’s CS6 Master Collection of design, Web, video, and digital imaging tools and use it offline as long as you remain subscribed.

I’m an American working for the U.S. government and assigned overseas in Italy. Around Thanksgiving, I bought an Asus Eee Pad Transformer TF101 tablet from Overstock.com and had it sent to my FPO mailing address. When the tablet’s screen died a while later, I opened two Asus support tickets: one on the Italian site and one on the U.S. site (since I purchased the tablet from an American vendor). Asus in Italy merely asked, “Did you buy the tablet in Italy?” I wrote back and explained the situation, but never got a reply. An Asus rep in the United States told me that they could fix the tablet, but would return it only to a family member or friend in the United States, since the company does not ship to AFO or FPO addresses. This would add eight to ten weeks to the total turnaround time for the repair. Can you help?
--Rick Shores, Rome, Italy

On Your Side responds: We contacted Asus, and a company rep helped Shores fill out a return merchandise authorization request on the Italian website. The request was granted, Asus sent the tablet out to the Czech Republic for service, and just two weeks later the repaired tablet made it back to Shores via UPS.

The $200 (as of April 4, 2012) Lenovo ThinkVision LT1421 monitor provides a simple, one-cable option for adding a second display to your setup. A second monitor is useful for many reasons, and whether you just want more screen real estate on your already-crowded desk, or you need a second display to take on the go with your laptop, the ThinkVision LT1421 fits the bill.

This portable monitor is slim and lightweight, measuring about 0.37 inch thick and weighing 1.8 pounds on its own, or about 0.85 inch and 2.4 pounds with its protective cover attached. The 14-inch screen gives you 1366 by 768 pixels to work with, an acceptable resolution for a display of this size.