Bluelounge Nest Stand for iPad & iPad mini Review
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We've seen many stands for the iPad before here on Gadgetmac from very simple ones to very complicated ones. All of them share the same functionalities. It's not everyday you come across a stand that both exceeds your expectations while fitting the bill just right. The Nest by Bluelounge is just the right stand for all iPads including the iPad mini that is here to makes things a little better, if not much better. Check out the full review right after the jump as we take a closer look at the Nest stand.
The simple packaging says it all. The Nest is more than just a stand for the iPad, it's even compatible with many other tablets from all sizes like the Kindle and Kindle DX, Nook Color, Samsung Galaxy Tab, BlackBerry PlayBook and even the iPhone. If you ever visited an Apple store, which most of you probably have if you own and iPad or iPad 2, the Nest is just like the demo stand Apple uses to display the iPads in its retail store. The round stands that display the magical iPads are a tool for display. The Nest is very much a similar concept with its slanted design and co-moulded non-slip rubber edge.
Who doesn't want to have the Apple store experience right at their home and office? The Nest isn't just a stand, it's a protective docking surface for your iPad to lay on top of. You may be wondering what is there to do with that pocket of space inside the Nest, that can be used for everyday little things like keys or memory cards. Anything that you want to keep neatly organized on your desk or night stand really.
Around the bottom of the Nest are rubber feet that grip any flat surface they set their feet on. Bluelounge was kind enough not to plaster their logo in an obtrusive way, thus creating a much sleeker and more elegant looking product that I can appreciate.
Bluelounge has thought about just everything in the Nest stand. The slide-out hidden cradle will let you stand your iPad and iPad 2 or any other compatible tablet in a vertical position as well as a landscape position. It seems as though the Nest is flawless, however there is one thing that bothers me about the Nest. Although there is a very generous rubber edging surrounding the top portion of the Nest, there isn't any sort of padding or rubber lining the inside of the slide-out cradle where your tablet sits against. I think that Bluelounge has missed one big step here. I cannot see why this hasn't been done and I really do hope that Bluelounge does take initiative to get some rubber there.
I'm not too worried about it as the slide-out cradle does work flawlessly and does its job perfectly. The vertical and horizontal angles are just right for a pleasant user experience. It's also very sturdy and lets you fully use your touch screen without having to worry about your iPad or tablet tipping over. It's a solid piece of goodness.
Getting into the Nest's demo portion as I would call it, the top portion of the Nest also acts as a typing angle for the iPad which just works great and lets you comfortably type away. You can set your iPad or other tablet higher or lower depending on your preference. The co-moulded rubber rimed surface grips the iPad strongly without letting it slip, not even a tad bit. It's a solid stand and grip surface all around. The Nest strongly reminds of a similar stand I've reviewed in the past called the PadStand, which does have a similar price and concept but isn't nearly as tweaked and versatile as the Nest.
At $14.95, the Nest is a must have multi-function stand money can buy. I think I may have found the ideal, dare I say portable, clean and simple yet extremely functional stand for the iPad and iPad 2. Bluelounge really hit it out of the park with the Nest, though I would have liked to see some rubber around the slide-out cradle. It's the only thing keeping it from being flawless. You can grab the Nest in 6 colorful colors for $14.95.
