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Lap Desks
I have a 15" laptop and have used a number of lap desks over the years, and none have satisfied me. I don't really need a mouse pad space (trackpad) but it wouldn't hurt to have a mouse space available for gaming. I sit in a very large chair so using the armrests isn't an option. I'm just curious what experience you all have with various lap desks. Any particular favorites? I've seen shelves that you can slide over your chair, to glorified pieces of plywood, but what have you turned up?
...if you're hoping that a lap desk will "satisfy" you, then I'm afraid that you need to get out more.
I'm waiting for a "-1 somepeoplejustshouldn'tgetmodprivileges" meta-moderation.
If you really want to work on a laptop, put it on a real desk and connect a screen and keyboard to it. Laptops are not ergonomical. They're only handy for when you're on the move.
-- Cheers!
He'll adapt
The "lap desk" I use is basically just a chunk of smooth wood with sort of a bean-bag pillow attached to the bottom. $10 from my local college marketing class. Works perfectly, doesn't get too hot, etc.
Pillow on one side, hard plastic on the other. Only $8.99 or $8.64 CDN
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I used to have a small hinged piece of plexiglass that I used because it was easy to tuck into my laptop bag and have with me all the time. It was enough to keep both me and the laptop from getting too hot. Best paired with jeans, though -- it wasn't *quite* enough for the hot days of summer when I wanted to have the laptop on bare legs.
I've seen ones with fans that plug in to USB, but to be honest, the extra fan noise kinda drives me crazy when it's that close to my ears.
What I'm using right now is a little padded lap desk like they occasionally sell packaged with crossword puzzle books and such. Plastic on top, pillow underneath, works well enough *and* it's fine even if I'm wearing a short skirt or shorts and need to keep the hot laptop off my legs. I've noticed they sell these specifically for laptops nowadays, but so far I haven't seen one that's small enough for me. I'm not that big, and neither is my laptop!
I've been using primarily laptops for about 2 years, and none of them are suited for desktop replacement, because of the massive heat generated. I've been through 3 laptops in 9 months that had physical failures due to heat. I started a site to rant on about the hinge crack on my HP dv9000 model, and have received a few hundred search hits in a month or two.
I replaced that unit with a higher end Gateway, and now that one is generating too much heat. My previous model, a Toshiba, had the same problem. My Lenova, same problem.
Now I am searching on a decent desktop unit. All my computer life I always built my own, but I'm tired of it. I just want a powerful system that works for me without hardware issues. Software I can deal with, but it does seem that none of the manufacturers have any idea how to build a long term solution (and by long term, I mean just 12-18 months of use).
I built a lap-desk a year ago with cooling fans (not plywood, either), and it was functional, but still not perfect. I'd love to see Fellows or another ergonomically-inclined designer produce something useful, but I think the "art" and look-and-feel get in the way of making something truly functional.
My dream lap-desk? A Herman Miller designed desk for my Aeron chair. That would be just perfection, I believe.
It's not technically a lap desk, but I've been using one of these for a few years now.
It's sturdy enough to hold a 19" CRT, keyboard, and mouse, adjusts easily, and has wheels so you can just roll it wherever you want. Yeah, it's expensive, but it's worth it.
I have a pair of folding card style tables that cost me £12 and have provided sterling service for several years. They are better with small laptops though - anything bigger than 14.4" leaves no space on the surface and makes it's difficult to see the TV over the top. I live alone.
I just got a Lapinator. It's ight, thin, and is actually designed to serve as a heat barrier. (It uses a trademarked 3M product). It comes in "standard" and "wide" and has an optional outboard mousing platform. A web search using your favorite engine should find their page right away.
I'm about to drive cross-country and I'll be using it with my Thinkpad T60 while my better half does the lion's share of the driving, so it will be getting a workout.
-- Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.
That's what I do - especially now that my wife and I are done making/raising kids!
