stands

Take note all you DIYers and parents with creative kids. If you don't want to shell out $40 for a high-tech iPad stand, you can make your own--or have your kid make one.

With the help of his father, my 10-year-old nephew Brett went to Home Depot, got a piece of wood, a hinge, and a couple of knobs, and presto, instant iPad stand. I'm not sure Brett's going to win any design awards, but the thing does look pretty sturdy and only cost $12.40 plus tax. That may not be as cheap as Case-mate's … Read more

It's the little details that count in the kitchen. For example, a meal cooked without any herbs and spices would be bland and boring. Same thing can be said about kitchen appliances, except that it is not taste buds that are at risk, but rather convenience and versatility. And as every home cook knows, convenience means saving time, and that can be no small detail.

The Breville Stand Mixer combines function with performance and convenience. Little details stand out on this machine, from a 10-minute LCD timer that can count up or down, to a retractable power cord that … Read more

Apple wants how much for the portrait-orientation-only iPad Dock? $29? Sorry, but I'm tapped out after spending $500 on the iPad itself. What do you have in the $5-$10 range?

Nothing, of course. (Does Apple sell anything in the $5-$10 range?) Fortunately, if all you want to do is prop up your iPad for movie viewing, recipe reading, photo slideshow-ing, or whatever, you can buy or build a perfectly good stand for cheap. These five candidates cost anywhere from nothing to around $7. Take a look:

1. Think the kids will miss a handful of Tinkertoys? If … Read more

There's nothing worse than a smartphone that lays down on the job--especially when that job is showing a movie on an airplane, a photo slideshow at your desk, a recipe in your kitchen, or the time of day on your nightstand.

For those and other applications, your screen needs to stand up. Sure, you could drop a few bucks on something like the GoGoStand, a cool and convenient solution, but I think it's a little more fun to take the MacGyver approach.

You can cobble together a fantastic phone stand using everyday household objects. Here's a look at four of my favorites:

1. The gift-card stand

Stop! Don't throw away that used-up gift card. Or hotel room-key. Or even expired credit card. In about 10 seconds you can turn just about any such piece of stiff plastic into a killer stand. One strategic fold here, a second one there, and boom, you're done. Take a look:

If you need more instructions (and/or want to see the stand "in action"), check out the Instructables source page for this ingenious card-hack.… Read more

Cute. Clever. Whimsical. No, no, I'm not talking about me, but how sweet of you to think that! I'm referring to ForkedUpArt's iPhone stands made of forks and spoons. I think the photos speak for themselves; these things are just adorable.

(Um, did I just use "sweet" and "adorable" in the same paragraph? I meant to say "killer" and "bitchin'." There, manhood restored.)

As you can see, there are two versions, the aptly named Fork Head and Spoon Head. Both use a combination of forks and spoons, and both … Read more

Wilson is supposedly out sick this morning and can't be on the show, but it's obvious to Jeff and me that he wanted a head start on Wednesday's Apple Event. Either way, we're happy to have CNET's Smartphone Senior Editor Bonnie Cha here to replace him. We casually discuss our weekends in the first half of the show, which include some serious headphone shopping and a viewing of the documentary "Anvil." Bonnie also tells us about her weekend run-in with the new cast members of MTV's Jersey Shore.

With the January 27 Apple Event just around the corner, speculation about the Apple tablet is reaching critical mass, but an interesting Call From the Public raises new questions about the possibility of an Apple gaming console.

Judging from the amount of gaming press in attendance, there's a solid chance that the hardware will be gaming-friendly, but the chance of Apple unveiling a gaming-only console is slim. If anything, we're predicting a strong push toward gaming development on the new platform.

Thanks to everyone who sent in photos of their strategically placed 404 stickers and tattoos! Keep them coming, or be sure to listen to the promo in the break for how you can get your own merch.

If your laptop pulls double duty as a desktop, do yourself a favor and invest in a full-size mouse and keyboard. While you're at it, a good laptop stand is mighty nice to have, too.

Logitech's Cordless Desktop S520/Alto Connect bundle normally sells for $99.99, but you can get it for $39.99 shipped (with coupon code logi_s520b_11510). Smokin'!

The Cordless Desktop S520 consists of a wireless keyboard and a laser mouse. It's a basic, no-frills set that's nicely suited for desktop use. CNET gave it 3.5 stars out of five it its … Read more

Sure, we really like the PS3 Slim's brand new-sleek design, but unfortunately some pre-existing PS3 accessories don't play nicely with the console's updated form factor. To fix this, Nyko has revamped most of the company's PS3 accessory lineup for the Slim and improved on the Media Hub in the process.

The Media Hub Slim doubles the system's amount of USB ports to four and adds an SD card reader slot as well. The unit fits snugly under the front left lip of the console and plugs into both of the Slim's existing USB ports. … Read more

What do you get for the iPhone user who has, well, an iPhone? After all, the device itself is the gift that keeps on giving. Am I right?

Anyway, I've rounded up five iPhone-friendly items for the holidays. Whether you're shopping for a Secret Santa gift for a co-worker, a stocking stuffer for your hubby (or missus), or something to round out the latter nights of Hanukkah, one of these should fit the bill.

1) A gift card...that later turns into an iPhone stand! Start with any gift card--Starbucks, iTunes (duh), or whatever--then tell the recipient to bring it back to you after it's used up. Following these simple Instructables instructions, do a little waving-your-magic-wand thing and turn that card into a cute, clever, portable, and virtually indestructible stand. Who knew a gift card could keep on giving?

2) The world's best (?) battery pack Blogger Josh Bancroft calls this Monoprice iPhone Backup Battery Pack the "best $15 you can spend," and I'm inclined to agree. For just $15.23 you get a 2200mAh battery, which is good for roughly two full iPhone charges. Just one problem: It's currently on back order. Well, you can always print a photo from the product page, write "coming soon," and stuff that in the stocking.… Read more