Laptops and Gear

IOGEAR USB-C Ultra-Slim Dual Display Docking Station review

Recently Julie and I both purchased 12″ MacBooks and while extremely light and portable, the sleek and slim laptop is lacking in ports to say the least. That is a known “design feature” and for me, really is not an issue when on the move. But there are definitely moments where going port-less is a bit of an inconvenience. That said, IOGEAR has several USB-C docking stations engineered to provide you with what Apple has taken away including monitor support, USB ports, SD card slots, and everything in between. For this review IOGEAR sent me their Ultra-Slim dock to checkout.

Note: Images can be clicked to view a larger size.

Here you can see (or perhaps you can’t) my MacBook resting on the Ultra-Slim stand, not only being powered but connected to wired ethernet and pumping video to my 25″ QHD monitor. If I didn’t know better, I would say this IOGEAR dock was designed specifically for the 12″ MacBook. The docking station is the exact width of the MacBook with insets/divots perfectly placed for the back feet of the laptop to sit in.

Features:

Stylish and ultra slim docking station
Instantly dock up to 10 devices including
- 3 x USB 3.0 (USB Type-A) with 1 x BC 1.2 Quick Charge Port
- Built-in memory card readers (SD/MMC/Micro SD)
- 3.5mm audio input/output
- Gigabit Ethernet
- HDMI (4K), Mini DisplayPort (4K) and VGA
Charge your laptop while docked-Power Delivery Pass Through*
Stunning 4K resolution

* PD Pass-Thru requires USB-C charger from your laptop. Up to 60W can be charged to the laptop.

The Ultra-Slim docking station provides all the ports your MacBook or ultra-portable USB-C enabled Windows laptop are missing: three standard USB 3.0 ports (one has quick-charge), SD & microSD slots, gigabit ethernet connection, DisplayPort, HDMI, VGA, and docked-power delivery pass through.

Requirements:

USB-C compatible laptops with DP Alt-Mode support
USB-C AC Adapter from Laptop is needed for Power Delivery Pass-Thru Function
Mac OS X 10.10.5+ (*MST is not supported by Mac OS)
Only one additional video output can be utilized for extended desktop using Mac OS
For dual screen extended desktop in Windows, you must use HDMI with Mini Display Port
When VGA output is utilized, only one additional extended desktop screen will be available

The IOGEAR docking station is made from high-grade aluminum and is as small and compact as its name implies. It measures: 11″ (27.94cm) x 3.0″ (7.62cm) x 0.6″ (1.52cm) and weighs in at a mere 0.70 lbs (0.32kg). Here you can see the two insets in the top of the dock for the feet of the laptop to sit in.

The dock is sloped downward for a better typing angle if you do not use a separate keyboard and mouse. According to IOGEAR, “the intelligently contoured design provides the best ergonomic typing experience for your laptop.” The right side of the dock has an earphone jack andthe left side has a non-detachable USB-C cable for connecting to your laptop.

The rubber feet on the base of the docking station do a decent enough job of keeping the unit where you place it on your desk. Though due to its lightweight, the dock does slide around if you’re not careful inserting cables, SD cards, and thumb drives.

The IOGEAR Ultra-Slim dock enables you to connect a single 4K monitor or two 1080p monitors to your laptop concurrently.

The dock allows you to mirror or extend your Windows USB-C laptop to two monitors or extend your USB-C MacBook to one additional monitor (due to MacOS limitations).

Here you can see the ethernet, DisplayPort and power cables connected to the dock in addition to a thumb drive and SD card inserted as well. Overall the Ultra-Slim docking system works very well, delivering great connectivity and video quality.

The wired gigabit ethernet provides very zippy connectivity.

The only design tweak I would make on this docking station would be to shorten the USB-C cable that connects the dock to the laptop. Or better yet, engineer a standard USB 3.0 port on the side of the dock so you could choose any length of USB-C cable you want. The integrated cable is unnecessarily long and sticks out pretty far, lessening the tech-Zen the dock brings to my desk space.

A few other noteworthy limitations or nuances worth calling out:

the dock is not able to power Apple’s optical SuperDrive,
inserting and removing the microSD card is a bit of a pain/hassle. I found it difficult to do with the MB on the dock,
the metal on metal design of resting your finely crafted 12″ MacBook on the dock’s metal casing worries me that the dock may eventually scratch or mare the underside of the MacBook. But a skin of some type would eliminate this issue.

The IOGEAR USB-C Ultra-Slim Dual Display Docking Station is a great way to expand the port and viewing options of a USB-C laptop lacking such features. There is little doubt in my mind this minimalist trend is with us to stay. And for the most part, I believe the average laptop user would trade ports for portability a majority of the time. Especially if when they are tied to their desk an integrated single-cable solution dock is waiting for them to plug into giving them a full suite of port options and expanding their workspace experience. The bottom line is the IOGEAR Ultra-Slim dock is making the transition from 15″ MBPro to the port-less 12″ MacBook nearly seamless.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by IOGEAR. Please visit their site for more info and Amazon to order. See below for latest price.