I have used the lapinator for the last 2 years. It is comfortable and dissipates heat well. www.lapinator.com
I can't imagine how sore your back is going to be in a few years if this is how you prefer to use a computer. You will be very hard pressed to find an ideal solution because you are trying to use the laptop in a way it was never intended.
If you want to spend long hours on your machine, then you need to use a proper desk, plain and simple. Your neck and back will thank you.
I've done this with a "TV Dinner Table" - a small, single person wooden folding table. Remove the legs, and bob's your uncle. If necessary, add a pillow underneath, or attach other stuff to the top. Costs around $10 at BBB.
So long as you're using it from a chair, and not in bed, I like those TV tables that used to be advertised on UHF. The legs are L shaped, with the vertical being a telescoping pair of tubes with sprung pins pushing out through holes in the tubes to lock it at any of several heights, or at right angles short as part of folding flat for storage. I'm a big guy, and I find the heights adequate. The table top can be placed at three different angles, the middle one being horizontal. I tried the tipped toward me angle to see if it made typing more comfortable, but I find flat is best. With my Satellite M45-S165 there is adequate room for a mouse. I got it at a Brooks for $30, though I've seen one for $20 recently (don't know if it's identical). I wouldn't want to try to fit it in a laptop bag or backpack, but it's no problem to transport in my Honda Insight.
How can you work like that? Your neck will be bothering you soon. Get a proper desk and put the display at a decent height so that you are looking straight ahead as you work. Otherwise plan on a life filled with chiropractic visits and neck pain.
Institutional cookie sheet. Large heat-dissipating aluminum tray with raised edges. Enough extra room for a compact mouse or other stuff.
I just put the laptop straight on my legs. Sure, it's a little hot (Macbook Pro), but real men don't complain.
Why, yes, my wife and I are having trouble conceiving... why do you ask?
For my 17" MBP I use a 1' X 2' pine board, oiled finish (do NOT use any poly or shellac, it'll pull the foot pads off your laptop). This gives just enough space for a mousepad next to the laptop.
- real hackers don't have sigs -
I've been looking for laptop desk myself and recently ran across THIS. Thinkgeek appears to carry the exact same product for about $20 less It's a bit expensive but it would seem to meet my needs perfectly. Has anyone out there purchased one of these before?
I just put my laptop directly on my lap. It's really quite amazing, I can surf the web outside in 30 degree weather and still feel toasty warm. It's like my own personal heater.
On a completely unrelated note, my doctor recently told me that I can no longer have children.
I had a similar problem. Desktop usage required switching eyeglasses frequently as I have become farsighted.
I bought a Logitech MX3200 Wireless Keyboard and Cordless Trackman Wheel trackball. My laptop sits on a small table 6 feet away (max range for the wireless keyboard/trackball). I have the video output plugged into a 30" TV (of course, any smaller digital TV is fine) I sit in the recliner with the keyboard on my lap and the trackball on the armrest (a bean bag can stabilize the trackball if it keeps falling off).
I doubt you would be happy with even a custom-built lapdesk. The last thing you need is another piece of furniture in the way while trying to exit a recliner. Beanbag base lapdesks rock too much and mouse and trackball are nearly impossible to handle.
My setup solved serious neck problems and improved my productivity by literally 500%.
I actually mounted a second smaller TV on the wall above the 30" screen for "background" TV viewing. It is high enough in my field of vision that it "disappears" whenever I get into the "flow" of my work.
The only complaints I get are from my cats who were used to more laptime.
Nowadays they're more like penis warmers than anything else. Keep that heat and RF away from your 'nads, dude!
I want to delete my account but Slashdot doesn't allow it.
I have a tray with a pillow attached to it (these are sold as reading pillows or something). Theres nothing more comfortable than this when you sit in a lounge chair, in bed or elsewhere because the pillow allows you to adjust the angle and stays in place at the same time providing a flat surface for your laptop. It's ~16 inches long and ~13 inches wide so ample space to fit a laptop. It has a rounded frame about a 1/8" on all sides and the disc tray still opens nicely. You can probably make one of these yourself out of some plywood, a piece of fabric and some styrofoam pellets. One that will be big enough to fit computer and mouse on it. You might want to try that. They come at about 10-15 bucks but I don't know where to get them because mine was a gift.
