Twelve South

We make time to read Design*Sponge every chance we get — their tales of small space renovations for city dwellers and old furniture getting new life are awe-inspiring. We are suckers for great before-and-after shots. (And we should do a shout-out to the wonderful D*S founder Grace Bonney here…her new book, Design*Sponge at Home, is available for pre-order on Amazon.com right now, and you can bet we’ve ordered ours.)

Kate Pruitt, a Design*Sponge Senior Editor whose personal specialty is DIY, is one of our favorites on that site, and on another site, My Life Scoop, where she’s not afraid to show her love of all things tech.

In her words:

“As someone working in the design industry, I can tell you that getting your technology in order is crucial to your success in any creative field. The majority of graphic designers are already on board — take the fabulous typographer Jessica Hische and her streamlined office above, for example. But fine artists, craftsmen and other hands-on, low-tech worshippers should take note–the tech devices available for creatives today are really amazing, and can genuinely help creatives of all kinds spark ideas, manage their workflow, and stay organized and efficient.”

“I’ve rounded up some great gadgets and accessories that everyone in the creative class should check out. Whether it’s scanning and sharing your work online, sketching and jotting ideas on the go, or just minimizing the clutter in your office or studio, these tools can streamline your daily tasks and help open your mind to new ideas and inspirations.”

Thanks for taking notice of our BackPack (shown at #2)…it’s the best way we know of to hide things behind your Apple Cinema Display!

(TIP: If anyone finds #4, at $399, to be a bit steep for a laptop stand, may we suggest a certain “Apple-centric” stand we like to call BookArc for MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, or iPad?)

Cool Mom Tech, the brainchild of NYC-based power-blogging creatives Kristen Chase (herself a Parents magazine Top 10 Power Moms recipient and guest on both the Today show and CNN) and Liz Gumbinner (ad agency creative director cited on Forbes‘ list of 10 Mommyhood Gurus) is a site dedicated to serving as “the intersection of tech and style, of parenting, practicality and fabulosity.”

We like it because it brings cool techy things to our attention all the time — things we’ve somehow missed ourselves but love love love the moment we see them. (You can also follow Cool Mom Tech and Cool Mom Picks on Twitter.)

So it’s a uniquely fine honor to find our BookArc featured on the site.

Here’s what Liz at Cool Mom Tech (the sister site of Cool Mom Picks) has to say about BookArc:

I love that iPads aren’t just fun little gadgets anymore. Considering all the accessories for them now, you can really make them work hard for you. Case in point: a beautiful, thoughtful stand for those smitten with the Apple aesthetic.

The BookArc for iPad from the clever folks at twelvesouth keeps your tablet upright for easy charging, movie-watching, or digital photo displaying. Add a Bluetooth keyboard and set it on your desk, and now your tablet is your own mini-computer–perfect for those who don’t like the kickstand-style cases and want something with a little more permanence.

I kind of love everything about it.

And if you’re a MacBook Air owner (as I hope to be soon) twelvesouth’s BookArc for MacBook Air looks like an amazing tool. The steel stand is cushioned on the inside to cradle your MacBook Air snugly and securely, with clever cable management built in. But it’s not just a charging dock. If you’re a blogger or design type who works with two monitors, connect your MacBook Air to your external monitor in the BookArc, keep it closed, and apps like Photoshop will run way faster.

Poke around the twelvesouth site for a lot of nifty, accessories for Apple devotees and design minimalists. Same thing, right?

We’d have to agree. Get your own BookArc here…for iPad/iPad 2, for MacBook, and for MacBook Air.

iLounge has been one of the leading authorities for reviews and news about everything Apple for nearly 10 years. (Fact of the day: The site was started shortly after the announcement of the original iPod almost a decade ago!) After previously reviewing both BookArc for MacBook Pro and BookArc for iPad, iLounge decided to take a look at the newest addition to the BookArc family, BookArc for Air.

So what did they think? From the review:

Now that the MacBook Air is a legitimate contender for laptop mindshare, what’s to stop it from taking over desktops, too? That was Twelve South’s thought behind BookArc for Air ($40), the newest family member in the BookArc line (remember the MacBook and iPad versions?). A simple, clean steel stand, it securely holds and displays the MacBook Air in a closed position, perfect for when the computer is connected to an external monitor. Since the 11- and 13-inch models have the same thickness, they both fit perfectly into the cushioned insert.

Twelve South has taken this model to the next level with built in cable management, especially important now that the Air has I/O on both sides. This allows power, audio, video, and USB cables to be run unseen behind the computer, avoiding the usual tangles and clutter. In addition, by having the computer closed, full video memory is allocated towards the external display, enabling graphics-heavy programs to work at peak speed—always a plus.

