stands
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Airturn is a Bluetooth-enabled music page turner for iPad
We heard about the Airturn when it first released a few years ago, and the company is here at Macworld/iWorld 2013 this week in San Francisco, showing off both the older two-pedal unit, and the brand new four-pedal unit you can see above. That piece in the middle of each unit is a Bluetooth device, and it hooks up to about 40 different music apps and score readers on iOS, so that musicians can turn pages and scroll down virtual music sheets without using their hands. There's even optional bite- and tongue-switch accessories The standard Airturn unit, called the BT-105, is US$120, and you can set up the pedals in quite a few apps to not only turn the page, but also toggle audio or navigate lists as you go. The four-pedal version arrived last year, and it's $159 (though both models have a discount on at the expo this weekend). Airturn shared a booth with a company called The Gig Easy, that makes music stands for the iPad. They seemed very sturdy indeed, and I'm not sure what else you'd want from a way to hold your iPad up while you play. Seems like there are plenty of excellent options for musicians looking to use iOS to read and play their tunes.
Slope Kickstarter promises suction-based iPad stand
It's fairly rare that we pass Kickstarter URLs around the TUAW newsreader room but Slope really grabbed our attention. We love the simplicity and elegance of the design. While we haven't tried one out ourselves, we were impressed by the video. We think you'll be, too. The device uses suction to stick both to a table and the tablet. It's compatible with units from most major manufacturers as it's based on such a basic principle. If we have any concerns, it's longevity due to materials, but suction cups are a proven technology in many homes. There's only nine days to go and the developer is already over his goal. We think this is likely to be a winner.
Stands du jour: TwoHands & MonkeyDo iPad stands impress
When it comes to iPad stands, there are more options out there in the market than you can shake a stick at. If you're just looking for utility, you needn't look farther than a used roll of duct tape. Ugly but it works. Today's market is about combining utility with beautiful design and I found a couple of items from Staples that are sure to please. Of the two, the felix MonkeyDo is by far the cuter. Available from Staples for US$19.99 ($14.99 sale price until December 15), this is a stand that will fit the quirkiest aesthetics. Made of strong plastic, the stand fits classic iPads in landscape and portrait positions. (I tested with the iPad 1 and 2. I was unable to test with a mini.) As adorable as the MonkeyDo is, you can't really see the cute monkey after inserting the iPad. Only its little toes and fingers show in practical use. So a lot of the kawaii goes away when the unit is used as designed. In terms of fit, the portrait position worked a lot better than landscape for repeated removal and insertion. You really need to make your monkey streeeeeeeeetch to get the landscape iPad in place. In both orientations, the presentation was secure and the fingers did not interfere with the screen. I found the MonkeyDo to be a cute, solid product; one I have no qualms recommending. I liked the MonkeyDo; I adored the Felix TwoHands. Retailing at $29.99 at Staples (and on sale for $14.99 until December 15), this stand works like a dream. Based on a springed hinge, you open the stand with a simple squeeze. It adapts to nearly every tablet you throw at it (I tested with iPads, Kindles and an iPhone), and it's so easy to use. Its two arms have the same kind of cute hand detail used for the MonkeyDo, but with much sturdier plastic. They grasp a tablet at any height you choose, so you can set angles from super-shallow to completely upright. When not in use, the stand snaps shut, with a minimal profile that you can store away in your desk or even a super-generous pencil cup. After a few days of use by myself and my family, I picked up the phone, confirmed that I could buy at my local Denver store at the online price and ran out and bought a few to keep. Highly recommended.
Hands on with the iKlip Studio stand for iPad
It's difficult to get excited about a stand for the iPad, unless it's something exceptional. But most of the time, a stand is to serve a very practical need. And with IK Multimedia producing a vast array of accessories and applications for musicians to use with their iPads and iPhones, it makes sense for them to make a stand for the iPad (like the iKlip for the iPhone and iPad -- attaching to a mic stand), but for the desktop. At US$29.99, the iKlip Studio for the iPad provides everything you need in a stand. It assembles in a matter of seconds and folds away virtually flat for transportation to your next studio session. It's made from shock-resistant thermoplastic, so it won't shatter if you drop it, or mark or scratch your iPad, either. Rubber foot pads are placed at the corners of the underside of the stand to make sure it doesn't go sliding and slipping about. Similarly, rubber foot pads are also found on the upper-side of the stand, which the iPad rests on, so your iPad won't fall out of the stand with a knock or jolt. The iKlip Studio has been well thought through. All your iPad's controls, buttons, connectors, and the camera are easily accessible. There's also ample space to accommodate a case for your iPad if you use one. When placed in portrait mode, there's a grill in the stand to allow sound from your iPad's speaker to come through as intended, without being muffled. If you have IK's iRig guitar adapter, there's a useful bracket that can be attached round the back to neatly house the adapter. Possibly the most useful feature is the flexible orientation of the iKlip Studio. You can tilt its position to a very low angle or have it just about vertically facing you, or anywhere in between. The iKlip Studio may not be the most aesthetically exciting stand around, but if you're looking for a stand which ticks all the practical boxes at a reasonable price, you won't go wrong with it.
