
Evaluating Extended Warranties and the Disparity in Netbook/Notebook Failure Rates
Last month, SquareTrade—a company in the business of selling extended warranties directly to consumers online, with what it claims are better prices and coverage plans than store-bought options—released a report on netbook and notebook failure rates. Much of the discussion the report generated focused on the company's estimated failure rates for three-year-old systems, as well as the significant disparity between vendors. In focusing on that admittedly juicy section of the data, however, some of SquareTrade's
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Cherrypal Africa Netbook: The World's "First" $99 Laptop
OLPC tried its best to come out with a $100 (or so) notebook, but after all was said and done, it failed. Cherrypal is known for producing low-cost wares, and now it's claiming that it has just launched the planet's first $99 laptop. Sure, you can pick up small notebooks overseas for less than $100, but no mainstream US-based machine has hit the level until now. You may remember this company as responsible for producing the world's "greenest desktop computer," and today it's launching its first $99 netbook.
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D-Link's DIR-412 3.5G Wireless Router Spreads WWAN Love Over Wi-Fi
What's better than a WLAN router? Why, a WWAN router, of course! D-Link has just introduced its newest 3.5G router in the DIR-412, which is a compact wireless access point that essentially enables multiple users with Wi-Fi devices to share a single cellular data connection. The portable router ships with 802.11n functionality, which essentially enables users to plug in their WWAN modem and then distribute that signal to any device with a Wi-Fi chip. You'll obviously see a significant slow down if you try to
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Wi-Fi Is Taking Over The World Of Entertainment Devices
It is becoming ever more unusual to find entertainment devices without wi-fi technology built in, and that's a trend that should only increase in the next several years. In-Stat conducted an in-depth report on the wi-fi market and believes shipments of devices incorporating wireless tech will increase from 108.8 million this year to 177.3 million in 2013. While wi-fi is more or less standard for laptops, other computers and peripherals such as printers and scanners, it's only become a standard in entertainment
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Toshiba Announces 64GB Flash Memory Module For Portable Electronics
Toshiba launched a new 64GB flash memory module that is designed for use in portable devices. The company claims the new module is the highest-capacity flash module in the industry. The new 64GB NAND flash module is 30 micrometers thin and has a dedicated controller and sixteen 32Gbit chips. It is manufactured using Toshiba's 32-nanometer process technology. Toshiba currently supplies the flash memory for Apple's iPhone 3GS, so this announcement has led many to speculate that future generations of the iPhone
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Comcast Begins Streaming Your Favorite Shows Online - Legally
As promised, Comcast's online television experiment is rolling out across the nation, part of the industry-wide TV Everywhere initiative designed to keep cable companies relevant in a Web 2.0 world.Fancast Xfinity TV, as it's called, allows Comcast subscribers to legally watch certain shows online for the first time. For the time being, it's available only to customers who subscribe to both the company's digital cable and Internet services. Within about six months, it should be available to all cable subscribers,
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US Texting Rate More Than Doubles In A Year: My Thumz Hrt!
