The Book Gem is a book holder. It is a clever design and is well constructed. I had high hopes for using it while reading in bed.
It works pretty well for some books, not at all well for others. It is hopeless for large hardbacks; it isn't strong or large enough to hold them in place. For paperbacks, it works but is more hassle than it is worth. You need to be very careful when sliding the pages in and out of the holding slots or they'll tear on the rubber grippers. Transferring groups of pages from the main clips to the holding slots and vice versa is an even greater hassle.
I find it quite useful for smaller crossword books where I need the stability but don't turn the pages very often. For this one specific use, it is great; otherwise, meh. Bookgem Book Holder - iPad Stand, Kindle, Tablet, & eBook Holder
I hesitated at the price of this when I first bought one a few years ago, a new creation at the time. I actually bought several as I gave the extras as gifts. Now I need more, others have been noticing mine at work.
It more than paid for itself and will continue to do so, the quality is extraordinary. No detail of its design/use has been overlooked.
At the moment this little Gem has become so popular they are sold out, but in production again, due to be available for sale again in September 2008.
Visit the website, bookgem dot com to be notified by e-mail when they are available again. Buy more than one, as everyone who sees yours will want one, too. Gift them or always have an extra on hand for those who want one. They will pay you what you paid for it and their share of s/h without hesitation.
As it's completely flat when folded, it is extremely portable and no edges to catch and crack or crush.
If it never occurred to you, use a sticky note (post-it) for a bookmark. It stays in place, can be used to mark the paragraph you were reading when interrupted. Actually, at times I use several sticky notes when I read books for personal research, etc.
I can't say how well this holder works on dead tree books since I don't read books this way any more. But I can say that it is absolutely perfect for holding eBook Readers and in particular the new Apple iPad. The BookGem holds the iPad with rock solid stability. The page clamps are exactly the width of the bezel that runs around the screen, so no active portion of the screen is covered. The rubber covers on the page clamps should keep the BookGem from scratching the bezel if you are using it to hold the iPad directly. I myself use the Apple case so that my iPad is never naked (just like a soap covered baby, the naked iPad is very slippery). The case does not interfere at all with using the BookGem. I simply fold the cover behind the iPad and put the entire works in the BookGem.
The BookGem can hold the iPad in four ways, upright/portrait, upright/landscape, inclined/portrait and inclined/landscape. The upright positions are with the BookGem at the bottom entirely supporting the iPad. The inclined positions are with the BookGem "upside down" with the BookGem holding the top of the iPad and the bottom (side closest to you) resting on the table. In either position the iPad can be in portrait or landscape position. All four positions have their different uses. If you are interested, in both upright/portrait and upright/landscape the angle of the screen is 67 degrees to the horizontal. In the inclined position the iPad is at a 26 degree angle in portrait and 34 degrees in landscape orientations. (all angles measured using the inclinometer app on my iPhone. Who ever said there is no reason to have both the iPad and iPhone :).
The upright/portrait position is great for reading at the table. The upright/landscape position is perfect for watching video. The flatter inclined position is good for situations where it is more natural and comfortable to sit where you look down on the iPad. Since the iPad automatically adjust when turned, there is no need to remove the BookGem when flipping from the upright to the inclined position. In fact the BookGem doesn't need to be removed at all. A number of times I have just folded up the legs on the BookGem and left it clamped to my iPad when I put it in my backpack. I do this since often the next time I get my iPad out I will want to use the BookGem, and it makes sure that the two are together. And if I am going to be sitting on the sofa or in a recliner and don't need to BookGem, a simple squeeze of the clamps and the BookGem comes right off, folds back up in a very compact package and goes right back in my backpack.
The combination of the BookGem and the Apple Bluetooth keyboard turns the iPad into a pretty functional laptop. The BookGem and the bluetooth keyboard allows you to type when the iPad is in any of the four different orientations. With the iPad keyboard dock you have your choice of the iPad in exactly one orientation, portrait/upright.
And lastly the iPad/BookGem combination address the bane of all travelers, typing on an airline tray. Typical clam shell laptops have a terrible time opening far enough to allow you to see the screen. With the BookGem holding the iPad in the inclined/landscape it is simple to use the on-screen keyboard. While I haven't had yet occasion to try it, I think that there will probably be room on the airline tray for the iPad in the upright/landscape position as well as the Apple keyboard, which is a model of compactness.
So if you are one of the half a million people (as of this writing) who already have an iPad, the BookGem is a must-have accessory for you. - Book Stand - Bookstand - Bookholder - Kindle Stand'
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