I’m a creature of comfort, which is why I prefer to watch TV and movies exclusively in my bed. Until recently, I used to rest my laptop on my belly to binge GLOW or Desus & Mero — I enjoy the proximity of screen to eyeballs — but it’s far from being an ideal setup, especially when the laptop battery overheats directly onto my stomach, or if I happen to doze off and accidentally knock over the device. Everything changed recently, though, when my cousin turned me onto the joys of using an iPad stand.
There are a number of iPad stands on the market — based on arm lengths, how large or heavy of a device it can hold, prices, and styles — but the best for my needs is Tryone’s “Gooseneck” Mount. Of the several dozen I researched, it’s the most sleekly designed, perfectly sized, and wildly affordable at less than $20.
This particular contraption can comfortably hold up to a 10-inch device (for reference, an iPad Pro has a 9.7-inch screen), and its malleable but firm arm (made from an aluminum-magnesium alloy) can extend 30 inches, making it effortless to stretch, bend, and tilt based on your preferred lying-down position. The bolt clamp is super easy to adjust; it can grip onto anything up to three inches thick. For me, the stand is perfectly sturdy attached to my headboard, though other mounting options could include night stands or overhead shelves. (It would make for a fantastic college-dorm gift.)
I can use it for other (less lazy) apartment activities, too: in the kitchen to show me food recipes hands-free; in my living room mounted to my coffee table when I follow yoga routines. I’ve even thought about attaching the stand to my kitchen table for when I start doing home crafting, like embroidery or at-home shibori. It’ll be absolutely clutch when I decide to emulate one of the million beauty tutorials I’ve watched.
For now, I’m pleased with this iPad stand as the world’s most reliable bedfellow. And even if I pass out in the middle of watching a TV episode, I rest assured that I won’t be rolling my body onto an iPad — or knocking it down to the ground below.
Writer Rachel Rosenblit uses her Pico Projector to watch classic movies the way they were meant to be seen, no matter where she is: “The cube has saved the day several times. Like the time when our wine-tasting trip to the North Fork got rained out, so we bypassed our B&B’s dinky cable and rewatched Sideways with a store-bought bottle (not Merlot). Another weekend, when a friend’s wedding after-party somehow migrated to our hotel suite, I wanted to keep the vibe going — but avoid thumping bass and dreaded noise complaints — so I streamed Kill Bill, and projected it across the wall.”
If you find that your tinny laptop or tablet speakers aren’t doing it for you, try updating them with some Bluetooth boomers. We rounded up the best-reviewed wireless versions on Amazon for your listening pleasure.
For those of us with roommates (or fussy neighbors), try wireless headphones instead. The best-reviewed versions on Amazon should do the trick.
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