These photos get less and less flavor text every day!

Originally published: October 31st, 2007

Content is the property and copyright of LaptopLogic.com and Logic Media LLC

Intro & Design

Modern storage solutions, like online storage lockers or small USB storage devices, have come a long way and make it very to keep your data with you, yet users are still looking for more flexibility in external storage solutions. Small or virtual is nice but when it comes to sharing my music, pictures, work files, and other documents, more capacity is a necessity. Portable hard drive enclosures have begun to bridge this gap between space and size but it is only within the past few years that they have become light and convenient enough to use for more than just backing up your master hard drive. Having the ability to take your files with you wherever you go not only ensures that your data will be protected from harm but it also allows for a greater degree of ease with managing your external information. Two upcoming drive enclosures from Vantec attempt to bring even more flexibility to the external hard drive market with the Vantec EZ Swap EX, a 2.5′ enclosure that docks in a installable 5.25′ or floppy drive bay, and the Vantec NexStar SX, a sleek and lightweight 2.5′ SATA enclosure.

Packaging

Both the EZ Swap EX and the NexStar SX come in small, tightly packed boxes reminiscent of Apple’s latest iPods. Pulling the black plastic tab on the NexStar SX’s packaging reveals a soft black leather case containing the chrome and aluminum 2.5′ drive enclosure as well as the unit’s USB cable, SATA driver CD, and other install related accessories. The box is well fitted and none of the items seem cramped.

Unboxing the Vantec EZ Swap EX is a little less exciting but it is equally as packed with accessories and other bits to make your install go more easily. Since the EZ Swap EX contains both a 5.25′ mounting bay and a 3.5′ floppy drive bay unit the user can choose where to install the accessory in their desktop tower, a very thoughtful design feature. Included with the physical drive bays and 2.5′ enclosure is a carrying case for the drive and the extra USB data and power cables you’ll need to access the hard disk. SATA and Molex power cables are also included along with enough screws to build an Erector Set with. Unlike the NexStar SX and Erector Sets however, the EZ Swap EX does not come with a screwdriver. This is not a problem however since the screw heads are wide enough to accommodate most smaller Phillips-head screwdrivers.

Design
Solid and sturdy construction of an enclosure unit is essential if you plan on keeping your external hard drive around for a while. Flimsy panels and loose joints can spell disaster if you happen to knock the drive on the ground or drop something on it. Easy access to the physical hard drive is as well, if you plan on removing the drive even semi-frequently. Other products I’ve used over the years have frustrated me to no end with hard to extract screws, shoddy drive rails, and IDE/SATA connectors that could easily become detached. The Vantec EZ Swap EX enclosure feels especially well constructed. The solid and weighty aluminum cage is sandwiched by two tightly attached plastic ends, the rear of which is easily removed with a jeweler’s, or very small, Phillips-head screwdriver. Taking the back plate off, it is apparent that the drive connectors sit on a separate circuit boards that slides easily in and out of the enclosure. The advantage of this is that your fragile and sensitive hard drive won’t move around too much when you’re on the go.

The NexStar SX is another story. Forgoing plastic bits, Vantec instead opted for an all aluminum construction with the NexStar SX. This will earn points when it comes to keeping your external drive cool, but when it comes to design, the sliding plates that allows one to get inside the enclosure leaves a little to be desired. While it provides incredibly easy (and screwless) access to the interior drive the top cover feels loose even when it’s secured by the two side catches holding it together. The cage also vibrated a bit more while testing due to this fact. The back panel is simple enough, with an LED activity indicator, a mini-USB port, power cable port, and a handy on/off switch that will help preserve the life of your drive.

Installation & Conclusion

Installation
Adding your 2.5” SATA drive is relatively straightforward, as is to be expected from Vantec, a company who has been designing products for the PC market for over a decade. As I mentioned with the NexStar SX, two side catches hold top and bottom aluminum plates that slide out, allowing for access to the drive bay. After connecting your drive to the rear SATA port, place it on the drive rails and secure the base to the PCB with the included screws. Once tight, snap both of the covers back into place and connect the enclosure to the nearest computer, finally flipping the power switch on. Installation of the included drivers is recommended since it will help prevent any transfer or compatibility issues. When you’re ready to head off with your external drive, just slip it into the included leather carrying pouch. The case uses convent magnetic snaps that prevent the cover from accidentally swinging open and shouldn’t cause any demagnetizing problems.

