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Lapinator and Lapinator Plus, a Closer Look
Mofo writes "Virtual-Hideout has a great real world comparison between two laptop desks . Perfect for laptop users looking to cool off their lap. From the article 'However, with the massive popularity in recent years of laptop computers, along with the evolution of power (which creates heat) infused into them, the laptop accessory market is really getting huge. Laptop desks is one such accessory and are plentiful on the market, but very few are practical and even less are large enough to enjoy.'"
I bought a laptop desk at target for $10. Works great with my laptop. Tell me again why I need a $$$ one?
"The web server, it does nothing"
.. my friend owns a Dell Inspiron 600M, and his laptop shaved his thighs. It has one of the worst ventilation/exhaust system, and he has to leave it upside down (when off) to cool it down. I did suggest keeping in freezer..
cutting board :$1.98 Wal-Mart
spongebob or dora traveltable : $.98 clearance aisle Wal-mart
(includes groovy holders for stuff in legs)
tray stolen from retro drive-in restaurant:priceless
*Repent!Quit Your Job!Slack Off!The World Ends Tomorrow and You May Die!
Move along, VA Software is desperate for more revenue.
That's right, /. is run and owned by MBAs!
Next on slashdot: logitech mousepad showdown! 8x8 versus 10x10! Read on for the thrilling trials!
Puhlease.
Why is this news? It would be more interesting to read a comparison of my left and right hands.
I meta-moderate because I care.
Buy a Dell laptop, and enjoy your free sterilsation no more swimming around soldiers more like fried sperm from Dells mobile nuclear reactor. I swear you could melt metals with a dell notebook.
If Slashdot must accept infomercials, could they at least get a more interesting class of advertiser?
And please, put "Advertisement" on the sponsored articles. Thanks.
I'll just burn my penis like this oaf._ penis_with_laptop/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2002/11/22/man_burns
Aside from blocking ventilation grilles, etc., isn't the natural undulation of one's lap bad for the hard disc?
I would like to know if there are any similar products to these 2 out there. I use my laptop on the couch all the time, and my solution was to use an artists Wooden palette to avoid going impotent from the heat. I honestly didnt know that these things existed. The wooden palatte sure beats having the laptop directly on my pants, but im sure somthing like this could do a much better job.
RTFA.
It's a pad that goes between you and the laptop, not a traditional desk.
Not that slashdotters need to worry about this, but there should be a fairly large demand for this type of accessory. Especially since this nice scary study came out:
+ fertility/2100-1044_3-5485763.html= Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=1559108 7&query_hl=1&itool=pubmed_docsum/ 20/2/452
http://news.com.com/Study+Laptop+heat+a+threat+to
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd
http://humrep.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full
The study showed laptop use can significantly increase scrotal temperature. Previous studies have shown regular increased temperature can reduce sperm count for weeks or months.
I'm switching back to a desktop.
--David
Here is a simple lesson I've learned about laptop accessories:
Unless necessary, for whatever reason, the hassle of carrying, unpacking, repacking, etc. is not worth it. Something that is larger in 2 out of three dimensions of the laptop is especially cumbersome.
Now, I know there are people who own laptops but don't really use them outside of their homes. Those people might benefit from this (I use a TV tray or my desk at home).
Here's my advise to the comany, if you REALLY think there is a market for this, integrate the pillow as the case. That way there isn't an extra object to carry, then they can dual market it as a protective case (some people are really cautious about their laptops).
Am I open minded towards open source, or closed minded towards closed source?
First, RTFA. These "laptop desks" are the same as old-school lap desks: just a way to work away from a desk or table. What these do is keep that insane heat source away from your vijayjay or yoohoo.
To answer your first question: "to each their own". I have a PowerBook 'cause I like to use the same development machine at home, work, or at Panera's. I very seldom use it on my lap.
To answer your second question: to be able to reproduce later in life. Or maybe to not hinder the growth of leg hair. Or to prevent second-degree burns on your thighs.
Just cause it's called a "laptop" doesn't mean you have to use it on your lap. When people call 'em "notebooks" do you try to write on them with pens? Hey, I wardrive with mine... should I start calling it a "shotgun computer"?
with the evolution of power (which creates heat) infused into them
And all this time people were wondering why they could never procreate.
