[jorgem4]

I was wondering what experiences have people had with the iCurve...is it worth it? I have a wireless mouse and keyboard...and an external monito that i use as a second display. I wonder if the iCurve helps in anything? Feedback please.

Thanks.

[gif32]

Originally posted by jorgem4:
I was wondering what experiences have people had with the iCurve...is it worth it?

I love mine... it looks great and it gets the laptop up off the desk. I don't have to bend my neck to look at the LCD (I don't have an external one), and it lets me fit papers on my small desk *under* the computer. You can even type on the built-in keyboard (although it's a little bouncy...)

I can upload a pic if that would help.

-gif

[iREZ]

iCurve is awesome!

1. Gets your head lookin straight instead of tilted downward.
2. Gives more room for your papers and such, ie. more deskspace.
3. Looks great.
4. Aids in cooling your PB.

I know it's just a piece of plastic but it looks great and it does some real positives for your PB. All I can say is I'm glad I have one.

[1zero]

I second the positive opinions on the iCurve...great product!!

[Cellery]

It's a little pricey for a pretty piece of plastic, but I have no complaints. It holds my gargantuan 17" AlBook with no problems and helps greatly in keeping the fans off. I picked up a wireless mouse/kb as well and love the lack of cable clutter and nice looks.

[KP*]

I just got an iCurve today in fact. Ordered it a few days ago from SmallDog and it just arrived. It's one high-quality piece of acrylic, for one thing. Up to the standards of the best of Apple's hardware for sturdyness and attractiveness.

I'm actually not planning to use it with an external keyboard or mouse, or as a second monitor. My AlBook lives on my desk next to my PowerMac and its two monitors, so space is kind of limited, and it's been a bit awkward to put the 'book at a comfortable angle. Anytime I'm working with the PowerMac and need papers on my desk, they wind up laid over the PB, and when I'm working on the PB my materials cover the keyboard of the PM. This way I've gained a little space for overlap.

Having the screen at a comfortable height is so nice, and the angle of the keyboard makes it easy to access. It would probably not be ergonomically correct for long periods of typing in midair, but on the occasions I need it, I could either clear some space and take the 'book down, or plug my PM's keyboard into it.

I also like the ability to slide the whole thing around on the desk, so I can easily pull it toward me for better access, or push it over to the side if I need more room on the desk. It comes with very large and attractive optional rubber grippers if you don't want it to slide.

I haven't used it very much yet, but I definitely don't regret the money I spent on it.

[brettcamp]

Just got one last week. Before that, I had my 'book on one of those wooden in-boxes, which provided empty space underneath for air circulation and raised the monitor to nearly the ergonomically correct level. So if you're limited on funds, there are plenty of free substitutes. It's definitely a luxury, not a necessity.

That said, I'm really glad my wife (who saw me lusting after it while we were getting her a sleeve for her Powerbook) made me buy it, even though there was a similar but much less cool looking product for $5 cheaper right next to it, and there are other, perfectly good stands for the half the price and more portable. But none nearly as attractive.

I personally like having my workspace look spacious and clean, since I spend a lot of time there. The 'book feels totally secure on the platform, I love being able to just slide whole thing back , with keyboard tucked underneath, when I need to use the desktop for other stuff. I come in and see the thing sitting there and it makes me want to sit down and work, just as my Mac does. Good design wants more good design around it. And the greater height (it raises the monitor a couple inches higher than the in box did) is a noticeable improvement.

Regardless of whether you get the iCurve, if you're going to be using your 'book as your main screen (and it sounds like you already have an external monitor, so maybe this isn't the case for you), be sure to get or improvise some kind of laptop stand and, if you need it, external keyboard and mouse. For me, an ergonomic set up was not a luxury but a physical necessity. I'd started having serious neck pain from typing on my 'book in a recliner (which was good for my back, better than just sitting at a desk, but I'd still find my neck and head creeping forward). Ergonomics experts will tell you that for extended typing, you need the monitor raised to just below eye level and to use an external keyboad, and my experience definitely backs that up -- no more neck pain, wrists are fine, eyes are happy, 'book runs cooler thanks to airflow. I actually type with the external keyboard resting inside the drawer that slides out of my desk, which raises my arms to just the right level and also allows me to give the keyboard a slight negative tilt, which is easier on the hands.

The iCurve itself, though, is a luxury, but IMO well worth it. It just looks so cool on my desk, when the 'book is on it or not. Go see one in person if you can, and put a PB or iB on it and see for yourself.

[-Q-]

I've had more than one person do a double-take as they walk by my office and see my powerbook 'floating' above my desk. It really is an attractive laptop stand and it works very well. I use mine at work in a dual monitor set up and it really works great.

[dantley]

I've had mine for almost a year and I have been extremely pleased with it. I am thinking about buying a second icurve for the office.

[SuperGroove]

Originally posted by jorgem4:
I was wondering what experiences have people had with the iCurve...is it worth it? I have a wireless mouse and keyboard...and an external monito that i use as a second display. I wonder if the iCurve helps in anything? Feedback please.

Thanks.

I really believe that the iCurve is an item that, after you buy it, you think you can live without, until you try living without one.

It looks nice, the build quality is nice, and it really helps make the PB into a nice desktop solution.

If only my powerbook was as fast as the school's Dual G5 2GHZ machines...

[built2crawl]

iCurve is great. Sets the screen to eye level.

Here's a pic.

http://homepage.mac.com/j_joanino/PhotoAlbum14.html

[pippiwong]

i originally bought a podium pad but couldn't resist the icurve, so i bought one, and i absolutely love it. it makes your desk a lot cleaner and clutter-free. and since i do dual screen video editing, i like how it brings the powerbook screen right up to the level of my primary monitor. i also love how the powerbook looks like it's floating at times since the icurve is clear acrylic.

[chrisutley]

I use my iCurve to place my TiBook next to my 20" ACD. I would never use the iCurve as my "main display", as I find that the display is too far from me for comfort. I don't wear eyeglasses, but then it's not that I can't read the screen. It's just an awkward setup in my opinion. As a secondary display, it works well.

Go to an Apple Store if you can, sometimes they will have a PowerBook setup on one so you can try it out for yourself.

[KP*]

The other cool thing you can do with it if you like modding is mount some case lights on it and make it look like the 'book is glowing from the bottom.
I know I'm not the first person to have done this (I think somewhere in the "pics of your PB" thread someone posted pics) but it still makes me happy.

[realmeatychunks]

As others have said, the iCurve is great.

I would hope you already have an 'external' keyboard, because while typing on the iCurve is possible, it's much too bouncy and not very comfortable.

I've had mine since Christmas and I love it dearly. It allows me to tuck my keyboard under my computer when I'm doing other work and need the space, and it just makes everything look a whole lot better.

[bastion]

Originally posted by built2crawl:

http://homepage.mac.com/j_joanino/PhotoAlbum14.html

Wow, what kind of keyboard is that?

Edit: Macally Icekey?