The EZ Swap EX takes a little longer to get up and running but the installation is just as straight forward as the NexStar SX. Make sure to mount the 5.25” bay flush with your desktop tower’s front panel if you choose to use it. Conveniently enough, one could install the EZ Swap’s dock in a spare 3.5” bay, which is useful considering no one really uses floppy drive bays these days. Unlike the NexStar SX, the EZ Swap does not include a screw driver so grab one if you haven’t already. Once mounted properly, connect the included SATA and power cables to your motherboard and power supply.

To install the physical hard drive in the enclosure remove the two rear screws and slide out the circuit board. Once you’ve attached and secured the drive carefully slide it back inside the case and screw everything back together. Depending on your model of hard drive there might be some extra wiggle room inside the case. Sliding a business card or some other sturdy material into the gap between the case and drive will help prevent the disk from moving around too much. The EZ Swap EX enclosure slides pretty smoothly into the dock and clicks into place without a problem. The release catch also gently ejects the drive.

External storage solutions are necessary for most PC users these days, especially those who hold large collections of music, movies, pictures, and other media. Having the ability to take your important documents with you when you travel away from your desktop is crucial in today’s highly mobile, technology-filled lifestyle. Being able to easily and quickly back up your system’s operating system also allows you to add an extra layer of protection for your computer when serious problems arise.

While the two Nexstar products reviewed here today are designed to meet different needs, they are two of the more well designed 2.5” SATA enclosures on the market. Despite some heat dissipation issues with the EZ Swap EX, which will vary from system to system, the enclosure and docking bay provide a simple and speedy solution to traveling with and managing your external storage solution. The drive enclosure feels especially sturdy and well built which are also big pluses.

The convenience of the NexStar SX’s sliding design is worth mentioning, especially since it means not having to deal with screws every time you want to get inside the enclosure. Unfortunately on my unit, the top plate was a little loose on the chassis of the enclosure which gave the unit a cheaply constructed feeling. The bottom of the unit sat securely enough in place, but the other aluminum plate created some extra vibration noise during operation. Again, not a deal breaker, but this is something that could be improved on in future generations of the product.

Originally published: September 7th, 2007

Content is the property and copyright of LaptopLogic.com and Logic Media LLC

Green is Good

The future is now, and it looks to be pretty green.

It’s estimated that between 20 and 50 million tons of e-waste is generated per year around the globe. Surprisingly some of the biggest electronic waste offenders, according to environmental watchdog Greenpeace, include Toshiba, IBM, Panasonic, and even Apple. The problem doesn’t just exist among a select few computer manufacturers, however. Without the proper research, materials, and means of disposal, old electronics and their components will continue to pile up around the world, leeching harmful compounds into ground water and topsoil as well as continuing to drain many non-renewable resources.

There is a change in the air, however. With the world’s new found concerns for global warming, the environment, and living less ecologically harmful lives some electronics manufacturers have begun to set their sights on creating more eco-friendly products. With their new U5 ultra-portable notebook, the world’s first lead and halogen-free laptop, Asus has taken a step in the right direction by reducing the amount of harmful materials used to build their machines. By eliminating lead and other dubious compounds from their computers, Asus has earned approval from the RoHS, a British led initiative intended to restrict the use of harmful substances in products distributed in the United Kingdom and abroad. The U5 has since been discontinued, replaced by more powerful computers in the Asus lineup, but the green precedent that has been set by the machine is one that the industry plans to follow up on.

In May everyone’s favorite purveyor of trendy design inspired electronics, Apple, announced they will be making a change for the better with their products, shifting towards more environmentally friendly designs and materials. Steve Jobs, who penned the May announcement below, added other hopeful words of encouragement that help illustrate Apple’s new found interest in becoming a more eco-friendly company.

“Today is the first time we have openly discussed our plans to become a greener Apple. It will not be the last. We will be providing updates of our efforts and accomplishments at least annually, most likely around this time of the year. And we plan to bring other environmental issues to the table as well, such as the energy efficiency of the products in our industry. We are also beginning to explore the overall carbon “footprint” of our products, and may have some interesting data and issues to share later this year.”

Although Apple has yet to release a truly “green” product their recent policy shift is quite encouraging, and due to Apple’s juggernaut status in the industry, their compliance to a more sustainable computer might just be the kick in the pants other electronics manufactures need. By setting an industry-wide example Apple is not only atoning for problems in the past but is also creating a benchmark for other companies to aspire to.

For decades, the consumer electronics and computer industries have had their fair share of issues when it comes to disposing of unusable or old products. E-waste, as it has been dubbed, makes up a surprisingly significant amount of garbage that’s thrown out every year by consumers and companies alike in the United States and around the world. Some of this waste ends up in landfills, where anything with a PCB (printed circuit board) and other electronic components degrade and leech toxic compounds, including lead, cadmium, and mercury into the environment. Even more disturbing, however, is that a greater amount of electronic trash will inadvertently end up lining the streets of populated towns and villages in many developing nations including China, India, and Nigeria.

