a review by Tom Piper
Keeping my iPhone 6 plus and iPads (mini 2 and Air 2) close to my MacBook Pro retina has always been important, but my desk is already too cluttered with other stuff. At CES 2015, I found a potential solution.
The Mountie from Ten One Design is now available to attach either a smartphone or tablet to the side of a laptop (regardless of size or brand). The concept is simple and intuitive using a combo clip to grip the edge of two devices in order to attach them together side-by-side. With small easily-replaceable rubber sleeves, the grip of either side can be quickly adjusted to adapt to the thickness of the intended device.
Once adjusted properly, the strong rubberized grip ensures that my devices are held securely with no tedious tightening. This makes Mountie’s innovative clamp an easy on-and-off featuring a compact and lightweight design. The unit is made of a durable plastic that will probably withstand frequent use. It also includes a vertical “bumper” which maintains a uniform and protective separation between the laptop and iDevice.
The Mountie does have the potential to be very useful when I use Duet or Air Display (2 or 3) to extend my computer screen. It can also be used to monitor email, or messaging, or other activities conveniently next to my work environment. The just seem to be many reasons why mounting my iPhone or iPad next to my MacBook Pro screen makes sense.
So, if this is such a great concept, why don’t I use it more often? The replaceable rubber pads are nice, but the extras are kept in a small plastic bag that is easily misplaced. When tapping on the iDevice face, it tends to “bounce” the computer screen, which is distracting. Even though it is designed to angle the iDevice slightly toward the user, in practice it feels a bit awkward. Perhaps with practice, it will seem more natural.
The Mountie is available for $24.95 in green or blue at tenonedesign.com/mountie. Ten One Design also has a variety of other products at tenonedesign.com/products including Pogo and Pogo Connect (styluses), Magnus Air and Magnus mini (iPad stands), Fling and Fling mini (joysticks), Autograph and T1Autograph (Mac signing), and Inklet (trackpad tablet).
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