{ Posts Tagged ‘laptop’ }

iamhuman macbook stickers

preppy 250x178 iamhuman macbook stickerswalnut uni 250x178 iamhuman macbook stickers

fb uni 250x178 iamhuman macbook stickerslumberjack uni 250x178 iamhuman macbook stickersI’m a bit of a label snob when it comes to my electronics — I love displaying the logos on my Sony DSLR, Flip Mino camcorder, and especially my iPhone, iPod, Airport, and iMac (yeah that’s right, I just name-dropped).

Check out these seriously cool MacBook adhesives from iamhuman. With a sweet slogan selling “human individuality for non-human objects”, the company lets you jazz up your laptop while still displaying that sweet Apple logo. The graphic prints go for a cool $30 US and the wood grain one is $35 US.

Available at iamhumannow.com.

twitter inspired laptop bag

il 430xn76495576 twitter inspired laptop bagYeah, I’ll admit it — I like to tweet. For those of you in the technological Dark Ages, tweeting is the biggest phenomenon to hit social networking since Facebook. A ‘tweet’ is a 140 character message/update you can send out over Twitter, and people who are following your message feed will be able to read it.

Moving on from Twitter 101, check out this über-cool laptop bag I found at the Mareri store on Etsy. The little bird silhouette is so obviously paying an homage to the Twitter logo (or it is in my world, anyways), and the bag is padded to protect your precious hardware.

$50 US, available at Mareri on Etsy.

Follow me on Twitter! twitter.com/tech_style

interview with dell designer ed boyd

Technology is going to new levels when it comes to design, and the proof ain’t in the pudding — it’s in Dell’s new line of laptops. Sleek, modern and incredibly unique, Dell’s line features the design expertise of an unusual hire — Ed Boyd, an industrial designer who used to dream up sunglasses and sneakers for Nike.

I was lucky enough to ask Ed a few questions about the products, his role in the design process, and why technology is being designed to fit in with the decor of our homes.

Tech Style: The move from sneakers and sunglasses, to designing laptops… how did that come about?
Ed Boyd: When I was approached by Dell, the company was really looking for somebody who understood technology and lifestyle. At the time I was at Nike, designing tech-based products like watches, speed and distance devices, sunglasses, etc. Prior to joining Nike, I was at Sony where I designed a wide array of consumer electronics. So, I am very familiar with the technology industry and the shift from Nike to Dell was not that difficult.

delllaptop interview with dell designer ed boydTS: What inspired you when designing these pieces?
EB: Actually, it`s not just me but a design team of 120 people at Dell that are working on these products. At Dell we spend a lot of time speaking with and really listening to our customers. We use their feedback and ideas to inspire our designs for products that meet specific needs and personalities. We also draw inspiration from other industries such as furniture, fashion, music, culture and essentially every space that gives us insight into how people are integrating technology into their lifestyles.

On a personal note, I draw inspiration from my childhood experiences, watching my grandmother, who was a multi-talented artist. I am also constantly inspired by my friends and colleagues in the technology and fashion industries. My goal is to consistently stretch my design antennae as far as possible and be inspired by as many things as possible.

TS: There`s a real push to incorporate technology with sleek and artistic design. Why do you think this is such a large growing trend?
EB: The PC industry is changing just like the cell phone industry or the automotive industry did. People are becoming very comfortable with their technology and they are using technology as accessories for self-expression. So, obviously they expect products to be designed accordingly. They expect products to be customized so as to reflect their own personalities and lifestyles. The days of the utilitarian PC as we know it are pretty much over. Customization is driving purchasing behaviour, so Dell certainly wants to make sure it plays in that space. We will continue to see a growing trend toward highly stylized technology products.

TS: Laptops like these are really becoming almost an accessory in a home`s decorating scheme. Do you ever take that into consideration when designing these pieces?
EB: Yes, absolutely. As we spend time talking to customers, one of biggest trends we have noticed is that people want their laptops and desktops to be functional but also to fit into their lifestyle — be it matching their personality or complementing their décor. Dell`s Design Studio enables customers to customize the look of their laptop or desktop as they are configuring the system. They can select and customize colour and finishes to match their décor or personality.

