Luxa2 makes Apple accessories

MOST COMPANIES EVENTUALLY launch a second brand, some do it chronically with questionable results. Thermaltake launched a second brand called Luxa2 with some pretty nice results.

Luxa was a line of high end media center chassis, and it is now an entire brand aimed at the high end of the market and Apple. Yes Apple, the vain twinks who will turn a worn floor tile into a shrine if Steve spits on it. This market requires really nice designs that are reassuringly expensive and fit the Apple motif. That said, the Luxa2 stuff has some amazing designs, and should fit in well as long as you don't require the expensive part.

M2 and M3 laptop coolers

There are four M laptop coolers/stands in the brand, along with an L and an H model. The M2 and M3 differ only in size, both are folding aluminum stands with fans in them. You open them up, sit the laptop on them, plug it into the USB ports, and no more overheating. Unless you have an Nvidia GPU, then you are screwed, but this might help a little [can someone bring Charlie his meds... he's off again. Sub-ed].

The M2 is a bit thinner than the M3, but both come with a white leather carrying case and three Swaravoski crystals on the outside. When other people pull out their standard laptop stands at the coffee shop, you can pull out your M3 and show them what genuine crystal brings to a laptop stand. Trust us, Apple fanbois will be impressed.

A hard right turn get us to the M4, it looks like a yo-yo, two discs with fans in them that you sit at the notebook's corners. If you think 2cm thick ber mats you are not far off. They clip together, and come with a leather case, crystals, and the cord is USB, far too stiff to do tricks with.

L1 laptop stand

Instead of a bar, the L1 is a typical two-part stand, but this one is made out of aluminum with a lot of detail work. Where normal people have friction pads, Luxa uses machined aluminum and screws. There are also two heat pipes on the back to spread the temps out. Who knew an aluminum plate needed heat pipes?

M1-Pro Stand

Getting back to the M side of things, we have the M1-Pro, and it is the one that (pun intended) stands out. It would not be out of place as a prop in a Klingon ship, something Kirk could grab and gouge the eye out of his captors with. Knowing Apple fans, the subset of closet Klingon speakers is a lot larger than anyone suspects, so aiming at the Apple-using Klingons is likely a profitable market.

That said, this is an amazing-looking stand. If you want to stand out at the coffee shop, this will do it. Feet that are reminiscent of blades, bolts, a chunky base with a handle, and yes, it has crystals. Even Klingons need to look pretty sometimes, even if mother never hugged them as a Klingling.

H1 Mobile Holder

Lest you think they forgot, there is a stand for the Iphone as well, the H1 Mobile holder. You can see the front in the M1 pic, the back is obviously above. This is a prototype, the hinge on the back is not the one you will be getting, the final product will be much better looking.

The front has six rubber arms that clamp the phone. It will rotate freely, and the hinge on the back will allow it to flip over 180 degrees. Basically your Iphone has more degrees of freedom than the average air traveler. It is by far the most articulated phone stand on the market.

Last up are the cases. There are four and a half, the LM100, 200, 300 and 400. The 200 has two screen types, and they range from small to large. All look pretty close to the Luxas from last year, but are revamped here and there.

All in all, I think Thermaltake is onto something with the Luxa line. They hit the target for Apple accessories, something that will do pretty well in the market. Everything is made out of solid aluminum so it won't be cheap, but the good stuff never is. µ