HoverBar floats your iPad anywhere

Twelve South prides itself by making items for Apple products and only Apple products. With popular accessories such as the BookBook for iPhone, iPad, and MacBook, Twelve South is not a new contender to the accessory scene, but is certainly one of the best. Limiting their new accessories to a mere handful each year, the South Carolina based company ensures each product is crafted to quality standards. The HoverBar now touts iPad 3rd generation compatibility and I take it for a spin, in the kitchen…

Design

HoverBar uses a two-way mounting clamp with an adjustable screw. Inside the clamp, a silicon lined metal surface ensures none of your belongings get scratched when the HoverBar is attached. When deciding where one can place the HoverBar, measure the desired location, as the clamp can only attach to edges one inch or thinner. This prevented me from attaching the HoverBar to my home office desk.

The 22″ metal arm extends from a bi-directional assembly that screws into the clamp. As the arm is non-telescopic, 22″ is the fixed length, but the arm is flexible to a certain extent. The iPad display clip attaches via a ball-and-socket fixture at the end of the arm and is compatible with iPad 2 and iPad 3rd generation models.

For additional questions, check out the Twelve South FAQ section. Assembling the HoverBar is very simple and the below video gives an illustrative description.

Function

HoverBar’s primary intended use is adding the iPad as a “hovering” monitor when attached to an iMac, which leaves the 1″ clamp a problem for other non-intended uses. For example, I used my HoverBar primarily in the kitchen, posing its own challenges, as my counter is too thick to clamp on the edge of our island. I found a split under the hanging cabinets where the clamp just barely grabbed on. In the photo below, the HoverBar is connected to the windowsill because the cabinet edges have crown molding.

In the kitchen, iPad is a great cooking companion. Often, my wife uses recipes she finds on Pinterest and, because I am too cheap to replace our printer with a newer Air Print compatible option, we leave our digital recipes in cyberspace. The iPad is elevated above the cooking surface, away from water, splatters, and knives (oh my!), which keeps my blood pressure down. Most importantly, the iPad is placed perfectly at a viewable level and tilted to prevent glare from the ceiling lights. Since all I cook is cereal and the occasional grilled cheese sandwich, I prefer to use the iPad to watch Netflix while I prepare my elegant meals.

Another testing site for the HoverBar was an information fair. It seems at trade shows, everyone is trying to use their laptop or iPad to show slide shows to passersby. The HoverBar conveniently located the iPad at eye level and caught A LOT of attention not just from participants but other exhibitors. Other information fair booth operators were getting the order information from me so they can get their own!

The 22″ metal arm balances the importance of strength and flexibility fairly well. Physics play a great deal when trying to prop up a heavy, broad device at the end of a straight 22″ mount. Torquing the iPad into the exact position you desire may take a few attempts, but once in place, rest assured the iPad will remain.

Conclusion

Clocking in at $79.99, the HoverBar is not an investment which should be made hastily. I think the price is justifiable, so long as you know exactly what you plan to do with the accessory. It is a perfect desktop, kitchen, side-table addition, but make sure to check your specs first. Keep in mind, it is not going to twist into any shape imaginable, but ultimately worked in all of my situations, once I jimmied around with the arm enough. If you are looking for a great way to use your iPad but keep it off the working surface, absolutely pick up a HoverBar. I am pleased to have received one from my friends at Twelve South for review and know it will be a permanent addition to the kitchen. There is a good chance dear ol’ mom will be getting one for Christmas!

Pros:

  • Keep iPad off working surface to prevent clutter
  • Silicon pads prevent damaging scratches
  • Clamp is compatible with iPad 2 and iPad 3rd generation
  • Arm connector has an L shaped connections

Cons:

  • The arm will not bend in every conceivable position
  • iPad 3 is heavy, causing the mount to bend in certain positions

In the box:

  • iPad display clip
  • Mounting clamp
  • HoverBar arm
  • Allen wrench
  • Silicone pads
  • Cable management clips

“Seamless” wallpaper from top image, includes monitor and iPad files:

  • 21.5″ iMac
  • 27″ iMac
  • LED Cinema Display

Ever wished for an iPad arm? What do you think about using this to make the iPad a second monitor?