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Accessorizing your iPad... for cheap!

Why spend more, when you can buy iPad-friendly accessories at your local office- or art-supply store? That's the question we asked this morning at TUAW as we sent out an iPad taskforce to scan store shelves for discount iPad accessories. In the end, we found one really killer stand, a well-priced case, and a number of also-rans.

Our favorite accessory turned out to be a Staples "Study Stand". Built from chrome (the non-Google variety), and retailing for just $6.99, the study stand provided both excellent portrait and landscape presentation at a user-friendly angle. It barely obscured the screen and occupied a minimum of desk space. Best of all, the stand folds. Although the holder tips remain slightly extended from the base, the rest of the stand flattens out and makes the entire package very backpack friendly.

As a close runner-up, we found a fashionable $15 neoprene netbook case, meant for 10.2" netbooks at Office Depot. Unlike 10" netbook cases, the 10.2" styles seemed to fit our iPad mockup perfectly. The Office Depot case came in a variety of colors and clocked in on our affordability scale.

You can't yet buy real Apple-sanctioned official iPad toys, but you can buy our consumer-friendly alternatives today! It doesn't have to be fugctional[1] to be iPad-ready.


[1] Via TJ Luoma: "Fugly + Functional. Natch!"

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Why spend more, when you can buy iPad-friendly accessories at your local office- or art-supply store? That's the question we asked this...
 

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Bobby Nguyen

I bought an 8" plastic display easel from hobby lobby for $2.99. It's light, foldable, and it works.

http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/plastic-easel-914853/

April 16 2010 at 4:05 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
gilmore783

Not sure if anyone posted this already but Buy.com has an almost identical model to the Staples Study Stand, the only difference I see is the way the two front arms fold out:
http://www.buy.com/prod/fellowes-study-stand-steel/q/loc/101/205787783.html

Only $4.99 w/ free shipping

April 07 2010 at 10:41 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
steve

I've built a landscape dock for the iPad as a school project and I think it's pretty damn cool. I'm trying to see what kind of feedback I can get from the gadget world and I'd love a comment or two. Please have a look if you've got a second.

Cheers,
Steve

April 06 2010 at 12:19 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
williamsipad

Buy the accessories while you can. Apple is delaying the official accessories, thus the price on the non-official will rise

William, theamazingipad.com

March 18 2010 at 1:30 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Scott

I had similar thoughts about using a plate stand or similar for desk use. The generic-laptop sleeve idea isn't bad either; bear in mind, though, that most of the designed-for-iPad sleeves that have been announced have an integral rigid panel on one side, to provide impact protection for the iPad screen while it's in the sleeve. A standard laptop sleeve probably won't have that.

March 18 2010 at 9:43 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
glad

I'm gonna make my own god dam case can't be that hard as my sister -in law can help me

March 18 2010 at 4:14 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
SSteve

Where do I sign up for one of those cool retro B&W iPads?

And why didn't you turn off the orientation lock before you took the pictures of the iPad in landscape mode?

March 18 2010 at 12:49 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
now4real954

I don't really care...I just want the iPad...I just found out that one of my supervisors at work...has a friend at the Apple Store and she got to actually touch and play with one a little...

SHE SAID IT WAS AMAZING...and she isn't even an Apple Addict like me

I am so jealous...because I am the Apple Expert at Best Buy and we haven't had our training yet...but it's coming soon...think we are doing it on the 28th...I can't wait...love new Apple Toys...yeah yeah yeah

and I have been trying to order extras of the cute Incase netbook sleeves so we can have them for the release of the iPad!

March 18 2010 at 12:37 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
KevinCamera

I have funny feeling that on launch day the apple store is Not going to have many accessories in stock. This may end up the only way to get some.
I found a old iPod SD card reader that I used for my iPod photo. Wonder if it will work on my new iPad. Don't want to pay 30.00 for a 10.00 card reader. Plus it won't even be ready for the launch. You would think if apple could make 700k of ipads it's not do hard to make a few case and other accessories. As the lead time for 3rd party accessories is at best weeks after the launch apple would of sold a ton of their own accessories. Who will buy the apple case after the cool ones are out.

March 17 2010 at 9:34 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
timrowledge

Study stand? I'm sorry, if Apple can't be bothered to make the iPad stand up on its own by use of anti-gravity technology then FAIL.

March 17 2010 at 7:01 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to timrowledge's comment
PSTMD

Anti-gravity won't appear until iPad 2.0!

That way we proud Apple fanboys and girls will run out and buy another one.

I can hardly wait for iPad 3.0 which will connect directly to your brain via bluetooth.

PSTMD

March 17 2010 at 7:18 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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