It's time we, as a nation, came to grips with something. No, we're not about to go on some rant about healthcare, and we aren't talking about the Federal Interest Rate, we're talking about something far, far more endearing to the US public. Yes folks, we're talking about texting. Hold your gasps, please. But feel free to send your immediate thoughts and feelings to Twitter via SMS.Thanks to the U.S. Census Bureau's Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2010 (which is apparently a report that we didn't know
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McDonald's To Offer Free Wi-Fi To All
McDonald's is about to up the ante in the wi-fi arena. While it has already been providing free wi-fi via AT&T's hotspot service to AT&T broadband customers as well as iPhone users, it will soon be providing free wi-fi, period. That new program will begin in January.Currently, for those not eligible for free wi-fi via an AT&T connection, McDonald’s charges $2.95 to access the Internet at its U.S. stores, in two-hour intervals. That program began with AT&T started about 5 years ago. However,
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Digital Storm's Core i5 System Reviewed
When Intel introduced its LGA1166 Lynnfield processors earlier this fall, one of its goals was to introduce Nehalem's advanced technology at lower price points. To that end, Digital Storm has designed a high-end system around the P55 chipset and Core i5 processor. At a price of ~$1900, the customized system isn't what you'd call cheap, but it's still less expensive than some of the Core i7 PCs we've seen recently, several of which landed between $3100-$4000 dollars. At first glance, the 2.67GHz Core i5 might
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Google-Branded Phone With T-Mobile Contract Could Arrive In January
According to a source familiar with the matter, Google is planning to offer two versions of a rumored self-branded cell phone. One version will be available directly through Google as an unlocked device. The other will come with a service contract through T-Mobile USA. The phone, which is manufactured by HTC, could be available directly through the Google website as early as January 5 according to the source. Although few details about the phone are actually available, a number of code names have been thrown
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Best-Selling Author Opts For Kindle Exclusivity
This will probably raise red flags across the publishing industry, but it is certainly a coup for Amazon.com and its Kindle e-book reader. Steven Covey is Amazon.com's 13th-highest top-selling author overall, and Amazon.com now has "electronic exclusivity" to two of his best-sellers.The e-book versions of Stephen Covey's bestselling books, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" and "Principle-Centered Leadership," are now available exclusively (for a year) in the Amazon Kindle Store. They are both available
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CaseCruzer Wraps Your Mac Pro In Rugged Enclosure...For A Price
You know those huge, rugged cases that musicians generally carry their amplifiers and speakers around in? Yeah, those ones that are made to take years of abuse from touring and the like. Turns out there's a need for those kind of cases, but for desktop computers. Crazy as that may sound, CaseCruzer has just introduced its newest (and potentially wildest) product yet: the Apple Mac Pro Tower Case.Anyone who does serious A/V editing will understand that the Core 2 Duo under the hood of the MacBook Pro just can't
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Digital Storm's Core i5 System Reviewed
When Intel introduced its LGA1166 Lynnfield processors earlier this fall, one of its goals was to introduce Nehalem's advanced technology at lower price points. To that end, Digital Storm has designed a high-end system around the P55 chipset and Core i5 processor. At a price of ~$1900, the customized system isn't what you'd call cheap, but it's still less expensive than some of the Core i7 PCs we've seen recently, several of which landed between $3100-$4000 dollars. At first glance, the 2.67GHz Core i5 might
Read More ...
Digital Storm's Core i5 System Reviewed
When Intel introduced its LGA1166 Lynnfield processors earlier this fall, one of its goals was to introduce Nehalem's advanced technology at lower price points. To that end, Digital Storm has designed a high-end system around the P55 chipset and Core i5 processor. At a price of ~$1900, the customized system isn't what you'd call cheap, but it's still less expensive than some of the Core i7 PCs we've seen recently, several of which landed between $3100-$4000 dollars. At first glance, the 2.67GHz Core i5 might not seem to be capable competition for Core i7 processors running at 3.2GHz and above, but Digital Storm has a trick up its sleeve. The relatively pedestrian quad-core has, in this case, been punched up to 3.8GHz from the factory. DS claims that the processors it ships in this configuration have been certified to operate "100% Stability and Reliability." We test that claim in the review...
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McDonald's To Offer Free Wi-Fi To All
McDonald's is about to up the ante in the wi-fi arena. While it has already been providing free wi-fi via AT&T's hotspot service to AT&T broadband customers as well as iPhone users, it will soon be providing free wi-fi, period. آ That new program will begin in January.
With this move, the chain will become the largest restaurant network of free wi-fi hotspots in the U.S. with 11,000 outlets and obviously more to come. Meanwhile, Starbucks, feeling the pinch of the recession as people move to cheaper, but still decent java, charges $3.99 for two hours of Internet access. It also has the same sort of free access for AT&T customers and iPhone users, and similarly has about 11,000 U.S. locations.
The question really comes down to this: look at a Starbucks retail outlet with its comfy chair and tables, and compare that to the plastic environment of McDonald's. Which would you rather sit in (for hours, that is) sponging off their bandwidth? On the other hand, it might be interesting to see how long before McDonald's becomes a haven for P2P downloaders.
