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La-Z-Boy's E-Cliner
Alec Muzzy writes: "La-Z-Boy has finally realized that there is a market for geeks. A new chair called The E-Cliner they've developed features a built-in wireless keyboard from Sony as well as a data port and surge protector for your laptop. As if that wasn't cool enough, the arm rests have storage compartments for beverages and remote controls! All this chair is missing is a retractable LCD monitor and a set of satellite speakers behind the head rest!"
Kurt The Pope moved out last week, and I just bought a recliner to replace the one he took with him ... if only I had known to hold out for a few weeks. I like the outlet idea: One time I got my laptop's power cable stuck in the retractable footrest. Sparks went flying and the metal supports sliced into the cable. It was sweet, except for the part where I had to wait a week to have electricity for my laptop ... but why does this chair have to come with 6 months of WebTV?
It's proprietary. I almost bought two, until the salesperson informed me I couldn't get it without the WebTV subscription, I couldn't get it without the WebTV hardware, and I couldn't get it with just a normal, flat workspace instead of the dug-out, form-fitting space that holds the WebTV keyboard.
And if it's so WebTV specific, why the hell do you need a phone jack, Ethernet jack, and power outlet in the chair? You *won't* be using a laptop; you've got WebTV! You're FORCED to have it! That's the whole point of the chair!
I think that, at some point, this was going to be a very nice generic chair, and then M$ insisted on the WebTV exclusivity, completely ruining it.
I considered removing the fold-out arm that holds the keyboard and replacing it with something else, but it's a fairly custom job, and you'd end up needing to machine some parts to get a decent quality substitute. Not worth $1,000 a pop for all the trouble. I'll hack hardware, but I don't have a burning desire to redesign furniture.
.@.
Unfortunately, if your move chair.NET into another room, you will have to reregister your license.
One client access license is required for each set of butt cheeks to use the chair.
If you don't purchase a client access license within 90 days, chair.NET will grow a series of wheeled legs, much like professor Frink's AT-5000 auto-dialer, so the chair can effectively exit any situations that might violate the licensing agreement.
Invent recliner that appeals to geeks and is easily modified to keep geeks in a reclined position for hours at time.
Watch as geeks' weight increases, heart rate increases and general health decreases.
Geeks no longer have stamina to code all night long, Linux development slows down.
Microsoft vanquishes another competitor.
Whatever we do, don't let Linus or Alan Cox get one.