A Few Baaaaaad Apples

SONET writes: "Why aren't all laptops made like this? I'm always putting my lappie in my otherwise empty briefcase. Even if it's just Photoshop/GIMP vapor, I really like the idea of a more rugged shell ... and the design is exceptionally clean. I know there are ruggedized laptops for the military and the like, but they really aren't for the average consumer as I envision something like this could be. The page is in Japanese, but the images really speak for themselves." I'm assuming it's just a mockup, the nicer to be proved wrong about ;) For the Exacto knife-and-firesale crowd though, an anonymous reader whispers that "Some guy modded his G4 Cube to have a Propaganda tile mapped inside the case. Looks excellent. That it does.

Mockup? Nah.

[BitchAss]

I'm assuming it's just a mockup, the nicer to be proved wrong about ;)

It seems to be a working model. There's a picture of it working here [geocities.co.jp]

Where to order the cases

[Anml4ixoye]

The company I used to work for, Root International [rootintl.com], sells these cases. I have one very similar to the one this gentlemen used for my laptop (thought it's just a case). They can build them to do just about anything, custom foam inserts, etc. They even sell cases just like that one for Palm Pilots, etc.

Commercially available here

[Anonymous Coward]

You can buy commercially available PC architecture machines like this from Dolch.
http://www.dolch.com [dolch.com]

The metal briefcase style fall under their "rugged laptops" category. I haven't used the laptop, but I've used the "rugged portable with slots" style case, and can vouch that it is very high quality (filtered fans, shock mounted everything, etc.).
-- Chris Caudle

Re:why?

[am 2k]

I find it hard to believe that an incredibly useful not-yet-invented technology would only be available in PC card form and not in a little breakout box that'll let you hook it up to anything with a USB port.

Well: USB 2.0, FireWire 2, faster 802.11, gigibit ethernet etc
Those are just too fast for USB/Firewire

btw, the iBook does have a PCMCIA-slot, the Airport socket. It's internal, so you wouldn't be able to connect something to it like a network cable.

(I own one of those dual USB iBooks)

some translation

[novastyli]

On the details ("detail") page [geocities.co.jp],

CD-RECORDER DRIVE

It has a cd-r drive for imac, CDR-I420/IM(SONY CRX510E), made by Melco.
It is very useful when I work aborad. It makes it easy to transfer large data to Windows-using clients.

POWER KEY

The power key is solid aluminium. The same for the reset key.

SPEAKER

The speaker consists of a mesh of aluminium and a ring made of solid aluminium.

TRACK PAD

The button is made of solid aluminium. It feels wonderful when you click. Also, it prevents miss-clicks.

SLEEP LAMP

I made the sleep lamp out of a solid acrylic. It flashes when the mac is sleeping. Together with the apple mark, this is important for the look.

APPLE MARK

I made this apple mark by casting graphite-colored epoxy-resin into a mould I made with silicone by taking the shape of the apple mark on a blueberry ibook.
It glows softly by the light of the LCD backlight. (put your mouse pointor on the picture --novastyli)

PORT

The USB connector, whose position is a shorcoming of an ibook, was moved to the back, beefed up to a four-port hub. Of course, all other connectors are also on the back.

AIR MAC (Mech Mushroom)

It contains an air-mac inside. It works great when I work at places near my home, such as a park or a cafe.

Re:why?

[firewort]

I must respond to this:

1. Don't need PCMCIA cards on the iBook. It has USB, firewire (IEEE1394), 56k, and 10/100 ethernet.
What PCMCIA would you commonly need besides this. (you say token-ring and I kill you. :-D )

2. Incorrect. The iBook does drive external monitors at 1024x768. It does this in a video mirroring method where the same display on the LCD is echoed on the monitor. If you could turn off the mirroring function, the external display could get 1600x1200 at millions of colors.

The Ti wasn't meant to compete with bland ole Dells, it was meant to show up the sleek VAIOs. Comparing Apple to Dell is like comparing apples and lemons. (yes, I meant lemons. Dells have consistently gone bad on me, in laptop, desktop, and server form. Lousy hardware that a Dell tech has to come running to replace while I sit in downtime.)

Something On Topic

[Space Cow]

Can't believe all the unrelated crap getting modded up today.

Anyway, some real info:

First, I read through the whole thing including his guest book (BBS link) and it looks like the real thing. He claims that his making of section will be in the August edition of Mac Life (Japanese Mac magazine). I will see if I see it on the stands before I head back to the states. Ok, just searched the web real quick and...presto:
Mac Life [bnn.co.jp] does have an article about this! So it is real.

Also, in the guest book section he says that he is working on a Halli Mac 2 based on the new iBook.