GADGET REVIEWS Just another GADGET NEWS

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LAS VEGAS — Along with its curious Ori iPad case, Joby has also launched a more conventional Gorillapod-like iPad accessory, the Gorillamobile Yogi.

The Yogi consists of a polycarbonate case with a rubber bumper. Into this case slides the tripod, with the prehensile ball-and-socket legs that are Joby’s trademark. The tripod can mount on a long or a short edge, and from there you can pretty much position the iPad any way you like, propping it on your lap, wrapping it around a wrist or hanging it from the back of an airplane (or car) seat.

A regular, mobile-sized Gorillapod actually makes a great iPad stand, as we found out back in July. But this version, custom made and actually joining securely onto the tablet itself, looks to be both sturdier and handier. Available now, for $50.

Yogi product page [Joby]

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Want one of those fancy, prehensile Gorillapod tripods but don’t have the cash to buy them? Well, we have good news. Good news, that it, if you have a rather well equipped tool-kit, containing some specialist items that cost more than the Gorillapod itself.

The guide comes from the ever-useful Instructables and user Matth3w. The project uses Loc-Line modular hose sections, bolts and – in this case – a block of mahogany. Loc-Line hoses are designed to carry liquid, and to lock into place so you can, say, get water onto a drilling operation without holding a hose. They also work a lot like the sections of a Gorillapod leg.

The tripod is made by drilling three holes into the wooden block. These are then tapped to give them threads, and then some Loc-Line adapters are screwed in. The Loc-Line segments attach to these (using special pliers which themselves cost $10). A standard tripod-mount sized bolt is fixed to the top to attach the camera.

The home-made Gorillapod looks sturdy enough, but it is also rather ugly and, worse, bulky. One of the real Gorillapod’s attractions is its portability. Add in the cost of tools and parts and you may as well just head to Amazon and buy a proper Gorillapod.

Gorilla Pod [Instructables]

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Yes, the iBend is yet another iPad stand, but this one is truly remarkable. Weighing in at around the same a sheet of card, and just about as thin, the iBend gains rigidity when it is bent into a curve.

The plastic iBendXL (the smaller iBend is for the iPhone) sips flat. You pull it out and bend it, producing two hooks at the front which grab the bottom edge of the iPad and a gentle curve at the back which creates a flat rest for the iPad to lean on. It reminds me of the fascinating models and diagrams in my old math classroom which showed variously truncated cones, cut by flat planes at different angles.

The iBendXL costs $10, and the smaller iBend is $5. Both are slim enough to be slipped betwixt the iDevice and whatever case contains it, and should be tough enough to last a good long time. What this stand really suggest, though, is a DIY project. I doubt the iBend folks are going to put up a printable PDF template anytime soon, but a rainy afternoon spent with some scissors, card and a French curve should get you pretty close. Available now, in plain colors or in fancy arted-up designs.

iBend product page [iBend. Thanks, Rishi!]

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The 3Feet is an almost-indestructible, over-engineered plastic stand for pretty much any tablet or smartphone that needs a one. I tried one out, and found that maybe the best thing about it isn’t the capable range of tablet-cosseting features, but the fact that you can tinker and play with it for minutes on end.

The stand consists of five separate parts, all of which slot together with various deviously-conceived hingeing mechanisms. Thankfully, it comes pre-assembled, otherwise you’d likely mistake it for an impossible-to-solve puzzle and spend hours trying to put it together. In use, though, the 3Feet is very simple. You pull a tab on the back (marked “pull”) and it opens up into an A-frame, much like a tiny easel. Slots and rods molded into the plastic fit together to allow two angles, and a little lugged shelf folds down from the front to grab the bottom edge of the tablet.

This fold-open lip is oversized for the iPad, which means you can easily use it even whilst in a case (there is also a hole through which the charging cable can pass). It also means you’re not limited to the iPad: you can drop in pretty much anything, from a cellphone to a Kindle. The stand is sturdy enough to keep even the relatively heavy iPad safe in both portrait and landscape orientations.

The stability is helped by rubber bands made from silicone, which stop it sliding across the desk and also keep the happy tablet scratch-free (although the plastic stand probably wouldn’t damage much anyway).

The final trick is in a little kick-stand which flips out from the back when the main “leg” is folded flat. It is small, but somehow manages to both hold the stand at the right angle for on-screen typing, and also be sturdy enough to keep the iPad steady.

