Twelve South’s BackPack Shelf for iMac and Apple Displays Gets Refresh and Redesign

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Twelve South’s very first Apple-only accessory was the BackPack Shelf for the iMac and pole Display. It is one of those small, unassuming accessories that you might not necessarily NEED, but you can’t do without once you start using it. Now they have gone and made three different enhancements to it.

As they note,

Three years after Twelve South released BackPack, its very first product, the company unveils an elevated new version of the tiny shelf with three major enhancements. Designed exclusively for iMacs and Apple Displays, BackPack now features vertical support pegs, built-in cable management rails and the option to use BackPack as a front-facing shelf.

The BackPack Shelf is designed to hold backup hard drives, external peripherals and even a MacBook Air thanks to the new vertical support pegs. The support pegs are designed to prop up vertically oriented hard drives, Apple’s Time Capsule, Airport Extreme or even a MacBook Air. The four support pegs can be arranged in different formations and, as such, can accommodate a wide range of devices. Each peg is coated with soft silicone which will protect the devices from scratches. Best of all, the BackPack can support up to 3.5 pounds. It installs on the iMac using two adjustable clips and gravity. In other words, no screws are required.

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Then there is the new ability to use it as a front-facing shelf. As the product page notes,

Perched on the front of iMac or a Thunderbolt Display, BackPack can be used to store an iPhone, wallet or anything else that needs to be up off the desk, but still handy and accessible. Since BackPack is height adjustable, two can hang on one iMac. A rear-facing BackPack can hold a MacBook Air while the shelf on the front cradles a MacBook Air SuperDrive. Along with electronic gadgets, BackPack has been used to display everything from pamphlets in retail stores to action figures and awards in ad agencies and creative studios.

The BackPack is available now for $34.99. More information and ordering can be found on the TwelveSouth website.

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About the Author

Dan Cohen
Having a father who was heavily involved in early laser and fiber-optical research, Dan grew up surrounded by technology and gadgets. Dan’s father brought home one of the very first video games when he was young and Dan remembers seeing a “pre-release” touchtone phone. (When he asked his father what the “#” and “*” buttons were his dad said, “Some day, far in the future, we’ll have some use for them.”) Technology seemed to be in Dan’s blood but at some point he took a different path and ended up in the clergy. His passion for technology and gadgets never left him. Dan is married to Raina Goldberg who is also an avid user of Apple products. They live in New Jersey with their golden doodle Nava.