The curiously named “Gimmick” from i-4U is probably one of the more unusual mobile accessories to pass this way for a while. Essentially the Gimmick is a portable holder for a tablet device but it has an interesting approach so in this review we will be taking a closer look.

The idea of a portable holder for a tablet device may seem a little strange at first however, in operation, this particular accessory does seem to show some real promise. Holding a tablet for long periods of time can be a little tiring on the hands especially bearing in mind tablets can often be a little slippy these days, with their shiny surfaces, so the Gimmick addresses this by including a palm strap enabling the device to be held by the palm of the hand.

The Gimmick is not just for hand use though. In the box is included an ABS constructed hanger frame together with a mounting screw set which can be attached to a suitable surface, say a wall, in order that the connected device can be stored, via the holder, thus making it an interesting proposition for storage and open display areas.

The first step in using the Gimmick is to attach the fastener sticker to a suitable mobile device, an iPad 2 in this case, and it is important to do this carefully as the sticker is really intended only for a single application (although spare stickers can be purchased).

Once the fastener sticker is securely attached the strap part of the Gimmick can be used. At a glance the main part of the Gimmick looks a little like one of those arm bands used for taking blood pressure readings however, instead of the arm, this strap is designed to secure over the hand using a hook and loop fastening system. The strap fits nicely although I do wish the strap was just a little longer, for my hands, but once fastened it feels pretty comfortable.

The main disc, which connects to the fastener sticker on the mobile device, can rotate through 360 degrees which allows for a wide range of orientations for the attached device and, as the i-4U website points out, the holder is suitable for both right-handed and left-handed people. 

With a device like this a lot of faith needs to be placed in the fastening mechanism and the Gimmick includes the 3M Dual Lock fastener which utilises mushroom shaped stems that interlock rather than the more traditional hook and loop systems. 3M say, on their website, that this system is “up to 12 times stronger than regular hook and loop systems”.

Only the disc and the fastener sticker use the dual lock system – the strap itself uses the more traditional hook and loop system.

If you give presentations on a regular basis, and like to use a mobile tablet, the Gimmick will undoubtedly be of benefit as it allows the tablet to be easily oriented, whilst keeping it securely in position rather than risking it slipping out of the hand in front of the on-looking audience members.

The Gimmick is currently on sale at Amazon for around £38.99 (price checked on 29th November 2011) and you can also purchase the Gimmick, and accessories, directly from the i-4U website. The pad which needs to be applied to the tablet is recommended for single applications only but fortunately you can pick up replacement fastener stickers from the i-4U website.

Overall, the Gimmick is another useful product to emerge from i-4U, following on from the previously reviewed mobile holder stand, and its innovative mechanism is sure to find a place in the mobile accessory market place. For more information head over to the i-4U website: Gimmick.