Productivity station and protective case

A pivoting stand reminiscent of the current iMac design and a case that goes beyond Apple's Smart Cover for the iPad are two of the latest accessories available from two popular accessory makers. Thought Out Company's Stabile Pro is a more advanced version of their original iPad stand, while Griffin's IntelliCase features the company's own take on Apple's iPad 2 case while adding additional protection for the back of the device.

The Stabile Pro is a bit taller than the original Stabile stand, but its biggest selling point is its three-quarter-inch steel ball pivoting holder, providing 80 degrees of motion -- left, right, up and back. With the iPad (either the original or the iPad 2, even with a casing on it) sitting in the stand either in landscape or portrait mode, it will remind observers of an ultra-thin version of the current iMac design.

The stand weighs four pounds, being made of solid steel (matching the Apple keyboards, and also available in white or black) with four non-skid black "feet" and an anti-tip low center of gravity. It features a split-back design for cable management and an elegant design. The Stabile Pro sells for $85 plus shipping and is available now.

Griffin Technology's new IntelliCase is only for the iPad 2, but that is because it incorporates the magnetic close-to-sleep, open-to-wake feature of Apple's own Smart Cover. The IntelliCase, however, adds a protective polycarbonate back to protect the other side of the iPad, with flexible thermoplastic polyurethane to protect the display. The front part of the case can be folded into two positions, either an upright position for watching videos or reading, or it can be laid down at an incline for typing. The surface is micro-textured for enhanced grip.

The IntelliCase is currently only available in black, and retails for $60.

by MacNN Staff