Cartella
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Pad & Quill's Cartella Linen: A solid addition to an great line
Steve Sande is normally our Pad & Quill guru, but when the new Cartella Linen came along, he had one sent out to me for a test drive. Design I took a look at the leather-bound Cartella nearly a year ago with my smaller MacBook Air, and the larger linen-bound one is much the same. Instead of covered in leather, it features American Buckram cloth that's used in binding books. You have your choice of red or black. As with previous models, the interior tray is made of Baltic Birch, with cutouts to hold the MacBook Air in place and rubber bumpers to create a tight fit. The ports are easily accessed, and a slash pocket can hold papers. A thick elastic band secures the case. Like all their cases, the Cartella Linen is handmade in Minneapolis. %Gallery-195856% Functionality The Baltic Birch wood shell that holds the MacBook Air in place has been redesigned, and it's a lot more secure than the version I tried last year. When I knocked the case a bit too hard in the older model, the computer easily slid out. With the Cartella Linen, I was able to hold my MacBook Air in the case upside down, and it stayed put (note, do not try this at home.) It wouldn't come out unless I gave the case a really sharp shake. The linen Cartella also comes with extra bumpers in case you need to customize the fit, but I didn't need them. I carried the Cartella around my day job with the lid open all the time, something I hesitated to do when testing the older case. Folded back, the case is the perfect angle for typing, whether it's being held on a lap or sitting on a table. The one thing I do worry about with the linen model is the top half of the case curving. I do a lot of typing at home with my laptop in my lap, and after three days of testing, the top of the Cartella case has buckled a bit to account for the uneven surface. When you close the laptop, the case no longer lies flat over the lid. It's something that might bother some users, and I'm curious as to how the case is going to hold up over time as a result. The Cartella Linen folded back after regular lap use (bottom) vs. the regular Cartella There's enough airflow when the laptop is in the case that the MacBook Air is running much cooler. I've yet to have the fans kick on while using my MacBook Air while in the case, which is a huge bonus. Conclusion I've really enjoyed reviewing the Cartella Linen, in a lot of ways even more so than the original. The better-fitting wood shell makes the case rock-solid, though I am concerned about the cloth-bound top portion of the case giving out after long-term use. It's practical, sturdy and looks great in my bag when heading to work, the bookstore, the coffee shop, or any place you want to tote your MacBook Air. It's a solid addition to the Cartella line. The Cartella Linen comes in red and black. It'll fit all MacBook Air models produced since late 2010. The 11-inch version is US$89.99, and the 13-inch model is $99.99.
Pad & Quill Cartella makes your MacBook Air the Moleskine it's always wanted to be
Pad & Quill has emerged within the past year as a great competitor for the DODOcase. I managed to play a bit with the review cases that Steve Sande reviewed in January at Macworld/iWorld and was impressed with the build quality for the iPad. Pad & Quill also makes the Cartella Case for the MacBook Air. It's made for both sizes of MacBook Air, and I got my hands on the 11-inch one to try. Steve took a brief look at the Cartella in January, but we're getting a chance to take a deeper look now. Design The case looks and feels like a Moleskine on steroids. The cover is Italian-bonded leather, which you can get in several colors. The one I'm trying is the basic black cover. It feels good in your hands. It's secured by a strong elastic band, which feels like it can take a fair amount of abuse and not fray. The interior tray is made of Baltic Birch and is equally exquisite. Two cutouts hold the MacBook Air in place in the bottom of the tray, and there's a slash pocket on the cover's interior to hold papers. There's easy access to all ports. Functionality The Cartella holds the MacBook Air more securely than I thought it would. Place the computer in the case with the trackpad pointing toward the edge. If you get mixed up, the cutouts match the bottom of the MacBook Air. The case is free-hinged and will let you completely fold it back so you have a mini stand for the MacBook Air. It angles the computer just enough that you can type comfortably without removing the MacBook Air from the case. However, there's nothing holding the MacBook Air in the case other than gravity, so if the case gets knocked too hard, it could go flying out. Make sure you've got a good grip on the case and computer if carrying it around with the lid open. With the case closed and secured, it can withstand a fair amount of abuse. You can't drop it off your balcony, but you can toss this in your bag. Or, for the truly paranoid, you can stick it on your bookcase alongside your other books. Very few will realize there's a laptop in there and just think it's another notebook. Conclusion At US$79.99 for the 11-inch Cartella and $89.99 for the 13-inch Cartella, it falls right in line with similar cases made for the iPad. It's handmade in Minnesota, and if you're wanting to spend a little money for a true book-like feel for the the MacBook Air, you won't go wrong with the Cartella. Pros Handmade in the U.S. in Minnesota. Reasonably priced, in line with competitors. Looks good, elastic band is secure. Computer fits well in wooden tray. Can fold back case to be used as a little lap stand. Cons Computer isn't latched into case, so you need to take care if moving it around with the lid open. Who is it for? People who want a book-like case for their MacBook Air that's just as easy on the eyes as similar ones for the iPad.
