Bluetooth keyboards have long been considered must-have accessories for those who wish to use their tablets (whether iPads or Android ones) in notebook mode. The catch is that most good Bluetooth keyboards not only come with slightly stiff price tags, but also that they have no facility to prop up a tablet, so one has to invest in either a stand or a tablet cover with a stand.
Logitech showed that it is possible for a Bluetooth to also have a space for placing gadgets like a phone or a tablet in its famous Logitech K480 keyboard, but that came with a Rs 3,999 price tag (it is more affordable now, but is not as useful given the straight side design of tablets and phones).
At 39 centimeters in length, it is on the long side. (Express Image)
Also, most of the lower priced Bluetooth keyboards tend to be a little on the smaller side, and sacrifice functionality for the sake of a more affordable price tag. Portronics is looking to change all that with the Bubble 3.0 wireless keyboard, which has been launched recently at Rs 999, and comes loaded with features.
Big, slightly bulky, but a feature-packed Bubble!
The first thing that strikes you about the Portronics Bubble 3.0 is just how sturdily built it is. At 39 centimeters in length, it is on the long side, and is about 3 centimeters tall when placed on its retractable stand. At about 800 grams, it is slightly on the heavier side, but has a very solid feel about it.
The keyboard is available in a single colour, black, at the time of writing, and it cuts a smart figure. It has a six row alphabet and shortcut layout, and on its right side, a full number pad. Its most striking feature is a long, trench-like depression above the top row, which Portronics calls the “mobile and tablet holder space.”
It is very similar to what we have seen on some other keyboards, but in a neat touch, the Bubble 3.0 also has small pads on the upper side of the holder space to keep tablets and mobile phones steady, reducing the chances of their tipping over and falling (something that now happens with the Logitech K480, thanks to the straight-side design of gadgets).
The right side of the keyboard has a type-C port for charging. (Express Image)
The right side of the keyboard has a type-C port for charging, while on the back of the keyboard are two retractable legs or stands that can be pulled out to give one a slightly higher perspective, The mobile and tablet holding space on the top is large enough for a tablet and a phone to be kept side by side if needed. Most of the keys are round in shape and are slightly on the smaller side, but are well spaced out and have decent travel, to give you a slightly punchy feeling while typing.
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Of course, the keyboard is not backlit, hut there are three connectivity keys that are in white to allow you to switch between connected devices.
There is also a tiny display on the top right corner, right above the number pad, which shows the devices to which you have connected the keyboard to, and also lets you know when you need to recharge the battery – a very handy touch which we hope other manufacturers pick up.
Next to it is a slider that lets you switch off the keyboard, and move it into wireless or Bluetooth mode. The spacebar comes with large Portronics branding, which looks a little loud (the branding could have been placed more subtly), but all said and done, the Portronics Bubble 3.0 looks like a big, solidly built keyboard.
A very solid performer
The Portronics Bubble 3.0 works very well too. Pairing it in wireless mode is as simple as attaching the USB connector to the tablet or notebook (which can be a bit of a challenge, as it is a USB Type A, and will not plug straight into most tablets, so you will need an adaptor) and then type away.
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The process is slightly more elaborate when you connect the device over Bluetooth – you need to press the Fn key and one of three buttons, and then choose the keyboard in the Bluetooth settings of the device. You can use this process to connect up to three devices to the keyboard, and keep switching between them, by hitting the white key you have linked to each device.
We connected the keyboard to our OnePlus Pad 3, iPad Air 13 and iPhone 16 Pro Max, and while the switching is not super smooth – there is a clear pause as you move from one device to an other – it is pretty effective. Interestingly, both the OnePlus Pad 3 and the iPad Air 13 are large tablets, but we found we could use them in portrait as well as landscape mode in the holding space, without ever worrying about them tipping over (we recommend keeping the stand out for greater stability).
Next to it is a slider that lets you switch off the keyboard. (Express Image)
The typing experience on the Portronics Bubble 3.0 is a good one. As we mentioned earlier, the keys are not large, but they have decent travel and for the most part, typing is a smooth process. The number pad is handy, and the row of shortcuts on the top of the keyboard also make the whole typing process easier, by letting you change volume, open mail, and switch to the home screen by just tapping two buttons (the Fn key and the relevant button).
We would have ideally liked to have to hit just one button to use a shortcut, but this is hardly a deal breaker. You will also need to get used to the key layout and shortcuts, but once you get the hang of it, the Portronics Bubble is a solid performer. Battery life is pretty good too.
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The back of the keyboard are two retractable legs or stands. (Express Image)
Portronics has given non official figure in this regard, saying that the keyboard can last for “days” on a single charge, and we have so far used the keyboard for almost five days without needing a recharge at any stage, The presence of USB Type-C charging means you can recharge the keyboard using your phone’s charger, and do not have to worry about carry AAA cells along. We would have liked to be able to see the level of charge left in the battery, though.
This Bubble-y Keyboard does not burst your budget bubble!
The Portronics Bubble 3.0 does have its issue. Although Portronics has provided a number pad, the arrow keys on the main keyboard are on the small side – we ended up using the ones on the number pad. And while the existing shortcut keys are handy, there is no screen lock/unlock key, which meant we had to keep reaching out to swipe up on our tablets,. which can be a little inconvenient. Finally, there is the matter of weight and size. The Portronics Bubble 3.0 is actually longer than most notebooks, so it is not very easy to carry around unless you have a very spacious backpack.
We have so far used the keyboard for almost five days without needing a recharge at any stage. (Express Image)
However, those are minor quibbles when one considers what the keyboard delivers at its price. For less than a thousand Rupees, one gets a full keyboard with a number pad and space to prop up a tablet and/or phone, multi-device connectivity, USB Type-C charging, and Bluetooth as well as wireless connectivity. All in a sturdy enough design.
It is not perfect (what is?), but you are unlikely to get a better Bluetooth keyboard deal at this price, especially if you value a number pad and want a keyboard that can handle multiple devices, without you having to invest in a stand to prop[ them up on. It will take a bit of space in your backpack and add to its weight too, but we think it is well worth it, given its amazing price tag.