Reserve Power: Stand Off, Part 2
Ross Rubin contributes Reserve Power, a column focused on personal perspectives and products. Last week's Reserve Power introduced six handset stands for propping up your miniature movie theater. This week's column takes on a half-dozen more, names my favorites, and concludes with a chart detailing which phones fit which stands.
Reserve Power: Stand Off, Part 1
Ross Rubin contributes Reserve Power, a column focused on personal perspectives and products. With handset screens getting larger and applications such as streaming primetime shows and video chat becoming more prevalent, it's not surprising that some handsets such as the HTC Evo 4G include a built-in kickstand. Most phones, though, suffer from LifeCall commercial syndrome –- when they've fallen, they can't get up. To offer some assistance, a whole cottage industry of pocketable products – many with inventive designs -- have appeared to let you enjoy your handset's screen without your hands in the way. But how universal are they? I tested a variety of popular and unusually-shaped handsets -- including the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4, Droid 2, Droid X, BlackBerry Bold and BlackBerry Torch, Palm Pre, HP Veer, Samsung Captivate and the monstrous Samsung Infuse -- finding, for example, that some phones fit in some stands only when their physical keyboards were extended. Surprised at how well a few of the stands held up, I even tried them with a few tablets, including the BlackBerry PlayBook, Apple iPad and Motorola Xoom. This column will introduce the first six devices after the break, while the next Reserve Power will discuss several more, conclude with my favorites, and link to a spreadsheet detailing which devices and stands paired appropriately with one another.
Oona smartphone stand, as seen on Kickstarter
Take an iChair, remove the case, add a suction cup and, voilà, the Oona smartphone stand. The Oona stand is a Kickstarter project, looking to raise US $10,000 to produce the first run of the neat, unobtrusive stands that look perfect for holding your iPhone steady on your desk or attaching it to your car windscreen. We liked the iChair a lot and there'll be a hands-on review tomorrow, May 11, on TUAW TV live. The Oona fills a slightly different need, particularly in places where you want to have your iPhone stuck to something rather than just resting it on a flat surface. Its developers have gone to some lengths to use just the right kind of material for the suction cup. "We spent a lot of time designing the right suction cup for The Oona," says Sam Gordon, one of the project founders. "The ones we prototyped early on were made of a thermoplastic elastomer so they could be easily injection molded. After testing we found that low shore durometer silicone produced the best results." The Oona is designed to be stuck and un-stuck many times a day, rather than rest in place for long periods of time. Its size lends itself to this usage as it is certainly small enough to be carried around easily. Check out the Kickstarter page and let us know what you think. a
iPad stand on Kickstarter is for the bathroom
Go on. Admit it. Where do you use your iPad the most? Sure, instead of watching TV. Yup, while saving lives as a doctor. But we're being honest here, you're among friends, so we know that the real answer is -- in the can. And because we all know this is the truth, why not throw a few bucks into Meglio's Kickstarter project to fund their new iPad stand designed to make it easier to do just that. It'll allow you to keep your hands free for -- well, whatever it is you do with your hands while you're comfortably seated on the throne, and allow you to watch a movie or read an ebook while keeping your precious iPad free of coliform bacteria. Add a cupholder and you're set for the day.
