Like the Retro iMac before it, the Colorware Retro Macbook is a limited edition throwback to Apple's past. This modified 12-inch model has the same Retina-grade screen as its standard counterpart, but is painted an Apple IIe-like putty color, with faux vents on the side and the all-important rainbow Apple logo — illuminated, no less — in the center. Other specs include a 1.3GHz Intel Core m7 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 512 GB of flash storage. Limited to just 10 examples.
Virtual reality headsets like the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive are already beginning to arrive on people's doorsteps. And they all have one thing in common: a cumbersome cord (or cords) to connect them to the powerful rigs needed to drive them. The HP Omen VR Backpack PC looks to overcome this limitation by strapping the rig directly to your back. Since it's still in the development stages, details are scant, but you can expect a quad-core Intel Core i5/i7 processor, multiple USB ports, HDMI output, and the ability to place it on a desk and use it like a normal desktop when playtime is over.
The iPad of laptops is back with better specs and a change of clothes. The Apple 12-inch MacBook was already a lust-worthy object, weighing just two pounds and measuring only 13.1mm at its thickest point yet still offering up to 11 hours of battery life, a 12-inch Retina display, and a completely silent, fanless design. It just wasn't that great for actual work. The new model improves the situation, adding sixth-generation, dual-core Intel Core M processors with Turbo Boost speeds of up to 3.1 GHz, faster graphics, and speedier storage. It still has only one USB-C port, but that's less of a hassle than it was when it first launched, and for the fashion-conscious, it's now available in rose gold, alongside the prior silver, space gray, and gold finishes.
Sometimes good things come from unexpected places. Like the world's thinnest laptop coming from the company that used to occupy the land on which Apple's building their spaceship. At just 10.4 mm thick, the HP Spectre Laptop is the new king of slim, using a clever design to cram in more power than expected. That includes full-fledged Intel Core i5 or i7 processors, three USB Type-C ports, a full-sized keyboard and full-travel etched glass trackpad, Bang & Olufsen speakers, a 13.3-inch 1080p IPS display, and enough battery to keep the whole thing running for up to 9.5 hours. Weight is kept to a reasonable 2.45 by way of a CNC'd aluminum chassis and carbon fiber bottom plate, and an active cooling system should keep the thing from cooking your thighs.
High-performance PC gaming requires a lot of power. More power than you can fit in a typical laptop. So instead of chaining you to a desk or selling you a pizza box-sized portable, the Razer Blade Stealth lets you have both a high-end gaming PC and an ultrathin laptop, thanks to a smart, simple compromise. The Intel Core i7-powered laptop sports a 12.5-inch high-res touchscreen, yet has an aluminum chassis that measures just over half an inch thick and lets the package weigh in at under three pounds. All of this makes for a capable laptop, but when it's time to game, you use the Thunderbolt 3 port to connect to your desk-bound, sold-separately Core, which houses a double-wide, full-length PCIe graphics card from your choice of AMD or Nvidia, as well as a host of extra ports, a beefy power supply, and plenty of heat dissipation. Portability when you want it, power when you need it — the computing equivalent of a mullet.
Up 'til now, the Surface has been stuck in a weird limbo between tablet and laptop. No more. The Microsoft Surface Book is designed to be a killer laptop and a killer tablet. Its unique hinge lets you detach the screen from the keyboard, turning it into a tablet, and reattach the screen facing out, letting you take advantage of the powerful, MacBook Pro-besting processor, RAM, and graphics built into the keyboard base without giving up the highly responsive, pressure-sensitive stylus and finger-ready touch surface. You can also pair it with a Surface Dock for desktop use, but even if you don't, it's the most interesting device that we've seen out of Redmond in, well, ever.
Even the best designed computers still look like technology, giving them a cold edge. The Wood Kubb Computer means to do the opposite by appearing to be nothing but a single block of wood. It measures roughly 5" x 5", is available in three finishes, and despite its small body still has full-size specs, with Intel Core i3 or i5 processors, Intel HD graphics, SSD storage, and up to 16GB of RAM. You'll still be responsible for adding a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, but at least it will be one less thing in your life made from plastic, metal, and glass.
