Apple World Today is a small operation, so when I go on vacation, Yours Truly still has to keep the site updated. I’ve found that the US$134.99 Logitech CASA POP-Up Desk is a great accessory to help me work while traveling.
The Casa has all you need to work from home in one compact kit: a wireless keyboard, wireless touchpad and a book-like case that transforms into a laptop stand. Plus, you can fold it and store it away when it’s not needed.
The Casa works with laptops ranging from 10-inches to 17-inches that weigh up to 264 ounces. The POP-up desk (which weighs about 1.5 pounds) works just fine with my 16-inch MacBook Pro M4, as well as the 12.9-inch iPad Pro M4.
And since it works with multiple operating systems simultaneously, I can use it with either my laptop or tablet as needed. The CASA POP-Up Desk comes with the Casa Keys keyboard, Casa Touch touchpad, and the Casa Book, a book-like case that morphs into a laptop stand.
It also comes with a USB-C to USB-C charging cable. The cable has its own compartment in the CASA POP-UP Desk, so you can stash it out of sight when it’s not needed.
The F1, F2, and F3 keys on the keyboard double as connection buttons for your three devices. Tapping one of them connects the keyboard to that key’s associated device. Holding one down puts the keyboard into pairing mode for that key.
Note that the touchpad doesn’t have any keys, so there’s a button on its bottom that for switching between devices. Holding the button down turns on pairing mode for the active slot.
The Casa accessories connect via Bluetooth Low Energy, so they’re easy to pair with your Apple device. Logitech says the keyboard and trackpad should last up to five months on a full charge. However, I have’t been testing the POP-Up Desk nearly that long, so I can’t validate that claim.
The CASA POP-Up Desk fits in most backpacks, so it’s easily transportable. Take it out, open it, remove the keyboard and touchpad, set up the case itself to keep your laptop/tablet at eye level, and you’re ready to work.
Some folks might find the Case Keys a bit too small. However, if, like me, you’re comfortable, using the Magic Keyboard (the one with no numbers pad or function rows), you’ll find its size is fine. Speaking of the Logitech keyboard, the Casa Keys boasts 10 programmable keys, one of which allows you to easily switch between three computing devices.
One one of those keys allows you to either automatically pull up the emoji character viewer box or your chosen favorite to auto-insert when you need it. That’s a fun feature, although Logitech’s emoji library is a bit dated. Other keys offer shortcuts like dictation, screenshots, play/pause, and volume control.
What’s more, you can customize the device with the Logi Options+ app that’s available at logitech.com/optionsplus . You can set the Casa Keys’ keys to, for example, automatically open a new tab, choose one of its presets, or use macros called Smart Actions. These keys can be set for individual applications, and the Logi Options+ app provides a selection of Smart Action templates.
If you don’t have to do a lot of work when you’re on the go, the CASA POP-Up Desk might be overkill for you — plus, as mentioned, it’s not exactly tiny. However, if, like me, you have to do substantial work while traveling, the Logitech accessories make life a lot easier.
The CASA POP-Up Desk is available in Classic Chic, Nordic Calm, or Boheniam Blush flavors.
Apple World Today rating (out of 5 stars): ★★★★★
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