Funchico.com - Funky, Chic & Cool Laptop Bag News

Review of Lexie Barnes' Stylish Echo Laptop Bag PLUS a coupon for free gift!

Lexie Barnes has updated her Echo Laptop Bag - not only with new fabulous fabrics, but with a double compartment and a secret pocket for your phone or keys! Love. It.

Check out my full review of the Echo over on Squidoo - or just hop on over to Lexie's site to order. The Echo sells for $119 USD. And as a delightful spring bonus, Lexie's given us a coupon. Use FUNCHICO at checkout and for any purchase over $100 (whether the Echo or another of her fabulous bags - her McCoy overnighter, especially in the Kiri fabric, is a winner) she will include a free Mini in matching fabric with your order.  Good til March 15, 2010.

Quilted and Sporty! The Sumo Women's Laptop Purse from Mobile Edge

We are definitely in the midst of a laptop bag heyday! Another indicator - the birth of the "laptop purse" genre. Larger bags that take design cues from women's purses and smaller bags, for your netbooks, that are practically indistinguishable from purses.

A recent entry into this delightful category - the Sumo Women's Laptop Purse from Mobile Edge.  I reviewed it over on my Laptop Bag lens.  From the review ...

We've hit the post-holiday blahs pretty hard here in Vancouver. It's challenging to get excited about the new year when it's so gray and drizzly out. I was in desperate need of a pick-me-up; something to bring back that holiday cheer for the whole year. So naturally, my eyes lit up when I saw the cherry red Sumo Women's Laptop Purse that Matthew from Mobile Edge had sent over. Red! Quilted! Glory!

Of course the colour of the Sumo Women's Laptop Purse is the first thing that caught my eye, but I was also delighted by the shape of it; instead of your usual rectangular bag, the Sumo takes the edge off and curves around the top to create a softer silhouette. The quilting, accomplished with white topstitching over the high quality ballistic nylon, gives it a fun, fresh look and the leather trim and handles add a little je-ne-sais-quoi to the whole affair. Kicky!

Get all the gory details in the full review of the Sumo Laptop Purse.

Get eco-chic with the laptop T.O.T.E. from Urban Junket

I just posted a review of the fun and fresh Laptop T.O.T.E. bags from Urban Junket (T.O.T.E. = "to observe the earth"). There are two great things about these bags: the amazing colour palette and the very smart functional design - Tracey Dyer, the designer, has fashioned one bag with three ways to carry it: over the shoulder (tote-style), across the body (messenger-style) and on the back (backpack-style).

You can read the full review of the T.O.T.E. from Urban Junket over on my lens; here's an excerpt:

Maybe I'm just feeling a little nostalgic for John Hughes this days - but I have to say that my journey with my review copy of the Urban Junket T.O.T.E. reminded me of the teen romance films of my youth.

You know the ones I mean. Those teen movies where the female protaganist is a bit of a tomboy who maybe wears glasses and she's desperately in love with the male protaganist, but he doesn't even see her! But then at the end of the film, he suddenly realizes that the perfect woman was right in front of him the whole time! Well...that's kind of how it was with me and the Urban Junket T.O.T.E.

I confess that when I first received the Urban Junket T.O.T.E., it was summer and I thought it was nice. It wasn't until the days started to get a little darker and the leaves turned that I really started to notice it - arrestingly colourful, slick and chic. How had I not seen it before? And how soon could I come up with an excuse to take it out somewhere??

The Urban Junket T.O.T.E. ("Tote" stands for "To Observe the Earth") comes in two sizes, the 15.4" and the 17", which is the one I have. Its glossy exterior is eco-friendly coated canvas made from non-toxic dyes - a definite plus in my book.

The glossy material is also water resistant - another plus in rainy Vancouver - although there is a little gap between the zipper and the edge of the bag, so you know - don't toss it in the pool or anything.

Plus, there is a great video from Tracey showing how to configure the bag in each of its three styles.  You can also skip the review and go straight to the Urban Junket T.O.T.E. over at CareerBags.com.

Expand-It Messenger from BBP Offers Slim, Chic Laptop Bag Style

I've never seen a bag with pin stripes before.  From boardroom to independent coffee house, the Expand-It Messenger Bag from BBP will keep you in style.  A good one for the gents who want something a little more upscale than a solid black bag.  Sophisticated, yet understated.  From the review ...

The Expand-It sacrifices a bit of space for style, but so long as you're not intending to carry your life in your bag, it's a good bet. In fact, for commuters who depend on public transit, the bag's low profile design is a blessing on crowded routes. The bag itself has a full-size interior compartment with a removable padded laptop sleeve for the days when the laptop stays home and the gym clothes come out. There is a nice assortment of zippered and snapped pockets under the flap.

