Youll wonder how you ever managed without one
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Key Takeaways
Twelve South
If you own an iPad, then you need a stand.
And not just the one built into the iPads case, either.
Twelve South
A stand can totally transform your little tablet.
The iPad is a unique machine in that its so flexible.
Its a tablet for reading.
Charlie Sorrel / Lifewire
Add an Apple Pencil and its a notepad or a sketchbook.
Add Apples Magic Keyboard and its a laptop.
Add a stand, a mouse, and any old keyboard, and its a miniature iMac.
Twelve South
Or a games console.
You get the point.
And a stand is essential for many of these functions.
Apples own Smart Covers are expensive, but they last, and they do the job just fine.
A sturdy stand does more than just stop your iPad from falling over when you tap it too hard.
Stand By
My current favorite stand is theAboveTech/Viozon iPad Pro stand.
Its an aluminum bracket with a spinning, tilting jaw that clamps the iPad into place.
Charlie Sorrel / Lifewire
Ive used mine daily for more than three years, and its still going strong.
Even the plastic clamp is fine.
If you use a laptop for work, then you really need to raise it up.
Otherwise, youll hunch over it, ruining your back, neck, and more.
It uses a weighted base, but can also clamp onto a desk edge.
Nobody else wants to see up your nose, or to contemplate pimples on your perspectively enlarged chin.
In this case, even the Viozon case isnt high enough.
If Im making a video call, Ill raise the stand further with a stack of books.
Once you get used to the iPad, the TV/movie experience is great.
A small screen, close up, can be bigger than a huge TV on a far wall.
Also, AirPlay keeps the audio from wireless speakers in sync with the movie.
But if youre in bed, you also can get away with one of those neat breakfast trays.
I do this, with the iPad in its Magic Keyboard stand on top.
A sturdy stand does more than just stop your iPad from falling over when you tap it too hard.
There are plenty of other great uses for iPad stands.
If you want to use the iPad as a cash register, then the same setup works well.
For gaming with a friend and a pair of Bluetooth gamepads, a stand is essential.
You will not be disappointed.