He who knows best knows how little he knows. - Thomas Jefferson
I don't think much of a review that starts by copy-and-pasting the manufacturer's vague ad-speak like "Comfortable and Stable" "Use it anywhere!". Who the hell wants to read that? And for that matter, why are we looking at a "real world comparison" of a large and a small product from the same manufacturer? And why is the photo on the first page so unhelpful? It hardly comumunicates anything about what the product does at all. And the description doesn't help any. And if you read the article it basically says "I recommend the company that sent me these things for free".
Indeed, this article doth make me seethe with indignant rage.
"Goodness me, how unlike the FBI to abuse the trust of the American public." -- The Onion
There you have it. A sweet mod for those of you who can't afford a lapinator right now. Lapinator is the greatest lap desk ever made!
Bah, old hat. I prefer my desktop lap! Quite simple to get really.
1) Eat a bag of cheetos.
2) Repeat step 1 until your lap is large enough to comfortably support something the size of a desktop computer.
No need to worry about the expense or inferior performance of a laptop, with the added bonus that no matter where you go you can set it up without having to carry any extra addons!
The laws of probability forbid it!
I'm a personal huge fan of LaptopDesk.net. http://laptopdesk.net/desks.html . They're ultralight, fold up nice and fit into your laptop bag, they are cheap, totally resistant to everything - and I love the swivel pad that one of these come with so you can rotate your laptop. It's simple, it works.
Horns are really just a broken halo.
I've tried 3 products and only 1 has accomplished the task of keeping the computer cool.
The first one was from laptopdesk It worked nice on an older laptop but didn't prevent my toshiba from over heating. I then bought this and it stopped my machine from overheating.
When my wife got a laptop I bought her this Was cool that it had a usb hub. However, the fans broke in 5 days.
So, I'm still using the simple one that reminds me of legos. Works great and no moving parts. the angle it puts the keyboard is also quite nice and you can change the height by removing some of the "lego" bricks in the elevation legs.
but very few are practical and even less are large enough to enjoy.
How much is a laptop-dance from the laptop-less dancer? That would be practical and enjoyable.
Synchronize your calendar and mobile phone via text messaging.
Well, if you must use it on your lap, you are the target market for one of these laptop desks. Remeber: laptops burn.
Diceman! Making copies! Writing reviews of the Lapinator and the Mousitizer. DiceMan-arino! trying out the laptops. cheking for heat-resistance. Laptop-a-ding-dong. Sham-a-lamma-Thinsulate-amma. Alright. good review.
I got one of them there "Lapinators" at the titty bar down the street last week...$200 it cost me.
WTF? Why would i use a log.. where the hell am I supposed to get a log from? You think log's grow on tree's boy?? People like you are the reason's we have the problems we have in the world today. VP's shooting people.. monkee's being our great grand daddy's.. I tell you.. the end is nigh my young friend. The time of judgement is at hand and you and your log lover's have been judged lacking! All hail Ceaser! Boh-YAA!
Remeber: laptops burn
I don't get it. My iBook can get moderately warm, but just barely enough to notice. Why would anybody buy a laptop that achieved such dangerous temperatures? Seems like a design flaw.
My God, it's Full of Source!
OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
I did a lot of testing and the Xpad is the one that I bought. It's great. It really lets me use the thing on my lap. I actually got it a while back from the inventor at the Orange County Computer Show in Los Angeles, but they sell them directly on their web site at http://xpad4laptop.com/
No it isnt
lameness
My Gateway laptop has its air intakes in the bottom, causing ventilation problems when it is not placed on a hard surface. I wonder how hard it would have been to place them in the back.
Cheers,
Adolfo
Because some folks buy real laptops/notebooks and those get hot as opposed to the toy you own. Jeeze, you Apple Fanboys are annoying as all hell.
Exactly what I was thinking. If I wanted a heater, I would be considering buying a heater, not a laptop.
The age old question I have been pondering with my new Toshiba laptop, when I'm at home using it plugged into mains power. Should I leave the battery in or take it out?
http://teasphere.wordpress.com - A little spot of tea
Can a haX0r get a lap desk!
Your fingers are too fat to use a laptop. To obtain a special typing wand, please mash the keyboard with your palm now.
Can anyone speak English?!?!?! Laptop desks is one such accessory and are plentiful on the market, but very few are practical and even less are large enough to enjoy
Say it with me- It is fewer....
But the truth is, if the laptop desk had a smooth, lubricated hole on the bottom for my penis, I would buy one....
I have a vijayjay and a yoohoo, you insensitive clod!
The Xpad is much better than these. Neither of the lapinators stopped the heat from my aluminum powerbook.
http://xpad4laptop.com/
Take it out!
