Kickstarter-backed iPhone, iPod and iPad accessories

The PadPivot is a versatile iPad (or any other tablet or e-reader) stand that folds up for easy storage, and works both on hard surfaces like a table or desk, or on your thigh for holding your iPad steady while browsing or watching video on the couch. In my review, I wasn’t shy about calling the PadPivot the most practical stand I’d ever come across, and that remains true after a couple more weeks of usage.

PadPivot easily exceeded its funding goal of $10,000, raising $190,352 on Kickstarter, where anyone can pledge small amounts to see the project become a reality. Another project that blew past its initial funding target, the iPod nano watchbands called LunaTik and TikTok, also went on to pick up a prize retail distribution deal, and are now available on Apple retail store shelves.

Kickstarter’s advantage is its ability to act as a focus group (designers will change their product based on feedback during the funding period), test market (pledges act as pre-orders, so retailers have a ready-made sample of prospective buyer interest) and funding round. Thanks to that triple-pronged approach, consumers get to select from some unique accessories that might not have made it through the design-by-committee process that churns out relatively interchangeable designs at established accessory-makers.

When the PadPivot arrives on Best Buy and Future Shop (which is owned by Best Buy) shelves, it’ll bear in-house RocketFish branding. The device will still retain the same design that makes it so handy, and the PadPivot name, however, and should retail for around $39.99. Check it out in action below.

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The Rokstand is made of of anodized aluminum, and it’s reminiscent of a motorcycle with its bearings and gears. That makes sense since RokForm is a division of Two Brothers Racing, which makes items for the powersports industry. This stand seems turbocharged even when its just sitting in place. The aluminum grey nicely matches Apple’s current product line, but RokForm also makes the stand in eight different colors. I opted for the blue for this review.

The stand adjusts to six different positions and has grooves to hold your charging cable and dock. You simply place the phone in the dock to charge it. I really liked having a charging stand on my desk. The iPhone 4 doesn’t come with one and I miss being able to view my phone while working. The rubber rings ensure the Rockstand won’t slip off your desk. Everything has been thought of with the design of this stand. The rear gears hold the cable in place and a little lever optimizes the position of the device resting on it.

What you’re paying for with the Rokstand is style and quality. After all, you’ve got an iPhone, not a generic Android device. The precision aluminum combined with the American manufacturing is going to make it cost more, but this stand will clearly outlast your iDevice. It even has its own serial number. The stand is a true conversation piece and practically every visitor to my office comments on how unique and attractive the Rokstand is.

The only caveat is that I’m constantly having to clean the office because I simply don’t want to embarrass myself in front of such a professional and classy stand. I sometimes even felt a strong urge to wear a shirt and tie while using it. Your mileage may vary.

• Pros: Absolute pinnacle of style and class
• Cons: It’ll cost you, and casual attire may not be appropriate.

Disclosure: Rokstand provided a sample for review.

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Laptop stands are widely heralded as a great solution for a more ergonomic workstation and better positioning of your computer. They come in all manner of shapes and sizes, from the downright awful to very slick and stylish.

I recently took the plunge and purchased the Rain Design mStand. This particular stand is designed specifically for aluminum MacBook laptops, matching the anodized metal finish wonderfully. Like the latest Apple notebooks, mStand is made from one solid piece of aluminum.

While not the most cost-effective solution (mStand costs $50), it certainly goes a long way towards offering an ergonomic and stylish accessory for any MacBook or MacBook Pro. This review will take a look at the design, stability, ergonomic design and limitations of the stand.

Design

Right from removing it from the box, the mStand looked comfortably at home in my Apple setup. The aim was to elevate my MacBook Pro to the same level of a Cinema Display and transform it into a more usable second monitor.

The design almost identically mimics the stand present on Apple’s Cinema Display and iMac computers — even down to the inclusion of a circular cable hole at the rear.

According to the documentation, the aluminum finish also assists with cooling your laptop through acting as a heat sink. While a solid metal block might not seem the best candidate for a heat sink, I found that it certainly did not cause any problems. My MacBook Pro remained cool and quiet.

Stability

Obviously if you’re going to entrust a small piece of metal to raise your precious MacBook 6 inches above a desk, stability is a major consideration. The mStand shines in this department due to a remarkably well-designed construction. It supports all MacBook and MacBook Pro models, along with any other laptop up to a 15″ widescreen.

Pressing, knocking and shaking the stand didn’t once instill a sense of fear for my laptop’s safety. If you’re using the stand on your lap (which works well), it’s perfectly capable of supporting even the most vigorous typing activity.

Pads cushion both the underside and front of your laptop where it comes into contact with the stand to ensure there’s no chance of scratching.

Ergonomics

The stand’s accompanying leaflet makes it clear that “all ergonomic guidelines recommend placing the screen at eye level, and keeping your back, forearms and wrists straight.” Coupling the mStand with an external keyboard and mouse is a far better solution than using a laptop directly on your desk:

mStand Ergonomics

I can’t see myself lugging all this gear to Starbucks for an afternoon, but it can work extremely well in an office environment.

As mentioned below, at times I felt that the stand may be elevating the screen a little too high. It could be that I’ll just need a few weeks to adjust to looking in a slightly different direction.

Limitations

The main limitation with this product is the non-adjustable height. While this is a common problem with many laptop stands, it could really make the mStand a perfect solution. I found that the stand elevated my MacBook Pro a little too high — almost to the top of my Cinema Display. I do, however, appreciate that this is likely the perfect position from an ergonomic perspective.

The only other niggle (and I’m really splitting hairs) is that the cable hole in the rear cannot accommodate the width of an external monitor connection. It’s a slight inconvenience for keeping cables organized, but certainly not a deal-breaker.

Conclusion

So far, I’ve been remarkably impressed with the mStand. It seems perfectly able to match Apple in terms of design, ergonomics and build quality — no easy task.

Is it worth the asking price of $50? The answer depends very much on whether you require a design that’s able to match the aluminum look and feel of an existing Mac setup. If appearance isn’t a major concern, the Logitech Alto Express may be a better (and more budget-friendly) alternative.

Whichever stand you go for, it’s definitely a move I would recommend for a more comfortable workspace.

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Let’s be honest, sitting in a chair or on a couch with a laptop sitting directly on your legs is just…painful. After extended periods of time the heat from the laptop just gets uncomfortable for everybody involved.

Previously I’ve just ended up sitting at a table or putting a book or something of the sort under the laptop to help with both the heat and the height so my wrists wouldn’t hurt.

After enduring this for a few weeks I decided it was time for a real solution so I picked up an iLap. The iLap helps raise the laptop a good 3-4 inches at the back so the keyboard is it a comfortable angle while it also keeps things off your lap.

It is made of sandblasted aluminum that matches the look of MacBook Pros and PowerBooks and also helps keep the actual laptop a bit cooler. Along with the aluminum are 2 velvet cushions the make sure the weight of your laptop doesn’t get uncomfortable after prolonged us.

In addition to being good for lap use, you can remove the front cushion and use it on your desk to give a better angle for typing and to give more circulation to keep temperatures down.

Prices range from $49.90 for the 12 inch model up to $69.90 for the 17 inch model and can be purchased here.

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