Choiix/Cooler Master Mobile Wave Stand Review

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With tablet devices becoming so popular in recent years, people are choosing to spend their hard earned cash on technology designed to enhance their lives such as the iPad2. As an iPad owner myself, I found it hard to leave the store before stocking up with a whole host of peripheral items.

The portable device accessories market is a huge 55 billon dollar industry with what seems an endless variety of products to choose from. Tablet devices are no exception with new accessories being released every week.

Today we are looking at the Choiix wave stand which is designed as a portable tablet stand. Choiix is one of many companies who make device accessories for this market and have a portfolio ranging from computer to mobile accessories. Choiix is a division of the Cooler Master group, an international company who manufacture hardware based products and distribute them worldwide.

We will begin by looking at the box where you get a feeling that the product is going to be that little bit special. The front of the box has an image of the stand sporting the popular iPad2 tablet. From initial impressions The ‘wave’ as it is called, looks like a sleek and stylish stand with a compact design for good portability.

On the rear of the box is a similar image to that on the front, with the rear of the stand displayed. Below the image is the wave logo accompanied by a list of devices the stand is compatible with. This includes the iPad2, Flyer, Xoom, Playbook, and the Touchpad.

The front of the box is cleverly designed to open, revealing a clear plastic display window. This allows you to view the wave stand in the box at the point of sale. Magnetic clips also are used on the flap to give a quality feel to the front panel when opening and closing the boxes hinge.

When taking the product out of the box for the first time the thing that really stood out to me was the elegant design of the wave. The stand uses simple lines and curves to create an extremely exciting looking product.

Its clean and executive look makes it feel at home in the presents of the iconic Apple range of accessories. The wave is made of high quality aluminium with a clean brushed finish. The choice of material used compliments the iPad2 device we tested in it making it look part of the tablet as opposed to a basic, functional stand.

Looking at the wave stand in more detail it is easy to see how much effort has gone into designing the product. The wave may look simple, however underneath that clean exterior is a cleverly designed hinge system that allows a smooth operation of the stand and an ability to alter the tablets angle.[/wpcol_1half] [wpcol_1half_end id=”” class=”” style=””]

Cheaper stands of this kind may well look the part but when it comes down to it, fail to deliver the quality and hinge stability that the Choiix wave can offer.

The three arm design of the wave gives the stand an operating angle anywhere between 0 and 135 degrees. This gives the user the flexibility to adjust the screen height manually relative to the environment they find themselves in.

Weighing in at 336 grams or 11.85 Oz, the Wave is extremely portable. In its folded down position its dimensions of 148x100x32(mm) means that it could fit into a coat pocket or laptop bag with ease.

The body of the wave is made from dense aluminium as we mentioned above. However to protect the tablets from scratching or other possible damage, rubber grips have been fitted to the ends of the arms. These are formed from a rubberised non slip material with ridges to grip the Tablet devices and hold them in position.

The lower two arms also have end lugs and feet to protect the surface the stand is being used on and avoid slipping on smoother surfaces. Meanwhile the single raised arm has a longer rubberised grip that runs up the length of it. Again this a functional design choice to protect the devices using the stand.

We were really impressed by what could be described as a flawless design. The simplicity of the stand combined with its clever functionality makes the Choiix wave an executive accessory that would look at home on any desk.

Compared to other Stands we have tested in the portable accessory market, we believe that the simple design of the wave makes it a hot contender. With virtually no setup time, the wave can be packed away in a matter of seconds making it truly portable.  With a price tag of around $40 in the US, the Choiix Wave is not the cheapest portable stand on the market.

However when you consider its sleek design and stylish looks you may well be tempted to pay that little extra for something that is going to give you exactly what you are looking for.

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