Happy Skins jazz up dull laptops

  • 2007-07-04
  • By Joel Alas

ENTREPENEUR: Vitsur hopes the skins will appeal both to hippie types and to corporations who want to make use of the laptop space.

TALLINN - Laptop computers have become part of the landscape in Tallinn. They're a must-have accessory in the countless WiFi-connected cafes and bars of Old Town.
So it's no surprise that the art and fashion-conscious youth of Tallinn have developed a way to decorate their portable computers.
A group of young designers have created Happy Skins, a website that encourages people to use their bland laptop lids as canvases for digital art.

The "skins" are high-quality stickers, cut to the size of the laptop lid and posted to the user for easy installation at a cost of 12.95 euro (202 kroon).
Users can choose from a variety of funky house photos or designs or upload their own images.
The website is the brainchild of three Estonian students, Mihkel Vitsur, 21, Kaarel Aus, 22, and Raido Valjamaa, 23.
Vitsur said the idea came to him "in a dream" in which he envisaged a transparent laptop. He quickly realized covering a laptop with an image would be easier than replacing its parts with clear plastic.
"We want to reach two types of people," Vitsur said.
"Firstly, we want to create skins for young hippie people who want to make their world more colorful. But we also want to focus on corporate customers who might want to put logos or promotions on their company laptops."

Their burgeoning business has no advertising budget 's the eye-catching designs are advertising enough.
"Everywhere we go, people ask about our laptops. They look very unique. A laptop is such a waste of blank space, and it's so easy to make them look good."
The trio also see their project as a way of giving recognition to the young Estonian graphic designers who create the images.

"We want more designers to submit their images, and they can actually make money from it because they are paid for every sale. It's also like putting your art on display."
Vitsur said Estonia's web and IT friendly environment had helped foster their idea.
Their Web site is already global, thanks to the reaches of the internet. But they also hope to develop partnerships with businesses in other regions to help spread the reach of Happy Skins.