It looks like 2013 might be the year of Thunderbolt expansion docks. We've got the Belkin Thunderbolt Express Dock, which is an awesome addition to desktop Macs. And now, a Kickstarter project known as the MacDock wants to be the mobile solution for your MacBook. The MacDock aims to come in two styles: Mini and Pro. The Mini—obviously being the smaller of…
I've often said my perfect laptop computer would be a well-equipped ThinkPad running OS X. While that won't ever happen (and I'm quite happy with my MacBook Pro), I often look across the fence to see how green the grass is. With the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Touch, the Windows notebook world has never looked so vibrant. At $1899, it's not the…
Taking advantage of OS X's Clamshell Mode means you can use your notebook — closed — with an external display, keyboard and mouse easily. It's a great way to get more pixels in front of you, but can leave your desk cluttered. In the same vein as the TwelveSouth BookArc, the Rain Design mTower is designed to keep your MacBook Air (or Pro) up,…
I recently moved to a 15-inch MacBook Pro as my only computer. While I loved my Air, I simply needed more power and screen space than the 13-machine could offer. However, the Air ruined spinning hard drives for me, so I installed a Crucial 256 GB m4 2.5-Inch SSD. Once you use an SSD, you really cannot go back. The speed and…
While the Tools and Toys crew is solidly in the Apple ecosystem, we extend both grace and forgiveness to those in the Windows world. If the PC is your thing and you're looking for an ultrabook, the Samsung Series 9 looks hard to beat. With a 13-inch screen, Intel i5 processor, 4 GB RAM and a 128 GB SSD, it's speedy and…
Sturdy. Beautiful. Hand made from a solid sheet of bamboo with leather straps, CNC machined parts, and two coats of poly. That describes the heavy-duty cases made by Silva Limited for your MacBook or your iPad 2. (Thanks, Dave!)
For years I have used my laptops in clamshell mode, and for years I have been using the BookArc. When your laptop is in clamshell mode it doesn't vent and stay cool as well as when the lid is open. However, with the BookArc, the underside of your laptop is exposed to the air and so it helps keep the machine cool…
Speaking of messenger bags, this brown, designer-coated canvas bag from Acme Made continues to catch my eye. I haven't seen one in person but I've heard from a few who have and they like it.
Timbuk2 arguably makes the best messenger bags in the world. I have one and I love it. And what more could you ask than to have your bag built to order? You can get exactly the size you want, in exactly the fabric you want, with exactly the color combination you want. And you can rest assured that when you receive this…
Let's be honest. There's something irresistible about the juxtaposing intersection of vintage and modern.
I carry my 13-inch MacBook Air in an old Timbuk 2 bag. The kind of bag that came around before dedicated laptop messenger bags were popular. And so I needed a good sleeve to keep the Air protected. There are many sleeves out there, but I like this Acme Made one because it's padded and reinforced. And the top of the sleeve…