Tag: MacBook

Categories
Tech Accessories

With new MacBook ports, Apple taketh away and Hub+ giveth back

A consumer has just bought the new 12-inch MacBook and wants to connect a desktop monitor or a couple of other devices to it. That consumer will quickly realize that it’s not possible out of the box because Apple’s new computer only has one USB-C port.

patent-claimedThe Hub+ solves that problem. It’s a USB-C hub specifically designed for the new MacBook that offers all the ports most users will need, including two USB-C ports, one SDXC card reader, one mini DisplayPort and three USB-A charging ports. It also includes a built-in lithium-ion battery to charge any mobile phone. Hub+ costs $99 and will ship in July. Its maker set a Kickstarter goal of receiving $35,000 by June 16.

The compact hub is targeted at a very niche customer base at this point because it was designed specifically for the new MacBook. But it could be seen as a must-have accessory for anybody who buys that computer or a wave of new laptops that wlll use USB-C such as the new Chromebook Pixel.

Continue reading “With new MacBook ports, Apple taketh away and Hub+ giveth back”
Categories
Tech Accessories

Brik Case makes customizing MacBooks a snap

Many laptop users like to personalize the tops of their computers, a fun activity often accomplished with stickers. Laptop users, however, may get tired of previously chosen designs. Not helping matters is that many stickers can be extremely hard to fully remove.

The Brik Case offers a novel way for users to more easily customize their laptop. The Brik Case is a customizable laptop case that uses toy bricks which allow users to constantly change the design of their case. The Brik Case was conveniently designed to easily clip on and off MacBook Pros and MacBook Airs, so long as they were manufactured in 2013 or later. Notably, the case isn’t officially licensed by Lego, Mega Bloks, PixelBlocks, Kre-O or K’Nex. Nonetheless, the Brik Case is still compatible with all of those toy bricks. Its maker is planning to ship the case in August with $39.99 pricepoint. Its makers are hoping to raise $30,000 to help pay for the molds, packaging, engineers and the first order of Brik Cases. The campaign end date is slated for April 25.

The Brik Case hold a lot of promise, albeit for a very niche audience: MacBook users who are fans of Lego and other toy bricks. Making a version for Windows PCs would be an obvious move that could significantly expand the market for the case. The product’s Kickstarter campaign, however, makes no mention of such plans in the future.

Categories
Tech Accessories

Expand your MacBook’s memory with the HyperDrive microSD adapater

For the most part, MacBooks have pretty stellar reputations. That is, of course, until users start to bump up against the storage limits of most of them. With eager consumers being charged crazy prices for more storage at the point of purchase, most opt for the least amount and face headaches down the road when needing more. Cloud storage is an answer, but lots of users like hard data easily accessible without the limits of internet connectivity.

The HyperDrive microSD adapter for the MacBook Pro and Air allow users to easily expand their storage by with any microSD, microSDHC, or microSDXC card. With these cards costing considerably less than brand new hard drives, a product like this is an easy decision. It’s attractive, too, fully blending in with the help of an aluminum cap that sits flush with the laptop. No tools are required to install or take it out, either, so having a collection of cards won’t be an issue.

For the most part, though, similar products exist, so it may be tough for the HyperDrive to gain notice. The Pro and Air versions of the HyperDrive are either $25 or $29, with both expected to be delivered in December 2014. The campaign is looking for $10,000 in funding.

Categories
Chargers/Batteries

Twist caps the MacBook wall adapter, offers USB charging

Keeping mobile devices charged while overseas can be a challenge when one doesn’t have the right adapter. Twist offers users the opportunity to keep everything juiced up in over 150 countries. The charger twists to offer the appropriate plug, and then the user has four USB charging ports available for use. Its unique design makes it a more stable option, especially in older, worn out outlets.

The product is specifically intended for MacBook only, and it appears as if there is only one spot on the adapter for non-mobile device power, a definite drawback. The folks at OneAdaptr would do well to consider adding other models of laptops into the mix to make their product more versatile. Twist is reminiscent of the PlugBug, but offers more options in its usage. This campaign seeks to raise $30,000 CAD (~$26,300 USD) by December 19, 2014. For $22 CAD, (~$19 USD) backers get one product with an expected delivery of February 2015.

