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The continuing search for the perfect iPad/Netbook man-purse (Round 2)
The iPad's a great device: useful, portable, dare we say revolutionary. Unfortunately, it's a tough gadget to find a good bag for. The problems are myriad: the small size and slim design seem to lend themselves to tiny bags. Tiny bags, however, are often both impractical and unappealing to a lot of people, myself included. Over the summer, I began a quest to find an iPad bag that wasn't too "murse"-like, too awkwardly small and useless. I started with four that had their ups and downs, but in the end none of them was perfect.
For the second round, we've found a few other manufacturers and designs that up the ante a little more. Are they as cool and useful as the iPad itself? We've rated each on an informal Style Index and Humiliation Index; a perfect bag should aim for 10 in style, but 0 in humiliation. Not only did we find a few good bags, but we may even have found a perfect one, too: the Ultimate iPad Man-Purse.
Booq Boa Push ($89) Booq wins the prize for pure style in an iPad messenger bag, crafting an immediately eye-catching slim leather-and-Twylon over-the-shoulder bag that looks like it's made to go with $300 designer jeans. The problem is, the whole bag's too slim for its own good. An inner iPad compartment makes up nearly the entire bag, and it's a tight fit for iPads in cases (although Apple's slim case works narrowly). The pocket has exposed corners on the top and bottom, leaving a naked iPad at risk to a sudden downpour. Similarly, a stylishly sewn front iPhone pocket leaves smartphones too exposed on a subway, and the two slim pockets--one inside, one on the back--are barely large enough for a Moleskin notebook. Forget about carrying any power adapters. It is comfy, though: the seatbelt-nylon strap rests nicely on the shoulder and lies flat on the sides of the bag. Make the Push slightly bigger next time, and we have a winner. Style Index: 9 Humiliation Index: 5… Read more
