Last year we covered the elegant and beautiful Joule from Element Case. A beautiful iPad stand, and so simple it its design. This year Element Case is back with a revamped Joule, a redesigned stand for the iPad 2.
6 Sporty i-Colors
It’s called Joule Chroma, and this year it comes in 6 apple flavored colors. It also sports a vent for your iPad 2′s audio output, which they claim ‘amplifies’ the sound. I’m more inclined to think of this as a small breathing hole for your iPad 2′s speakers – I wouldn’t say it amplifies, but it suffocates it a little less than some other stands… The vent for audio also breaks the pure minimalist lines of the original Joule.
In spite of our criticisms, it’s still a pretty snazzy number, but in our opinion the $150 price tag is a bit steep for this type of accessory, and although the new colors will appeal to some, we feel it looks more sporty now, and a little less elegant.
If you want to get one of these iPad 2 stands, head on over to the Element Case store.
Los Angeles based designer William Tang is trying to drum up funding for his birch and leather iPad 2 stand. It’s a folding V-shaped wooden stand that can be used to present your iPad in either portrait or landscape.
Hinge also has a hinge mechanism (surprise, surprise) that enables it to fold shut. When folded it is so small you can easily fit it in your pocket. Nifty.
William Tang is currently trying to raise enough capital to get his stand design into production. If you are interested you can pledge anything from $1 upwards to get his iPad 2 stand project rolling.
Tang says:
Elegant Simplicity: From the start, simplicity was my priority. I didn’t want a bulky case that held the iPad at limited angles and only landscape mode. I also didn’t want a stand that was too big to travel with or had too many moving parts.
iPad family portrait
Hinge for iPad is designed simply: a hinge and two arms. The arms hug the edge of the bare iPad (they won’t scratch the glass or aluminum body) and adjust to multiple angles, including landscape and portrait mode. Hinge is light and compact, folding neatly to fit in your pocket or bag.
Targus 360 Degrees Rotating Stand / Case for iPad 2
Targus are sending us one of these, unfortunately it has not arrived yet so we can’t give you the full “hands on” review. However, we thought it would be good to do a quick roundup of the features, as so many of you have written in with requests for more iPad 2 case reviews. We’re checking our mail box almost hourly, so don’t worry, as soon as they arrive you will be the first to know. We promise!
Like many other iPad 2 accessories, the Targus 360 Degrees Rotating Stand / Case is specifically designed to match the new shape of the device and to allow full access to all functions. Unlike many others, this stand makes it very easy to switch between landscape and portrait positions, thanks to a mechanism which enables the iPad to rotate 360 degrees while inside the case. This rotating mechanism was thoughtfully designed to frame the Apple logo, creating a cool visual effect.
The Targus 360 Degrees Rotating Stand / Case - effective protection, slim profile
When used as a case, the Targus 360 Degrees Rotating Stand / Case provides excellent protection, thanks to the hard-shell design and to the soft lining material that prevents scratches on sensitive surfaces. Despite the sturdy, highly protective, molded exterior, the case is slim enough to fit inside other iPad 2 cases.
The exterior case dimensions are: 9.84″L x 7.68″W x 0.71″H, just in case you want to check if it fits inside other cases or bags you already have.
The Targus 360 Degrees Rotating Stand / Case is available from Targus.
Do you care about animals but still enjoy nice quality leather goods? If you do, you must check out the new Venture Reptile iPad case. It looks like lizard skin, but it’s faux leather. It’s so cool that we don’t need to kill animals to make wallets, book covers, iPad covers and other similar stuff!
Like all other cases in Case-Mate’s Venture line, the Reptile offers good protection for the iPad, thanks to the Velcro tab and snap button closure. The case features an impact resistant, flexible plastic shell padded with a soft, velvety material.
The protective hard shell makes the difference between these new models and the original Venture iPad case which we had the pleasure to review a while back. All features that we liked back then are still here: the easy access to all ports and commands, the ability to charge and sync the iPad even with the case closed, the light weight of the case and the slim profile.
The Venture Reptile used as stand
Being tailored to snugly fit the iPad, the Venture has a super slim design, easily fitting in a medium-sized purse. It’s hard to guess that this thin and elegant profile hides a built-in stand that can be used for both landscape and portrait view. The angle is not adjustable, however it’s best for typing with the iPad on your lap. Turning the case into stand is easy: just open up the two snap buttons that keep the cover in place, then fold the iPad over the cover and you’re done.
