Appletell’s iPhone stand showdown
by at February 27, 2009 8:05 am
Sections: iDevice Accessories, iPhone, iPhone/iPod touch/iPad, Reviews
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Provides: Elevated positioning and display of the iPhone
Minimum Requirements: iPhone 3G (models available for other iDevices, check sites)
Availability: Now
Before me are four iPhone stands. In no particular order: the PED3, the iClooly, the Podium and the Xtand. All are quite capable of holding your iPhone, but which enhances the experience the most? Sure, you could buy a dock, but you know you want a stand to really exult your iPhone like it was made to be.
Okay, before we get to the showdown, why do you need a stand for your iPhone in the first place? Simple. A dock (and quite obviously a cable) just doesn’t cut it when it comes to accessibility. The dock is too close to the desk it sits on, and has no options whatsoever. The iPhone can’t be tilted or lifted for a better viewing angle, and it can’t be rotated to watch a video in landscape.
All of these things are possible with a stand. Plus, you get added style points. All four of the docks you’ll read about in this review elevate your iPhone and allow it to be rotated, and most add to its style.
Yes my friends, before me are four iPhone Stands, but this is a showdown… Four rose to the challenge, but only one can stand proud. In the words of my…well, they are my own… Let the showdown begin!
Gladiators fight!
The PED3
Developer: Thought Out
Price: $39.99
The PED3 is probably one of the first stands you think of when you think of this type of product. As best I can remember, they were the first to the market with such a gadget. Sadly, it doesn’t really show.
Stylistically, the PED3 lags behind all of the rest. It’s plain black with rubber covered, metal fingers that hold your iPhone in place. While this works fine, it’s not as beautiful as I think it could be. The part that holds your device is articulatable, which is actually a major plus for anyone who might own an iPod touch or similar sized device in addition to an iPhone. You can also attach the cradle at two different viewing angles, and rotate it to your heart’s content. In my testing, the iPhone 3G tends to shift around a bit when pressing the home or on/off button, and the entire cradle feels a bit sloppy when you rotate or interact with your device.
The iClooly
Developer: iClooly
Price: $39.00
The iClooly clearly takes most of its design cues directly from Apple’s iMac, which is awesome. I’m sure you can already tell that the iClooly is visually the most appealing of the bunch. After all, it looks like a Mac, and your iPhone will more than likely be sitting right next to a Mac. Think of it as your Mac’s mini me!
The iPhone 3G gets inserted into the iClooly stand, and everything other than the screen is covered. There are holes for both the headphone jack and the dock connector, and buttons that extend the volume and on/off buttons of your iPhone 3G. Like the PED3, there is a pass through for a cable, though this one is circular. The iPhone can be rotated 90 degrees or tilted back. Bummer you can only turn it one direction, but that’s alright for most games and applications (the home button will be on the right) except perhaps Payback.
As much as I love the iClooly for its superior design, it does have a few flaws. First, it’s difficult to remove your iPhone 3G. This is not a grab and go type of stand; you have to press a button on the back and tilt the whole stand to get some help from gravity to get it out. Every time I do this, I feel like I’m going to scrape the iPhone 3G across a metal edge of the stand and scratch it. So far, my worries are in vain, but I still worry. Also, the stand is too light. While the brushed aluminum matches all of my Mac gear perfectly, it needs to be heavier with a grippier bottom. The iPhone’s screen has to be tapped very lightly to prevent this from twisting or moving.
The Podium
Developer: Podium Revolution
Price: $68.00
What do you get when you mix the PED3 with the iClooly? Probably something a whole lot like the Podium. This stand is sturdy like the PED3, but still has some of the style of the iClooly. But it has them both beat when it comes to articulatability (yes, that is a word).
The iPhone 3G snaps very easily into the cradle, which consists of three plastic fingers. This is on a ball joint, so you can tilt, spin and twist like you’re back in the 60s, man! Plus, this is easily replaceable. So should Apple make a device that’s shaped differently, it wouldn’t be that hard to order a different part to upgrade (assuming they make it available). It, too, has the cable pass through, which is shaped like an oval, making it easier to pass a cable through than the rest of the bunch.
I really like how the Podium just showcases the design of the iPhone 3G by itself, though I still think the iClooly looks better. The Podium would benefit greatly from a brushed aluminum option, though I talked with the company and they had a pretty good defense for the crhome. It perfectly matches the bezel of the iPhone, therefor exentuating the iPhone’s own style. And just because you have an iPhone doesn’t mean you have other Apple gear. Please tell me that’s not true! Major points to the Podium for its level of articulation and sheer sturdiness.
The Xtand
Developer: Just Mobile
Price: $39.99
The Xtand is similar to the iClooly in that it’s made out of brushed aluminum and fits in with most of your Apple gear. The cradle is shaped like an X, go figure, with grippy corners to hold your iPhone. This attaches to the base via a screw, which also functions as the turning mechanism. That means it doesn’t turn very well since it’s either working with or against the screw that’s holding it in place. It also can’t be tilted up or down, so you’ll have to live with the standard angle. There’s nothing wrong with the standard angle, but you just don’t have any options.
It’s slightly heavier and grippier than the iClooly, but doesn’t quite have the style. It’s a nice stand, but a bit basic compared to the Podium.
A side note. A stand makes your iPhone almost as if it were a mini monitor. Actually, if there are any developers reading, please, please, please make an app that will allow the iPhone to be used as an external monitor. Why pay over $100 for a mini monitor when we all already have iPhones with perfectly capable, multitouch sensitive screens? There are a number of apps that allow you to manipulate your computer from your iPhone, so I can’t image it would be that much more difficult to turn the iPhone into extra screen space for your computer for things like tool pallettes, buddy lists, twitter clients etc.
Conclusion
Before going in, I thought iPhone stands were a cool idea. Now, after testing several, I’m not sure I could go without one. I really love how it keeps the iPhone accessible at all times. I can keep a Twitter client or other app open at all times and not waste screen space on my Mac. These all keep the iPhone at a much more usable and viewable position. But which one to get? That depends on what you want out of it, so I’ve categorized them for you.
The PED3 is no doubt for the person who has more than one iDevice, or an Original iPhone. It’s not as beautiful as the rest, and it doesn’t have the best of options for viewing angles, but it is made well and is very sturdy. It’s rubber covered fingers are repositionable, so you can make other like-sized devices fit relatively easily. I just don’t like the way the cradle sits on the base; it leaves something to be desired.
The iClooly is for the vain among us. If looks are all that matter to you, then this is the stand for you. The design is dripping with style, and it matches all the rest of your beautiful Mac gear. Just don’t touch it too hard, otherwise you might tip it over. I wish it was a bit heavier, grippier and that it could rotate a full 360 degrees, but it clearly wins in terms of design.
The Xtand is the middle of the road. It’s sturdier than the iClooly, which isn’t really that hard, but doesn’t have enough style to justify itself. The base is wider, so you won’t have to worry about it tipping as much, and it’s grippier than the iClooly. But if I were you, I’d buy…
The Podium is a superb fusion of design and functionality. It’s not as beautiful as the iClooly, but it’s more functional. Its base is wider than all the rest, heavier, and has 3M material to keep it from moving. You can see a lot of time and thought went into the design of this stand. Your iPhone is easily put in and taken out, though held securely. It’s also the most positionable of all the stands by far. Sadly, it also tops all the rest in terms of price. I guess you get what you pay for?
The Winner = The Podium
Buy
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