If you ’re the observant type , you may have noticed that over the retiring pair years , fewer and fewer computer manufacturers are calling their portable model “ laptop computer . ” In fact , if you look at Apple’sMacBookandMacBook ProWeb pages , you wo n’t find the wordlaptopanywhere ; instead , you ’ll find frequent custom of the termnotebook . Why is this ? Most in the manufacture agree that it ’s because today ’s portable computersrun so hotthat in reality using them on your lap can be not only uncomfortable , butdownrightdangerous , particularly for man . If you ’ve used a recent laptop computer — er , notebook — you surely interpret the vexation . ( Apple goes so far as towarnusers of their tardy notebook computer : Do not leave the bottom of the figurer in contact with your lap or any aerofoil of your consistency for extensive periods . Prolonged contact lens with your body could cause irritation and potentially a burn mark . Yikes ! ) To be fair , such temperatures are mostly unavoidable given today ’s technology and market : Consumers demand ever - more powerful processors , and such processor make lots of heat ; in a laptop inclosure , the warmth does n’t have anywhere to go . But recognize this fact does n’t make your lap palpate any tank .
Yet over the preceding weekend — a blessedly foresighted one here in the U.S. , thanks to our 4th of July vacation — I pass a honest deal of time with my MacBook Pro on my lap : In addition to arrange a few family picture albums in iPhoto and catching up on some email , I used the laptop computer around the theatre to update our household inventorying for insurance policy design . And I did all this without a bit of discomfort from oestrus . How ? Through the magic trick of a lapdesk . No , I ’m not talking about the fancy contraptions with “ ergonomic ” physical body , neoprene cushions , and laptop computer - specific designs that sell for as much as $ 150 . I ’m talking about the same sort of lapdesk I used as a kid to fill in crossword puzzles in the elevator car and do homework on the couch . The one with a lean wood or plastic top and a fabric “ beanbag ” bottom . The one I picked up at Target for $ 9.99 .
At 24 by 16 inches , this exceptional lapdesk is big enough to hold my 15 - column inch MacBook Pro while still leaving enough elbow room to the side to use a mouse instead of the trackpad . The beanbag bottom is as comfortable as it gets , adjusting to different lap as if by magic . And unlike many of the fancy - schmancy “ laptop computer desk ” I ’ve view that offer “ good ergonomics ” by raising the back of the laptop to fish the keyboard — which actually puts more strain on your radiocarpal joint — these tacky - o lapdesks extend a flat working surface . ( Although if you favour your desk angled toward or away from you , you could simply shake the beanbag ’s “ beans ” to the back or front , severally . How ’s that for advanced engineering science ? ) It ’s even got a fabric handgrip !
Best of all , you’re able to get one of these ready to hand laptop desk anywhere from Target to Toys’R’Us , from Wal - Mart to Walgreens , and you ’ll in all likelihood give only $ 10 to $ 20 . And you may still use it to fill in crossword puzzles in the car and do homework on the couch . Can those $ 100 metal laptop computer platforms make the same call ?
The biggest drawback of these cheap accessories — besides the fact that some of the beanbag patterns , like the one in the picture above , are quite hideous — is that you ca n’t exactly take them with you when you go ; if you need something for on - the - go lick security , the small ( and more expensive ) products may be worth looking into . But for burn - complimentary legs at home , one of these lapdesks will be money well pass .
