Review: Bluelounge Nest

If the Apple iPad Dock is a little to pricey or inflexible for your needs, many other companies have been quick to jump in and offer alternatives. Some have been rather pricey, while others are almost an impulse purchase. Bluelounge’s $15 Nest falls into the second category, and may be of interest to not only owners of Apple’s iDevices, but also users of various e-readers, smartphones, and tablets not to come from Cupertino.

Since the introduction of the original iPad, many have wanted the acrylic-and-rubber stands that Apple provided for iPads at Apple Retail Stores and resellers. The stand is nearly impossible to find for personal use, since Apple even has a patent on it. For the next best thing, and maybe better, there’s the wedge-shaped Nest. It’s about the same size and angle, but square-shaped. There’s a little cutout in the center so it can act as a dish for small items (the iPad Camera Connection Kit, for example) and on each side there are bits of rubber to prevent slip, and also grip your gadget when in a typing position.

The Nest has a trick up its sleeve—in the back, a small plastic piece slides out to act as a vertical stand for viewing videos or presenting content. Although the iPad’s Dock Connector would be blocked when in this mode, you could always use it upside-down. In our tests, it’s supportive enough, and very handy for a FaceTime call on both an iPad or iPhone.

The Nest accomplishes the same thing as other stands, including our favorite, the Compass, but is a fraction of the price. Although the two do the same thing, they fit entirely different needs—the Nest is nowhere near as portable or convenient as the Compass. If anything, the Nest should be compared to the $20-$30 stands flooding the market that can be found at your local big box store. It’s also worth noting that the Nest is available in a number of colors, including black, white, blue, green, orange, and pink. For the price, there’s a lot right with the Nest, and nothing significant to complain about.