CKIE

Featured on Bit Rebels, CrunchGear and iCreate, the creative magazine for Mac Users, the CDBrace is designed to improve the comfort and convenience of carrying your laptop on campus, around the office or anywhere you take your laptop on the go. If you would like to pre-order your very own CDBrace or if you just want to help a new designer/entrepreneur please pledge your support. 

When I started this project, I had 5 design goals:

• the solution must be simple, stylish and comfortable
• the solution must not affect or interfere with the normal use of a laptop
• the solution must be easily removable if it becomes necessary
• the solution must allow a laptop to fit in a case or sleeve while attached
• the solution must be safe, secure and not put the laptop at risk in any way

And finally, after hiring a professional industrial design and many months of sketching, prototyping and testing, I can proudly say that I met my goals and the CDBrace is ready for primetime.

The CDBrace, made from a high quality Acetal plastic and incredibly strong Uretek fabric, easily and securely attaches to a laptop without affecting any of its typical uses. And with the CDBrace attached, the laptop still fits nicely in most bags and sleeves with no problem. It even fits with most covers and cases attached. But just in case, the CDBrace detaches as effortlessly as it attaches to your laptop. And as a bonus, when attached the handle can rest underneath the laptop to provide an angled keyboard and ventilation prop.  

While designing a product to meet my strict goals of simplicity, quality and style was quite an endeavor, producing a product of the same simplicity, quality and style is quite another. Manufacturing the CDBrace will require three distinct processes : Injection molding, overmolding and laser cutting. Additionally, the tight tolerances, so it does not impede on the laptop's closure and ventilation, require rather complicated manufacturing techniques. As you can imagine, the entire process, including the expenses required to setup and place an order with a reputable manufacturer, can be somewhat cost prohibitive, particularly for a first time venture such as this. Fortunately, CKIE provides the platform and community to help startups overcome high start-up costs and bring new products to market.

For this project I've designed the CDBrace in two colors, black or you can get a special edition red package (additional colors will be available soon), and sized for the 15" unibody Macbook Pro (however, it can fit a variety of different laptops - requires a 9 1/2" long unobstructed gap between the laptops' screen and base). A pledge of $20 or more pre-orders a CDBrace which will be available shortly after the manufacturing process is complete. 

Also, I need you to spread the word. Spread the word to your Facebook friends, Twitter followers, LinkedIn connections and everyone else you know. Tell them to checkout the promo video on CKIE. There are millions of laptop owners in the world who may be looking for a stylish, more comfortable and convenient way to carry their notebook computer. Let them know about this opportunity and help bring this innovative new product to market.

Thanks in advance for your support.

Macbook Pro not included.
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