Recycle, Refreshed

The real solution for eliminating E-waste goes a lot further than simply restructuring a company’s environmental vision, however. As a recent article from Popular Science Magazine illustrates, creating a truly green notebook requires more than just removing lead and cadmium from the equation. A variety of issues exist with current machines that can be improved upon through some innovative thinking and natural know how. The biggest issue with creating an eco-friendly laptop involves cutting down on the amount of energy the computer uses. Any drain on your system ends up becoming a drain on the nation’s power supply and with users running their machines 24 hours per day, power consumption becomes a problem.

The solution? It’s actually a two-fold answer. The first part involves creating computer components that require less energy to power. In your laptop the biggest energy offenders are the backlit display and constantly spinning hard drive. By using alternative technologies, namely solid-state flash memory instead of magnetic platter hard drive and less power-hungry displays, one can minimize the amount of electricity their laptop eats up. The second, and more energy efficient factor, has to do with creating a solution that allows mobile computers to harness power completely “off the grid.” Popular Science points to solar energy as a means of powering future computers. By permanently unplugging your computer from the nation’s electric grid one not only reduces the net amount of energy they consumer but they also reduce the amount of resources necessary to generate more electricity, saving part of the environment as well as part of their paycheck.

A final part of the puzzle deals with the recycling aspect and how manufactures can use natural renewable resources to build their machines. Instead of using petroleum-based plastics to to build the notebook shells, bioplastics derived from corn and castor-oil could be used. The advantage is that these bioplastics would degrade naturally once recycled, decomposing and becoming part of the ecosystem, instead of piling up and taking eons to disappear as current plastics do. One other solution that would make it easier for recyclers to dismantle and salvage parts from old machines would require manufactures to include a built in “parts list” that catalogs every transistor and memory chip onboard the computer. Suggestions for accomplishing this include using RFID chips, which would carry such a parts list, and could be read wirelessly helping the recycler determine what they can harvest and what must be trashed. A great deal of research into such technologies is currently being undertaken, so hopefully consumers could start to see these and other eco-wonders in the marketplace before the end of the decade.

As computer companies begin to turn their attention inward in order to create more environmentally sound machines, the marketplace will begin to shift towards a greener tomorrow. Other industries, ranging from textiles to Hollywood films, have already begun to take steps to create “carbon neutral” and more eco-friendly products. Problems such as global warming and overflowing landfills will continue to get worse unless an initiative is taken to make a change. With these initial rumblings in the computer industry a wave of change may be on the way, and if companies like Apple and Dell can market it right, living a carbon neutral lifestyle via your gadgets might become the next popular craze.

“People say graffiti is ugly, irresponsible and childish. But that’s only if it’s done properly.” – Bansky

“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science.” – Albert Einstein

Originally published: May 30th, 2006

Content is the property and copyright of LaptopLogic.com and Logic Media LLC

Overview

Wireless is the new digital. The chips and antennas are getting smaller and smaller, they’re using less and less energy, and they’re becoming more and more ubiquitous throughout the modern tech scene. In the last three years, since wireless cards have become a standard in mobile computers, we’ve seen an explosion in the different applications users can now have for their devices. This is no different with Bluetooth devices.

Even though the technology encountered a rocky start in 1999 developers have been implementing Bluetooth chips into more and more products. The majority of these products have been geared towards cell phone users because of Bluetooth’s ease of use and because users want to keep their wireless devices completely wireless. With the glut of “hands free” wireless headsets on the market today consumers now have the ability to pick out the device that fits their needs and style the best. With this in mind, Motorola has come out with a very different take on the Bluetooth headset.

The HT820 Bluetooth Stereo Headset is a common enough looking pair of behind the neck headphones that promises to untether you from both your cell phone and from your computer. With the ability to stream, take phone calls, and listen to music from your computer as well as control your play list with built-in media controls, this pair of Bluetooth headphones sounds like it could be a complete solution for mobile  communication. Will this Bluetooth headset help free you from your tangled wired workspace or will it prove to be just another of the dozens of Bluetooth gadgets out there? Lets see how it holds up.

Design

The Motorola HT820 Bluetooth Stereo Headphones could pass for your everyday pair of Sony street style headphones, besides the fact that there aren’t any wires coming out of it and that both of the drivers are emblazoned with a big Motorola M. Media controls sit on the top of either driver. The right channel holds the forward and previous track buttons while the left channel has the volume up and down controls. The big Motorola M’s I mentioned not only brand the product but they’re also buttons that turn on the device, divert calls to the headset, put the headphones into “pairing” mode (more on this later), and have many other functions. There is also a 2.5mm headphone jack, for plugging in the included audio cable to your device for better audio quality, and a mini USB port on the right side of the headset which is used to charge the HT820’s internal battery.

