A combination support stand and carrying handle apparatus for use with an associated tablet device having a generally rectangular conformation with opposite front and back substantially planar surfaces. The shock absorbing component includes two sheets of thermoplastic, each sheet with inwardly facing, opposing, resiliently compressible indentations extending into a cavity between the two sheets. In a method of forming the stent, a composite wire including an outer member and a dual core member is shaped into a stent pattern.