New Cases for the Macbook Pro

[Darcy]

So...what do you all think? Excited about the MacBook? Excited about the Size 4X Brain Cell and Monolith?

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TOM BIHN introduces the first laptop bag for the MacBook Pro

January 10, 2006

TOM BIHN - http://www.tombihn.com - designer, manufacturer and
retailer of laptop bags has created the new Size 4X of their hard-shell
Brain Cell and Monolith laptop cases specifically for the
15.4" MacBook Pro.

The MacBook Pro, introduced today by Steve Jobs during his keynote at
the Macworld conference, requires an entirely new size of protective case designed specifically around its dimensions, which include a very thin
1" height.

The Brain Cell (available in eight sizes, including Size 4X) and Monolith (available in five sizes, including Size 4X) laptop cases take laptop protection a step further. Cradled in 8mm thick soft foam padding, the laptop hangs suspended in a 4mm hard corrugated plastic insert that protects from the front, back, and bottom. The sides are protected by dense cross-linked closed-cell polyethylene foam. This offers the toughest protection you can get for your laptop in a case that is still light and minimalist. The Brain Cell will clip securely inside one of our messenger bags or briefcases, be carried on its own, or slip into your current bag. The Monolith is designed to clip inside our backpacks, slip inside your current backpack, or it can also can be carried on its own. The Brain Cell and
Monolith are available in five colors: Black, Steel, Deep Blue, Crimson, and Wasabi.

The Size 4X Brain Cell is in production now and available for pre-order today with a ship date of February 15th, 2006. The Size 4X Monolith is available for pre-order today with a ship date of February 28th.

The Size 4X Brain Cell retails for $50.00. The Size 4X Monolith retails for $45.00.

The Size 4X Brain Cell Product Page

The Size 4X Monolith Product Page

TOM BIHN has been designing, manufacturing, and selling bags for over 13 years - online at http://www.tombihn.com and with a retail location in Seattle, Washington. Our bags are manufactured in Seattle, Washington where we continue to build bags and jobs. We offer unusually attentive customer service and a lifetime guarantee. We use the best quality materials, superior construction and sophisticated design to build our laptop bags.

If you would like review the Brain Cell, Monolith or any of our other products, or have any further questions, feel free to email us at [email protected] or call us at 1-800-729-9607. High resolution images of the Brain Cell, along with this press release, are available on our blog.

[moriond]

Darcy, any way to give a qualitative description of the size of the 4X relative to the size 4? Is this slightly larger but thinner? And should customers expect the 4X to work in all the bags that currently can take the size 4 brain cell? Thanks.

[Darcy]

moriond,

You're right -- the 4X is slightly larger but thinner than the 4. The 4X is designed specifically and only for the MacBook, so it will be a perfectly customized fit.

The 4X Brain Cell will fit inside the ID messenger bag, Super Ego messenger bag, and Empire Builder briefcase. It's just a little bit too wide to fit inside the Brain Bag -- which is why we're also making a Size 4X Monolith, which will fit inside both the Brain Bag and Smart Alec.

Do you plan on getting a MacBook? I want one!

[hypercube]

Waiting for the "free Macbook Pro with purchase" deal.

[moriond]

moriond,

You're right -- the 4X is slightly larger but thinner than the 4. The 4X is designed specifically and only for the MacBook, so it will be a perfectly customized fit.

Do you plan on getting a MacBook? I want one!

Another question: do you know whether the 4X is slightly deeper than the size 4? There are a lot of ThinkPad users who have looked at the size 4 brain cell, and found it just slightly too small and not quite deep enough. On the T40 and T41 models one can just use the size 4 brain cell, though a very slight increase in depth would be preferred. It sounds to me as though the 4X might fit the larger T42 and T43 (15") ThinkPad varieties. If you have customers inquiring about fits for those models, you might ask them about the dimensions, because the new MacBook might be similar in size.

And I can't afford a new MacBook yet! I keep spending my money on these Tom Bihn bags. . . (I'm still waiting for the laptop inserts for the LUX; any news of when they will be available? Oh, yes, and then there's the Aeronaut.).

[leuvenator]

Just when I thought you guys couldn't get more fabulous . . .

I'm buying a MacBook this summer as a gift to myself once I complete the bar exam. I'm also been thinking about which Tom Binh bag I'm going to get for my Hoboken-NYC commute and had a moment of panic -- "What's going to fit it?"

You made my day all over again .

[Darcy]

Waiting for the "free Macbook Pro with purchase" deal.

That would definitely be a good way to sell a lot of bags!

moriond:
I'll ask our laptop fit experts to take a look at the IBM Thinkpad dimensions and compare them to the MacBook. We won't be making any tweaks to the Size 4X that would allow laptops other than the MacBook to fit inside of it, but we may make another new size of Brain Cell, or adjust a previous size of Brain Cell, to better fit the Thinkpads.

leuvenator:
I am so glad to hear that! Good luck on the bar exam and good for you for getting yourself a MacBook. I don't know if you already have an Apple laptop, but I've had my 15" Powerbook for about a year and a half and I can't remember what life was like before having it (or at least I try to forget.)

[EGT]

Hmmm, do you think the brain bag will be changed to accommodate the Macbook Pro in the brain cell?

[Darcy]

Actually, the Size 4X Brain Cell WILL fit into the Brain Bag. We tried it, and surprisingly, it works well.

[EGT]

Ahhh that's great to know!

Thanks

[Glen]

Smart Alec

I just got my Smart Alec and Monolith sleeve today! Wow, am I impressed. I've have bags before, but none as great as this one. My MacBook Pro filts like a glove and plenty of room left over for whatever extras I need, including the battery charger.
BTW, I'm an author, and always have lots of reference materials to carry along. Books, ledger pads, pens, etc. No sweat! Smart Alec can handle whatever goes with me (except my wife won't fit in it.)