One of the most notable characteristics of the Bluetooth headset is how big the ear pieces are, not to mention the pulsing blue L.E.D that emits from the M logo buttons. This feature can be turned off by holding the next and previous buttons, but it is still an odd design choice. The casings are sleek and stylish, but because of all the technology stuffed into such a small device the size is unavoidable. This is not to say they’re unattractive to wear, but don’t expect to blend in to the crowd while wearing them.

Quibbles aside, the HT820s really shine when one considers what they are capable of doing. The majority of Bluetooth headsets on the market only stream phone calls, but Motorola’s headset promises much more. With an additional adaptor, Motorola’s PC850 ($49.99), you can stream music and other audio from your computer, and with Motorola’s DC800 Bluetooth Home Stereo Adapter ($99.99) you can listen to music from your home entertainment system over the headset. Besides the ability to listen to your audio wirelessly the headset also lets you manage your calls with the push of a button, and if you’re listening to something when a call comes in it will pause your music so you can take the call.

Included with the HT820 Bluetooth Headset: Instructions and safety guide, cloth carrying bag, wall charger, 2.5mm to 3.5mm audio cable, warrantee information

Setup

This step can be tricky. Motorola was gracious enough to send their PC850 PC adapter with the headset, so I will cover how I set up both the headset and the PC adaptor. Instructions on the configuration process are included with the adaptor, but for those who are new to Bluetooth, getting things up and running could prove to be confusing.

First, for your computer’s sake, make sure you have all of the latest drivers and up to date software for your machine. Next, insert the included CD into your computer and plug in the PC850 adapter into a USB port. Windows should detect the dongle and ask you if you want to install software for it. Have Windows search the CD you inserted for the drivers and things should take care of themselves. Once everything has installed restart your computer. This concludes step one.

Step two involves getting the computer and Bluetooth headset to talk to one another. After rebooting, put the headset on and hold down the left M button for 10 seconds. The M button should flash blue three times and then stay lit. This means your headset is in pairing mode. You should start to hear some white noise come through the headphone drivers and after a few seconds Windows will recognize there is a Bluetooth device in the area. Your computer should go through a few dialog boxes before prompting you to enter a pass code. These codes were implemented so the device could be unique to your computer’s Bluetooth network and would only sync with certain devices you set them up on. This was buried in the instruction guide, but enter ‘0000’ for the pass code and the setup should finish after going through a bit more setup.  If successful the blue M logo will flash quickly and then go dark.

Hold the left M button down for 10 more seconds to turn the headset off. Then turn it back on by holding the same button down until the M flashes 3 times. Your computer should now recognize the headset without a problem and you can begin listening to your music. I tested streaming music from both Apple’s iTunes and Windows Media Player to the headset but it looks like only WMP is supported by the PC850 adapter. If you don’t hear music coming out of your headphones, try increasing the volume on the headset; the buttons are on top of the left ear piece. If this doesn’t fix things click on My Bluetooth Places and see what Bluetooth services are running. I had to double click on the My Audio Gateway service before I could make the headset produce music. Refer to the included instruction manual if these directions didn’t help solve the problem.

Performance

As a pair of wired headphones, Motorola’s HT820 shine. The included 2.5mm to 3.5mm cable allows you to connect the headphone up to any audio source, such as a laptop or an iPod. While the cord is a bit short, too short to use as a normal pair of headphones, the headset performs very well in regard to sound quality. While the bass doesn’t thump, the headphones reproduced a quality sound when listening to bands such as The Chemical Brothers and Jamrioquai. Mid range and high frequencies were also pleasant to listen to and did not give off any noticeable tint or pops.

In terms of comfort, the HT820 does not disappoint. With its behind the neck style these headphones will fit pretty much anyone. Both channels have padded muffs that not only keep in the majority of the sound but also keep your ears snug. The padding comes in handy since the headset weighs a little more than your standard pair of headphones and the black leather cups help your ears support that extra weight with little strain or discomfort.

Bluetooth quality is a separate issue however. Since the headset uses the 1.2 standard, the information passed between the Bluetooth source and the headphones is not of the highest caliber. The best way to describe how the headphones sound over Bluetooth is as if you’re listing to music over the loudspeaker at Disney World.

