Thanks for all your support and feedback on my recent post on the need for a proper multidevice stand for mobile web development. Awesome people sent in their solutions or suggestions for such, and I want to thank each one of you in helping all of us to make improve the mobile web by improving the necessary tools.

This post is to gather them in one place (with images and links enabled), numbered, to have you guys discuss them – comments wanted!

#1 “The Plank”

Glynn Phillips sent a picture of “The Plank Mark I” along with these comments:

“So maybe not quite as advanced and technical as the above mentioned but one day by boss turned up with what is now own as ‘The Plank’. Power supply is attached to the back which also acts as a stand to keep the devices at a nice level to use and see. The devices are held on via velcro. I present to you The Plank Mark 1. Yes some improvements are required around its flexibility.”

I would say it’s a bit unflexible in terms of device orientation. But this is just my 2 cents.

#2 “Developer Station”

Sven sent a picture of his “Developer Station” which looks like a wooden frame with a carpet platform, holding several devices with plastic clamps and standard proprietary stands.

It also holds the charging cables and keeps them in place through holes cut into the bottom tray.

From my eyes this again is suboptimal when it comes to orientation changes, and I wonder if charging actually works with the devices upright?

It is a good starting point to actually keep all the stuff together in one place, and move it from desk to desk without a bigger hassle.

But is it also flexible enough for project-specific changes in the device test farm? I’d say: no.

#3 “Device Lab”

Switzerland based Vanamco has put on a website announcing a commercial solution named “Device Lab” over the past days (this edit is from September 18, 2012). They had some more details on the page, e.g. stating details like maximum 10 devices, small footprint on desk, 10-port USB-charger included, etc. – but took off these details when I last checked the site.

Would be interested if these guys got inspired by my original tweet or post. ;)=

• 18.09.2012
• Category: Random News
• 1 Comment
• Tags: Open Device Lab

IMPORTANT NOTE: THIS POST AND THE SUBSEQUENT LIST IS OUT OF DATE WITH JANUARY 21, 2013. Please read this newer post on the evolution of this directory or go directly to the succeeding OpenDeviceLab.com to look up a matching Open Device Lab in your area.

Whether you take care for the web, develop multiplatform apps or hack other stuff for different mobile platforms, you quickly realize there is more devices to take care of than your personal ones (insert own tablet and smartphone brand/model here).

Of course you need to test your stuff on much more than two or three real devices, we’re not going to discuss this here.

I completely realize that not everybody is as stupid as me, owning and nurturing a growing list of currently 29 30 32 34 internet connected mobile devices. I use to refer to the necessary care with the term “looking after my Tamagotchis”. You remember Tamagotchis? You must be as old as me, haha!

If you want to avoid the Tamagotchi-thing, there is a growing list of truly awesome people who have planted the seed for so called “Open Device Labs” around the globe (basically this is just another european invention, but I strongly assume other countries will follow – Update Sep 4, 2012: I just added the first US based lab to the list – Update Sep 11, 2012: Mobile Portland claims to have announced the first US one, but is not functional yet. Go guys!).

So if you want to test on a broad range of devices, check out a device lab near to you – and don’t forget to contribute!

Europe

• Brighton Communal Device Lab, Brighton, United Kingdom, UK
• Mozilla’s Space, London, United Kingdom, UK
• Exeter-Web, Exeter, United Kingdom, UK
• Old Church School, Frome, United Kingdom, UK (just started)
• Cambridge Open Device Lab, Cambridge, United Kingdom, UK
• Cover-Up!, Bridgend, United Kingdom, UK
• Co.Up, Berlin, Germany, DE
• Open Device Lab Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany, DE
• Open Device Lab Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, DE
• Open Device Lab Cologne, Cologne, Germany, DE
• modl, Malmö, Sweden, SE
• Oktavilla, Stockholm, Sweden, SE
• Amsterdam Open Test Lab, Amsterdam, Netherlands, NL
• Devicelab Arnhem, Arnhem, Netherlands, NL
• Netvlies, Breda, Netherlands, NL
• Devaamo, Tampere, Finland, FI // seems to be nonfunctional/retired as of Sep 19, 2012
• Helsinki Open Device Lab, Finland, FI // Thx Jordan Moore for the addition
• Netlife Research, Oslo, Norway, NO
• Fliptation, Zurich, Switzerland, CH // Thx Vedran Rudelj for the addition
• Open Device Lab Graz, Graz, Austria, AT
• Danish Open Device Lab, Vejle, Denmark, DK
• Antwerp Open Device Lab, Antwerp, Belgium, BE

North America

• Mobile Portland, Portland, Oregon, USA (starting up) // Thx Viljami Salminen for the addition
• AJ Computers, Marietta, Georgia, USA // Thx Viljami Salminen for the addition
• MIGHTYminnow Web Studio & School, Oakland, CA, USA // Thx Bruce Bowman for the addition
• Device Lab DC, Washington DC, USA
• ODL BK, Brooklyn, NY, USA
• Open Ames, Ames, IA, USA
• Denver Mobile Lab, Denver, CO, USA // 1st virtual (crowdsourced) lab
• The Salt Mines, Columbus, OH, USA

Africa

• Nomad Device Lab, Cape Town, South Africa // mobile ODL

Asia

• Bangalore Open Device Lab, Bangalore, India, IN
• Hong Kong Open Device Lab, Hong Kong, HK

Australia

• Izilla, Newcastle, NSW, AU

There is no Open Device Lab in your city? Establish one! LabUp! is here to help! Read more on the project.

There is now a list of people running Open Device Labs on Twitter: check out and subscribe here.

Do you know about an Open Device Lab that is not listed here?
Add a comment so I can update the list. Thanks!

• 20.08.2012
• Category: Awesomeness
• 33 Comments
• Tags: Open Device Lab