Joby’s GorillaMobile Yogi for iPad 2 is a flexible and portable stand

Over the past few years, users of portable digital devices—especially cameras—have become accustomed to seeing the flexible pod-like appendages that now characterize Joby’s Gorilla accessory line. The multi-jointed legs seem a bit bizarre at first glance, but after the stand lands in your hands, its purpose becomes obvious.

Joby’s $40 GorillaMobile Yogi for iPad 2 offers similar functionality for the iPad, letting you perch and attach your iPad 2 to just about anything, but it also adds a rigid shell that protects the back of the iPad. The Yogi takes your iPad 2 where no other stand or case can or will, letting you hang the tablet from a tree branch, stand it on your bed or chair, wrap its legs around your own leg, or position it just about anywhere else you want. (I tested the Yogi for the iPad 2, but the Yogi is also available for the original iPad. Because of the form-fitting shell, you must purchase a Yogi made specifically for your particular iPad model.)

The Yogi’s back shell is constructed of durable polycarbonate with a rubber bumper, and is just about the same dimensions as the iPad itself at 9.7 inches high, 7.5 inches wide, and 0.5 inch thick. The shell conforms to the body of the iPad, holding it snugly—in fact, it was a bit of a challenge to remove my iPad from the shell. The detachable, posable legs are each 8.8 inches long and 1.3 inches in diameter. That’s large enough, and the legs are stiff enough, to hold your iPad steady. The legs themselves attach to a modular clip that is easily moved between two locations on the back of the plastic body—along one short edge and one long edge—to allow you to view the tablet in portrait or landscape orientation.

The shell is a good enough protector for your iPad 2 that you can elect to keep it on the tablet even when you aren’t using the stand. However, the shell doesn’t accommodate Apple’s Smart Cover. The best way to protect the iPad’s glass front is to stow your iPad in, say, a sleeve case that can hold an iPad with a back shell. Since there are many of those available, this shouldn’t be a problem.

The Yogi for iPad is ideal for setting the tablet on your lap or on any kind of surface, flat or not, as the flexible legs can adjust to any position. I liked the way I could hang my iPad over the front of my exercise bike for reading or watching videos, assured that my tablet wouldn’t fall off or otherwise be harmed. The flexible legs also allow for more-extreme positioning of the tablet compared to most stands, either in landscape or portrait orientation. You can place the tablet nearly upright or sink it down to roughly 30 degrees from flat—or anything in between—with the stand holding steady in most positions.

If you need to charge or sync your iPad while using the stand, it’s best to place the tablet in landscape orientation, with the dock-connector port on the side. It’s possible connect Apple’s dock-connector cable in portrait orientation, but doing so bends the cable awkwardly and places the bulk of the iPad’s weight on the connector.

The GorillaMobile is compact and light enough for travel. With the shell weighing 5.2 ounces and the legs just 3.9 ounces, you simply detatch the legs from the shell, stow your iPad in a pouch, pack the legs into your bag, and go. It’s easy to set up anywhere.

The GorillaMobile Yogi for iPad 2 is a great stand for people who use an iPad in hard-to-balance places, such as outdoors or in the kitchen, bedroom, or gym. Its lightweight, flexible frame and legs are easy to tote, and while it would be nice if the stand would accommodate a separate cover, the Yogi’s backing is easy to slip into one of the many iPad sleeves. One of its few drawbacks is that it’s less convenient to charge your iPad in portrait orientation.