Orbino Aria MackBook Air Case: Was Rumourware, Now Real, Luxurious

Remember the MacBook Air case that was announced even before we knew for sure that the Air was real? Well, the Aria from Orbino is now a real product (meaning the 50% of you who voted it to be rumourware were wrong!) and it’s pretty darn luxurious. Aircraft-grade aluminium, hand-folded calfskin leather… and that’s just the start.

It’s got a spring-loaded latching mechanism, removable leather shoulder strap, and a padded “alcantara” exterior. It keeps its Air-matching shape by having all your accessories (read: power brick) in a removable external pocket, which is a little clunky but not too bad. It’s made entirely by hand, machined from a single block of aluminium, and it’s in premium hand-stretched leather (with exotic skins available on special order.)

I, for one, think it’s not a bad-looking way to carry your Air around, and was worth the wait to see it make it to reality. But, of course, there’s just one tiny sticking point: its price. Starting at US$529, it costs nearly 30% of the entry-level Air. Ouch. [Orbino]