Product Information

Price:	$129.95
Manufacturer:	IOGEAR
Retailer:	Amazon
Requirements:	USB-C laptop
Pros:	Quality construction Well thought out design Excellent single cable solution Dual monitor support (Windows only) Adds a multitude of ports – dock up to 10 devices Supports HDMI (4K), Mini DisplayPort (4K) and VGA
Cons:	USB-C cable is longer than need be Difficult inserting/removing microSD card Metal on metal design

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Type-C USB, USB hub

IOGEAR USB-C Ultra-Slim Dual Display Docking Station review originally appeared on on April 28, 2017 at 11:00 am.

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Solo Altitude backpack review

Why another backpack review from me you ask? I may ask myself the same question. I do have several excellent backpacks that I have reviewed in the past such as the Razer Tactical Gaming backpack and the Altego 17″ Polygon Sunfire backpack to name a few. While these two backpacks are great for carrying a lot of items including a laptop and iPad, I have found myself in need of something a little less extreme, with a smaller footprint, something like a day pack. The Solo Altitude backpack looks like it could be just the right pack for my new needs.

Note: Images can be clicked to view a larger size.

The Solo Altitude is part of Solos Black OPS collection, designed to be lightweight and ultra durable. The Solo is made of lightweight parachute nylon, with aviator-inspired hardware and military grade velcro. The Solo dimensions are 18.50″ x 12.6″ x 4.92″ and the weight is 2.2 pounds. The Solo features a 17.3″ padded laptop compartment, an internal iPad/tablet compartment, a front zippered organizer section and side pockets.

The front of the Altitude has a lower zippered compartment with a large velcro strip gong across it and a vertical strap with a buckle designed to attach to a top flap that covers a cargo area. The flap also has a zippered compartment good for holding keys and phones. The front has a set of buckles on the right and left sides to compress the Altitude making as compact as possible. The interior of the lower zippered compartment has a yellow lining and is designed to hold pen, pencils and other supplies. At the top of the front section is yet another zippered compartment good for carrying file folders or magazines.

The compartment under the upper flap runs the width and depth of the front section making it a great place to store a light jacket or sweatshirt. The top of the opening has elastic in it to help keep items inside.

The inside of the Altitude backpack’s main compartment is designed to hold up to a 17″ laptop and a tablet device. It also has a cargo net section that can be used to hold cables and other accessories. Like the other interior sections of the Altitude, it is lined with a yellow colored material. The laptop pocket also has a strap with Velcro on the end to keep your laptop and tablet from sliding out of the pocket.

The back of the Altitude backpack has adequate padded straps with a plastic D-ring on each strap. The straps also have a chest strap to keep the shoulder straps on your chest area. The back section is nicely padded and has an opening to allow the Altitude to slip over the handle of a rolling suitcase or similar item. All of the buckles and D-rings are made from sturdy plastic and should hold up to normal use and then some. At the bottom, sewn to the back of the backpack, is a manufacturers tag.

The right side of the Altitude has a mesh water bottle holder that has some stretch to it allowing for the use of different size water bottles.

On the left side, the Altitude backpack has what I would describe as pen and pencil pockets with Solo printed on one of them. On both, the left and right side of the backpack are cinching straps designed to compress the sides of the backpack making it a tight package so it is not flopping around on your back.

The top of the Altitude has a nylon handle for easy carrying while the bottom has a nonporous type material to allow you to set the pack down and not get the contents wet if the ground is wet.
So, what’s my bottom line here? First, let me say that you should not think of the Solo Altitude as a traditional backpack, it is more like a briefcase backpack. The design is great for a person on the go who is not interested in lugging a traditional computer back or messenger bag to work. The metal zippers are a great feature and are sturdy. With a mix of metal aviation inspired hardware and the lightweight plastic buckles, the backpack is both stylish and practical. There are enough pockets, nooks, and crannies to hold almost any kind of doodads you could think of. For a pack this small there is a lot of storage space for your computer and other larger objects. The included Velcro “New York” patch is a nice styling touch along with all the printed nomenclature info placed around the backpack. At a price of $79.99 on the Solo website, the Solo Altitude is on the moderate to high side of pricing in my opinion, but I do think it is worth the price. If you’re looking for a laptop bag for work, travel or just recreation you should check out the Solo Altitude.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Solo. Please visit their site for more info.

Product Information

Price:	$79.99
Manufacturer:	Solo
Requirements:	None
Pros:	Plenty of pockets and storage Great size for a laptop backpack
Cons:	None

Filed in categories: Bags, Laptops and Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Backpack

Solo Altitude backpack review originally appeared on on April 10, 2017 at 11:31 am.