You battery can handle low levels of overcharge pretty much forever. BUT, what batteries do not like is heat.
Running your computer off the wall will put it into full performance mode & it will generate more heat than if it was just using the battery.
Therefore, when you're running a laptop off the mains & intend to leave it that way for quite a while, you should remove the battery.
[Fuck Beta]
o0t!
I thought this topic went away months ago after all the buzz about sperm killing laptops ages ago. In any case I use a Vantec LapCool Notebook (from Newegg of course) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82 E16834999413 with the added plus of 4port USB hub. Lightweight and slim, it is easy to haul around where ever you go. Actually I do use it at home all the time for playing WoW on my desktop as well as playing couch potato. Luckily I have no concerns about the penis scarring since I don't have those parts o.O
Considering how anything Laptop-related tends to be overpriced (kind of like USB cables sold at retail), here are some suggestions for alternatives. None of them are super portable, but for using on a couch, lounger or bed at home, they do the trick:
1) A "breakfast in bed" tray with swing out legs. If the laptop isn't too hot, the fold-in area for the legs will provide enough of an air pocket between your lap and the PC (though this may feel lumpy). If your laptop runs hotter, rest the tray on the arms of the chair or open the legs out to provide more distance from the heat source. Also tends to be large enough to accommodate widescreen laptops or a mouse pad.
2) A laptop writer's desk. Intended for writing (anyone remember paper?), they often have some kind of padding on the underside. Usually a little more portable than the breakfast tray, but you can get really fancy models with small drawers and other accessories that increase the bulk.
We are the 198 proof..
Hmmmm....I wonder if Amy Devers has this mod on her site.
There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.
Two things to think about:
First, I think that sustained "not quite uncomfortable" heat will, over the course of a few hours, produce a burn.
Second, there are design compromises in everything. "They" could have easilly added a couple of 80mm fans, or used slower, cooler-running chips. But I don't think the market is too keen on big or slow laptops. So you have to chose your tool carefully: if you want screaming, desktop-like performance from a computer that is 1/2" tall, understand that you are going to have a hot bottom surface and that you should strive to provide some kind of airflow over (err, under) that sufrace.
Xpad is still better since this one uses fans to cool the laptop, and fans take power. The Xpad is completely passive.
"Honest honey, that CC charge was for a laptop desk!"
the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Ummm...I'm literally writing this on my cutting board...
Normally, I just put it on my coffee table, but since I'm sick at home, I have to type more, and this lets me sit upright on the couch, instead of hunching over the coffee table. My lap is slightly warm without the cutting board, but this lets me set it flat, which lets it breathe more...in either case, the fan never comes on, unless I am watching video.
Why doesn't the fan come on? Because I have it at it's lowest power setting...I'm just working, not doing anything that needs any power.
Here's a hint, if your lap is too warm, turn down it's power settings. Trust me, you don't need 2.8Ghz to surf the web.
Review indeed...at least they had the guts to put 'sponsered by' on their page...
Canonical Anonymous Coward
Can a sig be more clever than it's creator?
Surely this should tell us that we should really be looking for better heat and power efficiency in *mobile* computers, rather than simply upping polygon counts in HalfLife or whatever....
"Lapinator" has nothing to do with creating rabbits; not even nice wooden rabbits for leaping out of.
*sniff*
....when a legless TV tray gets posted as news. All that was missing was the Ronco name brand.
By keeping the heat off your legs with an insulator you are keeping the heat in your laptop. That doesn't sound good.
Next time just buy a laptop without teh suck. Mine was built with a full aluminum housing that sinks the heat fast and even. In fact, the only time the fan has ever turned on was when I tried to run WoW on it. I guess it takes both the GPU and CPU running full speed to kick in the fan.
My previous laptop was cheap plastic crap that burned my legs, ran the noisy fan doing simple things like web browsing, and crashed when speed stepping was on. The battery lasted half as long as my new laptop. After this nightmare, and realizing Linux was never going to run well on it, I gave in and paid a premium for a quality laptop.
Laptop desks is one such accessory and are plentiful on the market, but very few are practical and even less are large enough to enjoy.
You got it right the first time. What happened the second time?
Less is for uncountable quantities (less grain, less snow, etc.). Few is for countable quantities (few students, few grammar nazis, etc.). Fewer are large enough to enjoy.
Exactly. Spend a couple of dollars on a cutting board or a piece of ply. Remember your physics primary school lessons and think about which materials insulate. How long before some clever company persuades schmucks that they are selling "custom real wood(TM) insulating laptop boards", i.e. varnished $2 dollar bread boards for $100. Doh!!!!
