Kindle Fire Holder Thoughts?

weatherman · 01-11-2012, 11:56 AM

I've spent a few hours thinking about how to solve one of my annoyances with the Fire, specifically that it can be uncomfortable to hold, and that it's easy to accidentally touch the screen and turn pages when holding it with my large hands. What I've come up with is the "Fire Holder" inspired by the Glif for iPhone, but with the needs of the Fire user in mind. I'm wondering what people think of this idea and whether I should go from just modeling it to actually making it. Right now it's on Shapeways, which is kinda expensive to produce on a one-by-one basis (current price estimate is $25). You can check it out here:

http://www.shapeways.com/model/43550...l?gid=ug134706

I have a prototype being made for me now, which should be here in a week or two, and then I'll know if it even fits or works for its purpose. But until then I thought I'd just get some general response to the idea. Thoughts?

RainingLemur · 01-11-2012, 01:25 PM

I don't have much of a problem holding the Fire. That utensil there...seems awkward. I'd need to see a Fire actually being held by it to better guess how well that work for me.

If anything, I'd probably just try to grab one of the cases that another user found in this thread if there were one made for the Fire.

weatherman · 01-11-2012, 02:18 PM

I've used those kinds of cases with the hand-holder on the back before. Not very comfortable, in my experience.

The "utensil" as you call it

might be hard to figure out just by looking at it. It's meant to be used with a "naked" Fire (though I suppose it could be used with some cases as well) and it's designed to be held in the position in this pic;

The curved area is for resting your thumb and gripping from below with the fingers. The notches are there so the utensil can double as a stand (like on the counter top when looking at a recipe, or on an airplane tray table). I'm not sure whether the notches will work as I expect them to or not though.

Note that the Fire Holder is designed to be ambidextrous and also to be used in either portrait or landscape mode. As it is now, it's about 3.5" long and 2.25" wide. And keep in mind this is just a rough idea and prototype stage right now, just looking for input about overall concept.

Jessica Lares · 01-11-2012, 03:21 PM

Like this? (The bottom is the longer bit, which I'd suspect being the bottom part)

weatherman · 01-11-2012, 03:32 PM

Yep, just like that. Your mockup is pretty good, the only thing is that the length of it actually goes about mid-way up the right side, so it's a little longer than in the pic.

Jessica Lares · 01-11-2012, 03:37 PM

Yeah, I figured. I was just trying to scale it down to look right. But cool!

RainingLemur · 01-11-2012, 05:33 PM

AH!

Boy, I had something completely bass-ackwards in my head when I was staring at the "utensil." I can now see how it could be tossed on either side or used as a sort of stand.

That's actually pretty nifty, now that I look at it.

hn333 · 01-11-2012, 06:00 PM

I just bought this

http://www.amazon.com/Case-Rubber-Co...ref=pd_sim_e_4

weatherman · 01-12-2012, 04:51 PM

Here's the latest version, which includes a stylus holder;

This prototype has gone up in price - I need to find someone with a 3d printer I can borrow...anyone know one in NYC?

jswinden · 01-12-2012, 05:09 PM

What holds he KF in place? If you use only pressure (as in a tight fit) you will run the risk of breaking the glass when placing the KF in the holder or when taking it out. If it doesn't have a tight fit, then it will most likely just fall out of the holder perhaps causing irreparable damage. Since the holder is only about half as tall or wide as the KF, straps won't work. I think you need a holder with the backside a little larger than the KF with a cradle for the KF to snap into and a handle built into that cradle. Looking at your drawing I seriously doubt it will work as it is currently designed.

weatherman · 01-12-2012, 05:25 PM

@jswinden: You might be right, but this is based on the Glif idea that seems to manage to do much the same thing with the iPhone; as long as the material and fit are just right, I think it could work. In any case, I think it's worth prototyping and trying it out.

Jessica Lares · 01-13-2012, 08:34 AM

How big is the stylus holder? The Bamboo one I use primarily is pretty thick and heavy.

weatherman · 01-13-2012, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jessica Lares

How big is the stylus holder? The Bamboo one I use primarily is pretty thick and heavy.

The hole is 3/8ths of an inch. I just used that measurement because that's the size of the one I have, which is one of those very common, inexpensive ones available on Amazon.

Here's the latest version;

This version gets rid of one of the bracket holes in favor of making the other bracket hole angled and supported by the other arm, which I think is both more effective and makes its purpose clearer, and I rounded some of the edges as well to make it just feel more comfortable.

JustDennis · 01-27-2012, 07:41 AM

I use the Marware leather cover. It has a strap to slide your hand in and work perfectly for holding the device while reading.

http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Leather...7668036&sr=1-7

01-11-2012, 11:56 AM	#1
weatherman Addict Posts: 385 Karma: 1010052 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: (previous: Kindle 2, Kindle Fire) Kindle 4 WiFi, K3K, KPW	Kindle Fire Holder Thoughts? I've spent a few hours thinking about how to solve one of my annoyances with the Fire, specifically that it can be uncomfortable to hold, and that it's easy to accidentally touch the screen and turn pages when holding it with my large hands. What I've come up with is the "Fire Holder" inspired by the Glif for iPhone, but with the needs of the Fire user in mind. I'm wondering what people think of this idea and whether I should go from just modeling it to actually making it. Right now it's on Shapeways, which is kinda expensive to produce on a one-by-one basis (current price estimate is $25). You can check it out here: http://www.shapeways.com/model/43550...l?gid=ug134706 I have a prototype being made for me now, which should be here in a week or two, and then I'll know if it even fits or works for its purpose. But until then I thought I'd just get some general response to the idea. Thoughts?