A few extra details: BookArc for Air’s significantly smaller than the standard BookArc, greatly reducing the required surface area the stand consumes on a desk. The new cable management hole is large enough for Apple’s latest LED Cinema Display multi-cables, but obviously accommodates a standard power supply as well, as shown above. No additional rubber inserts are included in the package, so you’ll need to make the most of the single sized version shown here, which has just enough space for a bare MacBook Air in the center. While the film-coated Air we use just barely fits into the opening, it sticks a little to the rubber, occasionally causing the stand to tug upwards when the Air’s removed. That aside, we love this design.

Manage all your cables while gaining some valuable desk space with BookArc for Air. Get your own here with free shipping for a limited time (US only).

OmniTechBuzz sees a lot of tech products, and puts a lot of great ihow-tos and tips out there, including some useful stuff about great apps. Last week they tested out our BookArc for iPad/iPad 2 and put together this really professional and straightforward review. Thanks for the coverage! Great stuff! We hope to see more Twelve South products on OmniTechBuzz.

And if you’d like to enjoy the stand that OmniTechBuzz gives “5 out of 5 stars,” order it here.

The folks over at Run Around Tech are starting to get familiar with Twelve South. After reviewing and loving our SurfacePad for MacBook Pro, they decided to check out BookArc, the desktop stand for MacBook.

So was BookArc another hit? Read on to find out.

When I’m in my home office, I run my MacBook Pro exclusively in “clamshell” or “closed-lid” mode, meaning I use an external monitor, keyboard and mouse and keep my laptop tucked out of the way (check this Apple support article if you don’t know what I’m talking about). I’ve tried setting it down in numerous places, but I constantly am knocking out the power cord or reaching behind my desk for dropped cables as I put it in and out of this configuration. I’m happy to say I’ve finally found a solution – and its name is BookArc.

The BookArc is a laptop stand from Twelve South, makers of some fantastic Mac-only accessories, including the previously reviewed, and awesome, SurfacePad.  I was immediately struck with the beauty of this product. Once again, from the packaging to the industrial design of the device itself, Twelve South paid attention to every detail – just like Apple does in its line of portables. The BookArc is a metal laptop stand in the shape of a gentle, curving arc. A notch in the middle holds your closed laptop while still providing access to all the machine’s ports and DVD drive.

Honestly, there really isn’t much more to “review” about this product. It works exactly as advertised, and it looks damn good doing it. The brushed metallic surface and smooth, clean lines match the design of Apple’s laptops perfectly. As you can see from the amount of photos in this review’s gallery, I really like the look of this stand. If you need to free up some desk space or are just looking for a unique way to hold your laptop in clamshell mode, this is the stand for you. I highly recommend this product and look forward to seeing what Twelve South has up their sleeves next.

SurfacePad and now BookArc? It’s always nice to see Twelve South accessories being enjoyed in their natural habitat. (We do wonder what’s next on their list, maybe a BackPack or MagicWand?) Free up some desk space and go “closed-clamshell” by picking up your own BookArc for MacBook here.

We’ve always thought BookArc for Air was “hot stuff,” and now Macworld agrees with us! The newest addition to the BookArc family is featured in April’s Macworld as one of the products they’re raving about.

In their words:
“If you just can’t stand your MacBook Air, there’s help at hand from the folks at Twelve South. The $40 BookArc for Air is constructed from heavy gauge steel, with a soft insert that keeps your Air snug without scratching it.

On the base are silicone footpads that keep the stand from sliding around or gouging your desk. There’s also an integrated cable management system so you can clearly shepard all your unsightly cords behind the Air, as well as keep them in place when you need to take the Air out of the stand. The BookArc is compatible with the new 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Airs.”

An 11-inch MacBook Air parked in BookArc paired with a 27-inch LED Cinema Display sounds like the ultimate “portable desktop computer,” doesn’t it? Take your MacBook Air vertical and add some sizzle at the same time. Pick up your own BookArc for Air here.

Tech correspondent Phil Baker knows his stuff — in his work with The Daily Transcript (San Diego) he’s pretty much seen it all. If it’s been invented and hit the market, he’s probably had a peek at it.

That’s precisely why we’re honored that after enjoying our BookArc for a few weeks, Phil chose it as the “tech product of the week” for his Tech column.

Here’s the skinny, hot off the press:

Tech Product of the Week: BookArc

Notebooks have become so thin, they take up hardly any room when stored on their edge. So Twelve South has created a beautiful arc-shaped stand created out of a solid slab of aluminum for just that purpose. Use it to store a MacBook Air or similar sized notebook while charging or using with a monitor and keyboard. A soft insert firmly grips the notebook for a secure fit while a keyhole routes cables out of the way. ($40, twelvesouth.com)

Thanks for the coverage! Want to clear the clutter on your desk and make maximum use of your MacBook with a monitor and wireless keyboard? Get your own BookArc here.