There’s not much to criticize about the 3Feet stand. It is light enough and compact enough that you can toss it in a bag and forget about it, and it’s even dishwasher-safe. And the complex folding design means you probably won’t be able to stop playing and fiddling with the thing. Hell, it’s even cheap, at just $15, and comes in a wide range of (interchangeable) colors.

The only thing that might put you off is the looks. This is a product for which the term “utilitarian” was invented. That’s not to say it is ugly, or even that the appearance hasn’t been considered. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but somehow it reminds me of medical devices, or perhaps even the toys of my childhood, which tended to be chunky and long-lasting rather than stylish and short-lived.

Or maybe I’m just seduced by the fact that this makes the ultimate executive stress-toy, something to keep your hands and brain busy when you should be working. Available now, from Amazon.

3Feet product page [3Feet. Thanks, Steve!]

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Here’s how not to pitch a product for review:

I read your review of the Gorillapod video with some interest. I think you were too kind.

The Gorillapod will only solve the problem of shaky video with pocket camcorders if you happen to be shooting near a table or stationary object.

As an avid Flip and Playsport user, I can tell you this isn’t the case most of the time.

The ReadySTEADY is a much better stabilizer for pocket video cameras. Better yet, it really does fit in your pocket. Try that with a Gorillapod and you could injure yourself.

Check out the ReadySTEADY at readysteadyvideo.com. Better yet, I could send you one. I designed it.

Along with appearing rude, the author also criticizes a tripod for only working on a steady surface. This is, as you know, exactly what it is designed to do. However, the product in question, the ReadySTEADY is actually worth a look, despite this awful introduction.

It’s a kind of poor-man’s Steadicam, and works by adding weight to a video-camera way below its center of gravity. An aluminum puck contains a thick wire with a blob on one end and a tripod screw at the other. Remove the wire, thread it through a hole in the puck and screw into the tripod mount of your Flip or other video-camera. Then put weight on the puck using your free hand.

The ReadySTEADY costs $30. If you have a machine-bolt lying around that will fit your tripod screw (or, say, a Gorillapod) you can just tie a string to that and pull down in the same way, and it will be free. Remember: a hollow aluminum puck will add almost no weight of it’s own, so your string version should work just as well.

ReadySTEADY product page [ReadySTEADY Video. Thanks, David!]

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The iPad is an almost perfect travel computer. It’s easy to carry, works as a guide, a map, a book and it’s crazy-long battery life will let you sit back and watch another movie while your laptop-toting companions search for a power outlet. But as convenient as it is, a little preparation will make things even smoother. Here are some things you should do before you leave the house.

Go Offline

A 3G iPad is a wonderfully useful machine, but outside of your home country, unless you’re willing to pay extra for roaming or a new, local micro-SIM, you’ll be back on Wi-Fi. Get ready for this by preparing a few apps.

OffMaps

OffMaps is an iPad (and iPhone) app which lets you download city maps for offline use. This lets you use the GPS (or Wi-Fi triangulation) on your iPad without an internet connection. City-specific versions of OffMaps are free, but a master version costs just $2 and lets you grab any map, for free, from within the app.

Maps are organized by country and then city, and are sourced from OpenStreetMaps, the crowd-sourced map project. There are also city guides which can be downloaded, and these not only give tourist hints and tips, but add a user-built database of restaurant, hotels, tourist-spots and so on. This makes searching the map double-useful. The guides cost around 30-cents each, and are paid for by buying tokens from within the app. Three free guides are included with the purchase.

A Wi-Fi Hotspot Directory

One way to get online in a foreign city is to find some free Wi-Fi. But if you don’t have an internet connection, you can’t download a hotspot database. Do this before you leave. There are several free and paid apps in the store, although I couldn’t find anything good for the iPad, so I just picked the free Wi-Fi Finder for iPhone and use it pixel-doubled.

Weather

If you’re spending your days outside, a weather app is pretty essential. You’ll need a connection to use it, but a once-a-day update should be enough. I use Weather Pro for iPad, which costs $5. It’s uncannily accurate and easy to read, and yet offers an embarrassment of detail, from animated weather-radar charts to an hour-by-hour breakdown of rainfall predictions. It also works worldwide, unlike some rather short-sighted U.S-only apps.