01-11-2012, 02:18 PM	#3
weatherman Addict Posts: 385 Karma: 1010052 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: (previous: Kindle 2, Kindle Fire) Kindle 4 WiFi, K3K, KPW	I've used those kinds of cases with the hand-holder on the back before. Not very comfortable, in my experience. The "utensil" as you call it might be hard to figure out just by looking at it. It's meant to be used with a "naked" Fire (though I suppose it could be used with some cases as well) and it's designed to be held in the position in this pic; The curved area is for resting your thumb and gripping from below with the fingers. The notches are there so the utensil can double as a stand (like on the counter top when looking at a recipe, or on an airplane tray table). I'm not sure whether the notches will work as I expect them to or not though. Note that the Fire Holder is designed to be ambidextrous and also to be used in either portrait or landscape mode. As it is now, it's about 3.5" long and 2.25" wide. And keep in mind this is just a rough idea and prototype stage right now, just looking for input about overall concept. Last edited by weatherman; 01-11-2012 at 02:34 PM.

01-12-2012, 04:51 PM	#9
weatherman Addict Posts: 385 Karma: 1010052 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: (previous: Kindle 2, Kindle Fire) Kindle 4 WiFi, K3K, KPW	Here's the latest version, which includes a stylus holder; This prototype has gone up in price - I need to find someone with a 3d printer I can borrow...anyone know one in NYC? Last edited by weatherman; 01-12-2012 at 05:24 PM.

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01-11-2012, 01:25 PM	#2
RainingLemur Spork Connoisseur Posts: 2,355 Karma: 16780603 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Nook Color	I don't have much of a problem holding the Fire. That utensil there...seems awkward. I'd need to see a Fire actually being held by it to better guess how well that work for me. If anything, I'd probably just try to grab one of the cases that another user found in this thread if there were one made for the Fire.

01-11-2012, 03:21 PM	#4
Jessica Lares Wizard Posts: 2,240 Karma: 5759170 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Near Dallas, Texas, USA Device: iPad Mini, iPod Touch (5th gen)	Like this? (The bottom is the longer bit, which I'd suspect being the bottom part)

01-11-2012, 03:32 PM	#5
weatherman Addict Posts: 385 Karma: 1010052 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: (previous: Kindle 2, Kindle Fire) Kindle 4 WiFi, K3K, KPW	Yep, just like that. Your mockup is pretty good, the only thing is that the length of it actually goes about mid-way up the right side, so it's a little longer than in the pic.

01-11-2012, 03:37 PM	#6
Jessica Lares Wizard Posts: 2,240 Karma: 5759170 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Near Dallas, Texas, USA Device: iPad Mini, iPod Touch (5th gen)	Yeah, I figured. I was just trying to scale it down to look right. But cool!

01-11-2012, 05:33 PM	#7
RainingLemur Spork Connoisseur Posts: 2,355 Karma: 16780603 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Nook Color	AH! Boy, I had something completely bass-ackwards in my head when I was staring at the "utensil." I can now see how it could be tossed on either side or used as a sort of stand. That's actually pretty nifty, now that I look at it.

01-11-2012, 06:00 PM	#8
hn333 Addict Posts: 255 Karma: 316188 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: Kindle, Kindle Fire	I just bought this http://www.amazon.com/Case-Rubber-Co...ref=pd_sim_e_4

01-12-2012, 05:09 PM	#10
jswinden Nameless Being	What holds he KF in place? If you use only pressure (as in a tight fit) you will run the risk of breaking the glass when placing the KF in the holder or when taking it out. If it doesn't have a tight fit, then it will most likely just fall out of the holder perhaps causing irreparable damage. Since the holder is only about half as tall or wide as the KF, straps won't work. I think you need a holder with the backside a little larger than the KF with a cradle for the KF to snap into and a handle built into that cradle. Looking at your drawing I seriously doubt it will work as it is currently designed.

01-12-2012, 05:25 PM	#11
weatherman Addict Posts: 385 Karma: 1010052 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: (previous: Kindle 2, Kindle Fire) Kindle 4 WiFi, K3K, KPW	@jswinden: You might be right, but this is based on the Glif idea that seems to manage to do much the same thing with the iPhone; as long as the material and fit are just right, I think it could work. In any case, I think it's worth prototyping and trying it out.

01-13-2012, 08:34 AM	#12
Jessica Lares Wizard Posts: 2,240 Karma: 5759170 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Near Dallas, Texas, USA Device: iPad Mini, iPod Touch (5th gen)	How big is the stylus holder? The Bamboo one I use primarily is pretty thick and heavy.

01-27-2012, 07:41 AM	#14
JustDennis Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kindle DXi, Kindle Fire	I use the Marware leather cover. It has a strap to slide your hand in and work perfectly for holding the device while reading. http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Leather...7668036&sr=1-7

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