Padprop giveaway: the iPad knee stand
Yesterday I posted my review of the Padprop iPad stand. This clever device offers a secure, comfortable way to hold your iPad in your lap while typing. It's lightweight, durable and could be yours! We've got two to give away: the review unit I tested (still in stellar condition) and another still in its box. To enter, simply follow the rules below. Good luck! The Padprop is a nice product. Want to win a Podprop? Here are the rules: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter leave a comment on this post. The comment must be left before FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17TH AT 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. Two winners will be selected in a random drawing. Prize: Padprop iPad stand (Value: £ 14.99, approximately US$25 ) Click Here for complete Official Rules.
iPad: Stand by me
TUAW readers have been writing in to tell us about the stands they have been purchasing to use with their iPads. Personally, I'm using a $6.99 Staples "Study Stand" (SKU 120147). Made of chrome with rubber tips, I have found the stand really sturdy and easy to use. I particularly like that I can attach the charging cable and still use the iPad in portrait orientation. I wrote about this stand in more detail on a couple of blog posts here on TUAW. Although my Staples seemed to have quite a few stands in-stock (they are located near the business card holders in my store), it hasn't been as easy for others to find. My friend Jeff Smykil over at Ars Technica tells me his Staples rep wasn't initially helpful. "They tried telling me that you got that stand at Office Depot--until I showed them the sticker with their logo on it," he wrote. He left, unfortunately, empty-handed. The SKU didn't show up online for me when I did a search on the Staples site, so it may be a discontinued item. Fortunately, readers are locating some good alternatives. Bob Schoenburg found this $6 stand at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Made of clear acrylic and, more importantly, foldable, Bob's stand is meant to be used as a folding easel. Bob writes, "Don't forget to use a 20% off coupon!" TUAW reader "gilmore783" tracked down a Fellowes study stand at Buy.com. Costing two dollars less than the Staples version, the Fellowes folding stand offers free shipping, for a total of just $4.99 shipped. The same stand (at least I think it is the same stand) sells for $7.99 plus shipping over at Amazon, where you can read thirty-odd reviews. According to write-ups, the Fellowes stand does fold completely flat unlike the Staples model, which does not. So do you have a stand? Tell us about it in the comments -- and don't forget to add a link to your picture! Update: Ordered my Fellowes stand from Buy.com, it came the *next* *day* and it's really great. Folds flat (unlike Staples stand), comes with extra rubber tips (unlike Staples stand), a few bucks cheaper and very nice. I still rather prefer the Staples one for my desktop but the Fellowes one is now my travel-stand. Update: Here's a video from TUAW reader "francisreal" showing how to make a credit-card/soapdish ipad stand:
Stand out with Evesham's speakerful TV stand
Why settle for the measly two speakers built into that LED 120hz LCD when you can grab the new Evesham TV stand with nine? The Sound Stage X1 jump starts your surround sound with a subwoofer, two center-channel speakers, four front speakers, and finishes off with two more for the rear surrounds. The speaker orientation uses the acoustic properties of the room to bounce sound off of the rear and side walls, so it works best in a square-shaped room, but it should be a good alternative to stringing wires under the carpet or through the attic. The stand will match many of the new piano-black reflective finishes in today's flat-panel screens, and retails for £300. Now if we could just get them to do something about the TV stand with built-in drink holders...
Pier 1 Imports recalls TV stand after child dies
We all have different priorities thanks to the many walks of life we all lead but a child's life tops 'em all. Pier 1 Imports, a popular trendy home outfitter, has issued a recall on the Ming TV stand after a Canadian child died. The warning indicates that if a person leans on the drawer while it is open, the TV might have the tendency to slide forward and off the stand. You can only image what a 80lb 27-inch TV could do to a person, let alone a small child. We can only advise owners of said stand to heed the advice of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and return the stand to Pier 1 for merchandise credit.
Sharp intros lots of new AQUOS products - LCDs, recorders, and even a TV stand
Sharp just dropped a truckload of new AQUOS products on us. They announced, get this, nine new LCDs, four recorders, and even a TV stand/audio system. Out of the new LCDs, five of 'em have the speakers underneath the screen and four have them on the side. The two of the four 37-inchers that were announced are rocking the 1080p resolution, while the rest of the new line-up are the normal 1366x768 resolution we have came to expect. This is all set on a new "Black ASV LCD" that is suppose to give the sets a deeper contrast ratio with the full 1080p sets have a 1500:1 contrast and the other seven a 1200:1. The 32-inchers and larger are sporting two HDMI inputs and one DVI, along with a full arrey of legacy inputs, but also are rocking four 6.5cm woofers and two 2cm tweeters. The smaller sets only have one HDMI and DVI port, along with only full-range speakers. The sets should start coming out sometime in September and continue through the first part of October, with the 1080p 37-inchers retailing at 380,000 Yen ($3,311.54) and contiuning down to 140,000 Yen ($1,200) for the 20-inch.Info about the recorders and TV stand/audio system after the jump.
