The PC Weenies

My family and I have spent 6 months living with an iPad2 in our house and, in my opinion, Apple’s latest gadget has lived up to its hype. We use our iPad on a regular basis for many tasks: watching Netflix videos, video chatting with family members, reading eBooks, surfing the web, and even playing an occasional game or two. It has been a worthwhile investment, and I’m glad I own one.

Given that the investment wasn’t exactly cheap, protecting it from potential damage became a top priority. So, with our iPad2, we ordered an orange SmartCover to protect the display. Shortly afterward, I placed another order for a Speck SmartShell2 case to protect the unit’s back from potential nicks and scratches.

For the most part, I’ve been happy with these accessories. The Speck Smartshell is sturdy and rugged, and does a great job of protecting the iPad, and the SmartCover holds its own when protecting the unit’s front display.

But the one drawback I’ve come to realize is the SmartCover’s ability to serve as a video stand. It does work, but you are limited to viewing content vertically. And, as a vertical stand, the SmartCover simply isn’t sturdy enough. An inadvertent jostle or bump to the desk that the iPad sits on can cause the unit to topple over like a house of cards. (With a 3-year old in the house, this has happened at least a half a dozen times.)

Enter the NewerTechnology GripBase and GripStand 2, from Other World Computing. The GripBase and GripStand 2 lets you mount your iPad2 on a solid base. With the GripStand 2, you can orient the iPad2 vertically or horizontally. Both the GripBase and GripStand 2 come in white or black; OWC sells a separate version for first generation iPads as well.

I purchased the black GripBase and GripStand 2 from OWC for the holiday sale price of $29 (retail: $59.99). Let’s take a look at them both.

The GripStand 2

The GripStand 2 is a hard plastic protective shell that fits snuggly your iPad2. With its included ring handle, you can sit your iPad2 horizontally or vertically upright on your desk. Fitting the iPad2 into the GripStand 2 was a plug-n-play affair. The ring handle on the back of the unit is removable. Removing and reattaching the ring clip is a breeze – it has two side calipers that you press to attach the ring handle to the back of the iPad2. The GripStand 2 provides easy access to all the iPad2 ports and controls, and best of all, supports the existing Apple SmartCover. It’s a very solid piece of kit. The GripStand 2 is ideal for travel usage.

The GripBase

The NewerTech GripBase turns your iPad2 into a mini workstation display. With the GripBase, you can easily rotate between horizontal and vertical display positions. In the box, you’ll find instructions, the base and the vertical stand. An included screw is used to secure the base to the stand. The vertical stand lets you swivel the iPad2 for easy viewing.

The GripBase’s weighted display stand keeps the iPad2 anchored very securely. Simply snap off the ring handle from the Grip Stand 2 and attach the iPad to the GripBase. The GripBase makes sense in a stationary environment. Moving back and forth between the Grip Stand and GripBase was very easy to do.

Here’s how the GripBase looks alongside my computing setup.

The GripBase and GripStand 2 represents a solid deal for the money, if you’re in the market for a rugged protective case / stand setup. Both products compliment the aesthetic look of the iPad2. The only niggle I have is the plastic packaging on the GripStand – it was very difficult to open and I nearly cut my finger trying to get the GripStand out of its packaging.

Niggles aside, the GripBase and the GripStand2 represent a tremendous value, particularly at its current sale price of $29. I’ve been very satisfied with both units. I say that as a customer first; these were not review units. (Disclosure: OWC is a site sponsor.)

The NewerTech GripBase and GripStand 2 both earn a solid 5 out of 5 Bob Weiners.

-Krishna