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  • Kickstarter: TILT, The Cooling Pad That Matches Your MacBook Pro

    Chris Velazco

    Chris Velazco is a mobile enthusiast and writer who studied English and Marketing at Rutgers University. Once upon a time, he was the news intern for MobileCrunch, and in between posts, he worked in wireless sales at Best Buy. After graduating, he returned to the new TechCrunch to as a full-time mobile writer. He counts advertising, running, musical theater,... → Learn More

    Monday, October 31st, 2011
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    Anyone who has ever used a MacBook Pro can tell you that they can get awfully toasty after a little while. Countless laptop cooling solutions have hit store shelves over the years, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen one quite as handsome as the TILT by madMINDS.

    Designed by Clinton and Spencer Yee, the TILT is a cooling pad designed specifically for use with the unibody Macbook Pros. To their credit, using a TILT with a Macbook Pro looks completely natural thanks to the cooling pad’s slim profile and the faux-aluminum look of the TILT’s polycarbonate body. Setup is both simple and secure — just latch your MBP into place with the TILT’s patent-pending locking mechanism, and plug a cable into your USB port. Easy peasy.

    There’s a lot to like about the TILT, but my favorite feature is probably the most easily overlooked. Flip the thing over and you’ll find a tiny screw hole that fits a standard tripod mount. The TILT’s locking latch is apparently robust enough to keep the whole package stable and usable even if you lash to the the top of a tripod. It’s a thoughtful if minor addition that’s sure to please videographers and fans of standing desks alike.

    The Kickstarter project currently has 77 backers, and those looking to get in on the ground floor need only pitch in $45 to score a TILT when they’re released. Be warned though: the brothers Yee have only seen fit to design the TILT for the 15-inch model, so 13 and 17-inch users will have to look elsewhere for their well-designed cooling fix.