External hard drives, docking stations, mobile printers and much more for the Apple computer owner in your life.
Matrox Thunderbolt Docking Station - £181
Manufacturers have been rather slow to capitalise on the speed and versatility offered by Thunderbolt, so it's great to see interesting peripherals such as this unit from Matrox.
Thanks to the station's Ethernet and DVI ports, three USB ports (one of which is 3.0) and audio sockets for a mic and headphones/speakers, you can transform your laptop into a desktop computer.
Connect your monitor and your peripherals, then just plug your MacBook Pro or Air into the Thunderbolt port at the front.
Twelve South HiRise for MacBook - £50
We've seen stands for the MacBook Pro before, but Twelve South claims that this is the first that's height-adjustable. Crafted from beautiful brushed metal, its spring-loaded post means that you can raise your notebook to whatever height you choose - just the thing if you want to align its screen with an external monitor.
Your notebook sits snugly on silicone-lined, v-shaped arms, so it won't slip or slide off. You can always trust Twelve South to come up with quirky accessories that are well-built, high-quality and, above all, useful - and the HiRise for MacBook Pro is no exception.
If you want to be able to use your laptop as a desktop computer while at home (with the addition of an external keyboard), it's just what you need.
HP Officejet 150 Mobile All-in-One - £230
What a neat idea! According to HP, the Officejet 150 Mobile is the world's first portable all-in-one printer, scanner and photocopier. It measures 35 x 17.1 x 9cm and weighs 2.9kg, or 3.1kg with the optional battery fitted; it can be stowed neatly in your suitcase, but don't expect to slip it into your briefcase with your MacBook.
The battery's good for 500 print-outs, which is very impressive, and you can use mains power if you take the cable and transformer with you. Text quality is good, though photos aren't quite up to the "lab quality" you're promised. The 150 Mobile is expensive, but it's an excellent piece of engineering and a boon if you often need to scan, print and photocopy on the go.
equinux tizi for Mac - £40
This tiny USB dongle brings live TV to your Mac. It has a built-in aerial for viewing on the move, and an adapter so you can connect to a rooftop aerial for a better reception.
As well as TV viewing, you can also create clips on the fly during a broadcast, rewind to a specific scene, and schedule recordings with the built-in electronic programme guide (EPG).
Equinux's tizi TV tuners have proved very popular and capable on iOS devices, and it's great to see them come to the Mac.
KwikDock - £56
With this MacBook Pro docking station, you can enjoy a tangle-free desktop and access to seven connectors. Plug your peripherals into the KwikDock, then when you want to take your notebook away, simply unplug the dock.
There's even a 30-pin dock for all your iOS devices. This is the ideal gadget to quickly swap your MacBook Pro from being a desktop Mac to a notebook one.
- More info: www.kwikdock.com
Crosskase Solar 15 - £100
This rugged laptop bag features a built-in solar panel and a rechargeable 2200mAH battery. When outdoors, you charge the battery using the solar cells, and when it's full, charge your iPod, iPhone or other mobile device on the move.
It won't recharge an iPad, a MacBook or other notebook, but has pockets for you to carry them. Crosskase is perfect for hikers, walkers and festival-goers. If you're sick of having your phone run flat just when you want to use it, this handy and well-made bag could be what you're looking for.
Kanex DualRole - £60
This pocket-sized marvel doubles as a USB 3.0 hub and a Gigabit Ethernet port. Just plug it into your notebook's own USB 3.0 port and you're away. It's ideal for MacBook Airs and Retina MacBook Pros, which have no built-in Ethernet sockets.
If you stay in hotels where Wi-Fi is dodgy, unreliable and expensive but Ethernet internet is free, the DualRole could save your sanity. If they'd made it from MacBook-matching aluminium, it would be perfect, but it's a great idea as it is.
QuickerTek Battery for the MacBook Air - £300
This external battery, with MagSafe 2 modified adapter, can keep a MacBook Air going for up to 12 hours. If you're away from a power socket, this could be just what you need. And it can power up USB devices simultaneously, too.
It's just over 15 x 20cm, about 2cm think, and weighs around 1kg, so it will easily stow away in your bag. There's also a version for the Retina MacBook Pro.
- More info: www.quickertek.com
Apple Magic Mouse - £52
The Magic Mouse is the world's first Multi-Touch mouse, with a smooth surface that can detect multiple points of contact. Gesture inputs are detected just as on a trackpad. For example, a finger swiped across the mouse can move through Safari pages, and tapping gives a smart zoom. It has 360-degree scrolling too.
Apple USB Keyboard - £44
This USB keyboard lacks the freedom offered by the cable-free wireless model, but it has two USB ports and a numeric keypad to make up for it. Like its wireless equivalent, it's very comfortable to use, even after several hours' typing. Like the wireless model, it's much easier to keep clean than Apple's old-style keyboards, too.
Apple Magic Trackpad - £52
The Magic Trackpad is a larger, desktop version of the trackpad used in the MacBook. It supports the same range of multitouch gestures, including 360-degree scrolling, activating Mission Control, Exposé or Notification Center, and scrolling, rotating and zooming. It connects to your laptop wirelessly using Bluetooth.
Apple Wireless Keyboard
Apple's Bluetooth keyboard is normally bundled with the iMac, but is also available separately. It lacks a numeric keypad and any USB ports, but it takes up considerably less room when it's on your desk and offers cable-free convenience. It's perfectly styled to go with the MacBook, and is extremely comfortable to type on.
Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K750 for Mac - £60
The Logitech K750 is a wireless Mac keyboard that's solar-powered instead of running on batteries. It can draw energy from both artificial and natural light, and when fully charged can be used in pitch darkness for around three months. It's very comfy to type on, too.
Apple Thunderbolt Display (27-inch) - £795
This is the ideal display for your Thunderbolt Mac. A single cable combines a Thunderbolt lead for video and also a MagSafe connector to power your notebook while you work. As well as a big 27-inch screen, the display offers a FaceTime HD camera, three USB ports, FireWire 800 and Gigabit Ethernet ports.
WD My Passport for Mac 1TB - £85
This USB 3.0 drive is ideal for the latest MacBooks, but as high-speed USB is backwards compatible with USB 2.0, it can also be used with older models.
The drive's gorgeous enclosure looks great next to any Mac, and it comes bundled with Western Digital's Drive Utilities, Security and Turbo Driver apps. (A PC version is also available for £59.)
Apple USB SuperDrive - £59
If your Mac doesn't have an optical drive, this external USB drive is an excellent alternative. It can handle both DVDs and CDs, can burn discs as well as read them, and is perfectly designed to match your Mac. It's light and portable, too, weighing only 335g, and it's powered through its integrated USB cable.
LaCie d2 Blu-ray XL - £178
No Mac has ever had its own Blu-ray drive, but LaCie has stepped in with the d2 Blu-ray XL external model. Connecting through USB or FireWire, it can both read and write Blu-ray discs, although it won't play Blu-ray movies. You can record up to 128GB of data or 10 hours of high-definition video on a BDXL disc.
LaCie Little Big Disk - £800
LaCie's Little Big Disks are solid state external Thunderbolt drives. They're extremely petite and incredibly fast, but also very, very expensive. If you have a Mac with a Thunderbolt port, however, they're ideal for creative professional tasks.
