Ultra Impact iPad Stand

Ultra Impact's iPad Stand is a simple stand made out of recycled Bamboo and designed to be a sturdy hunk of desk furniture—you can even get it engraved. At 6 inches wide, 6 inches deep, and 2 inches high, you'll probably want to use the stand at home or the office rather than carrying it around in your bag, although it's light enough, at just over six ounces, to tote along in a pinch.

The Stand is limited to propping your iPad in either of two positions, each supporting landscape and portrait orientation: propped up at an approximate angle of 75 degrees for viewing video or photos or for using an external keyboard, or laid back (at around 35 to 40 degrees) for typing. Unfortunately, the iPad Stand's grooves for the prop-up position aren't wide enough to accommodate an iPad in most protective cases, though it does fit an iPad 2 with a Smart Cover or either iPad model with a slim cover.

The stand itself is mostly smooth and polished, but I was a little concerned that the rough edges of the grooves could scratch the iPad's front glass if a sudden movement (like your cat walking across the table) destabilizes it. Also, at least one of our review sample's rubbery "bumpers"—designed to protect the back of the iPad when it's in the typing position—had fallen off, increasing the possibility of the stand itself scratching the back of the iPad.

When sitting in the iPad Stand in landscape orientation, you can connect Apple's dock-connector cable for charging and syncing; in portrait orientation, however, there's not enough room to attach the cable to the bottom of the iPad unless you turn the iPad upside-down.

While durable, sturdy, and fairly serviceable, the iPad Stand is a bit bulky, and it's less flexible and elegant than some other stands I've seen.

(Ultra Impact also sells the iPad Stand in black plastic.)