I put off purchasing the IPad for years, because when I tried the first version of the iPad  years ago; I couldn’t type on hard glass.  I bought a MacBook Air instead.

I finally broke down; then I found the Zagg wireless keyboard, the version not built in to a cover.  To dictate you need to bring up the on-screen keyboard with the microphone button, The keyboard comes with a button just to do this.

The keyboard button wasn’t working consistently.  (In the photo it is fourth from left on top row.) I had to play around with the technology and I found out that it’s how the Bluetooth wireless was connected to the device.

You have to start a Bluetooth on the iPad first then turn on the keyboard.

This procedure wasn’t intuitive or written up on the web.

I believe that 99% of the people would think that it is a malfunction of either the iPad or the keyboard.