The reptile-like faux leather case is available in three finishes: black with pink accents, pink with black accents and purple with silver accents. All three color combinations are modern and stylish, making this iPad case a perfect mix of fashion and functionality.
You can choose and order your Venture Reptile iPad case from Case-Mate.
Update: ZAGGmate is now available for iPad 2; slimmer, sexier, and still the best case on the market for your iPad. You should get yours from ZAGG while stocks last.
Why would I buy a keyboard for my iPad? This is a question more than a few iPad owners have asked themselves. The answer can be anything from “I wouldn’t!” to “I need it for faster and error-free typing”. While most heavy iPad users acknowledge a physical keyboard is better than the built in virtual one, they also agree that carrying an external keyboard around with them is completely impractical.
Since so many people buy an iPad case anyway to keep their expensive device protected, ZAGG have spotted this opportunity and created the ZAGGmate, an iPad case with built-in keyboard. On the outside, the ZAGGmate looks and feels just like an original Apple gadget, thanks to its aircraft-grade aluminum with a bead-blasted, anodized finish. Slim and sleek, it is the perfect matching case for your iPad, it’s also the thinnest hard cover available. But wait! The ZAGG mate is way more than a case. Open it, set the inner hinge in any one of the preset positions, and you’ve got an iPad stand with variable angles, perfect for both landscape and portrait orientation. If this is all you need from your iPad stand/case, you can buy the ZAGGmate without keyboard. You’ll get a beautiful case and adjustable stand for only $69.
ZAGGgmate with keyboard - iPad landscape orientation
However, for an extra $30 you can have the ZAGGmate with keyboard, which will provide the benefit of faster typing, and the comfort of feeling real keys under your fingers. We give this two thumbs up The ZAGGmate with keyboard only adds about ¼ inch to the iPad thickness, so most people won’t even know there’s a keyboard inside your slim aluminum case.
The keyboard is wirelessly connected to your iPad via Bluetooth. Before you can use your iPad with the ZAGGmate keyboard you need to pair them. This is easy, it’s the standard procedure of pairing two Bluetooth devices. It only has to be done once, and then the iPad and the ZAGGmate will “recognize” each other by default after that.
ZAGGmate features:
ZAGGmate - iPad cover made from aircraft grade aluminum
Slim, lightweight and durable, thanks to the aircraft-grade aluminum
Perfect match for the iPad, thanks to the anodized finish
Excellent drop protection provided by the military grade high-density padding
Ten viewing angles, suitable for both portrait and landscape mode
Flat, large base, excellent for use on uneven or soft surfaces (such as a bed or a couch)
Built-in wireless Bluetooth physical keyboard
Special function keys for music control, volume control, home, search, slideshow, keyboard language and more
Here are the technical specifications and the box content, as published on the ZAGG website:
Size and Weight:
Height: 9.75 inches (248 mm)
Width: 7.625 inches (194 mm)
Depth: .4 inches (10.2 mm)
Depth w/keyboard: .54 inches (13.7 mm)
Weight: 7 ounces (.2 kg)
Weight w/keyboard: 12.8 ounces (.37 kg)
Box content:
ZAGGmate
MicroUSB cable for charging
Quickstart guide
Four rubber feet (optional)
Battery: ZAGGmate with keyboard uses a 510 mAh rechargeable lithium polymer battery that will last for several weeks of normal use without charging. It comes already installed and it probably can’t be replaced by the user (at least we haven’t found a way to access it yet).
ZAGGmate for iPad - keyboard and stand
We believe the ZAGGmate with keyboard is one of those must-have iPad accessories, definitely one of our picks for the best of 2010. It provides three items in one: a beautiful, military-grade protective hard case, an adjustable stand and a Bluetooth keyboard. All this fits into such a thin profile that it leaves the portability of your iPad unspoiled.
The ZAGGmate is available for pre-order on ZAGG’s website. We couldn’t find any information on how many of these ZAGG will be able to ship before Christmas, so if you think this could make the perfect gift for someone you know, it might be a good idea to get your order in early. Get it now from ZAGG.
