Jadu Industries Skadoosh Stand for iPad & iPad 2
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What is this strange contraption, you ask? How can this possibly be one of the best iPad stands this reviewer has ever used, you ask? You are looking at the strange wonderfulness of Jadu Industries's Skadoosh Stand for your Apple iPad. This contraption does more than hold your iPad for viewing. The fully adjustable angles and solid build make this stand worth the second glance. Check it out after the break!
About a year ago, when the first generation iPad came out, there were a slew of companies offering stands and such to take advantage of the iPad as a movie/picture viewer. A lot of these stands were and still are, one dimensional holders that don't do much in the way of adjustability. You have the iPad viewable like a picture frame and that is it. When Jadu Industries came out with their amazing Skadoosh Stand, I had to have it because of the full range of adjustability it has. With a push of a button, you can tilt your iPad from upright less than 90 degrees, to about 20-30 degrees for comfortable typing.
I do not know how Jadu packages their stands now, but when I got my stand about a year ago - it came with very nice felt pouch. The stand is of amazing quality; the stand is made mostly of heavy brushed metal that has a powder coating making it look very clean and sleek. The stand is held together by thick and robust screws and there are rubber feet on the bottom of the stand to keep it from sliding around on your desk or table. An iPad is held in place by a plastic groove that has a space cut out for a dock connector to string through and connect to your iPad to charge - a very nice touch by Jadu.
Sitting in the Skadoosh Stand, the iPad is comfortable and sits snuggly and does not move around. There are rubber gaskets that protect the back of your iPad from hitting the metal of the stand. I was concerned initially about the plastic groove and it's possibility of scratching my iPad, but I have not seen any issues - and I have had this thing for a year. In short - the Skadoosh stand provides a nice seat for the iPad without fear of accidental metal on metal scratches.
Quality aside, how does this thing operate? Well, like I mentioned, there is one simple button that when pushed, will allow you to tilt your iPad to the viewing angle of your choice. At the steepest angle, it serves as a great "photo" stand or if you like (and see from my picture below..) a stand to make your iPad look just like a computer monitor. Pushing the magic button and lowering your iPad angle, you can actually get it situated for comfortable typing and viewing at the same time. The ipad is lifted slightly off the table/desk I particularly love this set up and typing this way has been nothing short of simple and efficient. The stand folds up into a compact form that allows you to carry it pretty much anywhere you go..and it unfolds to offer the maximum stability. When unfolded completely and used to type on, the stand is very stable and does not budge under forceful key strokes.
In my one year of ownership, the stand has stood up well to plenty of travel and use. The button has become somewhat loose and actually has gotten stuck on one occasion. A quick email to customer support to the fold at Jadu, and I was guided on how to fix the issue. The stand is held together with a single screw on the bottom, and the fix was easy and quick. The ingenuity that went into designing this stand is simply amazing.
Final thoughts - this stand is the best you can get. None on the market has been as adjustable, compact, and high quality in design and materials as this one - at least in my experience. Overall it has been my go-to stand, my constant buddy on the road and at home. I would give this a perfect 5 but since I ran into that bump in the road with a stuck button (that was easily repaired) - a 4.5 will do just fine!