#This iPad stand fixed my shitty video call camera angles

There are also a couple of nice little touches that make the Duo easy to live with. The base has a dimple running along its width to place a stylus and prevent it from rolling off your desk. Plus, if you’re using your phone, the clip that holds your device has a cutout so you can connect your charging cable while it’s still on the stand.

Using the HoverBar Duo

The stand comes with a weighty metal base, and an articulating arm paired with a grip that rotates on a ball end. It’s easy enough to set it in any orientation and angle you like, and it won’t tip over easily.

For video calls, I find it best to set up the HoverBar Duo on my dining table or even my coffee table, with my iPad in portrait (vertical) orientation. This makes for a much more natural viewing experience, and a better camera angle for the front shooter. It also beats using an assortment of boxes and pantry containers to prop it up just so, like I used to.

The Duo can also hold your tablet in place while you read, annotate documents, or scribble notes. It’s not perfect, though: even with its heavy base and sturdy construction, the arm wobbled a bit when I wrote on my 3rd-gen 10.5-inch iPad Air with a stylus. I didn’t mind it much while writing and highlighting text, but I imagine it’s not the best replacement for an easel if you’re working on photos or creating art.

Should you get the HoverBar Duo?

If you take a lot of video calls and don’t always want to use your laptop, you’ll want to invest in a stand like this. Twelve South’s model is well built, and is flexible enough that you’ll find a bunch of ways to use it around the house.

That said, a cursory glance at Amazon tells me this is among the priciest on the market at $80. So it’s worth considering cheaper alternatives like this from Lamicall that comes in at under $30, as well as other models from various brands that are available for less.

Twelve South has been at this Apple accessories game for over a decade, so it knows how to craft good stuff. For the higher asking price, you are guaranteed a quality product and the option to use it either with its base or the included clamp.

I, for one, am just glad I don’t look like a chump in a cramped room with my face stretched out on Zoom dates anymore.

Find the Twelve South HoverBar Duo on the company’s site, where you can pre-order it at $79.99; it’ll begin shipping on March 15.

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Published March 10, 2021 — 11:55 UTC