Did you know that an iPad owner spends an average of 20% more than the base iPad price on accessories? I don’t remember where I read that, but thinking of what I bought so far, the statistic seems close to reality. The fact is that once you spend so much on a gadget like the iPad, you then want to take very good care of it, so it’s understandable to think one would buy at least a case and a screen protector. Then it comes the ease of use. It’s great the iPad is so thin, but try to type on its virtual keyboard without using a stand or a dock and it’s sometimes a little difficult. An iPad stand is nice to have, not only for typing, but also for presentations, for reading books or for viewing movies. If you don’t feel like getting a separate stand which may require that you take the case off your iPad in order to use it, you can take a look at those convertible cases which can turn into a stand by flipping one of the covers.
One of our recommendations is the Macally Bookstand, a very good looking iPad protective microfiber case which can also function as a stand. Although the material is synthetic, it’s very soft and it looks just like real suede from a distance. Besides, it’s always a good idea to choose eco-friendly products if we can, especially when they don’t compromise on quality. The hard plastic corner protections have also the role of keeping the iPad in position inside the case. All you need to do is to slightly press it against the corners until it clicks in. The protections look quite solid, so if it happens that you drop your iPad on the floor, the corners would most probably be safe. The Macally Bookstand provides free access to all connections and controls on the iPad, no matter if you use it as a case or as a stand.
Turning the Macally Bookstand case into a stand is a very simple operation: just flip it open, bend the front cover backwards and insert the closing flap into its clasp to form a rock solid stand that will hold your iPad firmly. You can choose between two possible viewing angles, one steeper, suitable for viewing movies or reading and another one which is ideal for typing. When used in the upright position, the stand is extremely sturdy, thanks to the hard, flat base formed by the bent cover which features an additional hinge that does the trick.
The best price we found for the Macally Bookstand protective case and iPad stand was at Amazon.
The Stabile iPad Stand is a beautiful and elegant way to use your iPad when your hands are busy doing other things. It’s also a stylish way to display your iPad as a designer object around the home or office. You could set it up with a slideshow of images for example and seat it on your dresser. And it is also complimented very nicely by the Apple iPad wireless keyboard, as seen in the image to the right.
If you want to grab a Stabile iPad stand right now then the lowest price we could find was on Amazon, If you’re not convinced yet then read on for our review of the Stabile.
One of the things that is so cool about the Apple iPad is that browsing the web on the touch screen really feels like you hold the internet in your hand. However, if you could only ask your hand what it thinks about that, you might get a not so positive answer. Again, if you want to use the virtual keyboard, you may find it rather difficult to type while holding your iPad. There are lots of other situations in which an accessory like a stand or a holder is required to get the most out of your iPad. Think how nice it would be if you could have those cool recipes websites just under your nose while you cook.
While there are iPad cases that can also be used as a stand, we found some of them being quite unstable and wobbly, thus exposing the iPad to the risk of falling when you less expect it. Even the Apple iPad dock feels a bit insecure, because it’s lightweight and small, therefore the center of gravity of the iPad-dock assembly is too high to be safe. Such small accessories are excellent for travels or business meetings, but when using the iPad at home there are much better solutions. One of these solutions is the Stabile iPad stand. Made from a single sheet of solid American steel, this stand weighs 2.5 times the weight of an iPad. Its center of gravity is low enough to secure a very good stability, very hard to find in common docks, stands or holders.
Stabile iPad Stand - Alternate Views
Although solid, the Stabile iPad stand has an artistic shape, featuring elegant rounded edges and curves. If you don’t know it, you won’t guess the stand weighs almost 4 lbs. The functional aspect has also been thoroughly considered. The stand features anti slip and non-skid polyurethane feet, high-quality protective Santoprene padding for all areas where it gets in contact with the iPad. All these features, as well as the split back cable management solution are usual characteristics of all such products from Thought Out, a reputable manufacturer of innovative stand holders for various personal electronics products such as iPhone, iPod or GPS.
Small View - iPad Stand
The Stabile iPad stand allows using the iPad in either landscape or portrait view, with or without a protection case. It provides free access to all ports, so you can use your iPad with any other accessories you need, without any problem. The viewing angle is preset at 55 degrees. This could be perceived as a small drawback, however that particular angle has been proven to be optimal in combination with the stand height of 3.6” from desk to bottom of the iPad. The stand is available in two finish variants, silver and low texture black. Both of them look awesome, so you can choose the one that suits best your personal preference or your interior decoration style.
You can buy this iPad stand from Amazon. The black model is $49.99 and the silver one is $69.99, an elegant and functional addition to your home or office.
