The iPad Pro has no shortage of cool, useful accessories from stands, to multi-port hubs and charging docks. They do their jobs, but the MagicDock does all of these things at once – and it looks darn cool in the process.
When inventor was Steve Warren bought a 2018 iPad Pro he found to his surprise that there were no desktop docking stations that did everything he needed. So, Steve set to work filling that need, and the result was MagicDock, a simple, functional, integrated stand which is both flexing and stable enough for a wide range of tasks.
The iPad has come a long way since its debut in April, 2010. What began for many of us as a giant iPod Touch for watching videos, catching up on news and playing games, has now become an essential daily tool for many professionals – especially in the digital creative space. Now, with the advent of iPadOS 13 (which among other things, finally brings mouse support to the iPad), the iPad is set to be more flexible than ever. So it’s only fitting that it has a desktop docking station to match that flexibility.
The MagicDock has a wide range of fluid, yet stable positions to suit any workflow, and even rotates quickly and easily into portrait mode with a satisfying click once it’s in position. Attach a bluetooth (or wired) keyboard, raise the MagicDock up, and your iPad Pro becomes a workstation. Lower it down to the desktop and it’s in the optimal drawing-board position for sketching or editing photos. Or, rotate it for longer text documents or portrait-mode image editing.
Rather than clumsy, obtrusive clips or slots, the MagicDock holds your iPad Pro in place on its anti-scratch surface using strong, built-in magnets. This clever design approach makes the MagicDock seem an extension of the iPad. To attach you iPad Pro, you just pop it onto the surface, push in the USB-C sliding connector and all your peripherals connected to the base are available to you.
Speaking of ports, the solid, stable base houses a 4K (30Hz) HDMI port, a USB 3.0 port and a 3.5mm audio jack for headphones or speakers – and all I/O ports are rear facing, keeping the front clutter-free. Stability is a core issue for iPad stands and docks, and if they’re not solid enough, the iPad is going to shift (or worse, fall) when subjected to more than the gentlest touch. MagicDock deals with this issue via a steel weight built into the base designed to keep it stable enough for point-of-sale use in stores, restaurants and cafes.