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Issue link: https://digital.macdirectory.com/i/1277879
When Apple rocked our world at this year's WWDC when it announced its migration from Intel and into a unified ARM ecosystem, we were left wondering what we own and what we were planning to buy will survive the shockwaves we're bound to feel in the coming years. Out of the confusion from Cupertino comes satisfaction from San Francisco, as WaterField revealed it's incredible cool Outback Duo attachés for 13, 14, and 16-inch laptops, assured to be compatible with any OS and portable device Apple will send our way for years to come. The Duo gets its name from the fact that it's designed to carr y two devices, either a laptop and tablet or a couple of laptops. And the def inition of "tablet" here is pretty liberal. It includes not only all the sizes of iPad, but a Wacom Intuos Pro graphics tablet f its quite nicely, as well. Oh yeah. So does a Microsoft Surface, if you're one of those people. The brief also comes in two sizes, one suited for 13-14" laptops and the other for toting a 15 -16". There are individual, lushly padded compar tments for each device and an area in between for paperwork, folios, or any thing else that doesn't require as much coddling. The bag closes with a strong and waterproof zipper, underneath that is a rolled- fabric lip to assure that the rain and drizzle will even stay out in a summer squall in New England or most of the rest of the year in the Northwest. On the front of the brief is a large, quick access pocket with leather flap that's held closed by a magnet, strong enough to keep the pocket shut, but easy to open without fumbling with clips or clasps. On the sides, are metal loops to attach the shoulder strap. WaterField refers to the Outback Duo's design as "minimalist" with its simple look and comparatively narrow role. In a way, it's true. Compared to a lot of laptop bags, including may of WaterField's own, they're basic chinos rather than cargo pants. But we're not in complete agreement with their assessment. Though there's nothing that that jumps out and busies the overall look, there's a lot to this slim, stylish case. Discreetly lying along the back there's a passthrough so you can slip the bag over the handle of a wheelie carry-on. Hiding at the end of a row of varisized pockets lining the exterior pocket is one that is particularly narrow and will provide worry- free storage for that $130 Apple Pencil. Inside the case, the partitions that hold the laptops/ tablets are notched along the upper edges to make in-case charging easier. You'll find that, after a while, the smooth, soft leather-covered handles naturally mold themselves to your hand. But for us, calling the included shoulder strap "minimalist" is something of an outrage. It may just look like regular strap, but it's not. In fact, it's one of the most brilliantly designed straps we've used in many years of bearing heavy equipment on our tired shoulders. The thickly padded and well-aerated pad is slightly elastic, acting as a shock-absorber while walking and climbing stairs. That, friends, can be a very big deal. For more information, visit: sfbags.com