For Issue 02, we flew down to Cuba to do some long-awaited exploring, gathering all of the cigars and rum the island has to offer. We then returned stateside and dug up even more. In Southern California, we visited the garage-oasis of Mercedes Motoring and obsessed over their immaculate collection of classic Benzes. We wrapped things up with edited guides full of machetes, submarines, golf equipment, sneakers, watches, and skateboards, among other gear.
Never lose anything again with Tile. Tile is a family of small Bluetooth trackers that helps you find your things fast. Attach Tiles to your things and use the Tile app to ring your Tile or see the last place you had it on a map. And if it's your phone that you're looking for, press the button on any of your Tiles and it will ring your phone — even on silent. The original Tile is designed with a convenient hole so you can clip it to your keys, backpack and luggage. The new Tile Slim is the world's thinnest Bluetooth tracker. As thin as two credit cards, it's perfect to slip in your wallet, passport and jacket. With two different styles of Tile to choose from, you'll never worry about losing anything again. Tile — Find what matters.
Presented by Tile.
Power users who spend their days editing video and creating intense graphics have been waiting for the followup to Apple's pro-level desktop machine. That long wait is over with the new Mac Pro ($3,000+). The guys in Cupertino have completely re-imagined it — from form-factor to hardware — and, for the first time ever, it will be completely assembled in the USA. The all-black, cylindrical design is 1/8th the size of the previous generation, and the technological leaps don't end there. It features two-times faster flash storage, double the CPU performance, and Thunderbolt 2 for external expansion. It's also the first Mac to ship with dual GPUs, allowing it to support up to three 4K displays. Expect it later this year, alongside the new (and horribly-named) OS X Mavericks update.
Innovative form factor, six processing cores, up to 32 gigs of RAM, dual graphics processors, a terabyte of flash storage — the Mac Pro is the most impressive computing beast we've ever seen — and now it comes in red. The Apple Mac Pro Red Edition ($TBA) is yet another result of the design and curatorial collaboration between Jony Ive and Marc Newson for the upcoming Project RED auction, and it might be the most striking yet. Instead of the usual black finish, this one-of-a-kind machine comes in the characteristic red color, sure to impress anyone who enters your studio or office. Now we're just waiting for them to make a gold version.
Looking for a notebook that's as functional and powerful as it is portable and affordable? Look no further than the HP Chromebook 11 ($279). This small-but-mighty laptop weighs in at just over two pounds, has an 11.6-inch screen, and features 2GB of DDR3 RAM and a 16GB Solid State Drive. Powered by Google's Chrome OS, it comes standard with a host of Google Apps to help get things done (with a number of other apps available in their store), as well as 100GB of cloud-based storage free for two years. It comes in a rugged plastic shell with a range of available color schemes sporting plenty of I/O ports to keep you connected to your devices, as well as WiFi, Bluetooth, and Verizon LTE so you can always access your network.
Those of us who make our office any place with a surface and a WiFi connection welcome the trend of laptop-makers building machines smaller and lighter, without sacrificing speed and display quality. Sony continues to throw their hat into the "ultra book" ring, and the Sony Vaio Pro Laptops ($1,149 and $1,249) are a strong contender. Coming in 11.6" and 13.3" models, they weigh in at under two and three pounds, respectively, making them some of the lightest machines available. You expect a nice display from Sony, and the full HD screens deliver. Available Solid State Drives and i7 processors help them keep pace with competing products, though in a pro model, we think these really ought to come standard. Available this month.
No longer do you have to choose between a Chromebook and a high-resolution screen, thanks to the Google Chromebook Pixel ($1,300-$1,450). Presumably designed to compete with Apple's Retina MacBooks, the Chromebook Pixel features a 12.85" Gorilla Glass multi-touch screen that boasts a 3:2 format and a resolution of 2560 x 1700, giving it 239 PPI. Other features include a dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, 32 or 64GB of onboard memory, 1TB of Google Drive cloud storage, an HD webcam, Dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, optional built-in LTE networking, and a sleek machined aluminum body.
