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World’s Simplest iPad Mount: Why Didn’t I Think of That?
The new product is the PadTab, comprised of two very-flat pieces with sticky stuff on the back: Affix the PadTab piece to the back of the iPad, and the small WallTab to any flat surface such as a refrigerator, hallway or that wall opposite the toilet.
Both items can be painted, so the little WallTab can practically disappear into the wall surface.
Once the plastic pieces are stuck to their respective surfaces, simply slide the iPad into the WallTab and there you have it -- a flat-mounted touchscreen.
It’s fairly dummy-proof. The PadTab has a tab on all four sides so you can’t affix it backwards. They only way to mess it up is to mount it crooked, so grab your level … perhaps the one downloaded from the App Store!
The tabs are about as thin as a nickel, so the iPad can still slide neatly into a case, and the WallTab probably won’t snag your silk shirt.
The big question is: Will the PadTab make it uncomfortable to prop an iPad on your lap? Stay tuned. One lucky CE pro reader is reviewing the unit!
The good news is, if you don’t like it, simply remove the tabs by holding them under a blow-dryer for a few seconds “and it twists right off,” says one “silent partner” who asked not to be identified. “Usually the adhesive rolls right off when you peel with your fingers. No damage!”
The adhesive is strong, we are told.
The PadTab is advertised to support up to 5 pounds, and the iPad weights only 1.6 pounds, so you shouldn’t worry about dropping your screen unless you’re a klutz and you miss the WallTab altogether.
My source says:
The adhesive is an industrial strength version of the 3M Command Strips and are clear. We are actually working with 3M currently to let us use their logo in our branding. They have up to 70 pounds of vertical sheer strength which is more than enough for iPad (1.6 pounds). If you watch one of our videos we actually hung a 5-pound frying pan from one with no issues just to show how "strong" it is.
Will users be tempted to adhere a PadTab to the back side of a small child? Serious time out!
Since news broke last week of the new PadTab, the company spokesperson tells us he’s received several emails from interested dealers.
“Some dealers have even commented that they could give these away with their systems that have incorporated a tablet solution,” he says.
The PadTab with with WallTabs retails for $30. Extra WallTabs are $10 each.
http://www.thepadtab.com
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Article Topics
News · Product News · Displays · Mounts and Lifts · Ipad · Ipad Wall Mount · Ipad Mount · Padtab ·About the Author
9 Comments (displayed in order by date/time)
Sure it is Mark. While its not sophiticated, it’s a simple, inexpensive solution for those that just want a hanger.
I say bravo on the price point. And bravo to other manufacturers that offer more for those customers that want more (still say Boo! to those that want more than the iPad cost for a mount!)
Unless an iPad is being hardwired in an in-wall dock, will people want to mount a portable tablet on the wall? I like keeping mine in a leather case. Makes it less slippery and has a foldover lid to protect the screen and a pocket to keep a tiny cloth wipe to keep the screen clean.
Jason, you have an iPad?! Look at you all 21st century and all.
I’m thinking YES people will want to just hang these on the wall, especially out of reach for the kids.
I bet integrators will encounter a lot of customers who want to use their iPads as controllers, but don’t want to lose its mobility.
But I have to keep it within reach so my six-year-old daughter can show me how to use it!
@Tuck
I agree that I applaud the price point. The piece that got me was the 3M tape reference.
I have had success hanging bathrobes and baseball caps with Command strips, but we’ve tried them for things as light as garlands at Christmas time, and they inevitably come popping off several times before the New Year.
I also used to knock my parents wall phone (remember those?) off the wall with great fervor, rounding corners too tight and grazing it with my shoulder.
The two just didn’t quite add up in my mind, and keeping it up high is nice, but it could be out of battery by the time you go to use it again.
I’m not a hater, if this works for your business, more power to you.
Best and God Bless.
Mark C
If people are interested in hanging an iPad on the wall with tape, why not just use industrial strength Velcro? Personally, there is no way I would stick tape on the back of my iPad, or anything of value for that matter. I simply would not trust it to hold my device.
I could see using these in the kitchen and bath. Battery on the ipad is a beast so it doesnt need to be docked all day.
Seems perfect for someone who wants to use 1 ipad in a couple of rooms.
The Pad Bracket (http://www.padbracket.com) wall-mount doesn’t rely on adhesive to keep your iPad on the wall, and you don’t have to stick anything to the back. It’s at an even lower price point: $24.95
I hear a lawsuit brewing. . .
http://mandarintheater.wordpress.com/2010/09/09/will-sonance-sue-padtab-for-copyright-infringement/
Seriously though, tape? No charging ports, no A/V jacks to get music and video out? Is this relly competition for a dock?