According to Tulsa World, Todd Andrews got an iPad the first day it went on sale, and he loves everything about the tablet computer – well, almost everything.
I loved it for what it was, but sometimes it can be uncomfortable to hold,” he said. Rather than just gripe about it, the Tulsa resident decided to create a solution. Now, his PropUp iPad accessory is being sold around the world.
The PropUp, which has four arms spreading out like an X, cradles the iPad and allows it to sit upright on its own in its horizontal orientation. The tough foam arms also give it an easier perch for when the computer is used as a literal laptop.
Andrews launched the PropUp last month through his online store, propupstore.com.
Although he handled every aspect of its design, he was able to get his idea out to market just five months after Apple Inc. started selling the tablet computer in the U.S. on April 3.
“I worked around the clock,” he said.
Andrews’ initial goal was to give the iPad a stand, but the four-arm, convex design of his device provides other advantages, as well. The protruding end can be grasped like a handle when the iPad user is standing up, producing less strain on the wrist, he said.
The design can also accommodate an iPad in a case, and it can be reversed to give it a screen protector when not in use.
“There were so many uses I stumbled onto that we originally didn’t intend,” Andrews said.
Photo by propupstore.