Review: Twelve South HiRise stand for iPhone 5, iPad mini

Product:

The Twelve South HiRise, which was announced last week, is an aluminum stand and docking/charging station for Apple devices that include a Lightning dock connector. The HiRise supports the iPhone 5, fifth-generation iPod touch, seventh-generation iPod nano, and the iPad mini (the 4th-generation iPad is too large). Unlike the typical iOS Device dock, the HiRise, as the product name implies, raises your device a few inches high in the air. Twelve South also ships versions of the HiRise for the MacBook (review) and iMac (review)…

Features/Performance: 

The HiRise does exactly what Twelve South says it does, and it does it well. The stand is sturdy and my iPhone 5 and iPad mini both can sit in the HiRise securely. I am not worried about my devices falling off of the stand. The aluminum materials that the stand is made from are very robust and of similar color and texture to the aluminum that Apple uses for the base of the iMac and LED/Thunderbolt Display stands.

The stand is very convenient for watching video in the portrait position, and I also tend to use my iPad and iPhone in portrait while it sits in the stand. The HiRise and stable enough to allow full usage of the iOS Devices. This is great if you want to use your iPad from your nightstand while you are in bed or if you want to use your device at a desk.

The HiRise includes a piece of metal in which the iOS Devices actually are placed onto and a second piece of metal for holding the device upright. This second piece also prevents your devices from falling back or tilting.

The HiRise includes multiple dock adapters so that an iPhone inside of a carrying case can fit in the HiRise. With the different adapters included with the HiRise, Twelve South says that the Griffin Reveal, Incase Pro Snap, Otterbox Defender, Speck Candyshell, Twelve South BookBook, and Twelve South SurfacePad are all supported. However, other cases could be used if you test out some of the adapters.

In addition to being a stand, the HiRise is also a charging station. The accessory allows you to wire through an Apple Lightning connector.

While the HiRise works well, a handy feature that the accessory lacks is the ability to remove your iPhone from the stand easily (without lifting up the entire stand). In order to remove your iPhone, you will need to hold down the stand’s base slightly so the whole accessory does not move.

The stand does not come pre-assembled, so you will need to set it up yourself. The HiRise’s box includes all of the materials you will need, including screws. The stand may take you a few minutes to assemble and I highly encourage following the included setup guide and online instructional video.

Why:

The HiRise is a great accessory for anyone looking for a nicely designed, well-constructed and convenient iOS Device stand. The stand makes it easy to video call, watch video, and conduct other iOS Device functions. I recommend it for anyone looking for such a dock.

Price:

The HiRise costs $34.99.

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