Just Mobile has recently introduced two notebook related products and both of them rate a Wow!
Xtand Pro
The first is a 100 percent aluminum stand that is absolutely classically beautiful. It is a perfect match for any of the aluminum Mac laptops. It has clean, simple lines with an oblong pedestal base. It comes with two height cylinders, one 1.5 inches and the other 4.5 inches.
Although not really heavy, the stand is heavy enough to stay in place. It is very, very sturdy and the addition of a rubber stopper around the bottom of the base provides additional stability. The chris-cross area that holds the computer has rubber stoppers on each corner and there are two fold up tabs at the front to further hold a computer in place. Obviously, the elevated height allows for air flow under and around your computer, helping to dissipate the heat created by your machine.
This is not an inexpensive item. The suggested retail price is US$79.95. You get what you pay for. In the time that I have used it I have tried both the short cylinder height and the tall. I assumed I would want the short just because I myself am short, but it didn’t work out that way. If I used the keypad on my MacBook to type, the short cylinder height would be just fine, but I don’t. I hate typing on notebook keyboards. At home I use a standard keyboard on a pull-out shelf attached to my desk. When I tried using the short cylinder height I found myself leaning over. When I switched to the taller version, the height was perfect for my work environment. Which one you might choose truly is dependent on your personal work style.
Cooling Bar
The second new product is probably unlike any notebook stand you have seen before. Certainly I have never seen anything like it. It is a solid aluminum cylinder, 15 inches long and about 2.5 inches around. One “side” is flat and holds a rubber pad to prevent slipping. There is a notch in one end to hold your power cord out of the way. There are three grip rings on each end to keep your Mac from slipping.
This bar will simply lift your notebook computer about 2.5 inches off a surface — just enough to allow some air flow. It will work best for those who prefer to type on the notebook keyboard and for those who have limited desk space. It also works for anyone who wants to have something different from everyone else! The selling price for this one is $39.95.
I tried it out with my 15-inch MacBook Pro. I wondered how I could take advantage of the cord notch with a 15-inch machine, which turned out to be a nonexistent problem. The notch is less than one half inch from one edge. I let the bar stick out that far on the left side and slid the chord in the notch. My computer still had plenty of support and the grip rings held it in place. I used it while teaching a class away from home where I had to use the notebook keyboard whether I wanted to or not. It held my Mac perfectly steady and off the table.
This item has another advantage. It is easy to lock away at night if you want to use it in a busy office setting, such as a cube farm.
Oh, and for those of us who notice that kind of thing, the packaging for these two products is ultra cool.
The Bottom Line
I constantly remind people of the need to use a stand for their notebook computer, both for ergonomic reasons and to prolong the life of their computer by reducing heat buildup. Both of these products meet those simple requirements while also offering style, elegance, and beauty. Both are somewhat pricy. They are both solid aluminum and take up minimum amounts of space on your work station. Both are perfect matches for any of the aluminum Mac computers. Both deserve a look.