Originally published in our free TL NewsWire newsletter. Instead of reading TL NewsWire here, sign up now to receive future issues via email.
Every review of the 2012 iPad mentions that it weighs slightly more than the iPad 2 thanks primarily to the larger battery required to power the retina display. We mentioned it too in our TL NewsWire coverage, but it's a largely irrelevant datapoint because even the iPad 2 is too heavy to hold for long periods of time.
Accordingly, a vibrant after market exists for iPad stands. But the vast majority consist of desk stands. Don't we already have enough stuff on our desks?
In this special TL NewsWire article, I've rounded up some unique stands that don't consume desk space or that function in other use cases from your bedroom to your reception area.
Desk Stands That Don't Consume Desk Space
Monitors in Motion's Tablet Lift ($289) clamps to your desk without any screws. Once mounted, you can move and rotate your iPad with one finger. It has a maximum reach of 16.7 inches.
Twelve South's much less expensive HoverBar ($79.99) can attach not only to your desk but to an iMac (pictured above). In the latter configuration, you can position your iPad above or to the right or left of your iMac. You can even attach two HoverBars to an iMac (iPads sold separately as they say).
Floor Stands Offer More Versatility
Many lawyers use their iPads for both business and pleasure. In fact, the iPad truly shines away from your desk even for work-related tasks such as reviewing a deposition transcript. Steve Jobs purposely demonstrated the iPad while sitting in an easy chair to underscore its positioning as a "Post-PC" device.
Floor stands can work at a desk, but also in other locations such as an easy chair or even in bed. Stand For Stuff's SwingHolder ($239) weighs about 20 pounds and adjusts to almost any conceivable position. A USB cable runs through the stand so that you can use your iPad without draining the battery. This lamp-like wiring probably explains its hefty price tag.
Less expensive is the LEVO Deluxe Floor Stand ($159), which has the added benefit of casters for easy mobility. However, its iPad holder lacks the build quality of the SwingHolder. It also lacks wiring, but given the iPad's long battery life power doesn't seem like a critical feature.
Cheaper still is Standzout's Standzfree ($99.99). Because it weighs just six pounds, you could use it as a lectern in court. Just make sure you don't knock it over.
A Classy Touch to Your Reception Area
When you're next in New York City, have lunch at Birreria and dinner at South Gate to see the iPad in commercial use. Birreria uses an iPad to check in guests, whereas South Gate houses its wine list on iPads.
Why let restaurants have all the fun? An iPad can add a touch of class to your reception area — and it may save you money in the long run by enabling you to cancel your magazine subscriptions. Of course, most people wouldn't bother stealing a magazine. But an iPad could grow some legs even if you don't have a criminal law practice. Security is key.
Griffin will soon begin shipping Kiosk, a stand that locks down an iPad and eliminates access to its ports. A power cable resides within the stand. You can choose from a floor ($299) or table ($199) model. Both enable you to bolt the stand (floor, table, or wall) for further security.
For a different approach, you could use one of the many iPad locks — typically a case with a lock connected to a steel cord that you wrap around an immovable object.
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