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LapLite Bamboo Workstation review

Every evening between 6 pm to 9 pm and later on the weekends, I turn from a mild-mannered Gadgeteer into a couch potato. If Jeanne and I are not watching our favorite TV shows and movies, we’re surfing on our MacBook Pros. Jeanne uses a larger version of the Lapinator laptop desk that I reviewed many years ago with her MacBook Pro, but I’ve always just used MacBook without a lap desk. That changed recently when I was sent a LapLite Bamboo Workstation to review.

What is it?

The LapLite Bamboo Workstation is a lap desk made of bamboo and featuring a mouse pad and a slot for a phone or tablet.

Design and features

The LapLite lap desk looks and feels like just like wood, but it’s actually made of bamboo. Bamboo is a fast-growing fibrous grass that has been pressed together to create a wood-like eco-friendly material.

Overall, the LapLite is 22 x 11 x .5 inches. The laptop area has oval cutouts to help keep the laptop and your lap cool. It can accommodate up to a 17″ laptop.

Next to the laptop area is a 7 x 9.5-inch aluminum mouse pad with a 7.5-inch slot for your phone or tablet above it. The slot has a pass thru cutout that will allow a charging cable to pass through the lap desk.

The sides and edges of the LapLite are rounded and smooth. I didn’t find any splinters or rough edges.

Using the LapLite

After using the LapLite for a few days, I noticed that it kept my lap cooler than when I put my MacBook Pro directly on my lap.

The LapLite weighs 3 pounds by itself which sounds heavy when you add the laptop and mouse, but I really didn’t notice the extra weight on my lap.

With a width of 22 inches, the LapLite Bamboo Workstation is pretty wide. But when you need to use a mouse on the couch it’s great having that extra space for the built-in mouse pad. The only problem with using a mouse and the LapLite is that my lap isn’t completely flat and whenever I’d let go of the mouse, it would slide down and off the mouse pad.

Speaking of the mouse pad, it’s important to note that the LapLite is designed for right handed users because the phone / tablet slot is above the mouse pad on the right side of the lap desk. I’m left handed, but I use the mouse with my right hand, so this was a non-issue.

For people who use a mouse with their left hand, they can flip the LapLite around and use it just fine… except for the device slot which will be below the mouse pad when it’s flipped around for left hand use.

Final thoughts

Although the LapLite is really nice, I don’t think I’m a lap desk type of user. I don’t like having extra “stuff” when I’m working and playing with my MacBook. If I need to do serious work, I take the MacBook to my office and sit at a desk with a mouse and a larger monitor. So the LapLite is overkill for me. I think Jeanne might like it though since she’s already a lap desk user and she might enjoy using a mouse with her MacBook because she’s always having trouble when she needs to do a right mouse click with the touch pad.

The LapLite Bamboo Workstation is the nicest lap desk that I’ve used and reviewed. It’s well made, looks nice and has extra features (mouse pad and device slot) that set it apart from other lap desks that I’ve seen and tried. If you don’t mind the size and price, it’s sure to not disappoint.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by LapLite. Please visit their site for more info and Amazon to order.

Product Information

Price:	$57.49
Manufacturer:	LapLite
Retailer:	Amazon
Pros:	Holds up to a 17" laptop Slot for phone or tablet Built-in mouse pad
Cons:	No left-hand version Mouse will slide off the mouse pad if lap desk isn't on a flat surface

Filed in categories: Laptops and Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Lap desk

LapLite Bamboo Workstation review originally appeared on on March 27, 2017 at 6:04 pm.

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Cover-Up MacBook and iPhone stone cases review

“That’s the coolest MacBook cover I have ever seen! Is that real stone?” This was the comment I received in my first meeting after setting up my new Cover-Up laptop Stone Skin. Yes, it is cool. And yes, it’s real stone. Cover-up sent me two covers for this evaluation, they are unlike anything I have seen before. They are real, all natural stone cases that have been crafted for your iPhone and MacBook. But how do they hold up to practical use? Let’s dig deeper into these beauties…

First Impressions

Cover-Up is a company based out of South Wales, UK that produces elegant covers and skins for mobile phones, laptops, and tablets. All covers are made from natural materials such as wood, stone and wool felt. Hand cut and finished, each cover is a unique product that highlights the natural grains & textures of the material. I received a MacBook skin and an iPhone 6s cover from the Stone collection, in different color schemes that use natural slate as the base.

MacBook skin in Burnt Copper, iPhone case in Aztec Gold.

The real stone finishes are stunning. This is not a composite material or some sort of synthetic. Running your hand across the surfaces reveals all the contours & textures of the natural stone. Turn them in your hands and you see the colors shift and shimmer, highlighting the unique grains and patterns in the material as the light plays across them. They are just delightful to look at, and definitely get attention. I just can’t figure out how they make them!

