Makes Your Mac Sexy and Protected! (Apple Macbook Air 13.3' Crystal Case Cover)

Member Name: Nar2

Product:	Apple Macbook Air 13.3' Crystal Case Cover
Date:	05/09/08 (1330 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Beautiful finish, hard wearing, keeps Mac clean and protected on both sides of its body. Vented.

Disadvantages: Catches static dust initially, Availability - only available at EBay and three colours only.

I've recently purchased a new laptop, something that I don't ordinarily do since I already own a PC laptop and have been happy for some time - even better now that it's back from Toshiba and has a new hard drive! So it is with regret to report that Toshiba couldn't do a sausage about clearing up the scratches on the silver finish of my Toshiba.


However in a bid to increase the longevity and condition of my other new purchase, I had been on the look out for a cover for my new Apple Mac Mac Book. Undeterred by the lack of such things available on the high street or outlets such as PC World, I came away feeling disappointed that nothing existed other than a couple of laptop bags or for a better word, the "Neoprene," style bags for transporting laptops. Transporting is one thing, but what about an every day cover designed to fit the actual Mac Book so that it withstands knocks, scrapes and daily collected mess? After all I don't want my newest addition to the world of technology to end up like my Toshiba laptop - scratched to Heaven and no let down of getting rid of the deep scars.

Despite increased efforts to find out how schools get the covers that fit over the existing bodies of their Apple Mac laptops I went straight to EBay to find something similar; the result being the "Professional Producer," range of "Crystal Case covers," to solely fit the Mac Book 13.3" laptop, and surprisingly not too expensive at just £9-99 excluding the additional postage charge of £2-99.


When taking into consideration that the Apple Mac store charge in excess of £40 for a similarly designed hard shell cover, it makes a lot more sense to consider else is out there - particularly when Apple Mac frown on everything that has their name or label on it to constitute as an official accessory. I've already grown accustomed to the atrocious pricing that Apple Mac stores generally charge for accessories for their computer systems they sell, not to mention the accessories that go with them; their MagSafe battery springs to mind!


This cover however isn't exactly a "crystal" case in terms of how it is made, but rather, two stiff Perspex like matt coloured shells; the top one is easy to tell as it has an aperture in the shape of the famous Apple symbol for the Apple light to show through from the top of the Mac Book whilst the other cover for the bottom of the Mac Book has built in vents for increased air flow fitted as standard to the design of the Mac Book itself. The bottom cover has indents and cut out spaces for all the USB points, infra red sensor and charging point on the Mac computer; all the edges are smooth, curved out and don't feel sharp to fingers making this kind of product ideal for children who may own a similar Apple Mac Book.

Both covers are sealed in plastic wrap and can be slightly weak in their wrapping which has to be taken off before the covers can be fitted to the Apple Mac Book. Then it's just a case quite literally of snap fitting the covers onto the existing body of the Apple Mac Book. With just some increased effort by pushing the covers on, the covers click on easily and instantly with no problems or pressure needed to make sure edges for example fit on properly. In terms of tight fitting then, the "Crystal" case covers do their job well, not just protecting the Mac Book from the word go, but available in three distinctive and different colours, the matt look of my own Mac Book (Black model) shines easily and heightens the computer for a most professional look as well of course protecting the body. The colours available for the Professional Producer range are available in colours such as pink, clear and black for the 13.3" Macbook series. Additional covers are also available for the slightly different Mac Book "Air," series too.


For the first couple of days then I noticed that the Polycarbonate plastic (to give it, its proper name) really attracted a lot of dust on the top cover. Whilst this was not a problem to wipe down, it made the material all that apparent for being static. So if you have a particularly dusty environment it makes sense to keep a cotton hanky handy to put on top as it stops static dust from being attracted to the plastic.


Without the covers the smooth finish on my own Mac Book was forever sustaining finger marks and would take a bit of time getting rid of them - these covers however are a lot easier and faster to wipe down and they seal extremely well once the Mac Book's lid is closed down and shut off with just as much ease closing the Mac Book as well as opening it.


Stability is emphasized by four strong bonded rubberised feet, one at each corner to ensure that the base doesn't move which is handy for unlevel surfaces whilst the plastic is very easy to keep clean simply by using a dry cloth to get rid of unsightly finger marks, which for the case of the Black Mac model it is far more apparent than the White Macbook I used recently at school last year.


If however there is one downside then it's due to the additional inch of plastic shrouding the body of the Apple Mac Book when squeezing it into additional transit bags; forget trying to wedge it into a 13" Neoprene laptop bag as the Mac Book just won't fit. Snap off the covers however and the Mac Book will fit albeit with precious space left to close the zipper over. As a result I've had to buy a bigger 15" Neoprene transport felt bag when I'm travelling with the Mac Book with the covers snapped on; after all if you take them off, you're at a loss where to put them unless you take them with you!


Another slight downside but perhaps one of safety and security is that whilst the vents allow the computer to breathe, the vents do cover up part of the battery door, so if you need to take out the battery you need to undo the bottom crystal cover. I on the other hand appreciate this design fact because it may well reduce the amount of buttery fingers from young pupils in my classroom!


In terms of looking after your Apple Mac Book there are several different ways in which owners can custom build their Apple Mac, or so Apple Mac would have you believe for the sheer joy of overcharging the customer. However given the price of the Professional Producer range, you can still custom build and protect your computer without running up huge bills with Apple Mac and of course thanks to its plastic properties, it will forever look gleaming and shiny - provided you put a little elbow grease in. Now why can't Toshiba make something like this?! Whilst I'd like to award five stars for this product, it only gets four because of the lack of availability - unless, like me you are an avid fan of EBay. Thanks for reading. ©Nar2 2008

The product is difficult to find online and as such I found it through an EBay seller: a1-techstuff

Summary: A cheaper way to protect your new Apple MacBook laptop.

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