Kevin Noble wanted something easy to prop up an iPad or iPhone, so he invented the Stump, reports Chron.com.
By the time he envisioned the Stump – a portable stand that accommodates the iPhone, iPad or Kindle – in 2009, he knew the hurdles he would face and how to jump them.
“The more you do yourself, the more control you’ll have,” Noble said. “You’ll also discover things about your product you wouldn’t know otherwise.”
Case in point: While creating his own model using wood in his workshop, the slip of a table saw created an extra groove in the prototype. That groove became an integral part of the design.
“It allows users to mount their iPads or Kindles or iPhones in three ways,” Noble said. “That never would have happened if I hadn’t made a mistake in my garage at midnight.”
The Stump is a polyurethane block about 2 inches high with notches for propping up an electronic device, plus a grooved, non-slip ramp on which the device can be set at a slighter angle. It retails for $24.95 through Noble’s website and Amazon.com. Noble said he recently signed agreements with Apple for its European website and with retailer West Elm for its Christmas catalog.