zioVisions' (www.zioVisions.com) US$11.99 iStrip is a new take on Apple MacBook and iPad docking stations. Actually, it's not a docking station itself, but lets you turn the base of any Apple Cinema Display, Thunderbolt Display, or iMac into a docking station of sorts.

How? It lets you place your MacBook, MacBook Pro or iPad within reach of your keyboard and within your grasp. What's more, it provides access to all of a laptop's ports.

Yep, that's it. The iStrip is just that: a strip that slightly elevates your Apple laptop or iPad (which, by the way, helps air circulation for keeping 'em cool) and places them within easy reach.

The shape of iStrip has contours to match the curves at the front of the stand; however, its overall shape is designed to be functional. iStrip extends about one inch through the curvature of the stand. This is important, since that inch in the back protects your Mac or iPad as you dock it.

A one-trick pony? Sure, but it's a pretty nifty trick. What's more, the iStrip looks good. It has a textured surface -- which is also heat resistant -- that blends in well on an Apple display or iMac's base.

Rating: 9 out of 10