As the name suggests, the Expand-It also expands by opening the zipper that runs along the bottom and both sides of the bag, opening up a bit more capacity. The padding on the strap is cushy enough to be comfortable for a commuter; and the adjustable strap allows a cross-body carry.

You can read the full review and see several more pics over at my Laptop Bags for Men lens.

Retro Cool - The Black Candy Laptop Tote from Rainebrooke Designs

What's more cheerful than shiny, red patent retro goodness? Very little, I say - would you agree? I finally had a chance to do my full review of the Black Candy laptop tote from Rainbrooke Designs...

It's summer and surprisingly hot here in coastal Vancouver. So I've been wearing my hair in a ponytail lately. And sporting rolled up jeans and oversize white oxford shirts. And I realised that I've been transported to the 50's and have become Ritchie Cunningham's little sister. Sock hops, slicked hair and poodle skirts are all the rage. And my saddle shoes are swell.

But I've got one thing Joanie didn't have - and that is the rockin' Black Candy laptop tote from Rainebrooke Designs.

The Black Candy is a split-style laptop tote. One side holds your laptop and has a removable sleeve for extra padding. The sleeve holds up to a 15" laptop - but if you remove the sleeve, a 17" will fit on the laptop side. The Black Candy is very well padded, so even if you don't have the sleeve, I don't think you need to worry about your laptop.

One of the VERY smart things about the Black Candy is that each of the sides of the tote has it's own zipper - so you don't have to have the laptop side opened when you're digging through the bauble side - and vice versa.

If you're a fan of rockin' retro styling, check out the full review of the Black Candy - in addition to the full scoop, there are some special pricing codes for an amazing discount on the Black Candy!!

Element Briefcase from Mobile Edge (Guest Review)

I just posted a review of the ScanFast Element Briefcase from Mobile Edge over on my Squidoo lens.  Coincidentally, I just received this review of its predecessor, the Element Briefcase, from creative colleage Lisa Penz of White Raven Creative.  The original Element is still being sold by Mobile Edge (though not in the pink), but the ScanFast is the newer model.  Lisa's comments pertain to both models, I think.  Enjoy!

I recently retired my laptop backpack for an over the shoulder Mobile Edge laptop bag. As the creative director for my agency White Raven Creative, I have a very hectic schedule which demands me to be in various places in a short time span while wearing many different hats so to speak. I soon realized that my backpack wasn’t working for me and I was in dire need of a multipurpose laptop bag to support my ultra busy lifestyle of work and social engagements.

I determined that my main criteria in finding a new laptop bag was both functionality and versatility. It was also critical for me that my bag be easily transportable while maintaining aesthetic appeal and a professional appearance. 

Kate recommended the Mobile Edge bag for me. The Mobile Edge bag is a Special Edition over the shoulder laptop bag that is durable and high-quality which gives me the piece of mind that my Macbook is well protected while I travel from meeting to meeting. I really like this laptop bag because it is very suitable to my style and resonates with my personality. The exterior of the bag is very professional looking which juxtaposes it’s unique colour combination of dark brown leather with complimentary pink suede features. To add to the element of fun - the sleek, fabric interior has a funky striped pattern. This playful looking interior is also abounding with compartments to the utmost detail. There is even a pocket for my Passport! Talk about thinking of everything. I really look forward to taking this laptop bag inflight!

The downsides to this bag are few. I would say the bag is quite a large size in relation to my body. As I am 5’4” - this bag may not be the ideal size for someone my height. Also, with loads of compartments and ample padding comes weight. This bag is not light! It becomes very heavy after carrying it around town.

I’ve been using the Mobile Edge bag for a few weeks now and I am receiving many compliments wherever I go. It seems to attract many different people (especially women... they say the love the style and the pink!).  Thanks Kate!

Thanks, Lisa!  You can see the full Element line over at Mobile Edge; it retails starting at $89 USD.

Breathe Laptop Sleeve from BBP Bags (Guest Review)

A few months ago, I posted a review of the Breathe Laptop Sleeve from BBP Bags. I like the sleeve a lot and think it is a smart design.  But it's always good to have a second opinion and  I'm quite thrilled that the aspiring-engineer daughter of a social media colleague put it to the test!  Following is Amber's review ...

When I began my studies at Purdue University 3 years ago, I had a very hard time finding a laptop sleeve that wasn't either too bulky or too masculine for my macbook. At that point, my main concern was style. After a lengthy search, I found a very cute, pink laptop sleeve and instantly bought it. Since then I have learned the importance of functionality due to my impromptu schedule, my permanently packed bookbag, and my frequent trips by foot across a large campus.

