Hard Shell

"There is no virtue in creating accessories that are not practical.
- Giorgio Armani

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Accessory Review
by Maria O. Arguello

Product: SeeThru hard shell cover for 15" MacBook Pro

Company: Speck Products, Inc

URL: www.speckproducts.com

Price: $39.95

System Requirements: 15 " MacBook Pro

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Apples

If you've been looking for an elegant accessory that protects but doesn't hide the beauty of your MacBook Pro, you need look no further. Go to the link above and check out the SeeThru hard shell for (and only available for) the 15" MacBook Pro, in red or clear. I love the red one since it's my favorite color. The case is a sturdy two-piece snap-on cover made of shiny polycarbonate plastic for scratch protection.

To install, place your closed MacBook Pro into the bottom shell, and snap it into place. Then snap the top shell over the top of the computer. There are good graphics included. To remove the top shell, open the MacBook Pro and snap back the front corners, and then the back. To remove the bottom, pull the small tabs away from the MacBook Pro corners to release the case. The unit does not come with removal instructions, but it's easily done, should you wish to sell your MacBook Pro. Then again, it is unlikely this shell would fit a different replacement model, so including it in the sale would add value, get you a better price, and delight new owner with notebook's pristine condition.

The 15" MacBook Pro SeeThru hard shell case has convenient access to all the ports, with openings wide enough to accommodate all connections. This is important because some connectors are wider than others.

So what about the heat from the MacBook Pro? Will the SeeThru hard shell provide enough ventilation? Not a problem. The SeeThru hard shell has 74 (I counted them.) ventilation slots to facilitate the proper cooling, allowing thermal exchange from the internal heatsinks of the MacBook Pro, keeping the computer from overheating. It is very cool (no pun intended).

I've always wanted to paint my PowerBooks red but refrained when I found out that it would void Apple's warranty. So when I saw the red SeeThru hard shell, I just had to have it. It is the perfect solution for me. It will protect my MacBook Pro and keep it scratch-free and looking like new.

The SeeThru shell is beautiful; it looks more expensive than $39.95. Have I mentioned that I like the fact that it doesn't hide the beauty of the computer? We certainly would not want to hide the beautiful Apple design that we love so much. If you own a 15" MacBook Pro this is a must-have. Speck Products expects to release a SeeThru hard shell model for the 13" MacBook in November, 2006. Check out their site for more protective covers to protect your valuable gear.

Maria O. Arguello
Reviewer:
Maria O. Arguello

Maria O. Arguello is president and vendor liaison of the Main Line Macintosh Users Group (MLMUG) . She is the Apple User Group Regional Liaison for the Northeast United States. http://tinyurl.com/rglv3.

This site has many more reviews, all written by MLMUG members.
View all our book reviews. Or, view our
Software, hardware, and game reviews.