We’re spotlighting yet another Kickstarter project. Why? Because we love to see handy, unique creations come to life. This one is an iPad accessory called the Hanfree. It makes the iPad handsfree, thus the name, for anytime you’re in bed, sitting down on your couch, in the kitchen using a cooking app, or anywhere you can find a place to use it; all without holding the device on your lap or in your hands.
Video after break.
The Hanfree device was created by Seth Quest, a product designer from San Francisco, CA. It’s composed of three main parts, a clear case, stainless steel neck and a white acrylic base and it’s made in the USA.
Snap your iPad into the case and fits the securely. It has a ball and socket joint which allows 360 degrees rotation, which makes it easy to switch from landscape or portrait modes.
The acrylic base is light weight and stable, and it’s slim profile is designed to be unobtrusive when using it with pillows in bed. It has round corners to make it kid friendly and eliminating snagging on sheets. The neck is constructed from stainless steel.
There were more than twenty prototypes made before finding the optimal curve and ideal height to place the iPad in the most ergonomic viewing position. The neck can pivot side to side, allowing it to be swung out of the way when you are getting off the couch or in and out of bed.
This Kickstarter project has a goal of $15,000 by May 10, 2011. So far it has 38 backers for a total of $2,315. Minimum pledges are $1 (as are most Kickstarter pledges) but a $50 pledge will get you a pre-order for the Hansfree. After the pledge drive is over, the retail price will be $79.99. It fits both the original iPad and the iPad 2, but you must specify which one you have, one size does not fit all. If you want to pledge or read more about this project, you can visit the page here.
The Hanfree looks like another nice accessory idea, especially if you enjoy using apps such as Skype or FaceTime. It may even serve well beside your couch for reading or light computing. We’ll keep our eyes on this and let you know the status of the project as news unfolds.