Audio quality is fuzzy and distant, not to mention signal strength plays a big part in just how much of the song you hear. Even while sitting at my desk with my laptop right in front of me I would experience the occasional one second gap of silence or have white noise overpower some of the softer parts of my music. Then again, this is a Bluetooth headset, so I did not expect stellar quality for streaming audio. Motorola’s headset is marketed as an all-in-one solution for those who want to take calls and listen to music, but be wary that Bluetooth is not yet at the point that it can stream quality audio.

Using the headset for making phone calls is a different story however. You are able to use this headset with any Bluetooth enabled phone, but I chose to test call quality by using my Bluetooth enabled laptop and Skype. Incoming and outgoing calls sounded clear and voice delays were accurate. The built in microphone was responsive and my voice came through clearly as well.

Conclusion

Pros:

• Attractive design
• Effortless setup
• Good audio quality when wired

Cons:

• Music quality with Bluetooth below par
• A tad bit expensive
• Bulkier than most headsets

Recommendation
While it isn’t an all in one solution for those who want to stream high quality music and have the ability to take calls, the HT820 still gives you the superhuman ability to listen to audio, take or deny phone calls, and use voice dial all without wires or having to take out your phone. This product is really for power users who want the ability to do all of this without fail. Audiophiles stay away! These headphones sound like a pair of $120 when connected with the included cable, but their main function is to do everything wirelessly and listening to your music via Bluetooth is not the greatest.

Originally published: April 2nd, 2006

Content is the property and copyright of LaptopLogic.com and Logic Media LLC

Overview

Laptop users know that the greatest feature of any notebook, old or new, is that you can pick up your computer and take it with you to virtually anywhere. Some would also argue that this is mobile computing’s greatest weakness. The fact that users can take their expensive and most important piece of equipment out into the real world presents a lot of dangers such at breakage, theft, and similar disasters. Being able to transport your expensive notebook safely and discretely is an aspiration most users want to achieve, and with the Contour backpack from Kensington, laptop owners get an extra line of defense from the real world.

Touted as a comfortable and professional solution for trucking around all your computer and work-related things, the Contour backpack delivers a roomy interior and a bold design. The feature that sets this bag apart from the rest of the pack (no pun intended) is the Contour’s adjustable lumbar support located on the back of the bag. For those who are unaware, lumbar support focuses on the lower back and pelvis, where the five lumbar vertebrae are located. As a result, less stress is put on your back and shoulders and instead gets focused further down towards your center of gravity. This makes for a unique backpack experience, since many bags can become uncomfortable, sometimes even painful, after long bouts of use. With four different lumbar settings and a variety of adjustable straps and buckles, the Contour promises something for everyone.

Design – External

Portability
Weighing in at a surprising 3.9 pounds, the Kensington Contour is a bit heavier than most bags in the same class. Most of that extra heft comes from the adjustable lumbar support built into the backside of the bag, a feature I will discuss later in this article. The Contour also measures 15.75″ long, 19.5″ high, and 9″ wide, a big bag by anyone’s definition, but the size is justified since the Contour was designed to hold even the biggest notebooks.

External
The Kensington is a big backpack. Engineered to fit even the widest 17” laptops, the Contour spares no expense for interior room and this shows in the design of the bag. The hip hugging lumbar supports also factor into the size of the pack, keeping the sides at a wider length than most backpacks of this class. Black and gray make up the overall styling of the backpack which gives the bag a very conservative feel. The Contour is part of Kensington’s Executive series of notebook cases, so the look of the backpack is not a surprise. Materials include 1680 Denier Ballistic Nylon, which makes up the bulk of the outer shell, faux-leather, and a very sturdy rubberized bottom.

There are five pockets in all on the backpack, three of which make up the main compartments of the bag and two which sit off to the side and can hold accessories such as AC adapters and CD cases. An exterior pocket also sits on the left side of the bag for holding a water bottle or a similar container. The straps of the bag also contain some features such as a cellphone holder, which kept my LG VX7000 snug and secure, and a cable router, which kept the cable to my iPod earbuds flat and under control.

Speaking of the bag’s straps, which I found to be extremely cushioned and comfortable, the Contour’s backside is feature-packed as well. A small loop allows the bag to be hung on a hook and a broader gray handle sits below the loop for easy carrying. Below that you can find the feature that sets this bag apart from most other laptop backpacks. Hidden behind the back cushioning sits the Contour’s lumbar support system which I can honestly say does a great job at keeping the strain from the bag in the right places. There are four different adjustable settings for the lumbar support, but there is no exact science to determining which setting is right for you. At six feet tall I found the #3 setting to be the most comfortable for me. It all depends on where your hips are.