Language Guides

Which one you choose depends on where you are going, and quality is astonishingly variable. For vacations, though, you should opt for a travel-guide app rather than a full-on dictionary, as these will have useful phrases grouped together. Try learning the numbers one to ten by looking them up individually in a dictionary instead of together on a page and you’ll see why.

Why bother? Because if you are like most native English-speakers, you are an arrogant traveler, and you assume that you can just start talking English at somebody and they’ll understand. They probably will, as these foreigners are smart enough to learn another language, but they’ll hate you. You’d be amazed how far the local words for “hello”, “please”, “thank you”, and “do you speak English?” will get you. I tried it in jaw-crunching Polish this past weekend and the helpful, warm smiles I got betrayed just how few people bother. This happened despite my truly dreadful pronunciation.

PDFs

Wherever you store them, you should put your useful travel information in PDF-format for your travels. Well known guides are available as apps for some cities, but some of you may have illegitimate copies of the paper versions, or even saved Wikipedia articles. Convert to PDF and store on the iPad for fast, offline retrieval.

Technical Tips

Stealth and Cases

You don’t want to stand out as a tourist, and in some areas you won’t even want to pull out your iPad. To help, you’ll need a case. It should be quick-access, as you’ll likely be consulting the various guides and maps pretty often. The best kind is probably the flip-open type which makes your iPad look like a book. Failing this, a slim slip-cover will work, although you’ll have to hold it as you read. Avoid anything big or bulky, and above all don’t use something that looks like a computer bag.

If you’re really not comfortable pulling out your iPad, or you just must consult the paper guide-book, cover that book in something. Do not wander the streets with a Lonely Planet book in hand. It screams “mug me” and makes you look like a dork. Best of all, try the little Moleskine City Guides, the most covert maps you can buy.

Power

As you won’t be using 3G, you should switch it off. The same goes for Wi-Fi, most of the time. The iPad has a great battery life, but you can extend it further by switching off unnecessary radios, especially if you are in an area with no 3G coverage (the constant search for a network will drain juice double-quick).

Don’t do it right away, though: The GPS will grab its initial location much faster if it can use local cell-towers and Wi-Fi signals to give it a rough idea first. After initial acquisition, you can turn them off. Don’t use airplane mode, though, as this also kills the GPS.

Plan to Share

You can load the iPad up with the Lord of the Rings trilogy (books and movies) and the latest RPGs from Square, but won’t you please think about the children? Or at least consider your non-nerd fellow travelers. Before you leave, download some multi-player and family-friendly games (Labyrinth 2 HD is a great choice, and has a free lite version). Also, consider short, throwaway TV-shows that everyone will like, and that can be watched in half-hour chunks. Think less “The Wire” and more “30 Rock”. And don;t forget a cheap, two-way headphone splitter for shared movie-watching.

And if you’re sharing, there will come a point when you’re left staring out the train window, bored to death. This is where you pull out your secret weapon: Your iPhone or iPod Touch, loaded up with all the same goodies. And one more thing: Put all the above apps on your first home screen. You’ll thank me for it.

There must be plenty more great ways you can use your iPad when traveling, especially the online services I haven’t covered here. Got any apps, accessories or general tips? Leave them, as ever, in the comments.

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The FridgePad is billed as the “ultimate fridge magnet”. I’d say it’s probably the ultimate anything. Think about it. Even with my obviously awesome “Waterproof, Kitchen-Proof iPad Case” (a ziploc bag), your iPad still gets in harms way in the kitchen. The FridgePad fixes this by mounting the iPad up where nature intended: on the front of the refrigerator.

Made of aluminum with a big old magnet on the back to keep it firmly stuck to the fridge, the FridgePad holds the iPad with four plastic corner clips. Once secured to the door of the smallest and coldest room in the house, you can use the iPad to play music, podcasts or audiobooks, show you recipes or, well, anything the iPad can do. The more I think about it, the more it is clear how perfect the iPad is as a kitchen computer. And if you’re really messy when you cook, you could even slip the whole rig, magnet and all, into the ziploc bag and just slap that onto the refrigerator.

The stand will cost 50 ($78) when it ships, and will be available through Amazon. There’s no word yet on a launch date, but you can sign up for email alerts on the product site. In the meantime, I have a feeling that a trip to the hardware store is in order.