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Comcast Begins Streaming Your Favorite Shows Online - Legally
As promised, Comcast's online televisionexperiment is rolling out across the nation, part of the industry-wideTV Everywhere initiative designed to keep cable companies relevant in aWeb 2.0 world.Fancast Xfinity TV, as it's called, allowsComcast subscribers to legally watch certain shows online for the firsttime. For the time being, it's available only to customers whosubscribe to both the company's digital cable and Internet services.Within about six months, it should be available to all cable subscribers, Comcast Interactive President Amy Banse told Reuters.
About30 networks including HBO, Showtime, TNT and AMC are allowing thecompany to provide access to their shows, though it's up to eachnetwork which shows and how many episodes of it. HBO could allowstreaming of just the upcoming season of "Big Love," for example, whileShowtime could release just the last two seasons of "Californication"and AMC could make all seasons of "Mad Men" available. And maybe HBOwouldn't allow streaming of "True Blood" until shortly before it's backon the air next summer. (Just for the record, a demo showed Xfinity hadall seasons of both "The Sopranos" and "Big Love," among others.)

The networks signed on to Comcast's experiment are: A&E, AMC, BBC America, CBS, Cinemax, DIY Network, Fine Living Network, Food Network, Hallmark Channel, HBO, HGTV, History, IFC, MGM Impact, Starz, Sundance Channel, TBS, TNT, WE tv, E! Entertainment, The Style Network,G4 and Fearnet (the last of which is owned by Comcast). Several of the networks are ownedby CBS, including Showtime and Sundance.
The biggest source of legal online network content so far has been Hulu.com,the joint project between NBC Universal and Fox, though it has notturned a profit. Comcast's project could, in the end, co-opt Hulu,seeing as Comcast successfully bid for NBC Universal (though that dealstill must be approved by a slew of regulators). Or, perhaps, Hulucould co-opt Comcast, as the subscriber model has been highlyunsuccessful online in other media industries such as news and music.
Theproject's money-making ability, beyond subscriber fees, is still inquestion. Some of the networks involved, including TNT and TBS, arecarrying full "ad loads" - i.e., the same number of advertisements theyair on television, to see what the market will bear. And Comcast isworking with Nielsen to determine how best to measure online ratingsand count them toward overall ratings - which are used to determine howmuch to charge advertisers.
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Evaluating Extended Warranties and the Disparity in Netbook/Notebook Failure Rates
Last month, SquareTrade—a company in the business of selling extended warranties directly to consumers online, with what it claims are better prices and coverage plans than store-bought options—released a report on netbook and notebook failure rates. Much of the discussion the report generated focused on the company's estimated failure rates for three-year-old systems, as well as the significant disparity between vendors. In focusing on that admittedly juicy section of the data, however, some of SquareTrade's other conclusions and the practical impact they may have on your wallet went mostly unreported. Study Methodology:
SquareTrade's report is based on an analysis of 30,000 randomly selected netbook and notebook laptops, all of which were purchased new. The company's survey data was gathered from its own customer base, and does not include any failure data that was reported to the manufacturer, rather than to SquareTrade (also referred to in this article as SqT). The netbook/notebook distinction is defined in terms of price, with systems under $400 classified as netbooks. Systems that cost more than that are notebooks, although the company splits that category when discussing failure rates. In that instance, an entry-level notebook is a notebook with a retail price of $400-$999; laptops with a four-digit MSRP are referred to as premium notebooks.
Laptop Failure Rates:
The chart below represents SquareTrade's measured and projected failure rates for all laptops (netbooks included) from all manufacturers. The dashed green line indicates that the third year accident rate is a projection; it's not clear why the company needed to estimate third-year accident rates if it simultaneously had data on third-year component failures.

Graph reprinted from SquareTrade reliability report.
SquareTrade's data suggests that nearly one-third of all laptops fail within the first three years; a percentage they don't find particularly surprising. As the report notes, "laptops contain far more sophisticated mechanical and delicate electronic components than most other electronic devices. Keyboards pointer devices, media drives, and hard drives are all mechanical components that increasingly wear out when subjected to heavy use, while motherboard circuitry, memory, and wireless devices are sensitive to heat and environmental factors."