Design – Interior

Internal
Like the external design dictates, the Kensington Contour has plenty of room inside to store all your essentials. The front most pocket provides your standard backpack organizer complete with pencil and note holders as well as a small mesh pocket for storing odds and ends. I found the compartments themselves to be very roomy, especially since the pockets curve up past the zipper. This allowed me to stuff a few extra items in that normally wouldn’t have fit.

The middle compartment offers a little more organization in the way of accessories. Four mesh pockets sit on the divider and can easily hold extras such as game pads, AC adapters, mice, and external hard drives. There is also enough space at the foot of the bag to hold a few magazines or a textbook, as well as any extra cables and cords. There is also a port at the top of the compartment to thread a pair of headphones or another such cable out of the bag. Quite convenient.

Most of your true storage needs will take place in the third compartment of the bag. The pocket is roomy enough to store binders, a text book or two, and any extra papers you may need as well as your laptop which sits in its own cushioned compartment. Kensington did have a hiccup in their design when it came to the laptop sleeve however. Because of the shape of the lumbar support mechanism the Contour’s notebook compartment can be very tight. This is great for traveling with you computer because you can be certain your machine is secure between two cushioned barriers, but taking the computer out afterwards can sometimes be a struggle. Coupled with the fact that the Contour is designed to hold computers with 17” screen and bigger, my 14” Thinkpad felt like a kid on a king sized bed.

Features

Lumbar Support System
This unique feature sets the Kensington Contour apart from most other backpacks in the market today. To test the lumbar support system out I decided to carry the bag with me during my daily routine with different amount of cargo inside. I chose setting #3 for my tests because at that height the bottom portion of the lumbar support fell on my hips, very comfortable indeed. On my first experience with the Contour, I loaded the bag with my laptop, a mouse with pad, a small CD holder, and a binder. Walking around with only eight or so pounds on my back felt a bit odd with the Contour. Due to the lack of weight that would normally keep the bag situated on my hips, the pack shifted around as I walked; however, my impression changed as the weight distribution in the bag changed. When I finally loaded up the pack with all the essentials and some additional accessories, in total about twenty pounds of gear, the bag felt both balanced and comfortable. I can see why the American Chiropractic Association would endorse such a product.

Headphone Port
One feature that is starting to become more standard on backpacks, especially tech backpacks, is a place to thread wires to the outside of the bag. There are a variety of uses for this feature, but mostly it is used for routing headphones that are attached to a media player stuck inside the bag. On the Contour this port is located on the second compartment. This is convenient because of the mesh accessory pockets inside that part of the bag. Instead of leaving your iPod or CD player among the other items inside your backpack the Contour provides a safe haven for your media player, not to mention easy access for the headphones cable to break out of the bag.

Performance

The Kensington Contour performed as I expected. I spent a week with the bag, taking it to and from classes with me as well as traveling with it. All of my essentials fit in the Contour with ease. These essentials include my IBM ThinkPad T42p, power adapter, external hard drive, five-subject notebook, three or four books for class, iPod, cell phone, some magazines, a CD binder, and various odds and ends. Even though the bulky size of the Contour was a turn off for me, I can’t complain considering the ample space and comfort it provided.

It was a bit difficult to judge the overall performance of the lumbar support feature since that would require strenuous activity and for me to carry around the backpack for a couple of weeks, but I can say that when adjusted properly, the Contour is quite comfortable. The bag took much of the stress off my shoulders and delivered it down the rest of my back and hips which made it a pleasure to carry around.

Some minor complaints I have with the backpack concern the quality of construction, the ease of use of the laptop compartment, and the bag’s appearance. When I first received my Kensington Contour there was a bit of gray thread sticking out of the zipped up zipper in the front pocket. As it turns out, there are at least a dozen or so pulled threads that come off of the material inside the compartments. The zippers would constantly snag on the loose threads, making it frustrating to open and close the bag as well as bringing down the over-all appearance of the pack. Finally, my biggest gripe with the Contour was its laptop compartment.

Designed to fit your laptop like a glove, the built in sleeve acts more like a Chinese finger-trap than a pair of Isotoners. Not only did my 14” notebook sit very deep in the pocket, but when it came time to remove the computer I had real problems trying to extract it. The sides of the compartment are built to constrict to the edges of your notebook, which comes in handy when traveling, but the hold is so tight that I had to grip my laptop extremely hard to take it out of the bag. Putting stress on the latch, screen, keyboard, and the rest of the case is not something I want to have to do when I want to use my computer.

