When big keys are key.

It’s like the good-fast-cheap triangle, where you can have any two of those things but not all three. You can have a tablet-sized keyboard. Or you can have full-size keys. Or you can have all the keys located where you’re used to. You can even any combination of two of those qualities. But not all three at the same time.

That goes for the Belkin QODE, too. It’s not some kind of keyboard Tardis that can fit bigger keys into a smaller space. So what do you give up? What tradeoffs will be traded off?

You can’t lose the big keys. That makes every keystroke an excruciating annoyance. Full-size keys are a must.

And you can’t compromise on the tablet size. That’s the whole point this exists. A full-size keyboard built into a tablet case would nullify the advantage of a tablet, making it as bulky as a laptop.

So we’re left with the keyboard layout. This version of the Belkin QODE solved that problem by bumping the colon/semicolon key down to the next line. Not an unreasonable solution, really. It’s probably the least frequently struck of all the home keys. You’ll get used to it. You can buy this version of the Belkin QODE Bluetooth keyboard tablet case right here, today, for $9.

But some people didn’t like it. So Belkin made a new version where the semicolon key is back in its natural home. The sacrifice they made was making the adjacent Enter key smaller. Again, a reasonable solution. It keeps everything in the place you’re used to, and who does that Enter key think it is, anyway, manspreading all over two keys’ worth of real estate? You can buy this version of this case at Amazon for $99.

Which is exactly what you should do if you use a tablet keyboard every day, and the relocated semicolon key is going to trip up your typing groove. Choosing a new keyboard isn’t a trivial decision. If that $90 makes the difference between effortless typing and constant aggravation for years to come, it’ll be money well spent.

But maybe you don’t care where the semicolon key is. Maybe you need a big fat Enter key to absorb your vigorous carriage returns. Maybe this version of the Belkin QODE makes more sense to you, even aside from the fact that it only costs $9.

If so, order today and we’ll get it to you… at some point. Hey, it’s a good, cheap tablet keyboard. You can’t expect to get it fast, too.