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

Friendly and Functional - the Emily Laptop Tote from Rainebrooke Designs

I just posted a review of the new Emily Laptop Tote from Rainebrooke Designs.  One of the things I really like about Rainebrooke's bags is that they are highly functional.  Steve really thinks about what a person needs in a bag, particularly one who travels.

From the review ...

As much as I enjoy the darker months of the year, I must admit that occasionally, when I am out with the dog and the weather goes from sunny to ice pellets in mere seconds, I long for the mildness of spring. The idealized version of spring, of course, where it doesn't rain much and the trees on our street are resplendant with pink cherry blossoms for weeks on end.

So I was thrilled when Steve from Rainebrooke sent over their latest laptop bag, the Emily Laptop Tote. Not only is it a sleek, functional design, but the Emily is just the right shade of cherry blossom pink to nurture my spring fancy.

The Emily is a nicely structured tote with plenty of room for your day-to-day necessities - and your 17" laptop! For a structured bag, it's very lightweight and the padded faux leather handles are perfectly padded for easy carrying.

The Emily also comes with an adjustable, removable strap if you'd prefer to carry the bag over the shoulder or across the body, messenger-style. The strap has a nice shoulder pad attached, so even if you pack the bag full, it's comfy to tote around.

You can check out the full review or go straight to the Emily on Rainebrooke's site.

be.ez makes carrying your netbook a delight

More great products on the netbook front.  Stylin' bag design shop be.ez has created some great sleeves and messengers (both vertical and horizontal) for netbooks.

Get the story on their sassy LArobe netbook sleeve (it just looks and feels SO good) as well as their surprising LEvertical LimeArt Messenger.

Skooba has a new netbook messenger bag - and it's pretty hot!

More news from Skooba.  In addition to their great design contest that is going on right now (deadline is November 20th!), they have also just announced the addition of a great new messenger bag specifically designed for folks who carry netbooks.

Get the full scoop on the Skooba Netbook Messenger.

Win a One-of-a-Kind Laptop Bag from Skooba Design

I just got word of this VERY COOL contest from Skooba Design. They are looking for the Master of the Digital Universe. And when they find her (or him) they want to design a one-of-a-kind laptop bag for them.

I know - awesome, right?!

Here are the deets ...

We are on the hunt for the Master of the Digital Universe, the gadget freak to end all gadget freaks. The Master might have the most gadgets, or the coolest gadgets, or both. The Master might rack up 200,000 frequent flier miles a year and do business in 25 countries, while traveling with an extraordinary tech arsenal. The Master might have drawers and closets full of more retired gadgets than anyone else. The Master might have all of the above.

If you think you deserve to be named Master of the Digital Universe, we want to hear from you. We want your story. It's not necessarily just about a laundry list of all the stuff you own (although if that's what you want to send, that's OK too). It's about the big picture. This is a subjective contest, to be judged by the product designers, marketing and management team at Skooba Design. So if you think you've got a story, sell it. Tell us what you've got, what you carry, how you travel, how you use your tech, why you're always 2 steps ahead of every technology development, whatever it may be. The better picture you paint, with words, images or video (more info on entry page), the better we can judge your story.

They are encouraging really great stories and not just a picture of your gear which I think is smart. You can also submit a video regaling the judges with your digital gear mastery.

Deadline for entry is Friday, November 20, 2009 at 11PM Eastern time. 

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.