While the iPad does a lot of useful things, a lot of the things it does – displaying cookbooks, giving guitar lessons, etc. – are used while your hands are busy doing something else. Plus, reading in bed or watching movies in a lot of positions can be tiresome as you have to hold up the half-kilo device for prolonged periods.

But that’s where the Hanfree comes in.

The Hanfree is basically a swivelling omni-angle stand that suspends your first- or second-gen iPad in useful positions to solve exactly this problem. The team behind the concept is currently on Kickstarter looking for funding to start production, meaning you can pre-purchase one for yourself for $50 ahead of time. After the campaign comes to a close, they’ll be bumping the price up to $80 a piece.

At first, the minimalist support looks like little more than a glorified lamp rod bent into a new shape. But after watching the video, the usefulness of it is pretty apparent.

For giving presentations or in meetings, it’d be a dream. Get yourself a Bluetooth keyboard and you’ve essentially got a mobile work station, sans slouching to get the right angle of the screen. Your baby’s crib mobile isn’t doing the job? Throw on “Koi Pond” and you’re covered (though we’re not accepting any liability for suggesting it if something goes horribly wrong).

If you’ve got an iPad, I recommend checking out the video and their Kickstarter page.

[UberGizmo via KickStarter]

The post Hanfree Stand the Next Big Thing for Your iPad appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Maybe you’re on a budget and can’t afford one of those shiny new MacBook Airs. That’s okay. You already have an iPad and you can effectively transform it into an Apple iMac on the cheap. Well, sort of. At least it looks kind of like an iMac. Okay, no it really doesn’t but we can all pretend.

What you see here is the PadDock 10 stand. It’s a docking station for the iPad that comes equipped with some integrated speakers and, if you were to pair up your iPad with a Bluetooth keyboard, you can almost have a desktop-like experience. You know, on a ten-inch screen running iOS rather than the new OS X Lion.

Beyond the docking and the speakers, the PadDock 10 can rotate 360 degrees and it’ll charge and sync your iPad to boot. Realistically, this $100 stand might work a little better as an accompanying accessory to your existing iMac. That way, it’s almost like having a dual monitor setup with two separating operating systems.

And then you can have your iPhone 4 on your desk too, completing the Cupertino trifecta.

SOURCE: Giz via PD Stand

The post Turn your iPad into the world’s cheapest iMac (sort of) appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Just Mobile's iPad UpStand

I just got through a half dozen documentaries and videos that I’ve been meaning to get to for months now. How I did it? The Just Mobile UpStand and a bit of help from CineXplayer. Now that my iPad conveniently sits next to my monitor in seemingly perfect viewable angle, I can let those videos play as I work during the day.

Features and Design
The UpStand is a finely crafted stand for the iPad. It’s made of brushed aluminum and matches everything Apple. The packaging even resembles Apple’s. It consists of a solid aluminum base with rubber underneath so it does not move around, an aluminum upside down V bolted to a pair of tubes. The upside down V has rubber grips where you actually rest the iPad on. It also has rubber on the inside edges of where your iPad will lean against, preventing any possibility of scratching. The stand is super light, and basically 4 pieces of aluminum bolted together in an esthetically pleasing way.

Overall Performance
It’s just a stand. But it’s a really good looking stand. There are many stands on the market, some even come built in to your case. The UpStand was designed to be more appealing to the eye than a fully functional and configurable iPad holder. Sure you could lean your iPad up against the wall, or against a book, but that’s not going to match anything on your desk, let alone give you the security of knowing your iPad is in its home.

Backside of the UpStand

There is a bit of extra room where the UpStand grips the iPad, even a big bulky case wrapping your iPad fits; like the Otterbox Defender for example. With no adjustable angle, the iPad is still easily viewable when seated at a desk. But that is one thing I would have liked, the ability to tilt the iPad in various angles while in the stand. Of course it would raise the price by a few more dollars, but it would have given it that extra bit of flexibility and appeal. As it stands, you can swivel it left and right easily, and that gives you a perfect view on any desk, table or shelf. This design leads me to believe that Just Mobile intends it to be used with a keyboard at a desk, or on a shelf as an alarm clock or photo album.

Bottom Line
The stand is narrow and light. This makes it easy to tip over if you are pressing the Apple key, you will have to hold on to the back of the iPad in order to prevent it from falling off. Using Apple’s touchscreen keyboard is a bit of a pain at the pre-configured angle, otherwise multitouch navigation through apps and websites is a breeze. You can swipe and tap and it stands up just fine. This will turn your iPad into a mini-mac like computer by simply connecting a Bluetooth keyboard.

A bit pricey at $50 and should have given you tilt action. But it is uber sexy.

Just Mobile UpStand – $50

Look at me, i'm a real computer!

The post Just Mobile’s UpStand for the Apple iPad review appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Here’s an iPad stand that turns the iPad into a mini monitor desktop. Just Mobile’s UpStand is a good looking brushed aluminum stand that can support either landscape or portrait modes. With rubber supporting grips you needn’t worry about slipage. It’s coming soon to the US for $45, as pre-orders are being taken now, Europe already has dibs.

[Gizmodo via Just Mobile]

The post JustMobile’s iPad Stand turns your iPad into a mini desktop computer appeared first on Mobile Magazine.