My major involves a lot of pressure and many deadlines, and I frequently find myself shutting my computer and immediately placing it in its sleeve for a walk across campus. There are a few problems I had with this scenario alone, so I was more than happy to try a new laptop sleeve made by BBP that Kate had given to my dad for me to try. Unlike my old laptop sleeve, which was thick and open at the top, the BBP sleeve is

1. thin, which makes it easy to pack between books in a bookbag;
2. lightweight to carry;
3. porous, which has really made a big difference in my computers' frequent overheating; and
4. has a zipper at the top, which provides some extra protection against unpredictable, Indiana weather.

The BBP sleeve also serves more than 1 function. The accessory pocket is useful for storing the charger and any other cords, etc., and the conforming and compressing nature of its material seems to keep the items stored very discreetly and securely. The USB pocket is one of my favorite features because it is ingenious and highly useful. Flash drives are very easy to lose if they are floating around a large bag, and keeping them on a keychain can be annoying at times. With the USB pocket, my USB drive is both ready and secure at all times.

Without previously glancing at the lab test results, which are apparently displayed on BBP's website, my only concern is whether the pink material or the black lining will stretch out after long-time use, making the accessory and USB pockets less secure. So far, the BBP laptop sleeve has passed my functionality test with flying colors, and the best part is, I didn't have to make any aesthetic sacrifices with this sleek sleeve.

Thanks, Amber! And thanks to Ed for the awesome pics!!

Fun Pink Laptop Backpack - the Express from Mobile Edge

It's been a long winter here in Vancouver.  Not a lot of sun.  So anything bright, pink and polkadot makes me smile.  Especially when you can put your laptop in it!  I did a review recently of the Express Laptop Backpack from Mobile Edge ...

Look, I'm not going to lie to you. I wanted to open this review with the statement, "The pink polka-dot Express Laptop Backpack from Mobile Edge is the bag that Strawberry Shortcake would carry if she were a grown-up freelance blogger/web designer."

But I was worried that some of you might take that the wrong way. I had a bit of a *thing* for Miss Shortcake when I was younger so, to me, that is a totally positive statement. See the Express is pink, but not ALL pink. And it has pink racing stripe piping down the side. Shows that you're ready for action. It's a little sporty, a little designer-y. But not so uber-sophisticated that your friends Angel Cake and Ginger Snap will accuse you of going all corporate, "You used to be one of US, Straw! What HAPPENED?!"

Ahem.

The pink polka-dot Express Laptop Backpack from Mobile Edge is a fun and functional bag to comfortably carry your laptop and other gear. The pink and chocolate colour scheme is vivid, but not overwhelming. And its silhouette is curved and feminine. But don't think that means this bag isn't all business on the inside!

If you like backpack style laptop bags, make sure you check out the full review of the Express!

Carpetbag Luxury for Your Laptop - the Wirkin from Veronica London

I like laptop bags that are unusual not only in style and colour but also in fabric. I've been looking for a great carpetbag-style bag for my laptop for a while, and I've finally found it in the Wirkin from Veronica London (an exclusive line at Careerbags.com). Ellen over at CareerBags recently sent me a Wirkin to review; from the review ...

Fortunately, the Veronica London Wirkin Laptop Carpet Bag is not your grandmother's carpet bag - it's definitely a carpet bag for the new millennium. It has a unique look and is really well-made; the vintage fabric is whimsical yet chic. The rich texture of the fabric and the pebbled leather trim and handles make the Wirkin a great marriage of classic and Bohemian style.

I'm a fan of the handbag-style laptop tote and the Wirkin's shoulder straps make for comfy carrying. I also liked that the Wirkin has the same fabulous little feet I loved so much on the Veronica London Monogram Laptop Tote. I was a little worried that the buckle closure on the front of the bag would be fussy, but it turns out the front is just a clever illusion! The bag actually zips across the top, which makes for much easier access.

Read the full review of the Wirkin carpetbag laptop tote.

Linen Laptop Sleeves for Small Netbooks - House of Adeline

I'm a huge fan of handmade bags.  This is one reason I was so pleased to discover Linn from the House of Adeline and her beautiful handmade linen and felt sleeves for small netbooks.  She recently sent me a sample; I've reviewed it over on my lens.  From the review ...

The exterior of the sleeve is a lovely taupe-coloured linen. It has basic envelope-style function with a very clever fastening method - small elastic loops emerge from under the flap, wrapping around the side of the sleeve and hooking on two wooden buttons on the back. Simple and elegant. The flap on the front of the sleeve is trimmed in one of four fabrics - options for both men and women. The interior of the sleeve is a cream-coloured lightly-quilted cotton fabric.

Read the full review of the linen laptop sleeves from the House of Adeline.