Compass, an Elegant Fold-Up Stand for iPad

Twelvesouth’s Compass stand looks more like a medical instrument than an iPad accessory, but that’s what it is. The divider-shaped unit splits in the middle and the legs splay to make a rather sleek-looking tripod. Two little “feet” flip out from the “ankles” to support the iPad’s lower edge, and a soft circular pad caresses its back whether in portrait or landscape position.

The stand is good for typing, too. See the extra little foot contained in the, erm, upper thigh of the main leg? That pops out to support the iPad at a much shallower angle.

Twelvesouth has a history of making fair-priced, well-designed Apple accessories, from the simple BookArc MacBook stand to the BassJump sub-woofer that backs up the MacBook’s own little speakers. And at $40 the Compass is eminently affordable, especially when compared to the cheap plastic tat available for similar prices.