Conclusion

Pros:

• Plenty of space for all your gear
• Comfortable and ergonomic
• Loads of useful features and pockets

Cons:

• Bulky construction
• Laptop compartment is only useful for big notebooks
• Mass-produced quality

Recommendations

Kensington’s Contour backpack is a great bag for students and professionals alike. Those who have to carry around a great deal of accessories and books will find the lumbar support system especially useful and comfy. The Contour’s size can be imposing to users who don’t quite have enough to fill the space, but the backpack was designed for roominess and its ability to hold all that it can is a big plus. Features such as a cell phone pocket, water bottle holder, headphones port, and accessory pockets help organize the space inside the bag as well as give the user easy access to essential items. Build and quality issues exist with the interior of the bag and the laptop compartment isn’t as effective with computers that have screens smaller than 15”, but overall the Contour is an excellent choice for the comfort-conscious and those looking for a laptop backpack with room to spare.

Price and Availability
Available at most big name computer stores. Retails for around $70 and comes with a Kensington Lifetime Warranty.

Originally published: May 4th, 2006

Content is the property and copyright of LaptopLogic.com and Logic Media LLC

Overview

In the wide world of computer accessories there are many useful products a consumer might tend to overlook. This is true even more so for laptop owners because portable computers are a niche market within themselves. Browse any accessory website and you can find devices for any notebook related need, anything from screen protectors to USB fans to breakout boxes that let you use a dual monitor setup with your laptop.

While the Kensington Expansion Dock with Stand has more mainstream appeal than a 25-In-1 SmartMedia card reader, many people shy away from purchasing them because they are seen as unnecessary. Many docks just put your laptop on a pedestal in order to improve the computer’s cooling abilities, but the Kensington Expansion Dock with Stand promises to turn your notebook computer into an ergonomic and comfortable desktop experience. With its SmartFit adjustment system the stand can stand taller or stouter in order to put the laptop’s LCD screen right at the user’s eyelevel.

Package that with an expansion bay that allows you to connect your USB devices, Ethernet, parallel port, and serial port accessories as well as ports that let you create a 5.1 speaker setup and you’ve got yourself one promising and feature filled product.

Design

Like many others of its kind, the Kensington Expansion Dock with Stand is a modestly sized accessory designed to take up the least space possible. Depending on how the user sets the SmartFit adjuster, the stand can take up anywhere from nine to seventeen inches of desk space. At the tallest setting I was able to comfortably fit both the stand and an external keyboard on my less than spacious desktop. The height it set my laptop’s LCD screen to was dead on in relation to my eye level when seated. One of the biggest advantages to this product is that it allows laptop users to free themselves from being hunched over their notebook all day. Instead, the stand turns the laptop into an external monitor rather than both a monitor with a keyboard attached.

The silver plastic stand fits in nicely with the rest of the gadgetry on my desk. The color scheme is broken up on the front of the stand by a thin strip of black plastic that acts as a clipboard clip, a clever and useful design trick. Taking a look on the inside of the stand, the base that the computer sits on is curved inward in order to help the air circulation and cooling of your notebook. A cushioned piece of black material helps protect the front of your laptop’s casing from scratching when you slide it in to the stand.

On the back of the stand you will find a set of rails that the expansion dock slides into. When the dock is attached, it blends nicely into the overall styling of the stand, but if you use the accessory properly you won’t be looking at the back of it all too often.

Kensington’s included expansion dock that ties the whole package together. The dock includes three USB 2.0 ports, an Ethernet port, a serial and parallel port, and three audio inputs for setting up a 5.1 surround sound speaker system. There is also a USB A port that lets you connect everything plugged in on the dock to your notebook and an input for the included AC adaptor that powers the dock. There is also a built in cord management system that comes in handy when there are tons of things plugged into the dock.

Features

SmartFit Adjustment System
Depending on how tall you are, the Kensington Expansion Dock and Stand could either be a pleasure to use or a pain. Luckily, Kensington included an adjustment system to either raise or lower the height of the stand. The lower the stand, the lower the laptop sits in it, and vice versa. A small knob on the back of the stand makes this adjustment, but instead of trying all the different settings and seeing what works best for you Kensington has come up with a way to figure out what setting is ideal for each user. Included with the stand is a diagram that the user measures their hand size on. The colors of the different hand sizes correspond to colors on the adjustment knob, and depending on how big or small your hand is the stand will accommodate you.

Now, I’m a pretty tall guy, and when I went to measure my hand I ended up being red, or the second to tallest setting on the stand. At that level my viewing angle and posture when using the stand was pretty comfortable, but after a while I decided to set the stand to its tallest position in order to save desk space. The adjustment gave me a few more inches to set my keyboard farther up on the desk and also changed how the laptop sat in the stand, but I found the new screen height to be even more comfortable than the height Kensington’s diagram told me to use. While the SmartFit diagram is a good start to determining how the user should set their stand up, I feel that it is a little too gimmicky for determining what will work the best for each person.

