Cult Of Mac’s Awesome 2012 Advent Calendar: Day 17 — The PadPivot

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One of the better Yuletide traditions is the venerable holiday Advent Calendar, in which each day of December leading up to Christmas is marked off on a special calendar by opening its corresponding door to find a small gift, toy or chocolate squirreled away inside.

This year, we here at Cult of Mac decided we wanted to give our readers their very own Apple-themed advent calendar, filled with the year’s best apps, gadgets, stories and other curios. So each day in December, we’re going to lovingly peel back the door on the Cult of Mac 2012 Advent Calendar to reveal another delicious morsel, something really special that came out this year that we think every one of you should enjoy.

Day 17: the PadPivot, the best iPad stand around.

PadPivot: The Best iPad Stand Around

The little PadPivot proved to be a surprise hit for me this year. When the UPS guy delivered it I was having tea with some house guests, so I ripped the packaging open and was ready to toss it into my pile of review units.

Then I started to play with it, and it has turned into one of my most essential accessories. How essential? It has earned itself a place in my Travel Gadget Bag.

The PadPivot is a clever multi-use iPad stand. It folds into a package small enough for a pocket, and yet holds even the heavy iPad 3 as steady as a rock. A rotating, swiveling, locking plate on top can stick to any smooth surface thanks to a special nano-science coating, and this same panel acts as a backrest against which you can prop up the iPad in portrait or landscape orientations. Lastly, the foot has a notch in each fold-out section to grab the bottom edge of the iPad as you prop it up.

It’s simple, but super-useful.

I use the PadPivot when sitting in bed or in an armchair to hold my iPad steady on my thigh. It sits at a comfy angle and doesn’t slide off, thanks to the leg-shaped curve of the bases.

Then, when working, I use it to prop the iPad up as I type using a Bluetooth keyboard. The PadPivot is sturdy enough that I can tap away at the screen even when the iPad is standing vertically.

Then, when I’m in the kitchen, I can either prop the iPad on top of the fridge, or stick my iPhone direct to its nano-sucker. This lets me listen to music or podcasts without worrying about wet countertops.

Later, I might answer some emails at the kitchen table, or just read some Instapapers while I cook, with the iPad held on the same nano-sticky panel, safely off the table.

Next up, movies. I can either set then thing on a coffee table or put it on top of a Smart Cover and lay both on top of the bed. This, along with a Big Jambox, gives a great in-bed movie experience, one which will never be marred by a toppling screen.

There’s more, but that’s probably enough for now. In short, the PadPivot is just about the best stand I have used for any device, and it works not only with iPads and iPhones but anything that has a flat, shiny surface. It even ships with stickers that let you make any non-shiny gadget ready for some PadPivot love.

All this for just $40.

PadPivot

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