3 Ways to Dress up Your Laptop
June 4th, 2007 (11:00am) Mike Gunderloy 15 Comments
If you’re like most web workers, you’ve got a laptop computer. And if you’re like most of us, it looks just like all the rest. Oh sure, it might be a glossy white MacBook, but let’s face it: go to the right conference and you’ll see dozens, if not hundreds, of glossy white MacBooks. In an age of rampant individuality, the vast majority of web workers have plain white, black, or silver boxes that they cart around to do their most important work on.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are options these days for making your laptop computer stand out from the pack. In addition to making a statement, there’s one good practical reason for doing this: in theory, customizing your laptop lowers its resale value on the open market and makes it a less attractive target for theft. But really, the best reason is just to be one of the cool kids. Here are the three main paths you can take to a laptop facelift:
Skins: Skins are big stickers that are sized to fit your laptop lid, printed with snappy artwork. You can buy preprinted skins from a variety of vendors, including Schtickers, DecalGirl, Garskin, Pimp My Laptop, and SkinIt. Pricing starts around $20 for stock designs, and some vendors will let you upload your own custom artwork for just a few dollars more. On the plus side, skins are the least expensive and quickest way to customize your laptop; you apply them yourself with only a few minutes of downtime. On the minus side, if you’re not careful, you can end up with air bubbles or wrinkles, and the edges may eventually peel or discolor. Skins tend to wear in time, so may need to be replaced, and they’re not that effective as a theft deterrent as they can be removed with light solvents.
Custom Paint Job: The current high end in laptop detailing is a custom paint job applied by a company like Laptop Design USA or M-Tech. These firms will use automotive paint or similar processes to apply eye-popping designs directly to the lid of your laptop, and for an additional fee you can get the other parts of the case painted as well. You should expect to pay around $200 for this service. A custom paint job can give you the most permanent and durable artwork for your laptop, and it will stand out in a way that skins just can’t. But you’ll have to be prepared to do without the laptop for days or even weeks while it’s off being painted, and if you have the entire case done it will be disassembled with possible side-effects on your warranty. It’s possible to chip the paint on your $200 paint job if you’re not careful, too.
Do it Yourself: If you don’t want to spend a lot of money, and you have some artistic talent (and bravery), you can paint your own laptop. The most common technique I’ve seen is to use spray paint and stencils. On the upside, you’ll save time and money, and you’re guaranteed true uniqueness for your artistic creation. But you also have the chance to make a complete botch of the job, and if you take your laptop apart and can’t figure out how to put it back together, no one is going to help you.
15 Comments Post your own comment
thelocomono says: June 4th, 2007 11:28am
I like the Do-It-Yourself Paint Job idea. As a hobby artist, I would suggest to your readers who may be interested in doing such an idea two things.
If you are near a local art institute, place a flyer on their community board asking for artists who have experience with spray painting and are interested in building their portifolio. They almost always will be glad to do this for pizza money. It will help expand their horizons and you get a nearly professional job for less money than these mail away sites. It may be possible to have it done in a day.
If you are not located anywhere near such an institute and really want to do it on your own, then do it on paper first. pratice it not once, not twice, but three times. If you know you like it, then trace the design onto your laptop and “spray by the numbers.” That is how the pros do it. If a pro can spray by the numbers, you can too.
Laptop Blog » 3 Ways to Dress up Your Laptop - WebWorkerDaily says: June 4th, 2007 11:35am
[...] Read More At: Google Inc. [...]
Mike Gunderloy says: June 4th, 2007 12:35pm
Thanks for the tips, Telocomono!
JamesC says: June 4th, 2007 12:44pm
#4: http://www.tuaw.com/2006/11/23/macbook-pro-advertising-etching/
Laser etch your Macbook Pro.
Audrey Eschright says: June 4th, 2007 9:36pm
I used a piece of Post-It photo paper to cover the apple on my laptop with the Yog’s Notebook logo. It’s held up really well so far. I’ve been thinking about doing a whole collage.
jaded says: June 5th, 2007 12:16pm
Gelaskins [http://www.gelaskins.com/] are pretty cool, too.
Leonid Mamchenkov says: June 5th, 2007 1:52pm
Take a sticker from every conference you go to, and slap it on top of your laptop. Unique design, complete trace, nostalgic reminders - all in one and for no extra charge. :)
sickbastard says: June 5th, 2007 2:28pm
I don’t know if making your laptop look really cool would cut down on the theft part, if I saw an easily steal-able laptop I’d just take it (provided of course that I was a thief) then get whatever i could out of it with no regard to the stickers or paint job on it.
Magnus Holen Myrtveit says: June 5th, 2007 3:15pm
this is awesome. thanks.
Top Posts « WordPress.com says: June 5th, 2007 4:58pm
[...] 3 Ways to Dress up Your Laptop If you’re like most web workers, you’ve got a laptop computer. And if you’re like most of us, it […] [...]
raincoaster says: June 5th, 2007 5:38pm
Sickbastard, take it from an ex-crime reporter, thieves do not want something that screams UNIQUE, they want something they won’t look conspicuous with walking away from the scene. That’s why it’s generally the most ordinary cars that are the most often stolen.
And laptop thefts are motivated by the potential for quick and profitable sale, not personal use.
Amie Gillingham says: June 5th, 2007 7:32pm
thelocomono said:
If you are near a local art institute, place a flyer on their community board asking for artists who have experience with spray painting and are interested in building their portifolio. They almost always will be glad to do this for pizza money. It will help expand their horizons and you get a nearly professional job for less money than these mail away sites. It may be possible to have it done in a day.
While the above might be true, I hate to see young artists being taken advantage of in such a way. You’re asking them to do a professional job. Don’t demean their skills by tossing a pizza at them. Pay them a professional wage.
That being said, Craigslist could be another good source if you’re looking for a local artist to do the job. Or you can search a site like ours (http://www.ebsqart.com) or etsy.com, for example, and find local artists who are already letting it be known that they do commission work. In both of the later cases, you also have the advantage of being able to peruse their portfolio before contacting the artist so you’re more likely to find an artist whose skill is in tune with your vision for your laptop masterpiece.
JD says: June 5th, 2007 8:06pm
nice tips
doyle says: June 5th, 2007 10:11pm
for those who are looking for something extra special and designed by yourself, http://www.mytego.com offers an added level of customization - you can design your own skins here, with your own pictures. anything goes!
WebWorkerDaily » Archive Do You Need a Virtual Cubicle? « says: August 14th, 2008 2:00pm
[...] 3 Ways to Dress up Your Laptop [...]