The Lap Pro, by Renegade Concepts (a company by Gregory Hilton) is a pillow/beanbag-like lap stand for media devices like the iPad. It also functions as a padded carrying case, even including a handle!
Concept
Here's a typical situation. You're headed to bed, or laying on the couch, and you've got your book, iPad, or Kindle in your hands while trying to position correctly so it's not so annoying to hold. Maybe you tried to toss a pillow behind the iPad (the thing is too heavy to hold while reading), maybe you tried to prop up your legs and set the iPad against your legs. Either way, it's never quite right.
The Lap Pro was created to solve this issue.
Design
Essentially, the Lap Pro is a MicroFiber beanbag/pillow with a zippered pocket. It has a lip on one side which holds your media in place and doubles as a handle while you're using the Lap Pro as a case. It sits easily in your lap, and was comfortable in our testing of the Lap Pro. There's enough filling to let it feel solid and full, yet it molds to your position easily.
Since the Lap Pro is made of MicroFiber, the entire product is a cleaning tool for an iPad or screen. You can wipe off the screen using the pillow and get rid of fingerprints or dust. Of course, this also means the Lap Pro picks up just about any dust or dirt you set it on (we took pictures on our dusty table and the Lap Pro had a lot of dust after). It's easy enough to brush off the dust with your hand - it comes right off.
The shape of the Lap Pro is very close to the travel pillows you see on airplanes (and actually doubles as one very well) - with a couple unique pieces that make it what is is. The handle/lip acts as the piece which holds the media in place, and doubles as a handle when using the Lap Pro as a case. And that's a cool part about the Lap Pro too, actually. Hidden behind the lip is a zippered compartment which is a perfect fit for the iPad, or a book or other reading device. It envelops the device on the front and back with the stuffing of the Lap Pro, protecting it well. The sides of the device are not as well protected, but it does a solid job.
Durability
I mean - it's a pillow. With MicroFiber. This thing can pretty much take any beating a pillow takes, and it's black color meas it won't show stains or anything as much as something lighter. Don't go lighting it on fire or slicing it up with a knife, but you can otherwise throw this thing anywhere, smash it in your bag, shove it in the back seat, whatever, and it's good to go.
When used as a case, it's also pretty solid. I'd recommend a little less violence, ha, but we tested dropping it onto multiple surfaces and you're good to go unless you drop it so the side of the iPad (or device) hits the ground. The good news is, iPads are designed pretty well for sideways drops, and the Lap Pro still protects it a bit. And if it drops on it's face or back, you're hitting all stuffing on the Lap Pro, which protects it perfectly well.
The stitching and manufacturing is professional quality, and seems like it will last a long time. No cheap materials or manufacturing here.
Price
The best place to pick up the Lap Pro (well, the only place at the moment) is Amazon.com. For $29.99, it's a decent price. Travel Pillows are usually $10-15, and iPad cases are generally anywhere from $15-45. With this product, you're getting an iPad lap stand, travel pillow, and tote bag all in one - not too bad for $30, although one could hope for a bit cheaper price.
Conclusion
If you travel a lot or use your iPad or large media device in bed/on the couch a lot, I'd say pick one of these up. They're not super stylish, and they're not meant to be. The Lap Pro is pure function, and it achieves that with perfection. At $30, they make great Christmas presents, and we're just in time for that. It's a solid gift for mom, dad, or the grandparents. Of course, you can always pick up one for yourself while you're at it.
And we know one of you wants a free one - so leave a comment of your thoughts on the Lap Pro - and we'll ship out our review unit to a random commenter this week!
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