Categories
Tech Accessories

Ledge takes the edge off the front of your MacBook wrist rest

Typing on the MacBook’s keyboard is surely a joy. The steps Apple has taken in order to produce a keyboard that is comfortable, clicky, and just plain fun to use have always hid a darker side to it — a side your wrists all about. It may be something that isn’t talked about, but those sharp edges on MacBooks can be a little uncomfortable. While it obviously isn’t a deal breaker, it can still be annoying to feel its edge pushing into you simply because you’re typing. The folks at Applied felt the same way and what started out as a personal solution quickly became something they decided to make for everyone.

Their product, Ledge, is an aircraft-grade aluminum attachment for MacBooks of all sizes that adds a round corner to the laptop’s edge. It’s an extremely simple solution that maintains the MacBook’s form factor and weight while adding a marked change in comfort. Its $39 price point places Ledge firmly in impulse purchase territory for now before it jumps back up to $60 on release; expectant backers will wait until April 2015 for this one. Until then, Applied hopes enough people make the jump to fund their $12,000 campaign.

Categories
Arts Technology

Unleash the tablet inside with a Modbook Pro X

The Premise. Creative types know that getting the most of the digital side of their work takes a very specific build of programs and hardware to make the most of them. A simple desktop or tablet may not be enough, and in those cases a little extra firepower comes in handy.

The Product. The Modbook Pro X is essentially a reconfiguration of the beloved MacBook Pro, turning a versatile laptop into an even more capable tablet that offers the functionality of a dedicated artist’s tablet with a vibrant HD screen that uses mind-boggling high resolution. By tearing apart a MacBook and fitting it into a new case with touch-screen display that offers 2,048 levels of pen sensitivity, the Modbook Pro X gives users the flexibility of a device that can run OS X or Windows, all the apps that any MacBook can run normally, and adds ease of use and an experience tailored to artists and designers to the package.

The Pitch. Modbook Pro X isn’t for everyone, and the pitch video doesn’t try to pretend otherwise. Focusing on those who require the full output from programs like Photoshop and Illustrator, the Modbook team showcases almost exclusively the ways in which their device can make the lives of those in the graphic arts that much easier. Modbook needs $150,000 almost entirely for manufacturing costs.

The Perks. Getting a functional Modbook Pro X is going to take a little bit of coin. For $1,999, an existing, owned MacBook Pro with a 15.4-inch Retina display (from no later than late 2013) can be sent to the developers, who will tear the device down and reassemble it as a Modbook Pro X. The Keybars on the back of the device are added at the $2,299 level, while those who pay $2,689 will also get the Keyboard Stand. Anyone without an existing and compatible MacBook Pro can get a complete package for as little as $3,999, going as high as $5,689 for a top-end system with all the bells and whistles. The base perks won’t ship until March 2015, while the higher-tier items will be out as early as December 2014.

The Potential. A Retina display combined with pen controls has never been attempted before, and for some people this will be the kind of dream machine that will be pinned to their corkboard as a sports car of rigs for work and play. The high price point and requirement of owning a MacBook Pro at lower levels will shy away all of the potential backers who might just be looking for some new tech to play with.

Categories
Tech Accessories

This Python protects MacBook adapters by reinforcing the MagSafe cable

PythonThose of us who have laptops end up bringing them absolutely everywhere and plug into every outlet that we can find, even if the cord barely reaches. While this is convenient at the time, the laptop cords wear down and eventually break. The Python Cord Protector snakes around the cord and loops over the battery pack of a Mac cord to keep the wire casing straight and intact. One Python only costs backers $11 with an estimated delivery date of July 2014. This product hopes to raise $5,000 in its 30-day Kickstarter campaign.

Categories
Chargers/Batteries

JuiceBoxx is made to save MacBook chargers from themselves

juiceboxxMacBook owners have either heard or been victims of the horror stories that befall the fragile yet necessary chargers. With their two prongs for winding the cable for storage, it seems like the perfect design, yet time after time the cable becomes frayed. The team at JuiceBoxx have come up with a snap-on case for the MacBook charger that fits snugly around it and provides enough extra width to keep the charger cable from breaking its insulation and fraying. While the solution is very low-tech, it does aim to solve a problem that can be several times more expensive to replace. MacBook owners living in fear of damaging their chargers can have a JuiceBoxx in one of four colors for $20 by November 2014.