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Bracketron NanoTek Stand: minimalistic design by 1.0 Innovations, functional standout

Steve Sande
Features Editor
Updated ·4 min read
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You may read this review of the Bracketron NanoTek Stand (US$29.95) and ask yourself "What's so exciting about a angled piece of aluminum with some sticky pads on it?" Well, many times smartphone stands are tied to a particular generation of a smartphone, so when the next big thing appears on the market, it's time to toss the stand for a newer model. The Bracketron NanoTek Stand is a design that works now and will keep your iPhone happy for the foreseeable future.

Design

The NanoTek Stand began life as the SETA Smartphone Stand, a Kickstarter project by 1.0 Innovations that is still underway and has so far pulled in almost four times the funding goal. It appears that Bracketron saw just how successful the Kickstarter project was and they've now licensed the design. The Bracketron product is available now, and can be purchased online or from a number of retailers. For more information about the Kickstarter project, check out the video below:

The NanoTek Stand/SETA Smartphone Stand is a piece of aluminum weighing in at 2.2 ounces, bent so that there's a little "foot" on the bottom to allow it to stand up on a desk and adorned with a t-shaped slot cut through the lower part for a charging cable to snake through. On the bottom of the "foot" there's a NanoSuction™ pad so that your phone and the stand aren't going to topple if you happen to bump it. Another NanoSuction pad is on the front of the stand, and that's what you slap your iPhone onto.

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As noted, the t-slot in the front of the stand is perfect for feeding through a 30-pin Dock or Lightning connector for charging. The NanoTek is currently being sold in either white or silver.

Functionality

NanoSuction pads are amazing; they work well for sticking items to flat surfaces, and then letting you remove them without damaging either surface. That material is not sticky to the touch, and it doesn't pick up a lot of dust or grime The 1.0 Innovations folks who set up the original Kickstarter project for this stand even have the idea of selling some super-sized NanoSuction pads for attaching iPads to surfaces like walls, refrigerators or windows.

With a naked iPhone or -- believe it or not -- iPad mini, the device stuck right to the stand and stayed in one place. Especially with the iPad mini, it's a great way to have access to the device on a desktop without taking up a lot of space.

Well, there appears to be one material that isn't NanoSuction-friendly, and that's the material that Mophie juice pack battery packs are made out of. That's what I use to keep my iPhone 5 charged up, and it just won't stick to the stand. Pull off the case and the iPhone sticks like glue, put it back onto the stand and it falls off.

Bracketron does include a second pad that's supposed to work better with silicone or textured cases. I tried to remove the original pad to place the second pad onto the stand, and that was nigh impossible considering the adhesive used. I ended up placing the new pad on top of the old, and it didn't work with the Mophie case either. Note to Bracketron and 1.0 Innovations: apparently Mophie uses Kryptonite to make its cases...

Conclusion

The modern miracle of nano-suction pads strikes again in this minimalist smartphone stand from the design team at 1.0 Innovations. Buyer beware, though -- this stand doesn't work with every case on the market.

Pros

  • Unobtrusive design that looks at home anywhere

  • NanoSuction pads work well to grip tightly to most flat surfaces and "naked" smartphones, and it's easy to remove the devices or move the stand

  • The cable management system (i.e., t-slot) built into the stand is a stroke of genius

  • Price is reasonable

Cons

  • NanoSuction pads do not stick to some case materials

Who is it for?

  • Anyone who wants to support an iPhone in a slightly angle vertical position on their desk or desktop