Categories
Tech Accessories

KaVii makes tablets and smartphones stick around

Ideas for smartphone and tablet mounts seem to be flooding the market like a garden at harvest time. The question is, which ones will weather the storm of consumer fickleness and stick around for a while?

One product that seems to have the stickiness factor going for it, quite literally, is KaVii. The adhesive gel tablet can secure a smartphone or tablet to nearly any flat surface. And if one happens to be in a warm environment, KaVii won’t melt or leave sticky residue. So those who like to karaoke with their smartphone in the shower or camp in the bathtub and watch a good movie can enjoy themselves at everyone else’s annoyance. The product can be cleaned easily with hot or cold water and left to air dry.

KaVii might not be the best option in the car during the winter months since it isn’t especially effective when the temperature gets below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. But the summer months likely won’t be a problem since it will function up to 150 degrees Fahrenheit. This campaign seeks to raise $5,000. For $9, backers get four pieces of KaVii with an expected delivery of January 2015.

Categories
Tablet Accessories

IStandUp props up tablets, lets them hang around

Finding a way to prop up a tablet for easier usage can be a real challenge. IStandUp is one of the newest inventions out there to help resolve this growing issue. This particular stand is made of metal, which will make it more durable for any room in the house. IStandUp is also useful for musicians who like to use their tablet for propping up their music.

It is unclear how this stand is any better than the myriad of other tablet stands flooding the market right now. IStandUp lacks the simple additional function of covering and protecting the tablet when not in use, a huge drawback for those who like an all-in-one type of purchase. Other tablet stand campaigns that backers might want to check out include F2, Plinth, Must and  Léaf Mount to name just a few. This campaign seeks to raise $50,000. For $10, backers get one product with an expected delivery of April 2015.

Categories
Tablet Accessories

Tablet Branch can position your Surface above the surface

One of the most relaxing things to do on a snowy and frigid winter evening is to sit curled up on a couch in front of a toasty fire, with maybe a mug of hot chocolate or cider on the side. Tablet Branch will even hold the user’s choice of electronic gadget so sipping does not get unnecessarily interrupted.  When using it at home, it can be used on either side of the bed, couch or easy chair since the stand stand telescopes from 11″ to 20″ in height, and twists and rotates 360 degrees. Its lightweight, but solid metal design is compatible with any tablet, iPad or eReader from 7” to 11” in size and weighing up to 2.65lbs.

The specifics on which tablets and iPads or eReaders are the most compatible are not noted, but it appears that at least the most popular brands will be compatible.  This campaign seeks to raise $33,000 CAD (~$29,200 USD) by December 12, 2014. For $100 CAD (~$88 USD) backers get one product with an expected delivery of January 2015.

Categories
Tablet Accessories

F2: high-tech racing-inspired tablet stand design with low-tech feature list

f2Tablet stands by their nature don’t have to be special, but in order to crowdfund one, there has to be something attractive about it. The F2 is an iPad or general tablet stand that is made to be super-light and handcrafted so that no two are necessarily alike. The trade-off is that while the viewing angle is adjustable through the stand leg, the stand itself is rather large and is more suited for a desktop than a carrying case. It doesn’t have do any flashy folding like the Plinth, and won’t elevate a phone like MUST, but its sturdy metal design and human anomalies hope to set it apart. The basic F2 will arrive in September for a $69 minimum pledge.

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Accents Cell Phone Accessories Organization Tablet Accessories

Bench brings organization, docking station

Bench  b23d0a3ec86f8b94fb29abca099c9173_large[1]Tablets, iPhones, pens, pencils, paper, and other important things always seem like they’ve sprouted legs and have run off somewhere when you want them. With spring right around the corner, Bench aims to cater to the ambitious souls out there who are thinking thoughts like, How can I organize the mess that I can still find? The glorified desk organizer is ten inches long and made of acrylic plastic. It’s lined with acrylic foam so as not to scratch or damage tablets, iPhones or other gadgets. While there are many gadget docks and desk organizers out there, Bench seems to be the first to combine the two concepts. For $20 backers get one Bench and an estimated delivery of May 2014.

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Tablet Accessories

Credit card-sized MUST stand pairs up to take on tablets

MUSTIgnoring the terribly pretentious piano music that plays throughout, the odd use of child actors, and the lack of any real dialogue, the actual MUST product  seems pretty decent. It’s a folding phone and tablet stand that snaps together easily and can be taken apart and stored credit-card style in your wallet. Nifty to have, for sure. The stand can also be used to set up your phone for taking photographs – just a quick adjust on the stand and the phone is good to go. Two of these stands make a holder for a tablet. There are certainly lots of phone stands on the market, but even ones that fit on your wallet can’t accommodate a tablet. Early birds can get the stand for $12.99 and expect delivery in May 2014.

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Tablet Accessories

Léaf Mount makes smartphones, small tablets stand up, your wallet wilt

Léaf MountFor those who have decided that a tablet is much easier to tote around than their laptop, Léaf Mount makes a gadget stand that allows your device to function like a PC monitor. It’s primarily compatible with iPad (the mini, at least), Android phones, iPhones and smartphones with a flat back. The mount is made of aerospace-grade aluminum with micro suction pads at the base to keep the mount stable. It’s also collapsible and comes with its own case for easy transport. While there are a plethora of tablet stands available, Léaf Mount might have the classiest ring to it. Léaf also had a campaign last year that was a success. For at least $45, backers get a complete Léaf Mount product with an estimated delivery of July 2014.

Categories
Tablet Accessories

Compact Plinth tablet stand features pop-out legs, versatile device support

The Premise. These days everybody’s making the switch to tablets. The simple touch screen controls and mobile computing make any quarterly presentation, Skype call, or homework assignment a snap if the commercials are to be believed. But what they don’t show is each user endlessly fumbling, adjusting, and hunching over their tablet just to be able to type and see what they’re doing at the same time.

The Product. The Plinth looks to take all the guesswork out of buying a stand for a tablet. This pocket-sized stand (roughly the size of an iPhone) unfolds with a push of a button and is ready for immediate use. With rubber-padded feet, the Plinth seats the iPad, Nexus, Kindle Fire, or Galaxy tablets firmly in place at one of three adjustable viewing angles. The simple design boasts compatibility with any protective case on the market and even small-to-medium sized hard cover books. When the job is done, the Plinth folds up in a matter of seconds and fits right back in the pocket.

The Pitch. UK Inventor John Bull has a lot of tablets, and he shows off just how quickly setting up a Plinth is with any one of them. It’s hard not to be impressed as each tablet he has on his desk fits firmly in any of the Plinth’s 3 viewing angles. £21,000 (~$35,261) is what Bull needs to cover injection moulding, patents, marketing, and design.

The Perks. For £15 (just more than $25 American), backers can put a Plinth in their pocket in May 2014 without worrying about international shipping. Personalization comes at a roughly $15 jump in cost, whether it’s a name, personal message, or late Valentine’s gift.

The Potential. Universal stands on their own already litter the market by the thousands, but the Plinth’s compact size and clever opening mechanism make for a winning combination. Plinth already has interest from a distributor in the UK and companies that sell through Amazon, but any electronics store would be wise to keep plenty in stock, and the price tag is reasonable enough to make it a companion purchase with any tablet on the market.