The Pink Mac

tech The Pink Mac

Speck Case Giveaway!

I am finally giving away those Speck SeeThru Cases I reviewed earlier this year! I have one dark purple case for the iPod Nano 3rd generation,* and a 2 pack with a blue and a pink case for the iPod Touch 1st generation.* There will be 2 giveaways, one for the iPod Nano and one for the iPod Touch. If you are interested in either of these cases, leave a comment (either here or in the comments section of the youtube link for this video) telling me about your favorite Apple product and why, and also which of the two cases you are interested in. I will be picking 2 entries at the end of the month! You have to live in the U.S., however, because I am just going to mail these and since they aren’t expensive cases, there is no reason for me to pay more in mailing them then they are actually worth. Okay, so enjoy the video announcement, and I hope many of you participate in my first giveaway!
*Follow these links for video reviews of the products.
The Pink Mac

The Macbook Bag search comes to a close: Part 2

After the debacle with the first laptop bag I bought, I decided to think long and hard about what my needs were in regard to this bag. I had wanted a ton of storage, which the Quimby certainly had, however it came at a price and the bag was just too large and too heavy for me. I still wanted a bag that was elegant and attractive more so than just utilitarian, I still wanted a bag that had enough room for me to carry my laptop and multiple accessories at the same time, and I still wanted a bag with a great quality to last me without breaking or getting excessively dirty. So, after scanning the internet to no avail and then reevaluating other bags I had previously discounted, I found something that finally felt right. While casually browsing the Knomo website and their new additions, I found the same Toyah style bag I had found on clearance but in a better color. This 15″ grey quilted bag is the perfect size for my new Macbook Pro along with my charger, phone, ipods, digital camera, wallet and even more! So, without further ado, here are some homemade pictures of my new Macbook bag!

Caribbean blue quilted interior with padded pocket perfect for my mac.

Plenty of miscellaneous pockets for pens and gadgets and a hook for your keys.

Surprisingly the exterior pockets expanded for even more storage.

One pocket zippers and the other is a magnet closure, perfect for whatever you need to carry with you.

Knomo logo on the bottom of the bag.

{Knomo Grey Toyah Bag $139.95 with free shipping}
The Pink Mac

The Macbook Bag search comes to a close: Part 1

As you may recall from earlier posts, I have been in search of a great laptop bag for my new Macbook Pro, and I am happy to say that my search has finally ended. In Pink Mac fashion, however, the decision was not cut and dry which is why this is going to be a two part blog post.

A few weeks ago I actually found and ordered a bag I found online, the Quimby from Clark & Mayfield. As you can see from these images, the Quimby is a beautiful laptop brief with fine leather trim, metal embellishments, and a beautiful quilted exterior- I ordered the seafoam blue, which is just a gorgeous color! The Quimby is made to fit up to a 15.4″ laptop and has plenty of room for all your accessories and gadgets in the main zipper pocket, however, it also has a second zipper pocket for documents, files, and whatever else a lady would need to carry in her briefcase. I received the bag 2 weeks ago via UPS and due to an illness of mine at the time, neglected to open it until a week ago. It was a beautiful bag with tons of space and just a perfect exterior, however, there were a few downsides to this bag for me.

First of all, the bag was heavy. I removed the stuffing in the bag to get a more accurate idea of the weight, but even empty the bag was a haul! Now, to the bag’s credit, it is very heavily padded having great protection from the leather and the cloth materials used and would undoubtedly protect whatever was inside, but for me it was just too heavy empty, let alone filled with all my gadgets.

The second downside I saw to the bag was the material lining the interior. As I mentioned before, the exterior of this bag appears to provide a high level of protection and was made from very fine leather and cloth materials that made the bag seem so elegant and upscale, however, once you opened it and felt the interior it was almost like night and day. I am not sure what the interior material was, but it was that papery slick material that crinkles. Now, I realize this type of fabric must make it so simple to slide your laptop and gadgets in and out of the bag, but I really had a problem with it. It seemed to me to be almost cheap and the fact that the fabric made a noise like the crinkling of paper really disappointed me.