TS: What`s next for Ed Boyd? Are there other areas of design you`d like to venture into?
EB: I think I have my hands full at the moment with Dell! A tremendous amount of time, energy and work is going into delivering products with personalization options within the industry, and I’m very excited to be a part of this change.

For more information on Dell’s new line of uniquely designed laptops, visit the Dell Design Studio.

Follow me on Twitter! twitter.com/Tech_Style

speck laptop case

speckcase speck laptop caseWhen it come to portable gadgets, I’m darn picky about having them look brand spanking new at all times. Cases are a gadget gal’s best friend, and I’m always on the hunt for pretty-yet-practical ways to cover up tech goodies.

I stumbled upon Speck and my prayers were answered! Their website boasts an overwhelming selection of cases in tons of textures, and available for a variety of products. Need to cover your new Blackberry Pearl? No problem. Use a PC laptop rather than a Macbook? No worries there either. Oh, and if you want to snap on a case to add some colour to your iMac, they’ve got that covered, too.

I love the case they sent me for the 13″ Macbook (shown above). This vibrant and sleek snap-on case is so pretty-in-pink, it makes me want to jump up and belt out some Otis Redding (the Molly Ringwald fans will understand). My friend and styleathome.com editor, Natalie Bahadur, has a Macbook, so we snapped the case on easily and it instantly jazzed up her laptop. She was really impressed with the way the case didn’t make the laptop bulky, as well as the fact that it will protect the computer from scratches and other wear and tear. These cool cases are hard-working and hard to pass up!

Price: SeeThru pink shell for 13″ Macbook, $25 US

Available at: Speck.com

Have a neat gadget or tech accessory you`d like me to feature? Shoot me an e-mail at
techstyle@styleathome.com

sumo women’s laptop purse

picture 24 sumo womens laptop purseI`ll be the first to admit that I don`t need another bag. Like any good girly-girl, I`ve got too many bags and too many pairs of shoes. My mother tells me that my obsession with shoes began at a very young age so it was only natural that when I got my first job as a teenager, it was at a shoe store at the mall up the street from our house. But the obsession, I think, isn`t so much about quantity as it is about quality. And by quality, I don`t mean outrageously expensive, hand-crafted, imported Italian leather. I`m talking more about utility. For years, my favourite boots were a pair of synthetic platforms that cost about $40. But they were so versatile, they were the perfect pair. And so it is with my new favourite bag. The SUMO women’s laptop purse is so stylish and utilitarian, it was love at first sight. And then, as I began to use it, I really fell hard. It`s sleek, which I love; it doesn`t look like a laptop bag at all. And inside, there`s a cozy, corduroy-lined pouch for my computer. It fits sveltely inside, with plenty of room to spare for all the other odds and ends I lug around town. This bag is big on the details (did I mention the corduroy-lined pouch that I love?) — it`s got a printed interior and the fuchsia stitching on the exterior is the perfect finishing touch. The bag itself is nylon but the straps are a soft, pliable leather. Exterior pockets provide easy access to your phone or iPod. It`s stylish for toting about town and super-functional for traveling with.

Available at: mobileedge.com
Price: $129.99

vivienne tam hp mini 1000

viviennetam vivienne tam hp mini 1000

I love tech-y gadgets, but there’s nothing better than a piece of technology that just looks darned pretty. The creative minds at HP have come up with the new HP Mini 1000, a tinier-than-tiny version of a laptop. Weighing in at 2.2 lbs with a 10.2-inch high-def monitor and 1-inch thickness, this mini computer is perfect for storing in a purse or overnight bag. It includes 2 USB ports, WiFi, and a 60 GB hard drive.

Fashion designer Vivienne Tam teamed up with HP to create the pretty peonied version above. Shown on the runway of her Fall 2009 show at New York’s Fashion Week, this sexy device straddles the line of fashion and technology. Love it!

Price: $800
Available at: bestbuy.ca