Griffin iCurve
I’ve usually found working on my 12” PowerBook very comfortable, but recently I’ve started to feel that my posture is beginning to deteriorate. I already use an external keyboard and mouse at work, so I felt that raising the screen up higher would help me to keep my shoulders back and my back in a more natural position. I could have gone the DIY route and propped my laptop up on a couple of phone directories, but I decided to do it properly and get a Griffin iCurve.
It’s a very low key design—-basically just a length of bent and curved polycarbonate. However, it’s much more solid and substantial than you might guess from looking at pictures of it, and seems to place the laptop in more or less the perfect position. The top ‘prongs’ tilt at an angle of about 5-10°, but non-slip rubber patches stop the laptop from slipping off. Another advantage is that the PowerBook is almost completely exposed to the air, and as a result the average CPU temperature (as measured by iPulse) has dropped by a few degrees, which can only be a good thing for the life of the processor.
I’m hoping that I might gain a few precious centimetres in height over the next few weeks, as my back learns to uncurl again—-I need all the height I can get.
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I picked up my iCurve earlier this year, and I've loved it since. It's the perfect height; I didn't realize how perfect until last week. If you use an external display (I have the Dell 24"), the iCurve puts the PowerBook screen at a height even with the monitor. Makes working with two screens an absolute dream!
I also love that little bit of storage room beneath it for the keyboard or, like I've done, a small external hard drive.----- Nathan Ladd: Yes, I can see that I'm going to be wanting an external screen too, soon.
The iCurve also makes it quite easy to slide the whole thing around on the desk, which is useful when you want to spread papers out or something.
by bsag @ 16/11/2005 7:11 pm • Permalink •
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If I thought I could spare the $40 I'd get one, but an EJB and Oracle book put my iBook right inline with my 19" LCD perfectly
I will agree with you, though, as soon as I propped my laptop up the difference was like night and day.
by PJ Hyett @ 16/11/2005 8:11 pm • Permalink •
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I also have a 12" Powerbook for testing, but seeing it on the iCurve just makes me want to use it more. It feels like I'm typing ON THE FUTURE, as envisioned circa 1985.
I got a Kensington laptop stand thing for my bulky old Presario notebook. It's actually pretty nifty, but it's just not as cool. It angles the screen up more aggressively, and you can't access the keyboard so you need an external one. However, it does do the job.
by Dave Seah @ 16/11/2005 10:12 pm • Permalink •
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A deal less sexy than a 12" powerbook or a Griffin iCurve, I can recommend the slightly misnamed '7 steps to a pain-free life' by Robin McKenzie ISBN 0452282772. The book only actually deals with neck and back pain but at under a tenner I reckon I got my money back on it in the two days it took to see off the neck pain I'd been putting up with for a couple of years. All the best, Jon
by JonH @ 16/11/2005 11:12 pm • Permalink •
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PJ Hyett: I'm so enamoured of my new 'high altitude' PowerBook that (despite what I said) I've started propping it up on phone directories at home---well, I can't afford two iCurves just yet
Dave Seah: Yes, I know what you mean. Somehow, despite the very similar height, the phone directories aren't quite the same. Still, there's got to be some incentive to go into the office...
JohnH: Looks interesting. Might see if I can get a copy from the library.
by bsag @ 18/11/2005 6:12 pm • Permalink •
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I have an iCurve which started life supporting my work Powerbook 15" but has now been moved over to my Pismo! Its superb - I agree - so much so that I decided to get another! Imagine my surprise and indeed disappointment when I read it was discontinued! Amazon did however offer one, right picture, etc. on the web site so I ordered it and two days later received an 'Elevator'! Not the same! Whats more the see trough perspex base was not as well packed as the iCurve was when bought new and has scratches! It will do, if I cant find the real thing, but its sad that a nice clean design has been replaced with a less attractive - even if almost as functional - model!
Colin
by ColinY @ 23/01/2007 12:19 pm • Permalink •
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Apparently they discontinued the iCurve because the boxes took up too much space because it was one peice of plastic.
Also for ppl like myself it was hard to transport the iCurve.
The elevator breaks down into three pieces and can be put in a bag very easily.
Just thought i would share the info.
by ryan @ 29/05/2007 7:22 pm • Permalink •
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