Tuesday, January 22, 2013

The Best iPad Stand (and it fits most cases!)

In August I attended that ISAAC conference and scoured the exhibition hall, checking out a ton of communication related projects. I came across RJ Cooper's booth, which had the most interesting, unique, and yet simple iPad stand I've ever seen. I dropped my iPad (in its heavy Griffin Survivor case) into the stand and it didn't tip. I jogged (ok, I waddled--I was 8 months pregnant) the stand over to the AMDI booth, and it could even handle the iAdapter.  I was intrigued.  Ours finally arrived the other day (it took me a few months to place an order, with the new baby and all) and it's exactly what we were hoping for.  Check it out: 

When the primary user of an iPad is a preschooler with a handful of motor issues, you don't skimp on the case.  Subsequently, we've used the following cases:  the Otterbox Defender, the Griffin Survivor (still in use on our educational gaming iPad), and the AMDI iAdapter (still in use on the iPad that is my daughter's communication device- "the talker"). These cases have one thing in common--they are heavy.  And the problem with heavy cases is that it's very difficult to find a good stand for them---one that can hold a heavy iPad in place without tipping over or having the iPad slide off.  Finally, though, we've found the perfect stand---and it works with pretty much any case on the market.


This is the fixed-angle stand (although that's a bit of a misnomer, as it is somewhat adjustable) by RJ Cooper.  It's a simple metal stand with two strips of what he calls "Stick & Suck" adhesive material on the bottom.  I wish I could explain this stuff, but it's hard to put into words (which is why I'm including the video at the bottom of this post).  It looks like double sided foam tape, but actually is made of thousands of microscopic suction cups . . . so it doesn't feel sticky, it feels grippy (there's a difference).

the bottom of the stand

  the grippy parts line up with the surface that you're working on

This stand can hold the Griffin Survivor case with no problem---no tipping, no falling, nothing (frankly, even the built in stand that comes with the Griffin Survivor can barely hold it up).  


It's even sturdy enough to handle Maya's talker, and the AMDI iAdapter stand is considerably heavy and bulky.  It fits securely in.  This is a perfect back-up stand for the iAdapter, as I know one person who's already broken and/or lost multiple iAdapter stands.



It's hard to say more about the stand, because it's pretty simple: it's metal, it grips the table but isn't sticky, and it miraculously doesn't tip over.  It seems pretty indestructible, too, which is nice. Here's some video, showing the down sides of two other stands that we tried, in addition to showing how this one grips but doesn't stick:



This stand is $39 (plus shipping) and well worth it, in my opinion.  If you're interested in the stand you can order it here---it's the "fixed angle stand".  (Also, tell them that you were referred by me, and maybe in the future they'll give me some free stuff to review.  Just kidding.  Not really.)


Disclaimers: I don't work for RJ Cooper and this isn't a paid review. I saw the stand at ISAAC, loved it, and bought it with a discount through his website. I am not a review blogger and I only take the time to review something that we've tried and loved, so that others who are looking for similar solutions can find them.

9 comments:

Julie said...

I saw RJ Cooper at a conference in St. Louis this fall and he has creative solutions to many problems people face with securing iPads to tables, wheelchairs, walkers, etc. I didn't see this stand though. We might need to get it. We are using an Otterbox Defender case and the stand that comes with it does not hold it in place well.

Brielle and Me: Our Journey said...

That is QUITE cool! Now, if I could only find something to keep my 17-year-old with moderate CP from dropping her electronics when carrying them. The smaller ones have a cord attached to them so she can wear them around her neck. That won't exactly work for an iPad.

Michael said...

That is not really an iPad stand, maybe more of a mount... Not secured, not stable and most definitely not the best iPad stand in the market.
Maclocks do the best iPad stands.

Check it out: www.maclocks.com

Dana said...

Michael,

A mount attaches to a surface. This is definitely a stand. The link that you attached had floor stands (which I don't have any use for) but most people use table top stands, such as the one reviewed here.

laurelsmom said...

very cool! now... about this parker post :p

AndreaH said...

Thank you so much!! What I would love to see made is a case that holds a thicker cover like the Otterbox along with a seperate keypad. Like the other mom I need something my daughter can easily carry and yet set up on her desk for use. Independence is one of my goals.

Unknown said...

Thanks for this post. Most companies say they have the "best ipad cases" but most are sub-par as I have found.

Shelane said...

I bought the stand. It's as good as you say. A little pricey at $39 plus $15 shipping, but I like it. I was debating buying a second one, but as I washed it off, the RJ Cooper sticker went translucent and I could see the original bookhug.com sticker underneath. You can get it there for $13.95 plus $4.95 shipping, or at Barnes and noble for $12.95. Just saying.

swaggy said...

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