I absolutely love my iLap As the name might imply; it's designed more for Apple laptops, but it's great. It's all aluminum, which is great for conducting heat away from your portable, and it comes with nice pads that keep the computer at a comfortable distance and angle for typing and using the trackpad.
The one downside is the relative lack of portability - it's not the kind of thing you can fold up and put in your bag. I've taken it with me for extended trips where I could keep it in my luggage, but for a day trip or taking down to Starbucks it's not really a good option. Still, as I use my computer at home 99% of the time, but want to be able to use it on the couch, the iLap does the job extremely well.
± 29 dB
I am happy with the Lapgenie XL for my 17" Powerbook. I also have the original Lapgenie (smaller) which my wife uses for a smaller Thinkpad. I especially like the ease with which I can reconfigure it to use on the floor next to the TV when we want to hook one of the laptops up. In that case, we can pop it up to coffee table height, then later put it back to down to sitting on your lap height for on the couch.
Friends don't help friends install M$ junk.
Materials: foam house insulation, masonite (preferably the kind with white plastic used for bathroom walls) and liquid nails.
Cost of materials is 20 to 40 dollars depending on what and how much you buy.
Instructions: Rough cut desired shapes. Sandwich foam with two sheets of masonite and let dry. Cut and sand desired shape. Round edges and foam hiding trim are bonus features. The result will weigh a pound or two and have great stiffness and insulation properties.
Use: Put on legs and run computer.
Storage: beside couch.
Friends don't help friends install M$ junk.
I did a bunch of research and the Xpad was cheap and worked wonders. I've even traveled with it, and barely noticed the extra bulk.
I bought one of these (Lapinator Plus) about two months ago after reading a couple of online reviews, and I have been extremely disappointed. For the casual user they might work, but if you are going to do long term (hour +) work with one between you and your laptop the Lapinator is not much help.
I am working on moding my Lapinator to see if I can get acceptable performance from it. First, I cut the thing open and inserted a folded up space blanket and a layer of hot pan holder insulation(from fabric store)...result--not much improvement. Second, I pulled out the very flimsy cross supports and replaced them with solid wood pieces...result--some improvement. Seems that the key may be adequate space between my legs and the Lapinator/laptop. My next step will be to add additional space by securing a second set of solid wood supports to the underside of the Lapinator.
Lapinator (the company) needs to go back to the design phase and involve some real users to help them create a working product. What they are selling now is a joke.
Kids, please leave dad alone. He's trying to sit on the couch and think of something to say about an industrial-sized hunk of Thinsulate with rubber bumpers.
New, improved Lapinator. Turn ordinary stuff into rabbits!
Ydco co
One cause is Dell putting desktop chips into laptops, betting they won't die under warranty. I'm guessing the "m" in your "600m" stands for "mobile," as in a mobile processor. Lucky you.
In general, Dell laptops need bigger fans. They suck, but they don't suck enough.
If all this should have a reason, we would be the last to know.
While your working at your desktop, also ensure any pet cats/dogs/rabbits/girlfriends stay clear of your lap as well.
Some Laptops use their battery to iron out voltage fluctuations (desktop computers have large capacitors for that). If that's the case, leave it in, as taking it out might make your laptop unstable and perhaps more sensitive to voltage surges.
My UWXGA 3.2gHz 1.5GB RAM HP laptop runs super hot and tries to vent through the bottom even though there is just 1/8" clearance. My solution was to create an "H" shape out of LEGOs -- the 2 long sides run across the front and back, the center connector runs under the middle of the laptop (I removed one piece from the middle connector to promote cross flow). The advantage of LEGO was that I could build the shape I wanted without tools, it could be collapsed for travel, and at no point does it fit snug against the laptop so that air can flow away from the laptop in any direction. I also proposed to my wife in LEGO duplo letters that covered the dining room table but that is another therapy session.
I come here for the love
I got one after this article showed dup the other day, it showed up today, about 2 days later, and I really like it! I got the Plus, which for my Alienware is a good fit, and it's definately better than the Targus foldable lapdesk I was using before. The Targus was solid plastic, no insulation, and frankly I think this is genius, putting a great insulator like Thinsulate in it. I didn't get the mouse pad, there is enough room for a small mouse on the remaining space even with my 16" laptop, but I hardly ever use one. The review did seem to be based on his recieving a free one, so take it with a grain of salt, but I have no affiliation, just a happy paying customer. Marc