What’s Hot: A Smooth Ride

Notebook computers absorb a pounding, even in the hands of the most delicate business traveler. In and out of overhead bins, stuffed in seatback pockets, tossed in the back seat of a rental car and rolling through a bumping parking lot are just a few of the ways notebooks suffer abuse.

It doesn’t have to be that way, and one company has applied shock absorbing technology into the design of its rolling cases. The new feature is called Shock Stop (pictured) and it employs small, red, heat-tempered springs within a composite housing to absorb impact. Within the housing, plastic guides control the movement of springs designed for optimal cushioning effect based on the study of bag loads and surface conditions.

The point is to isolate jarring impacts and vibrations to the wheels to produce a smoother ride which can prolong the life span of the contents, such as a notebook computer or other delicate electronics like LCD projectors.