Pimp My Laptop!

ByMike Moffit

Have you ever thought, [Insert friend/family name here] has this great laptop—but I don’t know what accessories go with it to give as presents!?

This is a very common dilemma in the store this time of year. So, I thought I would dish on some of the “must have” laptop accessories that anyone would be stoked to get!


1. Speck SeeThru Shell for MacBooks
With the popularity of Mac sales increasing, it’s not uncommon to plop down at your local coffee shop or library and see the person next to you workin’ it on the same Mac. But, how do you make your MacBook stand out from the others? With the new SeeThru cases for MacBooks – you can choose just about any shell to match your laptop to your personality. But, don’t worry – these cases won’t over heat your MacBooks, built-in vents allow your laptop to breathe – while still looking good!
Available in: Red, Dark Blue, Green, Orange, Pink, Aqua, and Clear. $44.99


2. AppleCare Protection Plan
Consumer Report said it best, “Don’t Buy The Extended Warranty (Unless It’s AppleCare)”. The AppleCare Protection Plan will increase the coverage on your MacBook (or any other Mac) to a total of THREE years. Not only will you get warranty coverage on your Mac, but you will also get unlimited phone support during all three years, as well as global repair coverage. The cost for the AppleCare in comparison to “out of warranty” hourly prices makes the choice easy – and smart. MacBook $229.99, MacBook Pro $329.99 – on SPECIAL now!


3. Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 THX-Certified Speaker System
Wanna rock out with your Mac out? Klipsch’s ProMedia speakers can get any holiday party started or provide the perfect sounding tunes for a relaxing Sunday. With the crisp, clear vocals and heart pumping bass, this speaker set will not disappoint. At our South Burlington location we use the Klipsch ProMedia Speakers as our main sound system because they can can fill up the whole space with great sound. Box includes two speakers, subwoofer, and a headphone jack connection. $149.99


4. Apple Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard
As if the anodized aluminum isn’t sexy enough – the thin, compact design makes it easy to store this keyboard in any laptop case. The Bluetooth connection works up to 30 feet, it will automatically power down when it’s not in use, and start back up again with the tap of a key. The new Bluetooth keyboard from Apple also includes a power button to turn the keyboard completely off so you don’t waste battery life . However, the keyboard can manage its power use and can last six months or more with out making you change the batteries! $79.99


5. ACP-EP Burton Snowboard SnowDrive 2GB Flash Drive
The gift that keeps giving. Most flash drives out there are boring, white, and have no flare – until now. Burton Snowboard SnowDrives look like mini snowboards and come preloaded with Burton video clips and commercials. Not to mention, these flash drives provide hot swap data transfers that live up to the “plug and play” life style. $39.99
note: as of 12/4 this item is backordered. please check back for availability.

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  • M-Audio AV-40 Review

    I’ve put off buying new speakers for months. I just could not justify the expense of them, and did not want to waste money on cheap speakers with poor quality. There had, however, been a set of speakers I’ve listened to and sold extensively in-store that interested me. After moving into my new apartment, I decided my bedroom would not be complete without them.

    I realized that when buying my computer, I put a huge amount of effort into making sure my operation of it went unburdened, but scrutinizing monitors, keyboards, mice and mousepads. But I never considered my ears as important in being one of the senses that uses the computer. Boy was I wrong.

    The Studiophile AV 40s are a set of studio reference monitors sold by M-Audio. As studio monitors, they have a very precise sound that most home computer speakers can’t match, and the clarity is generally botched by cheaper hardware. They also, being more precise, don’t fill a room in the same manner other 2.1 subwoofer/satellite speaker combos do. As M-Audio outlines right in their included comic-book style instructions, there is a very specific way to configure them on your desk based on your room and sitting position. This said, cranking them is certainly capable of filling my entire house with clean, crisp music and decent bass. The AV 40s also sound fabulous on their quietest setting, for listening to podcasts at 7AM when your housemate is asleep.

    Their precision has also led me to turn off my iTunes EQ entirely, I don’t think I’ll ever use it again. Lastly, because they’re so precise, I’m finding that they’re incredibly great for gaming, as they convey the virtual world your mind is struggling to become a part of so well. Sounds like rifle shots are far different than grenades, or a peaceful flowing waterfall, which other speakers can’t put such a space between.

    The packaging is pretty basic, but does the job. I like the minimal, wasteless packaging. M-Audio was also good enough to include rubber pads to adhere to the bottom of them, so they don’t slide on my glass desk. The enclosures are a soft black, with pretty solid mesh protection over the cones. On the front of the left speaker are two jacks, one for aux-in and one for headphones. This way I can conveniently connect a laptop or iPad to them when I want to switch computers. Of course, they’re classy enough to include a blue LED on the volume knob, so they’re a perfect match for my monitor, keyboard and mouse!

    I give these a huge thumbs up.

    $149.99. For more information, “click here”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/73166 to check them out!