Uncover turns MacBooks into engraved works of art

By Jon Martindale July 2, 2015

Apple’s iconic laptop design, with the white Apple logo, is easily identifiable – there’s no mistaking it wherever you see one, whether it’s in the movies or at your local Starbucks. But if you want to remove your MacBook from the herd and make it a bit more personal, there’s a way to customize that classic cover.

Uncover is a company that offers engraving – “tattoos for objects” – and clever backlighting systems for MacBooks, changing that little white logo into something far more exciting. It’s done everything from simple crosses, to Snapchat ghosts and near full-panel designs that are far more artistic.

Designs can be as simple or as intricate as you like, though the more time, energy, and expertise that’s required to complete the job will directly correlate to the cost, of course. “The Uncover,” a package for simple, circular designs, will set you back 399 euros ($443). For something more complex, you can expect to spend at least 499 euros ($554) for “Complex Uncover,” but it could be a lot more, depending on how detailed the design is.

For those on a budget, there are simple engraving options that are very attractive, though the Apple logo will remain viewable. However, at 99 euros ($110) for “Engraving,” it’s much more affordable.

While we can take a good guess at how the custom casing is made, the people behind Uncover aren’t forthcoming about their technique for the custom light shows. We do know that it involves the careful removal of the laptop display before modifying the rear cover. The backlighting is provided by the light panel that’s behind every MacBook cover.

Those considering one of these should bear in mind that it does void the Apple warranty. However, UncoverMac adds its own six-month screen warranty, so customers do have some protection should something go wrong.

The listed compatible MacBooks are the MacBook Air and Retina-equipped MacBook Pro.

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