FridgePad [Woodford Design via CrunchGear]

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The iPad already has a crazy-long battery life, measuring around ten hours whatever you do with it. A good thing, too, as something this portable would suffer from being stuffed into one of those juice-pack type cases. But what of those occasions when you really can’t find a power outlet for days at a time? HyperMac has you covered with a surprisingly neat (and simple) solution.

The answer is to put a battery into a stand. Clever, right? The stand is in the slab’n’slot style, a block with two angled slits (18 and 45-degrees) to hold the iPad in either orientation. The heft of the stand is provided not by weights but by stuffing in a battery which can juice the iPad for a further 16 hours. That, if you are feeling a little slow this morning, brings the total to 26 hours of continuous use. In normal stop-start usage, that’ll probably be enough to last you for an entire weekend.

The stand comes with a USB port into which you plug your existing dock connector-cable. To charge it, you hook it up via its own mini-USB port, and it supports “charge-through” so you can just use it as a charging desk-dock and grab it when you leave the house. Ingenious, nice-looking and even fairly light (12.7oz or 360g), the only problem may be price. At $130, it seems expensive. But then, it may well be cheaper than buying a stand and battery pack separately.

HyperMac Stand [HyperMac via Brownlee]

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Twelvesouth’s Compass stand looks more like a medical instrument than an iPad accessory, but that’s what it is. The divider-shaped unit splits in the middle and the legs splay to make a rather sleek-looking tripod. Two little “feet” flip out from the “ankles” to support the iPad’s lower edge, and a soft circular pad caresses its back whether in portrait or landscape position.

The stand is good for typing, too. See the extra little foot contained in the, erm, upper thigh of the main leg? That pops out to support the iPad at a much shallower angle.

Twelvesouth has a history of making fair-priced, well-designed Apple accessories, from the simple BookArc MacBook stand to the BassJump sub-woofer that backs up the MacBook’s own little speakers. And at $40 the Compass is eminently affordable, especially when compared to the cheap plastic tat available for similar prices.

What really stands out about the Compass (apart from its looks) is that it folds up into such a portable package. When scissored shut, it is barley an inch wide and even comes with its own little carrying case. I’ll stick with my Gorillapod solution for now, though, as it double-duty as a camera stand and, as it is pretty much all plastic-coated, there’s no chance of scratches.

Compass [Twelvesouth]

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After publicly declaring a search for the perfect iPad stand yesterday, Gadget Lab’s benevolent dictator Dylan Tweney put this questio out over Twitter: “@mistercharlie Think you could use a Gorillapod as an iPad stand?”. I rushed to grab my trusty Joby Gorilla Mobile, pausing only to set down a bottle of cold German beer. Blinking as I moved out of the bright sun and into the cool dark interior of Gadget Lab’s Berlin outpost, I bent the jointed tripod into shape…

The result is best summed up by my reply: “Dylan, you’re a genius. Tested and it works great. 2 legs curled to hold iPad, one pushed out back as a stand. Steady.”

Further testing and photographing this morning led to some deeper insights. As you can see from the pictures, the stand is fashioned from the smallest of Joby’s grab-anything tripods, meant for compact cameras and cellphones. Two legs are splayed and bent up at the tips to hook the iPad’s bottom edge. The head in this case the tripod screw is bent back to stop scratching, although removing the screw or replacing it with the soft suction-cup attachment would also work. The third leg is bent back to balance the whole thing.

I’m amazed how well it works. The Gorillapod is sturdy enough to hold the iPad at any angle, in both portrait and landscape orientations. In normal use typing and tapping it is rock solid, but you can also push the iPad back to adjust the angle. For proper typing, you need to lean it back a little further. This is best done by flattening the front legs a little and curling the back leg up to meet the head, like a scorpion’s tail, providing extra support and a narrower angle. You’ll need to do some jiggling to get it rock-steady.

Because all you see at the front is the two feet curling up, it is minimally intrusive. And it even works in bed, letting you prop up the iPad on the mattress to watch a movie. Best of all, the Gorillapod folds up tiny, and is worth carrying along with you anyway because of its multi-tasking abilities. To see how it did in our testing (grimly hanging on to the basket of a bike while it supported a Canon G9 shooting video), follow the link below.

If you already have one, this could be the best iPad stand yet: it’s effectively free. If you don’t, it’ll cost you $30.

Product page [Joby]

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