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A Life Better Than I Deserve
Sep. 11, 2009
Review: Studypod
Recently I received a new product for my home school. Only this one was a little different in that it was not for the children. Actually, it could have been for the children. But I wanted this one for myself--at least for a little while! I'll share later, I promise!  I have been trying this nifty new book holder called a Studypod by Genio, LLC in several different situations so that I could decide first, whether I liked it and second, how many I thought we needed--in case the children ran off with mine!
So, what is so wonderful about this book holder? Is it easy to use? Does it work? Is it durable (or perhaps more precisely will my children break it?) What particular uses does it have? More importantly, is it worth the money? Let's examine the company's claims:
The website claims that it "holds virtually any size book." I took out at least a dozen books and tried different ones and all could be held by the Studypod. Even the thinner ones and most of the bigger ones. It will hold over-sized upper-level science textbooks. It will even hold a 1300+ page jumbo homeschooling product catalog. However, although it will hold the jumbo catalog on my dining table, when I place the same book in a Studypod on my bed, it threatens to tip over. Just so you know: with the really over-sized books it may become tipsy on an uneven surface. I also probably could not have read the very early or the very final pages either, as the unbalanced weight and sheer size would probably have caused the holder to become unstable.
Next, it "holds your stuff." Yes, you might want to stash pens, highlighters, index cards, a calculator, a cell phone, sticky notes or other supplies inside. That way when you tote this book holder to another location inside your house or to the library or maybe even to your homeschooling support group's park day, the supplies you need are right there with you! Good idea. I have tried stuffing several of these items inside, and this feature also works fine.
Third, it is "shaped like a book for easy storage and portability." Yes, it is easily portable. I'm not sure it needed to be book-shaped to work this way, but it does work great.
Fourth, it is "easy to use and easy to turn pages." Agreed. I do think it works more easily two-handed than one-handed, but it could be used one-handed almost as easily.
One of the best features of the Studypod, though, is that it does hold the book at a great reading angle. As a fairly new bifocals user, I have tested this book holder in several sites within my home--at my desk, at the dining table, on my nightstand, on my bed, on my lap in bed, and on the kitchen counter top. I also wanted to know whether it would cause me neck strain or eye strain. It does not. Hooray! This ensures further sales for my own family!
I was also able to use this book holder while nursing my toddler. Many homeschooling mothers do need to read aloud to their children or would simply enjoy reading for their own pleasure while nursing a baby or toddler. So I really wanted to check the Studypod for its usability factor in this. While I did find it to work fine while in a seated position, the angle at which the book would be held while in a side-lying position was uncomfortable for reading for very long--unless you hold both the book as well as the studypod in one hand. Since this seemed more cumbersome than simply holding a book, this was the only use for which this product did not work for me.
My favorite use of this product is as a cookbook holder; it minimizes the risk of drips getting on the cookbook! Yet I also love it for copywork for my children, for a holder for them to type handwritten essays onto the computer, and for holding elementary science textbooks while I read to multiple children. I can see to read to them, and all of them can see the photos and diagrams at the same time. This latter use is my second favorite use!
One minor issue I noticed was that because the Studypod clamps the book securely, when I would turned the pages I noticed a slight impression where the arms of the page holders had clamped the book securely. However, that slight impression will disappear and not become a permanent part of the book. This might be important to know if you have a particularly strict librarian or are simply concerned to minimize wear to your own personal library through the years and with several children.
Oh, and yes, it is durable. One of my children knocked the Studypod, while holding a book open, off my nightstand onto my carpeted bedroom floor. It did not break!
What are the weaknesses of this product? It is not suitable for reading in bed in a side-lying position. It might become tipsy on an uneven surface. It might not be rugged or big enough for really large books like one volume encyclopedias. It also would prove cumbersome for use while playing an instrument if a page needed to be turned.
This product is available for $19.95 in black, pink and blue. If you order two or more, they are $16.95 each. You may also order the Bookpod in black, gray or beige. This is the same product, and the same configuration--only marketed to different audiences. You may even mix and match your purchase. If you would like to save even more off your Studypod/Bookpod order, use the code TOSBLOG5 for an additional $5 off your order!
Yet another neat feature with this product is that they have a fundraising program. This could be a great fundraising option for scout troops, homeschooling support groups or other organizations. Our family will be purchasing additional Studypods. Of course, if you'd like to read another opinion about this product, you can go see what the rest of the Homeschool Crew has to say.
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Sep. 12, 2009 - Awesome Review!
Heidi