I found an indispensable gadget last week that I’m now using every day – not just with my iPad, but for books too. I carry it everywhere with me as it folds away to almost nothing – it’s called the BookGem and it’s a beautifully designed stand for your iPad, book, or anything else you may be reading.
BookGem - iPad Stand
If you are like me, you enjoy taking advantage of highly specialized gadgets like the Kindle or iPad that other people regard as almost useless.
“Why use the Amazon Kindle when you can read e-books on your good old laptop? Why get an iPad, when it lacks basic functions you’ve been used to since so long ago? A netbook is only a bit bigger and it’s a complete computer, isn’t it?”
Yet, Kindle is one of Amazon’s best sellers, as well as Apple iPod Touch, with more than 230 days in the top 100 Electronics products. The demand for the recently launched Apple iPad exceeded all expectations, market analysts estimating a production rate of more than 2.5 million units per month by the end of this year. These figures show that I’m not the only one who enjoys specialization when it comes to such gadgets.
The only minor inconvenience I see in surrounding yourself with so many hi-tech devices is that you end up by having a lot of additional accessories such as chargers, cables, adapters, docks, cases and so on. This is why I’m happy each and every time I discover an accessory that can be shared by multiple gadgets. BookGem is one of these. Initially designed as book holder, the BookGem works perfectly as a stand for iPad, Kindle or Nook. It’s very simple and easy to use, it folds up amazingly small but it’s very effective and versatile. The spring loaded clips on the front side hold the iPad securely. The clips have nice, soft rubber tips, so the iPad is 100% protected against accidental scratches. The rear support legs flip open and snap into position, thus creating a solid support base for the iPad. Being made from indestructible ABS plastic, the BookGem is strong enough to hold the weight of an iPad without problems. If we only think that it was designed to hold much heavier books, we understand there’s no reason to worry.
Check out the intro video:
Depending on your needs, there are two ways in which you can use this iPad stand. By positioning the BookGem on the bottom edge of the iPad, you can obtain a more upright viewing angle, suitable for reading. Should you be willing to do some work that requires using the virtual keyboard, all you need to do is to clip the BookGem on the top edge of the iPad in order to obtain the lower angle, optimal for typing. The iPad can be positioned as you wish, in either portrait or landscape view.
If you want to use the BookGem but you already have your iPad in a case, you don’t need to remove it. The spring clips can hold variable thickness items, as they were designed to hold books with variable amounts of pages.
The BookGem is available on Amazon. If you hurry, you can still benefit from the current special promotion: buy three and get the fourth one free.
The Joule iPad stand from Element Case is a beautiful work of art in itself. Its unique design, its high-quality materials, its exquisite finishes are attributes that make it worthy of any interior design setting, no matter how stylish and expensive it may be.
The base cylinder of the stand, though slim and elegant, is heavy enough to provide solid support for the iPad. It features a soft velvet lining inside, so that it won’t harm your iPad in any way. The base has a nicely rounded cutout in the middle, enabling access to the iPad’s Home button. The Joule is CNC machined from solid aluminum, with three variants of finish: brilliant polished aluminum (available at $129), black anodized coating and anodized silver coating (available at $139). Per customer request, the stand can be engraved with a custom logo, thus making it an excellent present or corporate gift.
The Joule iPad stand uses a very simple support system that allows three preset viewing angles. To change the angle, all you need to do is take the magnetically attached support rod out of its current hole and put it into another one that corresponds to the new angle you want. The stand is designed for either portrait or landscape viewing position and it holds the iPad snugly, so it doesn’t move, even while you type on the screen. This is nice, but it also means that you can’t use the iPad in a case with your Joule stand. An iPad skin would be fine and would add the necessary scratch protection while using your iPad mounted in the Joule stand. Anyway, it’s obvious that the Joule was intended to be used with a naked iPad, because it complements Apple’s traditional finish in a brilliant way.
We absolutely love this iPad stand. You can get yours from Element Case.
This is a very quick visual guide showing how to make an iPad stand from its own packaging. It’s a great thing to do as you are recycling the packaging, and it won’t cost you a penny.
How to Make an iPad Stand from its own Packaging
Thanks to Ian Collins for coming up with this ingenious idea.
The ZAGGmate with keyboard only adds about ¼ inch to the iPad thickness, so most people won’t even know there’s a keyboard inside your slim aluminum case.
