Arexit A-Fold Tablet Stand Review

Arexit recognizes that not everyone has an iPad, so they have a tablet stand that can be used with Samsung Galaxy Tabs, Motorola Xoom, RIMM Playbook, and iPad 1 and iPad 2.  I was happy to be selected to give the A-Fold Tablet Stand a look when Arexit offered one to The Gadgeteer for review.

Although the A-Fold will work with other tablets, I only have an iPad 2.   My review is based only on my experiences using the A-Fold with an iPad 2.

The A-Fold stand is made with a solid aluminum base.  There are four rubber feet for traction on the bottom of the aluminum portion.  The cradle is made of plastic, and it has a soft, rubbery feel.  There are four little rubbery buttons on the front of the cradle to “grip” the tablet and protect it from scratches.

The stand folds flat for easy carrying.  It measures 5.8” X 6.6” X 1.4” when folded, and it weighs about 11 ounces.  It comes with a red fabric travel pouch.

The plastic cradle has a U-shaped channel at the bottom that cradles the iPad.  There’s some rubbery padding in the bottom of the channel to prevent scratching the tablet.  This channel is deep enough to hold the iPad 2 when wearing the Smart Cover and the HyperShop HyperShield back cover with a little room to spare.  There’s a semi-circular cutout in the middle front of the cradle to allow access to the iPad’s Home button.

The A-Fold can hold the iPad 2 in either the horizontal or vertical orientation.  It is heavy enough that the iPad 2 was very stable in both positions.  You can run a charging cable through the big cutout in the bottom of the cradle to charge or sync your iPad when it’s in the vertical orientation.

The stand is hinged at the bottom, and a U-shaped leg on the back supports the stand at three angles:  75, 60, and 45 degrees.  The leg has rubber tips and fits into dimples on the aluminum stand for stability.  These angles are great for watching videos or when using the iPad with a Bluetooth keyboard.  The three angles allow you to find one that works best for your height and your table height.

When the A-Fold stand is folded flat, it holds the tablet at a 5-degree angle for typing.  I found that the front lip of the cradle got in my way when I tried to type on the iPad’s on-screen keyboard.  Since I have the Smart Cover on my iPad 2, I’d much rather use it as the typing stand.

The A-Fold Stand is a very stable, versatile stand for iPad 2, and I’m sure it will work as well for other tablets.  It’s heavy enough to be a stable stand, but not so heavy that it will be a burden when added to your gear bag.  At about $50, it seems to be priced about the same as most other tablet stands.  And you won’t have to buy a new stand if you buy a different tablet in the future.