The MacBook Skin

When I pulled the skin out of the package, I was a bit surprised at how simple it is. It’s a single-cut piece of stone backed to a thin rubberized base layer that’s been precisely cut to the device specifications (I have a 13″ MacBook Air). There’s a peel-off plastic backing that you remove to reveal the 3M adhesive material to apply it to your device.

Top view of the skin in place. Shimmery!

The instructions state that you should run your MacBook for 10 minutes to ensure optimal adhesion. Application is pretty straightforward: peel off the plastic, line it up, and stick it on. The adhesive material is forgiving, so you can pull it up and reposition it if you feel like you are not aligned quite right. I found it took a couple of attempts to get it right where I wanted it.

Side view of the skin in place.

I found that the skin doesn’t quite align edge-to-edge with the MacBook, but I think this is intentional to allow for some tolerance in application. I don’t think anyone has noticed it but me. There is also a slit in each corner which I think is designed to accommodate the rounded corners of the MacBook, but I have not found that it detracts from the overall package once it’s in place. I did find that the edges took some buffing to get them to adhere tightly. Given that it’s real stone, it’s a pretty impressive piece of engineering.

Closeup of the Burnt Copper material.

This cover is called the Burnt Copper pattern and highlights oranges, greens, and browns with shimmering metallics. The textures are more pronounced than I expected, and I was concerned about possible chipping or flaking. After two weeks of work commuting and meeting jumping, however, I’ve seen no signs of wear & tear. It also provides a nice layer of protection for the computer, which is cool.

The edging and cornering could use some refinement.

A couple of minor issues did crop up during testing. First, the edges could be finished cleaner. The edging is rough (you’ll feel it if you run your hand across it), and the adhesive pulls up a bit. It should also be noted that this is a skin. I believe it will protect the MacBook from a direct hit but it doesn’t provide corner protection from accidental drops. It’s also a thick cover compared to some others that I have played with. Other than those minor points, it’s great. It provides a beautiful, distinctive look and presents a unique sense of style.

The iPhone Cover

iPhone 6s case in Aztec Gold.

The iPhone cover design is a pretty straightforward affair. It’s a snap-style cover that snugly fits my iPhone 6s, with the stone glued to an insert in the backing. Application is easy, and there’s no looseness to the cover once it’s on.

All port access and rocker buttons are precision cut.

Given the unique stone material that is the highlight, one of the nice surprises here is that Cover-Up didn’t skimp on the cover itself. It’s a well-engineered, rubberized material that provides bumper-style protection including a full rubberized backing under the stone. All the slots are cut precisely for your camera, audio jack, adapter port, ringer switch, etc. and don’t interfere with normal operation. The integrated button stud for the volume rocker & on/off switch work perfectly. There’s a nice ridged texture that runs up each side, which helps grip the phone but doesn’t cause the phone to get stuck in your pocket. Overall, it’s a good cover that matches the quality of the stone surface.

Closeup of the Aztec Gold pattern on the iPhone cover.

For the iPhone, I chose the Stone style called Aztec Gold. It sports a smoother texture than the Tempest MacBook skin. Colors are subtle, highlight greys and blacks with veins of gold running through the stone. It’s really classy and understated.

Overall, I really enjoy using the cover. It’s slim and unobtrusive, so you can comfortably slip it into your pants pocket. I’ve even dropped it once (maybe twice), and it does the job protecting the phone. Like the MacBook skin, I have not seen any signs of chipping or cracking of the stone finish after twin weeks of constant use.

Conclusion

Cover-Up has done a nice job of fulfilling their mission with the Stone Skin MacBook skin and iPhone case. Not only do they add unique style to your gear, but they are beautifully crafted pieces. You should know that they are not inexpensive: prices range between $50 and $60 for the iPhone cases and $60 and $100 for the MacBook skins depending on the size of your device. After playing with them for a few weeks, however, I think the materials and quality are in alignment with the premium pricing. They offer a range of stone styles, each one with its own distinctive personality. If you’re looking to invest in a truly unique look for your gadgets with natural materials, check out cover-up.com for more information!

Source: The sample for this review was provided by cover-up. For more info visit their site and you can check their Amazon store as well.

Product Information

Price:	$49 – $99 for the MacBook skin, $15 – $55 for the iPhone cases
Manufacturer:	Cover Up
Retailer:	Amazon
Pros:	Adds a beautiful, unique look to your iPhone or MacBook. High-quality craftsmanship. The real stone actually works as a protective surface for your devices. iPhone cover doesn't sacrifice looks for solid build and functionality.
Cons:	Premium pricing. MacBook cover could use some more refinement around the edges.

Filed in categories: iOS, Laptops and Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Case, Macbook accessory, Skin

Cover-Up MacBook and iPhone stone cases review originally appeared on on March 27, 2017 at 12:06 pm.

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