Back in 2004 I reviewed the Tom Bihn Buzz, a smaller sized sling bag which was designed to carry the 12″ PowerBook – and which fit my Fujitsu P2110 perfectly. Of course that left out a large segment of the laptop toting population; people wanted a larger version.

Well, one has just been released…

The Buzz looks really good in green and black, doesn’t it? This ”new and improved” version will fit laptops 14.9″ x 9.6″ x 1.3″ or smaller. :thumbup_tb:

Here is the press release sent by Darcy, Tom’s VP of Marketing:

SEATTLE, WA — May 2, 2007TOM BIHN – a company that designs and manufactures in its own Seattle factory laptop sleeves and cases, backpacks, messenger bags, and briefcases – has introduced a redesigned version of the Buzz, a one-shoulder sling bag with a built-in padded sleeve for your laptop.

The Buzz

The Buzz, one of TOM BIHN’s most popular products (and the bag that Tom Bihn himself chooses to carry) was originally designed around the 12″ Powerbook. Many customers requested that Tom redesign the Buzz to fit the 13″ MacBook and 15.4″ MacBook Pro, and Tom listened, designing a new and improved version of the Buzz that will fit laptops 14.9″ x 9.6″ x 1.3″ or smaller.

When TOM BIHN first introduced the Buzz, some reviewers said he had perfected the idea of a “sling bag”; Tom Bihn thinks there’s always room for improvement.

“Customer feedback was an important factor in the redesign the Buzz.
While I’m happy with my trusty 12″ Powerbook, many of our customers have 15.4″ MacBook Pro or 13″ MacBook laptops, and wanted a Buzz that would fit their laptops. Redesigning the Buzz to fit those two laptops also gave me an opportunity to make a few feature additions to the Buzz,” said Tom Bihn.

New features for the Buzz include a removable waist strap (for extra support or stability while cycling), a thicker built-in laptop compartment with padding on the bottom, a lighter interior lining fabric, a thicker shoulder strap designed to conform more naturally to your shoulder. Tom also made sure that the cell-phone pocket fits the new Apple iPhone.

The thoughtful design remains. And so do the common-sense features that made the Buzz popular to begin with — a side-release buckle that frees you from the Buzz’s loving embrace faster than a Vegas divorce, a convenient grab handle, and organizer pockets.

The Buzz is available at the TOM BIHN Web site (www.tombihn.com) for $120.00 and ships within one business day. The Buzz is available in 11 color combinations including Black/Steel/Sapphire, Black/Olive/Navy, and Black/Black/Steel.

Tom Bihn has been designing and creating bags for over thirty years.

The TOM BIHN headquarters and factory are located in Seattle, Washington, where the company is dedicated to creating quality products and quality jobs. The public is welcome to visit the TOM BIHN Seattle Factory Showroom and Retail Store and see where the bags are made. TOM BIHN products are available for order with worldwide shipping at the company’s Web site.

I should take this opportunity to mention that Tom Bihn bags are among my favorites. They are consistantly well made, well thought out, and the company is socially responsible.

In fact I should have a review of their new, smaller (and thus more manageably sized) Ego laptop bag posted later today; watch for it! :-)