So, of course I had to return this first choice of a laptop bag because it just didn’t suit my needs. It was such a shame too, because the bag was just so pretty and I hated to have to send it back, but for $90 I couldn’t just keep it and expect to purchase another bag, knowing full well I would never be able to use it.

{Images via Clark & Mayfield.com}
tech The Pink Mac

Macbook like a Pro.

I know I said in a previous post that today I would be going to the Apple Store to pick up my new 13″ Macbook, however, I actually didn’t pick up my new mac today. I ordered it online on Monday and received it by mail on Thursday! Yes, after reading the live blogging of the WWDC keynote from Macworld’s website, I just had to immediately order my new Mac once I discovered it would take a few days for my local Apple Store to actually get the new models. So, I ordered the new 13.3″ Macbook PRO, as it is now called (!), and along with it a 2nd generation ipod touch (which I gave to my boyfriend).
As I mentioned, Thursday I received the Macbook Pro and absolutely fell in love with it! I am so happy that Apple decided to turn the Macbook pro by uping the specs, while still dropping the price and adding the SD card slot. Let’s run down these specs while we are at it. I chose the high end configuration for the 13″ that includes a 2.56 gHz processor, 4GB of memory, a 250 GB hard drive, the LED back lit keyboard (now standard in all Pro models) and the new SD card slot, all for the new low price of $1499. I am particularly thrilled about the SD card slot which has replaced the express card slot on the 13 and 15″ Pro models. This makes it even easier for me to pull media from my digital camera onto my computer for quick editing and posting.
Overall, I am quite pleased with my purchase this week, and although this is something of a mini review, I plan to update you on my experience with the new 13″ Macbook Pro after a few more weeks of use. I will also be adding some of my own photos and videos of my new mac as well as the accessories I bought for it shortly. So make sure to check back for updates on my new Macbook!
{Images via Apple.com}
The Pink Mac

Perhaps I like this style: Hello Lulu 10+.

So, I am beginning to think I really like the modern briefcase laptop bag look. Here is another example of a great bag I found in this style, and I think I might like this one even better than the last. The Hello Lulu 10+ bag is a sleek nylon briefcase with a good amount of storage and a few fun features. As you can see, the interior has two pockets, one for the laptop and one for accessories. The accessory pocket  is divided into little pouches and smaller pockets for holding little gadgets and cables and cds and even has a little detachable photo frame (odd, but cute). The exterior of the bag even has a little extra pocket perfect for an ipod or cell phone (how cute is that)!
{Images via Hellolulunyc.com}
The Pink Mac

On the Case: Incase Nylon Sleeve Plus.

As my search continues for the perfect laptop bag for my new macbook, I have been testing the waters with a few styles that seem interesting to me. This 13″ Incase Nylon Sleeve Plus is everything a great, slim laptop case can be. I enjoy the minimalist exterior that looks something more like a conventional laptop brief, except in a slightly more modern way. The color is great, as I am a big fan of grey (although the bag seems to be a little more silver than grey because of the nylon) and the nylon is a durable material for a bag. This case also has the added benefit of being very slim, basically the width of a laptop sleeve but with a little extra storage. The one thing I don’t like too much about this case, however, is the price. Its $59.95 and I feel like that is too much for something that is basically a sleeve case with pockets. I think more searching must be done!

{Images via GoIncase.com}
The Pink Mac

The Search Begins: Knomo.

