Category: iPad Stands
Works With: Any iPad
Price: $29.99
The iProp is so basic in its design that it’s obvious the designers worked very hard at it. When I first opened the bag it came in, I wondered what the big deal was. So what? It’s a beanbag with an iPad stand on it. Big deal.
Then I tried it out for a few days. I used it on my coffee table, on the arm of my recliner, and in my lap. I took it to the coffee shop and to a friend’s house. I started to get used to it. I started to like it. I wondered where it was when I didn’t take it with me.
Now that’s a well-designed product.
The iProp consists of a mesh outer skin, an inner beanbag, and a rigid silicone stand. The flat stand is snapped to the front of the mesh bag, which holds the beanbag inside. The clever thing about this design is that the beanbag is firm, yet movable. This lets the iPad resting in the stand sit at an almost completely adjustable angle. Let’s see a smart cover do that, right?
The silicone on the stand combines with a silicone tag on the bottom of the beanbag to keep the iProp relatively slip-free on most surfaces. I propped this thing up on my dashboard to run Maps on my iPad mini while driving around. It stayed fairly still for most of the drive, though quick stops and turns did slide it around quite a bit. Granted, propping your iPad up on a car dashboard isn’t an advertised feature, but why not try it out, right?
Where the iProp really shines is on uneven surfaces, like a bed or a lap. I propped my iPad 3 and iPad mini up in the iProp in a variety of situations, on the couch, in a chair, in my lap, on the bed, and it performed reliably. Unless I bounced on my bed, or significantly jiggled my leg while the iProp was in my lap, the iPads I tried out stayed in the little iProp silicone shelf area. Well done.
Another great feature here? The mesh bag is removable and washable. So, if I were to drip mustard on it, for example (not that I have, but i suppose I could), it’d be a quick fix. Just unzip, pull out the beanbag, unsnap the silicone shelf, and throw the whole mesh bag into the wash. Maybe spray it with a little Shout. Just sayin’. As the mesh bag zips open to remove the beanbag component, there’s also a bit of space in there to drop in a set of earbuds and a charging cable, too.
Where the iProp really shines is on an uneven surface, like a bed or a lap.
Now, the folks at Dockem like to mention that the iProp can be flipped over and used as a little travel pillow. While I haven’t gone on any plane trips lately, I did set it up between my head and the wall while sitting on a chair, and the beanbag and mesh combination does feel pretty nice on my noggin. Whether that gentle pillowy feeling will last on a long plane trip is something I’m not able to test out just yet. Maybe on the way to PAX this year.
Overall, the iProp is a surprisingly well-designed and put together little iPad stand with a decent amount of personality and charm. Each iPad I tried it out with, from the iPad mini to the iPad 3, fit well and stayed put in most normal use situations. I can see many other tablets fitting just as well and staying in just as easily, making the iProp a true universal tablet stand for a solid little price.
 Product Name: : iProp The Good: Well designed and manufactured, the iProp tablet stand holds a variety of iPads in quite a few different positions and environments. The Bad: Not sure it actually doubles as a travel pillow. The Verdict The iProp has quickly become a must-have accessory for me, at least around the house. Probably the most useful casual iPad stand I’ve used. Buy from: Dockem Website |
