Techshell
Protective Laptop Covers
Reviewed by
Steve Fyffe
Introduction
http://www.techshell.biz/15mapro12nde.html
Why
would you want a Techshell Protective Case?
When one spends a few thousand bucks
on a shiny new MacBook Pro, his heart drops just a bit, when that first scratch
or dent mars the aluminum surface. Some may want to mod their new MacBook Pro
to make the announcement, “Hey, man, I march to a different drummer.” If you
hold tightly to your precious Mac, as I do, you want to make sure that grip is
firm. These are a few of the reasons you may want to consider Techshell’s line
of protective laptop covers.
Getting
Started
I need not
give a wordy explanation how to start using the Techshell case. I just snapped
on the top and then the bottom. The cases are form-fitted, engineered precisely
to the dimensions of the Mac laptop. Small tabs on each corner securely hold it
in place, with no adhesives to mar the surface you want to protect. Although I
didn’t think about it at the time, I would recommend making sure the surface is
very clean before snapping on the Techshell case, to prevent causing a scratch
from trapped dirt Of course I didn’t think about it because I looked at the
instructions AFTER putting it on … like what man worth his salt does? I did
find their on-line Q&A page (1) very informative, including the PDF &
video, once I perused it.
My
Experience
The first thing I noticed on the Black Rubberized Techshell case
was that the bottom was a little loose on the rear, left side near the Magsafe
power port. I was not able to secure the tab on this corner. I’m not sure
whether this was intentional or a quality issue. This did not cause any real
problem. In fact, I appreciated this “feature” when I needed to remove the
bottom later. All ports were fully accessible.
One
“opportunity” arose during my evaluation, which the Techshell case caused me a
minor dilemma. My logic board went out twice … go figure. I needed to drop off
my MacBook Pro to my local certified Apple care technician. I wanted to remove
the protective cover, just in case they needed to send it on to Apple. I found
that the form-fitted top was a little too form-fitting for my taste. I had
great difficulty removing the top. Finally, with a very thin metal knife with a
rounded end without a sharp edge (looked like a putty knife which my wife found
in the kitchen), I was able to pry up the tabs to get it off. This caused a
slight, unnoticeable scratch … exactly what I wanted to prevent. Later,
I was
directed by the Techshell representative to watch a video available on YouTube.
The fellow
made removing the lid look very simple. He used his fingernail to first pry up
the tabs in back, and then it came right off. He must have had finger nails
made of transparent aluminum and very thin … do you remember Scotty using a
MacPlus in the movie Star Trek IV:
The Voyage Home? … but I digress.
Durability
Although
not constructed of transparent aluminum, the Black Rubberized Techshell is made
of high-quality, durable PolyCarb plastic with the added feature of having a
rubberized coating for a firm grip. Mind you, I said rubberized, not
Flubberized … don’t test it by bouncing your MacBook Pro & expect to see it
gently float back to you … duh. Just as they advertise, the rubberized surface
did give a much better grip than the aluminum surface of the MacBook Pro.
Also, the
Black Rubberized Techshell does look very sharp, but the first thing my wife
said was, “You can’t see the Apple.” For a fleeting moment, I thought about one
of many white Apple decals in my den … uh, a little cheesy, don’t you think?
Techshell’s
rubberized cases come in a few other colors. There are also several clear cases
made of the same durable plastic in a variety of colors. Therefore, you can
still show off the glowing Apple (2). If you want make an even louder statement,
Techshell has some opaque (loose Apple again), metallic models in hot pink and
orange.
Now, if you
recall the Tangerine Clamshell iBook featured in the first Legally Blonde, there is a customized Techshell
which would make Reese Witherspoon giggle. This hot pink case, called the Bling
Bling (3), is “CRYSTALLIZED WITH 100% GENUINE SWAROVSKI CRYSTALS” … whatever
that is; looked like gaudy beads to me … “custom made and each crystal is
placed one by one by hand.” Sorry, you will need to contact Reese, if you want
a review on that case, thank you.
Conclusion
Aside from my little mishap
described above, I give the Black Rubberized Techshell protective case a high
score. It does exactly what it was constructed to do … protect, add aesthetic
beauty, and give a firm grip.
References:
(1) http://www.techshell.biz/qa.html
(2) http://www.techshell.biz/15mapro12nde.html
(3) http://www.techshell.biz/blingtechshell.html
