We first heard about Vavo through its Kickstarter campaign – which was successfully funded by roughly 200% – back in June of last year. The product has been available in the retail scene for a little while now, and I've actually had a pair of them (one white, one black) for the last few months. As such, I've had plenty of time to get a feel for VaVo's strengths, as well as its weaknesses.

With that, let's take a closer looksee.

What is it?

As described by UDS, VaVo is "an ultra portable universal smart phone and smart device accessory. It has 2 simple functions, propping your device at a variety of angles and mounting your device on flat vertical surfaces for viewing purposes." And that pretty much sums it up: it's a removable, versatile kickstand-esque accessory.

How does it work?

VaVo uses the same awesome alien goo as Capta and those "magical" PU Pads, basically allowing it to stick to your phone without leaving any residue behind. And when it gets dirty, a quick rinse will make it like new again. It's fantastic stuff.

Once on your phone, it has multiple, adjustable angles so you can position the device just right. Great for watching movies, using an external keyboard, getting good still shots with the camera, video chatting, and a lot more.

The Good

  • It's small and portable. VaVo is small enough to throw in your bag or pocket and take everywhere you go. Heck, you can even put it in your keychain so it's always by your side. You never know when it will come in handy!
  • Multiple angles/uses. Thanks to the retractable kickstand, VaVo offers a slew of different viewing angles and uses. As shown in the above video, you can either stick the unit on your phone and use it as a kickstand, or put it on the wall for a portable, adjustable stand that is exactly where you need it to be.
  • The goo leaves no residue behind. When I reviewed Capta, I was very hesitant to stick it on my phone for the first time in fear that the goo would leave behind some residue. I was happy to find that it didn't leave anything behind, all while providing an excellent hold with the phone attached to it. VaVo is no different in that respect – it sticks wonderfully, then comes off clean. However, you have to be cautious of the surfaces you trust VaVo to stick to for long periods of time. More on that below.
  • It's well made and looks great. VaVo is one of those little gadgets that I just adore. Not because of how useful it is, but for how well thought-out the design is. I absolutely love how compact and minimal it is, and it has such a nice, clean look about it.
  • It's inexpensive. At $13 a pop, it's hard not to want a VaVo. Its usefulness easily outweighs the price, bottom line.

The Bad

  • The goo may not stick to all surfaces that well. This one is very hard to call, but I can say this: VaVo sticks to my Galaxy Nexus and HTC One X+ a lot better than my Nexus 4. One would think the smooth glass back would allow VaVo to hold for days, but that's not the case. Perhaps it's because the N4's back is inherently slick. That's not to say that it won't hold the N4, because it will. It just grips other devices a bit better.
  • Doesn't work with tablets. Unfortunately, tablets – even seven-inchers – are just too heavy for VaVo to support the weight. After much fiddling, I have been able to get it to hold my Nexus 7 for a brief period of time at just the right angle, but I can't really recommend it. Maybe UDS will build a slightly larger version for tablets! (Wishful thinking)

Conclusion

It's really hard to deny VaVo's usefulness. For only $13, you get a multi-angle, multi-use kickstand attachment that's portable, well-made, and good-looking. Sure, it doesn't work well with tablets and it may not stick to your glass-backed device as well as something made of plastic or aluminum, but that doesn't render it useless by any means (in fact, I actually use it with my N4 more than any other device). Given everything that VaVo has to offer, I'd say this one's a no brainer – if you've ever needed to prop your phone for something, you should probably pick up a VaVo just to have on hand for the next time. Hit the link below to buy.

At the time of publishing this review, VaVo is actually on sale for $10.99 – even better!

VaVo (direct from UDS)