Detachable Docking Station
One of the more useful features of the Kensington Expansion Dock and Stand is that it allows a user to easily unhook their connections and take their computer with them. Instead of disconnecting cables for audio, Ethernet, USB devices, and whatever else you could connect to your laptop the included expansion dock routes everything to one USB cable that plugs into the computer. This also allows for a much tidier desktop since instead of cables coming out of every side of the computer they are now relegated to just the back of the stand. A cable router is also built into the dock and stand in order to keep cables together and prevent tangling.

The only drawbacks to the docking station are that it needs to be powered by an AC adaptor and there are a couple of drivers, which are included with the stand, that need to be installed in order for everything to work properly. A bus powered solution would be ideal for the expansion dock, but since the stand isn’t designed to be portable and will probably remain in the same spot I can’t fault Kensington for not including this.

Document Clip
One last feature that is worth mentioning is the document clip on the front of the stand. Emblazoned with the Kensington logo, the thin piece of black plastic that runs the length of the part of the stand that covers the keyboard comes in handy. On what would otherwise be dead space on the stand, a user can clip paper, notepads, and other important documents. I like to keep a pad of paper around to jot down notes and to-do lists and the clip works perfectly for me.

Performance

While I’ve always looked at laptop stands as accessories for the notebook owner who already has everything, I was suppressed at how useful and ergonomic the Kensington Expansion Dock and Stand is. Using my laptop on a flat surface was never a problem for me, but changing the viewing angle on the LCD and using it as an external monitor was a welcomed change. It took a day or two to get used to, but I do prefer using the stand instead of keeping my notebook flat on the desk.

Because of the way the stand is shaped and the way the computer sits in it I hoped that I might see an improvement in terms of cooling. Normally, my Thinkpad runs around 60°C and around 70°C under a heavy load while on my desk. Unfortunately the stand did little to alleviate any of the heat from my notebook.

One potential downside to the way the stand is designed is if your laptop has media keys located near or on the palm rest. In my experience any media keys that are on the palm rest are usually flush with the rest of the casing, so any accidental presses won’t occur. This could be an area of frustration for certain notebook owners though since the entire weight of the laptop would be pressing on these button when the computer is seated in the stand. With my Thinkpad, however, I was able to easily reach the feature keys since they are located at the top of the keyboard, like many other notebook computers.

The included expansion dock is a breeze to set up and get working properly. After installing a few drivers to get the audio and Ethernet working, I was able to plug all of my devices and cables into the dock and route them through a single USB cable to my laptop.  Setting up the 5.1 surround sound was a problem for me since I only have a 2.0 speaker system and the necessary cables to wire up everything is not included with the stand, but using front two channels on the dock works fine.

When it comes down to it, the Kensington Expansion Dock and Stand is an excellent accessory. I did not encounter many problems when setting up or using the stand, so I can’t fault Kensington for making a crummy product, but the one big issue I have with the stand and expansion dock is how much is sells for. $169.99 is a very expensive price to pay for an accessory that essentially props up your laptop and gives a few extra ports to plug in accessories. Your investment is well protected by the two year warranty that it comes with, in case something unfortunate happens, but I feel that the stand and expansion dock is more of a luxury than a necessity when it comes to accessorizing your laptop.

Conclusion

Pros:

• Well constructed and designed
• Sturdy
• Plenty of ports on the expansion dock
• Integrated document clip

Cons:

• Expensive
• Bulky, especially when set to a low height
• Luxury accessory

Recommendation

If you are in the market for a laptop stand and port replicator or hate being hunched over your laptop when sitting at a desk, I’d recommend the Kensington Expansion Dock and Stand because of its easy setup, features, and styling. However, if you are just shopping around for a new accessory for your notebook or are budget conscious I would stay away. $169.99 is a high price to pay for such a niche Availability/Warranty
The Kensington Expansion Dock and Stand has a retail price of $169.99 and comes with a two year Kensington warranty.

“Everything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it” – Confucius

Check the Portfolio soon for some writing samples. I’ve narrowed down the choices and figured out the best way to present the material (it’s taken me long enough) so those should appear with in a few days. Today, however, was spent creating Resume 2.0 (note to self: never lose InDesign files). Now to enjoy my Friday night…

I’ve forgotten about a few of these.

The last few days have been spent touring around the city with a friend of mine, seeing some of the finer places this town has to offer. I believe Travel Town was the highlight of the week.