I've been searching for a good stand for my iPad since getting it in early May and think I've found a keeper.
The three I've tried are the Luxa2 H4 (http://usa.luxa2.com/product_showroom.aspx?s=15), a stand sold by iGearUSA (http://www.igearusa.com/meadipstfora.html) and the Griffin A-Frame (http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/a-frame). I'm keeping the Luxa2, which I like best, and iGear ones and have returned the A-Frame.
Luxa2 H4
What I like
-Can view my iPad from almost any angle (near vertical to fully flat) and orientation, and without having to take the iPad off the stand
-Solid build and feel, with a form that suits the iPad well
-Easily accommodates cords, etc
-Should be usable with most cases
What I don't like
-Typing on the screen makes the the iPad jitter a bit because of the flexibility of the joint that allows for stand adjustments. But the stand itself is solid and does not move. Of course this is not an issue with a wireless keyboard.
-Looks really odd without the iPad on it - like a person doing the breaststroke in a pool
-Not portable. It'll stay in my study
-Marginally trickier putting the iPad in and taking it off the stand
iGear
What I like
-Quite adjustable (but less so than the Luxa2): it has six 'stops' for angling the iPad from near vertical to flat. But you need to lift up the iPad to change the angle or orientation (no big deal)
-Surprisingly stable for typing on the screen
-Light and portable
What I don't like
-Way over-priced on the official website. You can find it for less than half if you google. It was not made specifically for the iPad and they've heavily padded the price for suckers like me
-Looks and feels a bit cheap. The pictures on the website were taken to show it off in the best possible way. It does not look that good in real life
Griffin A-Frame
What I like
-Solid construction
-Very stable
-Simple and robust design, so it should hold up pretty well
What I don't like
-Very limited in viewing angles. There are only two. A shallow angle for typing, but which I find too flat to be comfortable (for me). A more vertical angle for viewing movies, etc
-Somewhat sharp edges. But I think this problem is exaggerated on some blogs and forums.
As I wrote, I'm keeping the Luxa2 and the iGear. I'll use the Luxa2 at home (ie most of the time I use the iPad) and take the iGear along if I need a stand when out of the house. The Griffin is well made, but they need to re-engineer it before I would consider it as an option.
The stand that I haven't tried yet but that looks very promising is the Skadoosh (http://www.jadu-industries.com/iPad-Accessories/iPad-Stand.html). Though it looks like it could be the best of the lot, my concerns are that
-It may not take many cases (I'm waiting for my Dodo case)
-I wonder how stable it is given its size and that it holds onto the iPad only at the bottom.
Would love to get people's thoughts on the Skadoosh, especially in comparison to the Luxa2. Though it won't help me much since I've already spent more than enough on a stand.
One final thing. It was kind of hard finding the Luxa2 in stock. They seem to be out of stock at the official website. I lucked out and got one from Amazon before it ran out. This may however be a good thing for future purchasers. May be they are making some modifications to the design to make it even better.
Hope this helps someone.
DW
The three I've tried are the Luxa2 H4 (http://usa.luxa2.com/product_showroom.aspx?s=15), a stand sold by iGearUSA (http://www.igearusa.com/meadipstfora.html) and the Griffin A-Frame (http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/a-frame). I'm keeping the Luxa2, which I like best, and iGear ones and have returned the A-Frame.
Luxa2 H4
What I like
-Can view my iPad from almost any angle (near vertical to fully flat) and orientation, and without having to take the iPad off the stand
-Solid build and feel, with a form that suits the iPad well
-Easily accommodates cords, etc
-Should be usable with most cases
What I don't like
-Typing on the screen makes the the iPad jitter a bit because of the flexibility of the joint that allows for stand adjustments. But the stand itself is solid and does not move. Of course this is not an issue with a wireless keyboard.
-Looks really odd without the iPad on it - like a person doing the breaststroke in a pool
-Not portable. It'll stay in my study
-Marginally trickier putting the iPad in and taking it off the stand
iGear
What I like
-Quite adjustable (but less so than the Luxa2): it has six 'stops' for angling the iPad from near vertical to flat. But you need to lift up the iPad to change the angle or orientation (no big deal)
-Surprisingly stable for typing on the screen
-Light and portable
What I don't like
-Way over-priced on the official website. You can find it for less than half if you google. It was not made specifically for the iPad and they've heavily padded the price for suckers like me
-Looks and feels a bit cheap. The pictures on the website were taken to show it off in the best possible way. It does not look that good in real life
Griffin A-Frame
What I like
-Solid construction
-Very stable
-Simple and robust design, so it should hold up pretty well
What I don't like
-Very limited in viewing angles. There are only two. A shallow angle for typing, but which I find too flat to be comfortable (for me). A more vertical angle for viewing movies, etc
-Somewhat sharp edges. But I think this problem is exaggerated on some blogs and forums.
As I wrote, I'm keeping the Luxa2 and the iGear. I'll use the Luxa2 at home (ie most of the time I use the iPad) and take the iGear along if I need a stand when out of the house. The Griffin is well made, but they need to re-engineer it before I would consider it as an option.
The stand that I haven't tried yet but that looks very promising is the Skadoosh (http://www.jadu-industries.com/iPad-Accessories/iPad-Stand.html). Though it looks like it could be the best of the lot, my concerns are that
-It may not take many cases (I'm waiting for my Dodo case)
-I wonder how stable it is given its size and that it holds onto the iPad only at the bottom.
Would love to get people's thoughts on the Skadoosh, especially in comparison to the Luxa2. Though it won't help me much since I've already spent more than enough on a stand.
One final thing. It was kind of hard finding the Luxa2 in stock. They seem to be out of stock at the official website. I lucked out and got one from Amazon before it ran out. This may however be a good thing for future purchasers. May be they are making some modifications to the design to make it even better.
Hope this helps someone.
DW