BERLIN DESIGN WEEK 2010
DESIGN MIAMI/ART BASEL 2010
NEOCON 2010
BESPOKE: THE HANDBUILT BICYCLE
Laptops are really two-part products, at least if you want to truly use them in the mobile situations for which they are designed: You buy a laptop, then you buy a protective bag or sleeve for it.
Wouldn't it be cool if laptops were actually self-contained things that could be carried around like briefcases or simply slung over your shoulder with a strap? Along these lines I'm digging the chunky handles, some of them retractable, on the Ndura Rugged 13.3 laptop and Panasonic's Toughbook H1 and 30 models.
Aside from the handles, the housings themselves are designed to be their own protection. These are largely designed for contractors and soldiers, but this is an example of military "technology" I'm hoping will one day trickle down to the consumer sector.
Berlin Design Week
Design Miami/Art Basel
Neocon 2010
Core77 speaks with Jonathan Ive
Comments
If I remember correctly, one of the first Sony VAIO (all rounded design) had a handle... and it was well integrated in the overall design.
You should check out the Toughbook F8 from Panasonic. Retractable handle on a sub-4 lb. machine with a 14" display. It even has a DVD burner. THE way to go through airport security!
For me, I don't see an advantage of lugging 2 bags around. One normal backpack/messenger bag AND one laptop with a handle. Perhaps it's just me, but I like the small factor of a laptop not bloated with handles (at least as shown here) or SUPER extra protection. I just with they'd design the aircooling correctly.
On the other hand I wouldn't mind seeing little popout legs (like the ones under a normal keyboard) integrated into the laptop to aid the said cooling as well as some ergonomic advantage.