This week’s roundup of Mac accessories includes batteries that let you keep computing long after the your MacBook is ready to call it a day. We’ve also got speakers, sleeves, headphones, and more.
The $169 BenQ VW2235H 22-inch color monitor is billed as an “eco-friendly device”—no printing, coating, or adhesives on the surface—for use as a larger screen to accompany the MacBook. The base includes a tray for keepsakes, as well as a holder for your iPhone.
This company has unveiled three new mounts for your desktop Mac: the $140 MobilePro Wall Mount, which lets the monitor swing freely from an armature attached to the wall; the $180 MobilePro Desk Mount, which acts more like a flagpole, with your display as the flag; and the $240 MobilePro Desk Mount Combo, which accommodates both a Macbook and a display for a dual-screen setup. All three accessories are all available through the online Apple Store.
The $150 Sound BlasterAxx AXX 200 is a portable, NFC-equipped, wireless speaker that features a quad microphone array for teleconferencing and voice recording. It also includes an MP3 Player, and a “Super Megaphone” that amplifies and distorts a user’s voice in a number of “zany” ways, according to Creative.
The $200 e25 Luna Eclipse is a 74-watt, Bluetooth-enabled wireless speaker system designed for use with desktop computers. According to the company, bass response is maximized through the use of passive radiators; you can control the speakers using an included wireless remote.
This company is releasing a series of $60 laptop sleeves designed for Apple products, including models for the 11- and 13-inch MacBook Air and the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display. The sleeves are made of leather and Merino-wool felt, and they’ll be sold through the Apple Store.
Give this company credit for recycling. Heckler’s new $30 Headphone Stand is made from scraps left over from production of the company’s WindFall tablet stand. And it’s not just for home use: As Heckler explains, it’s “also designed as a retail merchandising display for over-the-ear headphones”—all you need is two screws to secure the stand, the audio cable, and headphones.
This company has introduced a new ProTouch line of keyboard protectors for MacBook, MacBook Pro, and 13-inch MacBook Air, as well as for the standard desktop Apple keyboards. The line includes ProTouch Classic, a translucent skin that lets keys and their backlights show through, as well the colorful ProTouch Kids.
Here’s a Mac accessory that probably would’ve been useful on the Pony Express; The $329 Field Bag from Pad & Quill. It’s hand-made from leather, waxed canvas, and the kind of nylon, UV-resistant stitching usually used to sew parachutes. (It probably smells like Sam Elliot.) The bag comes with a 25-year warranty and fits MacBooks up to 15 inches in size. If you’re feeling extra protective of your gear, you can also throw in the $90 Laptop Sleeve for MacBook Air 13.
The $500 Most Powerful Eye Battery weighs 2.2 pounds and is made from anodized aluminum, so you might want to strap one to your chest if you ever get into a gunfight at noon. More practically, you’ll also be able to keep your MacBook Air running another 23 hours if you ever find yourself computing in an isolated, power-deficient location.
This company has a new version of its external battery line, the $350 HyperJuice 2. Designed to power your MacBook, the 100Wh/27,000mAh battery sports a MacBook-matching aluminum enclosure, along with dual 12-watt USB ports for charging your tablet(s) and smartphone(s). The battery includes Sanho’s Magic Box DIY kit for hacking your MacBook’s MagSafe charger to work with the HyperJuice.
The $300 Ear Force i30 and $400 Ear Force i60 are Bluetooth-enabled wireless headphones designed to be used with Macs and iOS devices. Each includes a leather headband, along with leather-covered, memory-foam earpads and noise-isolating ear cups. The i60 in particular is intended for high-end gaming use, and it can be paired with up to eight other Bluetooth devices.
The $150 My Passport Air is a 1 TB external hard drive designed to complement the MacBook and MacBook Air: It comes in an aluminum enclosure and includes USB 3.0 compatibility. The device is powered, in fact, by the Mac’s USB port, and it’s compatible with Apple’s Time Machine backup feature.
Author: Joel Mathis
Joel Mathis is a regular contributor to Macworld and TechHive. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife and young son.