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MacBooks at The Apple Store

by Noah Kravitz, Reviews Editor 21 March 2007


Give Your MacBook a Lift: Griffin Elevator Notebook Stand



Pros: Sleek, minimalist design; Sturdy, lightweight construction
Cons: Not Adjustable
In Sum: Great looking, stable boost for your MacBook - if the fixed height works for you
Pricing: $39.99
More Info: Product Page

My desktop computing setup consists of my iBook G4 attached to a 19" LCD monitor, an external keyboard and mouse, and a host of USB peripherals. Plopping my iBook down on the desk amidst all of this extra stuff makes for a terrible viewing angle; the computer's screen really needs to be raised up to near eye-level for anything approaching decent ergonomics. Once the iBook is in place, however, I'm afforded the luxuries of a desktop computing experience with the "unplug and go" flexibility of owning a laptop.

Griffin's Elevator "Desktop Stand for Personal Computers" is an aluminum and plastic stand that elevates your notebook computer 5.5" in the air, affording more ergonomic positioning as well as the cooling benefits of increased airflow beneath the computer. Designed as a successor to the company's all-plastic "iCurve" stand, Elevator features a collapsible aluminum and clear plastic construction with rubber gripper pads designed to hold the front edge of your computer in place.

Assembling Elevator was a cinch. Lightweight and possessing a relatively small footprint, Elevator was also easy to position amidst the admittedly crowded cluster of cables and peripherals strewn across my workspace. The only catch came when I tried to get my iBook at the proper viewing height relative to my seated position. I have my external LCD panel raised about 6" or so off my desk on a monitor stand. As such, I needed to get my iBook's screen up higher than Elevator could manage; while some notebook stands offer adjustable angles and/or are designed to acommodate laptops with their screens open beyond 90 degrees, Elevator was made to hold your latpop flat, with the screen open to a right angle. As such, I couldn't get my iBook's display up as high off the desk as I could with some other laptop stands I've tried. The flip side is that Elevator's design allows for easier positioning of cables and even small accesories beneath the computer, not to mention the increased air circulation it promotes.

My solution? I wound up propping Elevator atop a small plastic shelf akin to my aforementioned monitor stand to give it an extra boost of a few inches. While this setup detracts a bit from Elevator's cool good looks, it gets my computer's screen up to a better height for me, which is more important.

I can't fault Elevator for the height of my desk, but it would be an even better product if it were height adjustable. Still, for forty dollars, it's an attractive, well-built product that will get the job done in most cases. Adjustable notebook stands generally go for quite a bit more money ( Macally's IceStation notwithstanding), so Griffin's definitely made a competitive product in the Elevator. Check it out if your MacBook could use a lift when you use it at home.

The Griffin Elevator Desktop Stand for Personal Computers sells for $39.99 direct from Griffin Technology. Elevator is also available from Dr. Bott and other computer resellers.

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Get the best price for your new iPod at PCPrices.net/iPod

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Noah Kravitz is the Reviews Editor for PBCentral. A writer, educator, and musician, he lives in Oakland, CA and is the author of Teaching and Learning with Technology.


 

Week's Best MacBook Prices:
Specials for PowerBook Central Readers

17" MacBook Pro
2.8GHz: MSRP $2499
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ClubMac - The Online Mac SuperStore $2248.99
MacConnection $2249
MacMall - Your #1 Apple Superstore! $2294

15" MacBook Pro
2.53GHz: MSRP $1699
2.66GHz: MSRP $1999
2.8GHz: MSRP $2299

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2.53GHz 2.66GHz 2.8GHz
ClubMac - The Online Mac SuperStore $1578.99 $1798.99 $2088.99
MacConnection $1579 $1799 $2089
MacMall - Your #1 Apple Superstore! $1579 $1844 $2094

13" MacBook Pro
2.26GHz: MSRP $1199
2.53GHz: MSRP $1499
spacer
2.26GHz 2.53GHz
ClubMac - The Online Mac SuperStore $1118.99 $1398.99
MacConnection $1119 $1399
MacMall - Your #1 Apple Superstore! $1094 $1394

MacBook Air
1.86GHz/120GB HD: MSRP $1499
2.13GHz/128GB SSD: MSRP $1799
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1.86GHz 2.13GHz
ClubMac - The Online Mac SuperStore $1438.99 $1728.99
MacConnection $1439 $1729
MacMall - Your #1 Apple Superstore! $1439 $1729

Apple Store
Apple Refurbished
17" 2.93GHz MacBook Pro: $2199
17" 2.66GHz MacBook Pro: $1949
15" 2.93GHz MacBook Pro: $1949
15" 2.66GHz MacBook Pro: $1699
15" 2.8GHz MacBook Pro: $1699
15" 2.4GHz MacBook Pro: $1349
13" 2.4GHz Alum MacBook: $1099
13" 2.0GHz Alum MacBook: $949
13" 2.13GHz White MacBook: NA
13" 1.8GHz/128GB MacBook Air: $1449
13" 1.6GHz/120GB MacBook Air: $1199

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