There's actually some interesting information in the graph that SquareTrade doesn't address. The chance of malfunction jumps sharply from year one to year two; a laptop is 2.74x more likely to break in year 2 than in year 1, but just 1.57x more likely to break in year 3 as compared to year 2. Considered in this light, Y2 could represent a natural shake-out point—we don't have enough information to know for certain, and failure rates can fluctuate markedly from year to year—laptops bought in the year 2006 might display a different curve than laptops bought in 2007.آ It's also possible that the year 1/year 2 jump is caused by accidents or mishandling that doesn't appear to damage a system, but causes a component to fail much more quickly than it otherwise would have. A mobile hard drive that fails six months after being dropped may be considered a component failure rather than an accident, particularly if the customer doesn't recall (or chooses not to recount) the original incident.Does Price Affect Reliability?
This is where the netbook/notebook distinction comes into play. As we previously noted, notebooks below $400 are classified as netbooks, notebooks between $400-$999 are 'entry-level', notebooks above $1000 are premium. That's an extremely problematic definition, for reasons we'll address below. First, let's consider the netbook/entry-level notebook gap. SquareTrade notes more than once that because it only has data for 12 months of netbooks, the numbers below should be taken with a grain of salt; we recommend no less. The data below does not include accidents.

Graph reprinted from SquareTrade reliability report.
Grain of salt or no, that's not a very happy-looking chart. At the one-year mark, netbooks fail 23.4 percent more often than entry-level notebooks. If we assume the difference in failure rate as shown above continues through the next two years (but does not change), 15.9 percent of all netbooks will have experienced component malfunction by year two, and 25 percent by year three. Total failure rates by the end of year three would approach 40 percent, assuming accidents occur at the same rate.
SquareTrade's data suggests a relationship between price and failure rate—but the company's decision to lump laptops from $400-$999 into a single group makes it impossible to tell if there's a point at which reliability significantly shifts upwards or downwards. While it's true that very few people would opt for a $1000 notebook instead of a $399 netbook, consumers would very much like to know if the sub-$400 market is actually being pulled down by markedly higher failure rates below $299, or if the $400-$999 market looks better than it should because failure rates actually decrease markedly at the $600 price point.
Meanwhile, there's a doozy of a confounding variable that SquareTrade either didn't consider or didn't document considering: Apple. Reports have indicated the company accounts for 91 percent of all system sales that cost more than $1,000, which implies one of two things: Either SquareTrade neglected to mention that its "premium" category was almost entirely Apple-based, or SqT's sample of $1000 systems doesn't reflect current market reality.
This doesn't mean SquareTrade's Apple analysis is wrong—you can still calculate failure rates by manufacturer, even if Apple buyers don't buy most of their warranties from you. This is a point SqT should've addressed one way or the other; the report's failure to do so casts a shadow on its $400-$999/$1000+ comparison.
Do You Need an Extended Warranty?
The relative value of a longer warranty period is typically measured by comparing the initial cost of the system to the cost of the warranty and the length of the extension. Despite some questions about the company's methodology when comparing premium and entry-level laptops, SquareTrade's data does generally indicate that relatively high notebook failure rates could make extended warranties a good deal at the right price ratio. While in-store warranties are well-known cash cows, SquareTrade bills its product coverage as significantly less expensive—if that's true, it does strengthen the chance that coverage might be worth paying for.
Price, however, is far from the only important factor. Other issues include:
- Specific Features: If you're buying a computer based around non-performance capabilities like a particular type of LCD, integrated Wacom tablet, or for its input/output jacks, it may be worth investing in an extended warranty, especially if the feature set is unique to a certain model or hard to come by.
- One-Time Deal: If you're buying a system on an unexpected windfall, or paying more than you can normally afford, a warranty may be a good idea, particularly if you don't have a lot of money at the end of the month. True, the extra warranty adds to the cost, but if you don't think you could afford something as nice as what you're about to buy two years down the line, it may be a good idea to spend the extra dough now.
- High-risk User: Individual OEMs guard failure rate data with their lives, but one tidbit Lenovo exec Ray Gorman dropped in the wake of SquareTrade's survey indirectly points out the wisdom of investing in certain types of systems. According to Gorman, Lenovo would "expect a 10X difference in repair rates between systems bought for [secondary school] students and systems used only in a home office by adults." If you think about that for a second, it implies some nasty things about student failure rates—even if home office systems fail at a measily 2 percent, that's a 20 percent failure rate for student systems.
