Pencil iPhone stand makes a point

(Credit: Geeky Gadgets)

Hutchinson found that five pencils worked better for the 3G iPhone.

(Credit: Geeky Gadgets)

You could use a gadget like the iFlyz to secure your iPhone while watching a video. Or you could just grab some pencils and rubber bands and be more DIY about the whole thing.

That's what Roland Hutchinson did. The editor of Geeky Gadgets wanted to watch Inauguration Day coverage on his iPhone last week while working on his PC, but was having trouble propping the device up at just the right angle.

So he grabbed some pencils and rubber bands and fashioned an iPhone stand. You're not going to see this thing in Apple stores anytime soon, but it looks like it gets the job done.

Hutchinson notes that a four-pencil contraption works well for the 2G iPhone, but 3G iPhones may require two pencils for horizontal support due to the extra thickness, making a total of five pencils.

We have to admire Hutchinson's can-do spirit. And it's nice to see there's still a use for pencils beyond the third grade.

[Rita McKee]

Looks to me to be a 5-pencil stand. Maybe it's an optical illusion : )

[gregchew]

it's 4 pencils for 2G phone and 5 pencils for 3G phones.. who'd thought that the thinner phone requires more 'support'

[newPCgadgets]

I like a product called the Comfort Base that holds the iPhone or iPod touch. Found it at http://newpcgadgets.com/products/comfortbase/index.html