The 'Book Mystique Review - Aviator Laptop Stand For Air Warriors
by Charles W. Moore
There is a fascinating variety of laptop stands on the market, more and more all the time as portable computers continue to displace desktop machines for many users. A few stand designs are engineered to be especially convenient for serious road warriors to take along in a laptop case or backpack, but the new standard for lightness and compact storage combined with convenient simplicity of setup and innovative features is the new Aviator stand from Keynamics.
The Aviator’s name is a broad clue to the fact that it is, according to the manufacturer, the first and only laptop stand designed specifically for business travel on airplanes. I can’t think of any challengers to that claim, but the Aviator has plenty of advantages for the surface-traveling laptop user as well, and some features that will appeal to those whose portables spend most of their time in desktop substitute mode.
The Aviator is molded high-strength plastic parts, none of them moving, that assemble for duty literally in seconds, then nest together in a single, light, thin and flat unit just half an inch thick and weighing a mere 9 ounces when disassembled for travel.
The three parts consist of two identical side modules called “Risers” and a slotted of “Crosspiece” that slips into vee-notches on the Risers to create the laptop stand.
The Crosspiece has two sets of slots, allowing the width of the assembled unit to be adjusted. However, I found that the widest setting worked fine with both my 12” iBook and my wife’s big WallStreet PowerBook.
However, the narrower setting makes the product useful for supporting smaller devices like this DVD player.
Notwithstanding the fact that it assembles and disassembles almost effortlessly, the Aviator, when assembled, becomes a remarkably stable and solid platform, and it handles the WallStreet’s eight-pound weight very gracefully. These photos from the Keynamics Web page show the front wheel of a 4,800 pound Toyota Land Cruiser supported by the Aviator, so no laptop is going to tax its strength.
The strength comes from the 6 point contact area where the crosspiece wedges into the vee-notch.
Another signature feature of the Aviator stand is borrowed from Keynamics’ another laptop stand product, the hulking ,10-pound, eWheelie stand. While the Aviator and eWheelie are essentially polar opposites in terms of bulk and mass, they share the ability to cantelever the laptop’s palm rest 2.5 inches over the near edge of the supporting desktop, table, or aircraft tray-table, thus allowing the user to assume a more relaxed, “laid back” posture while maintaining ergonomically-sound elbow and wrist angles.
Reclining transfers much of the downward pressure off your spine, and as an added bonus, the airspace and and improved heat convection of the elevated laptop reduces heat.
For more information, visit:
http://www.keyboard-ergonomics.com
Rubbery “traction” strips on the bottom edge the Aviator’s Risers help anchor the computer securely when used in the cantelevered position.
In use on airline tray-tables, the Aviator elevates the screen height by three inches for a less strained neck angle, especially helpful when the seat in front of the tray-table is reclined. It also raises the top edge of your laptop’s screen well above the tray table notch in the seat in front of us, eliminating the danger it being crushed by a sudden recline.
Great for the wait at airport gates.
The Aviator is available in gray, black or white
Specs:
Stored Dimensions 12.62” L x .50” W x 3.35” H
Riser: 12.62” L x .25” W x 3.35” H
Crosspiece: 10.5” L x .50” W x 1” H
Riser Spacing: Outer 8.75”, Inner: 5.75”
Riser Top Surface Contact Area 12”
Universal - Fits all Laptops
The Aviator sells for a very modest $19.99 and has a 30 day 100% satisfaction money back guarantee.
For more information, visit:
http://www.keynamics.com/
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