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A little review: Twelve South SurfacePad for 13" MBP

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Old 22-09-2009, 03:22 PM   #1
crazyaboutapple
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A little review: Twelve South SurfacePad for 13" MBP

Have just received this little package and here am i posting a little on my latest purchase.

Start:
Google a little and spot on this new company who have designed and produced 3 (yes... 3 to begin with) products solely for the Macintosh community. Almost instantly fallen in love with their wrist pad for 13" MacBook Pro which is different from others - in leather!

Read up more on it got me going crazy for it and click on to get one myself as i wanted something unique. Having a soft spot for leather, having no other similar offering for wrist protector from other company, having a thing for floral design, this SurfacePad fit in the bill so perfectly.

After patiently waited for 3 weeks, i got it and started to shoot along the way as i stick it on to my new found love: 13" MacBook Pro.



Simple, compact packaging. Showing off the product in clear wrapper along with a cardboard sheet to prevent folding that will damage the product. A little comparison (can't help it as i am a accessories-whore who scout around for products): packaging can do a little better as the cardboard is not really hard enough to prevent folding. Moshi did a better job in this department, harder cardboard packaging with a little clear window to show off the product. Of cos, this change in packaging might increase the cost of SurfacePad so.... secondary to most if not all of us (consumer) where we care more about the product itself.

More of the packaging:



The full packaging one expected to see.



The company behind it.
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Old 22-09-2009, 03:22 PM   #2
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Continue...



Back of the packaging.



Out of the wrapper. The actual SurfacePad (before applying). The floral design on Napa Leather simply make me go... crazy...



Top-down view.

Last edited by crazyaboutapple : 22-09-2009 at 03:29 PM.
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Old 22-09-2009, 03:23 PM   #3
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Now come the part to get my hands dirty and start applying.
Simple 3 steps instructions at the back of the SurfacePad.
Basically, they spilt the application of SurfacePad into 3 "zones".
1. Strip below the trackpad.
2. Strip between the bottom of keyboard and bottom of trackpad and
3. Strip between the top of keyboard and bottom of keyboard.





3 pull-out tags to expose the adhesive side of SurfacePad, pretty much like those screen protectors available in the market, with little instructions beside it as shown.

Actual application was not too difficult. What i did was to align the SurfacePad nicely and accurately on the MacBook Pro, place 2 heavy items to prevent mis-alightment again, peel off the strips one at a time as instructed and apply pressure to secure the SurfacePad in place.

Last edited by crazyaboutapple : 22-09-2009 at 03:40 PM.
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Old 22-09-2009, 03:23 PM   #4
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The application took me few good minutes. After which, my main concern (though was addressed on their website under FAQ) is to check if my MacBook Pro is able to close nicely with this added leather wrist protector.



As claimed, closed perfectly like there is nothing added at all.

Picture of it after i have applied.



In summary:

Pros:
1. Does the job of protecting wrist area.
2. Unique (at this moment) as the only maker of a leather wrist protector.
3. Beautify while serving a function with the embossed floral design.

Cons ( i have to do this in a constructive way without being bias to my own preferences):
1. None.




Ok ok... let's do this again.

Cons:
1. Not for sweaty palm as in those with palm that really sweat in this tropical isle. Unless you wanted a really unique MacBook Pro that smells as well.
2. Cost. It is on a high side as compared to the next highest and most well-received wrist protector. SGD$76 to get one shipped over here comparing to Moshi's PalmGuard at SGD$40 where Moshi include a trackpad protector as well. Of course, the material is different. One is a premium Napa Leather while the other is a wear-resistant thin film. As one know, leather stuff is never cheap.

Last edited by crazyaboutapple : 22-09-2009 at 04:16 PM.
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Old 22-09-2009, 11:20 PM   #5
ashwOOtz
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that looks nice! where can i get it?
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Old 23-09-2009, 12:18 AM   #6
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Yeah its nice. Only black?
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Old 23-09-2009, 04:59 AM   #7
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if you ask me i would say the look is "over kill" and it look like some cowboy movie thing and it totally destroy the slick look of the aluminum mbp.
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Old 23-09-2009, 05:03 AM   #8
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To own's preference.
Some like hard shell while i think it too much to pay for and getting some heat trapped for the price and the list goes on.

As for where to get, so far only from their online site.
http://www.twelvesouth.com/

I brought their BackPack as well. Sadly, the iMac is gone and now i'm left with this brand new BackPack with no way to use it with my MBP.
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Old 23-09-2009, 05:13 AM   #9
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To own's preference.
Some like hard shell while i think it too much to pay for and getting some heat trapped for the price and the list goes on.

As for where to get, so far only from their online site.
http://www.twelvesouth.com/

I brought their BackPack as well. Sadly, the iMac is gone and now i'm left with this brand new BackPack with no way to use it with my MBP.
yours is a palm guard not a outer protective shell.so the twelvesouth won't trap heat at all ?
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Old 23-09-2009, 07:19 AM   #10
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I was wondering about heat issue with this pasted on as well...

And I agreed that the looks way overkill. Thats why I was wondering if thats due to black. Maybe grey color would be okay.
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Old 23-09-2009, 11:12 AM   #11
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my comment is a bad colour combination for silver n black.. spoilt the beauty of mbp
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Old 23-09-2009, 01:20 PM   #12
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Try this:
Place your MBP on your lap and work on it say... an hour
You can still rest your palm and type away or do whatever you are doing but chances are: you will find a book or something to place between your lap and your MBP after a while.
So where does the majority of the heat distribute to?
Better insulator of heat: plastic or leather?

For color, they only have black. Not sure if they are coming out with any other color.
My past experience with wrist protector like marware etc that is silver to go with the color of the MBP, they tend to get "dis-color" after a period of usage. So when the SurfacePad is available in black, i go with it without much hesitation. Even if they offer other color choices, i will most likely go with black on the safe side. Again, it is personal choice. colour

And like i said: personal preference on "pimping" your devices. Some like it blingbling, some like it bare, some like it well protected, some like it graphically filled with stickers and stuff. Subjective to all, creative to some, answerable to none.

This post mainly serve as "review" of something that is not available locally which might appeal to some of the mac users here. But definitely not a "show-off" if you are thinking along the line. BTW, i am not related to the company in any way. I buy it like any other consumer.

Last edited by crazyaboutapple : 23-09-2009 at 01:37 PM.
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Old 23-09-2009, 01:35 PM   #13
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The entire macbook is made of alum. It doesn't matter if the keyboard portion is covered. Remember that heat always will travel to the colder part.

You might not even feel the heat difference with just a leather protector on top of your macbook.
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Old 23-09-2009, 01:40 PM   #14
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The entire macbook is made of alum. It doesn't matter if the keyboard portion is covered. Remember that heat always will travel to the colder part.

You might not even feel the heat difference with just a leather protector on top of your macbook.
This i agreed. Further more, there are outlet on the top of MBP: keyboard to dissipate the heat. My comment is on actual usage.
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Old 23-09-2009, 03:54 PM   #15
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This i agreed. Further more, there are outlet on the top of MBP: keyboard to dissipate the heat. My comment is on actual usage.
heat do escape from the keyboard itself
but most are ventted out thru the back iirc (:
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