- Upgrade Cycles: Before you fork over additional dough, take a moment and consider your own upgrade preferences/previous upgrade cycles. If you tend to replace a laptop every two years, three year coverage may be wasteful. If, on the other hand, you typically replace your main but hand the laptop over to a rug rat, it may be worth paying for a little extra coverage, especially if you're buying a nice system that could have a useful lifespan of 4 years or so.
Lenovo was rather grumpy about its rating and challenged SquareTrade's methodology, as reported here—SquareTrade then answered Lenovo's rebuttal with additional commentary. Asus and Toshiba come out in first place in the company's manufacturer report, while Gateway and HP bring up the rear.
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Intel has done it again...
http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/kit-eaton/technomix/ftc-sues-intel-anticompetitive-tactics-more-big-fines-en-route
It would seem that Intel has backed themselves into another law suit. Except, this is probably the worst of them all. I wasn't aware of Intel being able to change around the code of (I'm assuming) software. Not sure how they could even get someone in on that. Well, lets see how it all shapes up, however I'm expecting a big win for the FTC.
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Best-Selling Author Opts For Kindle Exclusivity
This will probably raise red flags across the publishing industry, but it is certainly a coup for Amazon.com and its Kindle e-book reader. Steven Covey is Amazon.com's 13th-highest top-selling author overall, and Amazon.com now has "electronic exclusivity" to two of his best-sellers.The e-book versions of Stephen Covey's bestselling books, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" and "Principle-Centered Leadership," are now available exclusively (for a year) in the Amazon Kindle Store. They are both available for $7.99.
In doing so, Covey has moved the rights of the electronic versions of those books from his traditional publisher, Simon & Shuster, to RosettaBooks. The move is bound to be contentions; these so-called backlist titles, which are books published many years, if not decades, ago, are often steady sellers for publishers, but do not have electronic versions of the books explicitly called out in a contract. Thus, many authors and agents argue that because the contracts for older books do not explicitly spell out electronic rights, they reside with the author.
The move to RosettaBooks is a sweet one for Covey. According to the New York Times, Covey will be getting a much higher royalty now, more than 50 percent. The standard digital royalty from publishers is 25 percent of net proceeds.However, Simon & Shuster made statements that point to possible litigation. Adam Rothberg, a spokesman for Simon & Schuster said, "Our position is that electronic editions of our backlist titles belong in the Simon & Schuster catalog, and we intend to protect our interests in those publications." He did not comment specifically on Steven Covey's move.
This news has two components: it shows how e-book readers are a valid market now. It also gives the Kindle a leg up on its competition, which includes Sony's e-book readers and Barnes & Noble's nook, particularly if Amazon.com can continue to nail such exclusive deals.
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Toshiba Announces 64GB Flash Memory Module For Portable Electronics
Toshiba launched a new 64GB flash memory module that is designed for use in portable devices. The company claims the new module is the highest-capacity flash module in the industry. The new 64GB NAND flash module is 30 micrometers thin and has a dedicated controller and sixteen 32Gbit chips. It is manufactured using Toshiba's 32-nanometer process technology.
Toshiba currently supplies the flash memory for Apple's iPhone 3GS, so this announcement has led many to speculate that future generations of the iPhone will use the higher capacity 64GB module. The new modules are set to arrive early next year. Recent rumors have suggested that the fourth-generation iPhone will arrive sometime next summer, though neither Apple nor Toshiba will confirm this.

The internal structure of Toshiba's 64GB module
If the 64GB module is used in an iPhone-like device, it would provide enough storage capacity for 1,000 hours of music, 8 hours of HD video, and 19 hours of SD video. Toshiba plans to ship samples of the 64GB memory module later this month with mass production beginning in the first quarter of 2010.
