grovemade
Latest
Engadget giveaway: Win a handcrafted desk set courtesy of Grovemade!
There's something relaxing about a neat and organized work space (at least for some of us). Less clutter can mean less distraction when you're trying to get things done. Grovemade has been helping people in this quest to find workplace zen for over five years, serving up handcrafted home and desk accessories. The products are all designed and assembled in Portland, OR., using natural materials including eastern hardrock maple, black walnut and vegetable tanned leather. To help one reader fine-tune their work space this week, Grovemade has provided a selection of accessories including a monitor and laptop stand, a desk lamp, planter, pen cup and leather mouse pad. All you need to do is head to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to three chances at winning this starter set of Grovemade products. The product line even includes a pair of wood-encased speakers. Winner: Congratulations to Steven L. of Wexford, PA!
Grovemade and Joey Roth team up on wooden desktop speakers
Grovemade has a knack for crafting tech accessories out of wood. For its latest product, the company teamed up with designer Joey Roth on a set of desktop speakers that are made from that natural material. You might remember Roth's ceramic speakers from a few years back, among a collection of other audio and industrial designs. This time around, Roth lent his expertise to Grovemade's Speaker System: a pair of speakers with a horn design and 2-inch drivers that's paired with a 2x25W amplifier. The speakers are made from solid maple and walnut to complete the look of the fully analog audio setup.
Grovemade's beautiful handcrafted Walnut iPhone Case
Grovemade makes some amazing cases and accessories out of wood, and we've covered a few of them before. Recently, a Walnut iPhone Case for iPhone 6 (US$99) came into the TUAW Labs for our inspection, and it's a gorgeous piece of work. Check out this review and then enter for a chance to win this hand-finished beauty from Portland, Oregon. Specifications Material: Oregon Claro Walnut Sizes: iPhone 5/5s ($79), iPhone 6 ($99), iPhone 6 Plus ($109) Weight (iPhone 6 case): 0.7 ounces (19.8 grams) Design The Walnut iPhone Case comes in two parts - a "bumper" that protects the sides of the phone and a back that adheres to the back of your iPhone with a removable adhesive patch. This design results in an extremely light and sturdy case. The wood is hand finished and is quite attractive; there are precisely-machined holes for speaker, Lightning port, headphone port, mute button and camera. For the power switch and volume toggle, wooden pass-through buttons make it easy to control power and volume. And hey, did I mention that the Oregon Claro Walnut looks great? I think Grovemade outdid itself with the Walnut iPhone Case. Functionality As opposed to earlier wood iPhone cases from Grovemade and other producers, the two-piece design makes installing the case a snap. You just place the iPhone into the bumper part, turn the iPhone and bumper over onto the screen, remove the paper covering the adhesive on the back, and press the back into place. Despite being hand sanded and finished, there's still a little bit of grain to the wood that makes it very easy to grip. I'd say that my favorite feature of this case is the fact that each one of these is totally unique in terms of the grain pattern and color. Conclusion Grovemade has taken their wood case design to the next level with the Walnut iPhone Case, making it lighter, easier to install, and just as protective as the earlier version. With their somewhat luxury price tag, these cases aren't for everyone, but if you're looking for something unique and handcrafted, this is it. Sadly, the Walnut iPhone Case is only available for pre-order now, so it won't make the perfect Christmas gift. Rating: 4 stars out of 4 stars possible Giveaway Yes, I know I said that these cases are only available for pre-order now, but one lucky iPhone 6 owner is going to win the Grovemade Walnut iPhone Case. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before December 14, 2014 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected in a random drawing and will receive a Grovemade Walnut iPhone Case for iPhone 6 valued at $99 Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Grovemade Walnut Keyboard Tray: Beautiful and functional
Portland-based Grovemade has done it again, with a beautiful and functional desk accessory for your Apple Wireless Keyboard. The Grovemade Walnut Keyboard Tray (US$59) provides a nice-looking "hutch" for your keyboard while providing storage for things like extra AA batteries, paper clips, business cards, and pens. Seeing as I have two new kittens who have decided that every pen in the house is now a toy, something like this could come in very handy... As with many of Grovemade's other products, the Walnut Keyboard Tray is crafted out of hardwood for both looks and durability. The cylindrical battery holder of the Wireless Keyboard slides gracefully into a channel on the back of the tray, making it simple to lift the bottom of the keyboard up as if it was the lid to a jewelry box. Inside that "box" isn't precious jewelry -- unless that's what you decide to stash there -- but a set of nooks for stuff. One is business card-sized, three are obviously for holding the three AA batteries that were required with the older Apple Wireless Keyboards, there's a long and somewhat narrow "channel" niche for things like paper clips, and then three full-length channels for storing other goodies. My only complaint about the Walnut Keyboard Tray? I wish it had a spot to hold an Apple Magic Trackpad next to it. I'm currently using a Henge Dock Clique ($24.95) that holds the Wireless Keyboard and Magic Trackpad next to each other as if they were a single unit, but it doesn't look nearly as nice as the Walnut Keyboard Tray. How about a "Plus size" Walnut Keyboard Tray for those of us who use the Magic Trackpad, Grovemade? Hmmm? The Walnut Keyboard Tray is part of Grovemade's Desk Collection, which is highlighted in the video below: Conclusion Grovemade has done it again with another gorgeous, functional, and supremely well-made wood accessory for Mac users. Considering the quality and finish of the Walnut Keyboard Tray, the price is perfect. And although I'd love to see the tray have the capacity to also hold the Magic Trackpad, that personal request is not enough to keep me from giving the tray the highest rating possible. Check out the giveaway below for a chance to have a Walnut Keyboard Tray of your own. Rating: 4 stars out of 4 stars possible Giveaway As much as I'm coveting the Walnut Keyboard Tray, our review guidelines forbid us from keeping equipment so one of you is going to receive a package soon from TUAW with this piece of Grovemade goodness inside of it. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before August 5, 2014 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected in a random drawing and will receive a Grovemade Walnut Keyboard Tray valued at $59.00 Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Hands-on with Grovemade's luscious Walnut iPad Sleeve
Damn those designers at Grovemade! Every time I turn around they're making magic with wood and coming up with some product that just makes me smile at their design skill and manufacturing savvy. This time, they've wandered into the realm of iPad sleeves, something that is usually the domain of companies that make bags and backpacks, not solid walnut and brass iPhone docks. So did Grovemade deviate from its tried and true material, wood? No -- as you'll see in this review of the Walnut iPad Sleeve (US$89 for iPad Air, $79 for iPad mini -- also available in Maple). Design Highlights Grovemade has figured out how to make hardwoods do amazing things, and in the case of the Walnut iPad Sleeve and its Maple counterpart, they are turning it into a flexible component. That is done by taking extremely thin slabs of solid wood, adhering them to premium German wool felt that acts as the interior liner of the sleeve, and then making a geometric pattern of cuts into the wood with a laser. The wood is hand-sanded until smooth, and then an oil finish is applied for protection. Your iPad or iPad mini fits snugly into the sleeve; so snugly, in fact, that if it weren't for a leather and brass pull strap you might not be able to remove your tablet without a struggle. The design is simple, yet classic. The geometric scoring in the wood gives the sleeve a subtle geodesic dome look that Buckminster Fuller would be proud of, while allowing the wood to flex as the iPad is placed into it. Functionality Highlights What can you say about the functionality of a tablet sleeve? It either provides protection for your device or it doesn't, and in the case of the Grovemade Walnut iPad Sleeve, it provides protection for your device with a lot of style. The iPad slips into the sleeve with just a bit of resistance, is held snugly by the felt, but then pops out with a tug on the pull strap. If I had to say anything "negative" about the sleeve, it's that it looks so nice you probably won't want to just throw it into a bag or onto a car seat for fear of scratching it. I'm sure that the nice folks at Grovemade would send you refinishing instructions if you do damage that nice exterior... Conclusion It's not for everyone, but if you want a way to protect your iPad Air or iPad mini with all natural materials and have it look awesome at the same time, the Grovemade Walnut iPad Sleeve is a winner. Giveaway Have an iPad mini or iPad mini with Retina display? Then you have a chance to win one of Grovemade's Walnut iPad Sleeves. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before May 19, 2014 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected in a random drawing and will receive a Grovemade Walnut iPad Sleeve valued at $79 Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Grove announces Bamboo Backs for MacBooks
Grove , a company based in Portland, Oregon, has announced they are expanding their line of bamboo-based goodies for your Apple product. They already have a variety of iPhone and iPad cases, so it was really just a question of time before they found a way to coordinate your iThings with your laptop. In a TUAW exclusive, I get to tell you all about The New Grove Thing: Bamboo Backs! Designed to fit the top of your unibody laptop be it 11, 13, 15, or 17 inches, they are super thin bamboo panels (only .035" thick!) with adhesive on the back to stick it to your machine. As an added bonus, you can get one with a cutout in the center so when your computer is on, the glowing Apple logo lights up the shape of your choice. Now, if you and nine (or more) of your friends or coworkers all want the same logo, you can get in touch with Grove and have them do a nice custom cutout of a corporate logo or other particular design. I've seen these in person, and my initial impressions are all favorable. I saw one applied and removed and it pops off flawlessly. They really are thin, and they look really nice once installed. I also got to see a few of the logos in person and they are all wonderful (my favorites: the globe, the command symbol, and the @ sign). As a Portland company, they are obligated to put a bird on it, and even have a variety to choose from. Priced at $29 each, they are also easy to get your hands on without throwing your budget into complete disarray. Truly, the curve and the aluminum of the current generation of Apple laptops are beautiful, but there's something about the old school/analog vibe of the bamboo backs that really pleases me. I got to tour Grove's facilities, and since everything they make comes from the same building as their offices, I got to see the magic happen from the milling to the lasers to the hand finished packaging (the smell of the wood and the oil finishing is so very nice). It's all done in one place and while they could outsource it, the founders told me they aren't interested since this way they can keep a close eye on every single piece of the process and make sure everything they ship out meets their standards. Plus it makes it easier to whip up a physical version of an idea if all your materials are already in house. And let's be honest, it's got to be fun to work across the room from two laser cutters! I have included the intro video below. Which design would you get? Introducing Grove Bamboo Backs from Grove on Vimeo.
