Review: Griffin iCurve

After trying many other laptop stands, we thought we’d give the iCurve by Griffin Technology a try. We remember when these were in high demand back when they were released a few years ago. The iCurve itself is made of clear, polycarbonate plastic, matching the iBooks perfectly, but also looking good with a PowerBook or near a Cinema/Studio Display.

Installation of the iCurve is simple – put your laptop on top of it. Four rubber feet on the top of the iCurve grip a laptop quite well, and Griffin Technology says that there is no risk of a laptop sliding off. For extra assurance, especially with heavier laptops, two thicker feet can be attached to the ends of the iCurve’s arms. Some other feet can be attached on the bottom to allow the iCurve to stay firmly on a desk. If not, the iCurve can be easily rotated to share the screen contents with someone else.

iCurve

iCurve + iBook

The iCurve keeps laptops tilted, with the front being about 4 inches from the desk and the back being about 6 inches from the desk (15 degree tilt to be exact), making the laptop be at a comfortable height to be used with a Cinema/Studio display. Since a laptop sits on the iCurve’s arms, air can flow unrestricted underneath, keeping it cool.

The iCurve gives the illusion that your computer is floating in midair, and also gives you more desk space, for peripherals and cables. We found that our external drives fit nicely underneath the iCurve. This will also allow more freed up space, since more things can be placed under the iCurve.

Typing on the iCurve is not recommended, as it is designed to raise a laptop up for use with an external keyboard and mouse. If someone tries to type on their laptop, they might find that the iCurve bounces too much for comfortable use, and the keyboard is really too high for ergonomic purposes.

The iCurve will match perfectly with any Apple portable setup, especially if an Apple Pro Mouse and Apple Pro Keyboard (or their new non-Pro equivalents) are added to the mix. It has an excellent combination of style and functionality.

Finally, it should be noted that the iCurve is on display with a PowerBook (or iBook, depending on location), and the new wireless keyboard and mice at the Apple Retail Stores.