BEAU COLBURN

All Propped Up and No Place To Go

I’ve never kept my iPad in a case. I used to put a case on everything, but I stopped a while ago. These iPads and iPhones are beautifully designed products, and I prefer them naked. The only time that I’m slightly jealous of the cased-people, is when they have it sitting on a counter with the back propped up, typing and swiping away.

I keep the iPad in a Hard Graft sleeve, which I love. More and more I bring the iPad with me to the coffee shop to do work, and I’ve found that it really wants its back propped up for a proper typing angle. I’ve taken to shoving my wallet or keys under the back to give it the right angle, but that never felt overly secure. I wanted the typing angle a case gives, without a case. I’ve been looking for something small and portable—something that can easily be thrown in a small bag—to act as a solution, and I think the Compass stand by Twelve South is it.

Twelve South products aren’t cheap, but from what I’ve seen in the past, they’re solid and well-built. When I saw the Compass Stand at the Apple Store a few days ago I grabbed it. The stand isn’t much bigger than a candy bar when it’s folded up (it easily fits in my pocket), and it has an impressive weight. It slips into a nice little travel case. The stand can unfolds two ways: as a more traditional easel, or as a flatter stand for typing. All the surfaces that come into contact with the iPad are covered in rubber, so there is no risk of the metal scratching the surface.

After a few days use, I’m really happy with the function, and it’s proved to be exactly what I was looking for. If I want to stumble out to the coffee shop half-asleep on a Sunday morning, I can just grab my iPad, throw the stand in my pocket, and spend an hour sitting there catching up.