Octa Vacuum Dock + WhaleTail Stand review

Close up of the suction cup.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Octa says you can also use this as a hand stand, which simply means you use it to hold your tablet in your hand more comfortably and ergonomically. That said, when I used it as a hand stand, I was a little worried I would lose suction and that my iPad would drop on the floor (I'd actually borrowed a colleague's iPad, so I was worried I was going to end up buying him a new one).

The good news is it didn't fall and the seal held fine. But I can't say I'd ever be 100 percent confident the seal wouldn't fail, even if Octa says the seal can last securely for 6 hours or more.

As far as removing the vacuum dock from your device, you simply lift the small rubber tabs on either side of the suction cup to break the seal. On a positive note, it requires a little bit of an effort to break the seal. That's comforting.

Using it as a hand stand.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Conclusion
The Octa Vaccum Dock + WhaleTail Stand is an eye-catching accessory for your tablet that does what it says it will do and should appeal to folks who want a flexible stand for their iPad that also doubles as a hand stand. There is a fair amount of engineering that went into this product, so I can see why Octa would price it at $49.95. But it would be an easier sell -- and even easier to recommend -- at less than $30.

On the plus side, while this works better with larger tablets, you can use it with 7-inch tablets, as well as dedicated e-readers such as the Nook and Kindle. So, you get some flexibility there and the stand should work with future generations of tablets for years to come. There's something to be said for that.