Cool Down That Radiator…Err… Aluminum MacBook
Although the aluminum, or shall I say, “Al-loo-min-ee-um”, unibody construction of the new Macbooks and Macbook Pros are quite the engineering marvel, their propensity to transfer heat to you and your important bits can be quite unnerving. This is also true with previous generation Macbook Pros and the Macbook Airs. Targus decided that something had to be done to protect Macbook users so they came up with this.
The Chill Mat for Mac (Model # AWE41US) is less of a mat and more of a cooling platform for your Macbook of choice. Measuring 15.15″ x 11.22″ x 1.45″, the Chill Mat will accommodate up to a 15.4 inch Macbook Pro and weighs 1.6 lbs. Using two strategically placed USB powered fans aimed at the hot regions of Macbooks, the Chill Mat can be very effective in bringing down the temperature of your Macbook.
Instead of just building the Chill Mat for desktop use, Targus has designed it for use on your lap by employing a cloth mesh that not only provides protection from the spinning fans, but also gives your knees a bit of cushioning. Futurelooks has reviewed their fair share of notebook coolers, but we’ve never seen something like this implemented. It’s so simple and effective and so very Apple of Targus to think of doing this.
The effectiveness of the Chill Mat for Mac is further enhanced by a well perforated top which is discreetly fitted with matching white rubber dots to keep your Macbook from sliding off. Power is supplied to the unit via a USB cable and a manual on and off switch allows you to turn it off when you’re looking for a little bit more peace and quiet, though it’s not noisy by any means. However, you can hear the fans spinning in a completely dead quite room. Even without the fans on, the swiss cheesing will provide added cooling and air circulation under your Macbook. It will also keep the scarce USB ports free for your other peripherals.
The Chill Mat for Mac will set you back around $49.99 US and as you can see, the design and colors are well matched to any Macbook…well…except for the black MacBook.
Targus is Serious About Macs and it Shows…
This latest batch of products from Targus really shows off just how serious they are about breaking into the Apple Cult. Their use of uniquely Mac influenced design along with a great deal of though for both functionality and design makes this latest batch of products a solid alternative to any of the already established Mac accessories out there. As a new Mac owner myself, I really enjoyed using these products with my new MacBook Pro and I hope to see more of the same caliber of quality from Targus in the near future. If any of these ended up under the tree for me on Xmas Morning, I’d be pretty happy.
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