stands

Ikea's hi-fi component 'rack' runs just $7.99

Made of particleboard and ABS plastic, the Lack rack comes in a variety of painted colors (and "birch effect"); it's 21.3 inches wide and deep, and 17.75 inches high. Ikea doesn't present the Lack as audio furniture; it's a side table, but audiophiles all over the world have used it to support their prized possessions. Build quality is surprisingly sturdy.

Granted, the Lack won't handle macho 100-pound high-end amplifiers, but it'll be just right for a CD player stacked on top of a cool running receiver or integrated amplifier. Or get … Read more

BookArc Desktop Stand for the MacBook: Is a $50 stand worth it?

Apple has created a monster. No, we're not talking about growing iPhone sales or the success of its imposing chain of retail stores. We're talking about the almost oppressively beautiful design of the product packaging and marketing of Apple products. In addition to the acclaimed look of Apple products themselves, their boxes and accompanying packaging border on the obsessive. Laptop boxes unfold gently and present fitted trays. iPhone boxes unfurl like Chinese puzzles.

It's no surprise, then, that Apple accessories have gotten in on the game, too. TwelveSouth's BookArc Desktop Stand for MacBooks promises a "… Read more

Hand mixer and stand mixer all in one

Can't decide between a hand mixer and a stand mixer? No problem, because now you can have both. If you are a fan of combination appliances, you are really going to like appliances that take the concept even one-step further. The Kalorik Convertible Hand and Stand Mixer isn't your ordinary combination appliance. Instead, this device opts to share the main motor drive, in effect creating two kitchen essentials. The mixing unit mounts on a base, securely creating a stand mixer complete with a 3-quart work bowl.

When set up for use as a stand mixer, the stainless steel … Read more

Three cheap alternatives to $40 iPhone stands

Whether you're watching a movie on an airplane or interacting with your iPhone while it's charging on your desk, some kind of stand is essential. That's why I read David's Mobile Xtand review with great interest.

Pretty cool product--but $40? That's way too rich for my Cheapskate blood. Fortunately, there are iPhone stands that cost significantly less--and some that cost nothing at all. Here's a look at three way-cheaper alternatives:

The business-card stand Far and away my all-time favorite, this 60-second Instructables project turns any business card (the thicker, the better) into a perfect … Read more

Just Mobile Xtand displays, holds iPhones

Do you constantly pick up your iPhone to check its display? Do you want to use your iPhone with one hand? Or perhaps you're always looking for something to prop up your handset so you can watch videos. If these circumstances apply to you, you need a stand for your iPhone.

Just Mobile's Xtand ($40), which I got to test this week, gives you a place to put your iPhone while making it readily available for one-handed operation or showing it off. I liked the concept, but I didn't find it useful since my iPhone spends most … Read more

KitchenAid Stand Mixer turns ninety

Stand mixers, being the workhorses of the kitchen, get put through the paces. I suppose it is this connection that inspires the home chef to decorate his or her stand mixer such that it is their own. From Alton Brown's flame hot-rod mixer to cow spot decals you can purchase yourself, the mixer has become an extension of personality in the kitchen. It certainly makes sense, since the stand mixer is the one doing all the work for us.

The KitchenAid 90th Anniversary Stand Mixer with Glass Bowl celebrates the longevity of the ubiquitous kitchen appliance. Complete with all … Read more

iHome makes computer accessory push

We've reviewed a few iHome computer speakers in the past, but the company is now making a bigger move into the computer accessories market after signing a licensing agreement with LifeWorks Technology Group.

The new line is expected to launch "this summer," and we've highlighted a couple interesting looking products, the iStand Notebook Media Bundle with an integrated iPod/iPhone dock ($299.99) and the iConnect Media Keyboard ($149.99). The Mac version of each is colored silver and white, while the Windows version is black. iHome-branded mice, headsets, and Webcams are also in the works. … Read more

Failed to perform assigned tasks

Despite this program's eyesore of a user interface, we would have forgiven WakeupOnStandBy's design flaws if it had functioned properly. However, while it successfully woke up our computer, it failed to perform the tasks that we had programmed it to do at wake-up.

WakeupOnStandBy's user interface is crowded and seems as packed together as the app's name. All of the program's commands are squeezed into one small window. Though they are numbered, the details of each step lack any kind of flow. They are also very vague, so it's difficult to tell where to … Read more

For the lazy: DIY Kindle stand to read in bed

XKCD's creator Randall Munroe has come up with a pretty ingenious solution to those of us who have a Kindle, and who like reading sideways when lying in bed (and if you don't know what XKCD is, it's a very clever online comic strip with stick figures as characters and a healthy dose of geek humor).

I used to read like this all the time when I was a kid, by holding the book sideways in my hands, and I'm glad to know I'm not the only one. Munroe recently purchased a Kindle 2 and … Read more

Samsung's Lapfit monitors complement laptops

Forget your laptop stand and hideously mismatched secondary display, because Samsung's Lapfit series offers external LCD monitors that will match your laptop beautifully. The Lapfit External Display, which coordinates with the design of Samsung's latest laptops and comes in 19- and 22-inch versions, connects to your notebook, considerably enlarging your workable display area.

The pair of low-profile, wide-screen monitors, the LD190G (19-inch) and LD220G (22-inch), sit at the height of your typical laptop and have adjustable tilt angles from 10-30 degrees. Both monitors offer 1,360x768 pixel resolution (16:9 aspect ratio), 4ms response time, and a 20,… Read more