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CaseCruzer Wraps Your Mac Pro In Rugged Enclosure...For A Price
You know those huge, rugged cases that musicians generally carry their amplifiers and speakers around in? Yeah, those ones that are made to take years of abuse from touring and the like. Turns out there's a need for those kind of cases, but for desktop computers. Crazy as that may sound, CaseCruzer has just introduced its newest (and potentially wildest) product yet: the Apple Mac Pro Tower Case.Anyone who does serious A/V editing will understand that the Core 2 Duo under the hood of the MacBook Pro just can't cut it during crunch time. Serious renders take serious horsepower, and sometimes that huge Mac Pro is exactly what you need to finish a project on a trip. If that's you, you now have a safe and secure way to haul your Mac Pro just about anywhere. The Mac Pro Shock Case is said to be a shock-proof and "indestructible" way to get your Mac Pro around, but once you get it strapped in there, we sort of doubt you'll ever take it out. In other words, you'll probably just pop the ends off at home and plug in your cabling, though this method definitely makes it easier to re-pack when it is time to hit the road again.
The case promises an ATA 300 rating and continuous shock-absorbing protection, and it will allow for all Mac Pro towers to be vertically mounted. Elastomeric shocks in each of the eight corners make the case vibration-proof and ideal for transporting heavy loads. Inside dimensions of the innovative CaseCruzer traveling case are 19" rackable x 20" deep x 7" high. And rail to rail, rack depth is 20". When empty, the protective computer case weighs 49 lbs. Of course, the $660 price may be jarring for some, but if your machine is as precious as we think it probably is, that's a small amount to pay for such security.

CaseCruzer -- Apple Mac Pro Tower Gets Travel Upgrade with New Shock-proof Portable Rack Case
MONTCLAIR, Calif., Dec. 15 /PRNewswire/ --First-class fare may please travel weary, creative professionals. Butthe cushy seats and extra leg room won't reduce anxiety about thedelicate computer that was tossed into storage. Turbulence. Airpressure. Baggage handlers. Now media artists and editors can enjoyfearless flying with the Apple Mac Pro Shock Case - the permanent, indestructible upgrade for priceless digital data by CaseCruzer.
Stressand shock have been grounded by the new rotationally-molded Mac ProShock Case. Fear no loss of the 32GB of memory and 4TB of storageoffered by the portable Apple Mac Pro Tower. With an ATA 300 rating andcontinuous shock-absorbing protection, all trade-show exhibitors,motion picture artists, photographers, videographers, engineers,editors, web and graphic designers are free to roam about the countrywith their essential digital companion. The one-time price ofprotection is a ticket to peace of mind.
The shock-proof carrying caseis equipped with TSA trigger latches and low profile injection-moldedpull handles for easy man-handling. All Apple Mac Pro towers can bevertically mounted in the rugged case because it is fitted with frontand back steel rack rails. Elastomeric shocks in each of the eightcorners make the case vibration-proof and ideal for transporting heavyloads.
CaseCruzer knowscreative business people want fast access to their data once they reachtheir trade show or board room. So the Mac Pro rack casehas been designed to be fully operational as soon as the front and rearlids are removed. And for those who travel with more than one Mac ProTower, secure stacking of the carrying case is a cinch thanks to theadded protection in the lids and sides that rotationally-moldedengineering provides. Also, the doors can be opened and closed evenwhen the cases are stacked.
Insidedimensions of the innovative CaseCruzer traveling case are 19" rackablex 20" deep x 7" high. And rail to rail, rack depth is 20". When empty,the protective computer case weighs 49 lbs.
Otherstandard advantages of the water-resistant Mac Pro Shock Case include:a sliding retractable handle, ambient pressure relief valve, oversizedsnap-down handles on each side, roller blade wheels for swift and safemobility, and gasket-protected front and rear doors. The Mac Pro Shockcomputer case is virtually indestructible as it absorbs the shocks,impacts and vibrations that cannot be avoided when in the air on atrain or merely driving this nation's highways and byways.
Graphicartists, gamers and media professionals of all kinds know the value oftheir Apple Mac Pro Tower workstations. They also realize costlybreakdowns and setbacks are simply not an option. If the show must goon, go anywhere and everywhere with the CaseCruzer Mac Pro Shock Case.
The CaseCruzernetwork of companies provides the community with the most comprehensivepackaging solutions available on reusable carrying cases forapplications such as Communications, Photography, Computers,Electronics, Weapons, Medical, Transportation and other industrialshipping and carrying case uses. For more info about the new carryingcase, visit www.casecruzer.com;call 800-440-9925 in the U.S. or 909-613-1999 internationally; fax909-465-5598; or write to CaseCruzer at 4665 State Street, Montclair,CA 91763
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