As you know from previous posts, I am on the hunt for my ideal laptop bag for my new Macbook. I have been searching all over the place and I found a few top contenders. First of all, I found this amazing Knomo tote in the clearance section of their website (!). If you know anything about laptop bags, you probably already know about Knomo and their wonderful line of very chic, very feminine bags that are also unfortunately very pricey. However, on clearance, this ‘Toyah’ tote was only $125 down from something like $250 I am sure. This bag has a lot of what I like, so lets discuss it.
1. It has a zip around enclosure. One of the main design functions I was interested in for my new bag is a zip enclosure because I think it brings a level of security to the laptop that other enclosures do not since the zipper prevents anyone from seeing inside the bag. I like that, and it gives me an ease of mind that I know no one can see what I am carrying or snatch anything from my bag. Too often I fear strangers in crowded places will somehow pick pocket out of my open totes and this zipper design halts that.
2. The loop handles. I really like when laptop bags have handles instead of those long thick straps to carry the bag with. I think it gives it the sense of being more like a purse than a briefcase or laptop case.
3. The quilted exterior. I am a big fan of quilted exteriors, I think they are very chic and classic, so the fact that this bag includes that style draws me to the bag more.
4. The slim factor. Since I am purchasing myself a 13″ slim laptop, I do not want to be carrying around a huge bag. This tote appears to be very slim while still including some storage for extra devices and such.
The Pink Mac

Pink Out.

One of the main accessories I need for my new macbook is a new hard shell case to protect against bumps and scratches. Obviously, since this blog is called the pink mac, I should probably stick to my color scheme and go for another pink shell, however, which brand should I choose to use this time around? I currently use the Speck SeeThru, which I have no complaints about, however, Incase also makes a hard shell case with a soft touch finish and a finely molded shape that I find really pleasing. Speck makes a similar case in what seems to be a slightly different shade of pink that I am not enjoying as much. Their SeeThru Satin is also a soft touch, however, the lighter shade of pink is not sitting well with me unfortunately. Both are priced about equal, so I might just try out the Incase case with this new macbook. 
{Images via GoIncase.com}
Note: If anyone associated with Incase products is reading this and would like to send me one of these pink hard shell cases to review, I would be more than happy to oblige you, so feel free to email me!
The Pink Mac

Tick Tock!

As you may remember from earlier posts, within the next 3 weeks I will finally be purchasing my new Macbook! I had to wait until early June in order to do so for two main reasons. First, my current Macbook’s warranty expires in June, rendering the laptop useless in the event of a repair situation lest I be forced to shell out $400 on a drive repair or any other overpriced issue, and second, because WWDC is the first week of June and there are sure to be some cool announcements like spec upgrades and perhaps the new snow leopard operating system (which I got confirmation on from an Apple employee.) 
I have the money in the bank and all my plans have been set, on Saturday June 13th I will be making a visit to the local Apple Store to buy my new 13″ Aluminum Macbook. I plan to get the higher priced model with the 2.4 gHz processor and the backlit keyboard, max it out to 4 gbs of Ram and go for the 250 gb hard drive. That along with the AppleCare Warranty should set me back about 2 grand, but it will be soo worth it! 
Well, if only things were that simple! Actually, right now I am tripped up over a few major details about my purchase- mainly, my case situation. I have been looking around the internet and trying to decide on accessories for my new mac. Should I go for another pink hard shell case? If so, which brand? Should I get a new sleeve case for it, which color, what material? Do I want a new tote bag for it and which style should I go with? Do I want another tote style or should I go with something a bit more utilitarian? 
Well, hopefully in the next few weeks I will be able to answer some of these questions and make a few purchases to set me up for the arrival of the new Macbook! So, the following posts I am dedicating to my search for the perfect accessories! Feel free to comment and leave me tips on different brands of cases and different styles of bags or other miscellaneous accessories I might have overlooked. This is going to be a long and gruesome process but that is the price we pay for the perfect computer!
Solutions The Pink Mac

Hyper Drive.

One of the big drawbacks to having a laptop is the lack of a continuous power source to keep your machine running for hours and hours. Despite the improved technology in laptop battery life, our portable machines are still only able to push out maybe 3-5 hours of battery on a charge, which is a good amount, but too often it is not enough. Well, if you to suffer from this problem, there might be a solution: the HyperMac External Macbook Power source. Coming in 4 different models, this compact power source is the size of an external hard drive (the smallest model) and can power your laptop for an extra 9-13 hours (smallest model) or up to 32 hours (the largest model). These guys come at a heavy price tag though, $199 for the small model and up to $499 for the largest. I guess this is worth it for some people, and I am seriously thinking about the small model for my own use. I don’t need 32 hours of backup power, but an extra 10 would be pretty nice!