‘Book Mystique Review Pad & E-reader Recliner (And Laptop Stand)
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
by Charles W. Moore
The iPad, as Steve Jobs contends, in many ways a “magical” device, combining easy portability with a large enough display so as not to induce eye strain. The iPhone is magical to but a challenge for my nearly 59-year-old eyes, and while its display is amazingly good for its size (and the coming 4G model to be even better), It’s of necessity very small, and I find zooming in an out all the time tedious.
On the other hand, the iPad’s 9.6 inch display is significantly larger dimensionally, and offers dramatically higher resolution than did the 9.5 inch display in my first PowerBook 14 years ago. But of course, there’s a yin and a yang to most anything, and while the iPad is much more comfortable to use for web surfing and typing than the iPhone, it’s also a lot heavier and while you can certainly handhold an iPhone all day, the iPad’s 1.5 pounds get a little soggy–feeling after half an hour or so.
Another iPad shortcoming is that when you put it down, it faces the ceiling or sky reflecting whatever is above on its glossy display surface. And while the flat orientation would be ergonomically good for typing on a real keyboard, with the iPad you are looking at the screen and virtual keyboard at an extreme angle when the machine is lying flat.
I haven’t got my own iPad yet, but I have come to the conclusion that I do want one after all, and when I get mine I’m going to want some sort of support to tilt the iPad up at a more comfortable-to-view orientation, and mobile computing accessories specialist LapWorks has come up with the dandy iPad Recliner hands–free reader–viewer desk stand.
Indeed, while it’s called an ‘iPad Recliner,” this unit can very comfortably accommodate a laptop computer, such as this 4.9 pound iBook.
Despite its trim size, the recliner is a very solid and stable–feeling device, more so than some purpose–made laptop stands I can think of, and at its maximum elevation it positions the laptop screen just about where you want it for use with an external keyboard and mouse in desktop substitute mode. And of course it will work just fine with a KIndle, Nook, or other reader pads.
Elegant in its simplicity, the iPad Recliner has only four parts –– all of them “moving”: the main module, the adjustable back support leg, the adjustment slider and its knurled locking knob. You can tighten the latter up solidly secured in place, or leave it a bit slack so you can re-angle the unit as desired on-the-fly.
The recliner’s design allows for free air circulation around the computer’s bottom surfaces to enhance cooling, and while cable tangles aren’t likely to be a major issue with an iPad, since there are precious few ports to connect cables to, there is a handy “cable tamer” feature molded into the recliner’s sliding support leg that could be a convenient tidier-upper when the Recliner is used as a laptop stand.
Everything except for the metal adjustment screw insert is molded ABS plastic that has a surprisingly robust heft, and should have no problem supporting any flattish form factor device it can comfortably hold. It’s probably not your first choice for supporting a 17” MacBook Pro (although it would have no problem supporting the 17-incher’s weight), but could be the the ideal small-footprint desktop stand solution for a 13” MacBook Pro and other compact laptops. An iPad can rest on it in either portrait or landscape orientation.
The Recliner’s contact support services non-slip, (traction material)rubber cushion rest for your iPad’s foot and a soft rubber strip across the top that serves as the iPad’s headrest that enhance security with an iPad or laptop in situ. Hard plastic never touches the iPad as it sits supported in its soft comfy seat. Both the foot rest channel and the head rest are 8” wide.
Evidently carefully–made to a high standard of finish, all IPad recliners currently come in silver and black livery, and carry a 6 month warranty against defects in materials, workmanship and construction.
The iPad recliner sells for $44.95, but is currently on sale for a limited time at an introductory price of $34.95, which in my estimation makes it a genuine bargain.
For more information, visit:
http://www.laptopdesk.net/ipad-ereader-recliner1.html
iPad Recliner Dimensions and Weight
Base Dimensions at Highest Elevation: 8.25 inches wide x 8.75 inches long
Base Dimensions at Lowest Elevation: 8.25 inches wide x 12.5 inches long
Height Dimensions at Highest Elevation: 8.25 inches tall or 65 degrees
Height Dimensions at Lowest Elevation: 4.25 inches tall or 25 degrees
Vertical Adjustability Span: 4 inches
Product Weight: l Lb.
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