This week’s roundup includes Monoprice’s first batch of USB-C cables, plus a couple of new products from Grovemade, whose woodcrafted accessories for Mac add luxury and class to a product that already has plenty of both.
The $106 MacBook Sleeve is built for the 11-inch MacBook Air—made of natural Merino wool felt and full-grained vegetable-tanned leather in Belgium. It has no zipper, so no danger of scratches on your laptop; instead, magnets seal up your Apple computer nice and tight.
The $220 BatteryBox reportedly powers a MacBook Air for up to 13 hours straight (or it can fully charge an iPhone 11 times over) in a battery smaller than a soda can. A quick warning: The company says there’s a six-to-eight-week backorder, so you might have to wait awhile before your BatteryBox arrives.
Grovemade’s woodcrafted Mac accessories offer a touch of class and luxury to products that already have a reputation for both. The $119 Walnut Laptop Stand features “an angled platform for improved ergonomics, a precision cut stainless steel stop lined with premium vegetable tanned leather for your device to rest in, and room below for stowing your laptop accessories.”
In fact, we’ll give Grovemade a second go-round this week. The $99 Walnut Keyboard Tray is a perfect fit—literally—with your Apple wireless keyboard: Just slip the keyboard in for ergonomic typing comfort; it flips up and open to reveal a small storage space for your pens, business cards, and more.
The $250 Thunderbolt 2 Express Dock includes a 1-meter Thunderbolt cable and includes three full-speed USB 3.0 ports; it supports Gigabit ethernet, and it’s ready to plug and play right out of the box. The device will be released on April 20.
The maker of fine notebooks is adapting to the digital age. Moleskine just launched the myCloud line of bags, which include room for tablets and laptops up to 13 and 15 inches, respectively. The line includes reporter bags, briefcases, messenger bags, and more. It’s a cool way to look stylish while toting your laptop around.
Just ahead of the launch of the new MacBook, Monoprice released its first batch of USB-C cables and adapters. Options include a USB 3.1 USB-C Male to USB-C Male Cable (3 feet, $25), 3.0 USB-C to USB-A Female (6 inches, $12), USB 2.0 USB-C Male to USB-A Male Cable (3 feet, $10), USB 2.0 USB-C Male to USB-C Male Charging Cable (6 feet, $13), USB-C Male to DisplayPort Male Cable (3 feet, $35), and USB-C Male to HDMI Female Adapter (4.5 inches, $35).
The $18 Nugard Snap-On Laptop Covers are an inexpensive way to keep your MacBook safe from damage; it has a two-piece hardshell construction that, as the name suggests, is easy to snap on. Rubberized feet guard against desk skid, while ventilated slots help prevent overheading. Best of all? They come in an array of colors.
The $40 BaseLift is kind of like the iPad’s Smart Cover, only made for laptops: It attaches to the bottom of your MacBook, then rolls into a triangle-shaped prop to tilt your computer forward for better ergonomics and viewing.
Author: Joel Mathis
Joel Mathis is a regular contributor to Macworld and TechHive. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife and young son.