I don't remember what they are really called but all the art students carry them around. Its basically a really big clipboard. I use it with a 17 inch laptop and a mouse to play games without getting off my bed. Works great.
I like the ones attached to the side of hospital beds for eating on. It's kinda hard to sneak one out unnoticed[1], especially since you need to do it from someone else's hospital room (so it's harder to trace to you).
Two mods are required: Adding facility to tilt[2] (instead of just swivel) and adding a padded wristrest (for ergonomics as well as to keep your laptop from sliding onto your lap).
[1] Or, if you're lucky, find one at a surplus store.
[2] Easy enough to add a locking hinge.
I have no idea if something similar is available commercially for cheap. But it can't be too hard to RYO using the swivel & tilt arms used to mount TVs... as long as you have a sturdy chair to mount the frame to.
"Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
My lap is too small, too low, and too close to me to ever support a worthwhile work surface. I have always figured that the "lap desk" sort of item was forever doomed to be a poor substitute for an actual desk. If you really want to sit in a lazy boy to work, I think you'd have to DIY some extra large wheeled furniture style option to roll in over it. But since the situation presumes a very large chair, that might not be practical either.
I think everything that isn't an actual desk and work chair is going to be a compromise. You may find some favorites, but I don't think a satisfactory answer is possible. I've a table beside my sofa for my media machine, but it sucks for anything other than light use.
-- "Oh. This guy again."
Dexia Laptop Stand http://www.dexiadesign.com/index.html
There used to a "bring your own chair" line of workstations by Microsphere, a manufacturer of a floating, swing-away platform desk system. I will own one someday... http://www.microsphere.com/
Well, I do a lot of traveling, so I picked up one of these and it is a lifesaver. It folds up and stores in the laptop bag, and if you do not fold down the legs, it would work in your lap.
Personally, I prefer one that is free-standing, but this works for both solutions - and has enough space for laptop + notepad + mouse + other junk. And, if you travel as much as I do, it make long waits at the airport\train station\wherver a lot easier to be effective. I have a few velcro tabs on it to hold backpack drives, antennas, etc - huge help (for me at least)
Bob
First comment ever! w00t! I use a swing-arm mount with my laptop, and an external KB & mouse. It gets the screen right where I want it, and is great for clearing the desk for schoolwork and such.
My wife and I have been using Tablemate II's (you can get them at Bed Bath and Beyond stores, definitely; not sure where else) for a long time now for our laptops. Their height/angle is decently adjustable and I've had pretty good luck with it with my 15" Macbook Pro. It leaves enough room for the laptop itself and a mousepad with a little bit of room for maneuvering the mouse. The best thing about them, though, is the fact that they're only about $20-25 and pretty sturdy.
Here's a less obvious solution that might just fit your needs:
Most HDTVs these days have VGA inputs. A 15-dollar VGA cable should do the trick, and most XP installs will recognize the HD resolution and scale a desktop fairly well. Once you've hooked up the laptop to the tv, get yourself a wireless keyboard with a trackpad built in (like the Logitech Mediaboard Pro and as a bonus, it works with the PS3 too) and you should be set.
I like the Belkin Cushtop http://www.belkin.com/laptopathome/cushtop/. The empty space in the middle keeps it from getting too hot, and the angle it places the keyboard and screen work well for me. It lacks space for using a mouse however.
Make your own. Plywood, laminated fiber board, a pillow, a jigsaw, staples or hot glue and you are in business.
There is no "-1 offended" or "-1 you don't agree with me" mod options for a reason.
Levenger has a wide range of lap desks. I have both their standard bean shaped one and also a 'scooter'. Both work well, and the scooter, though expensive, is fully adjustable and so sturdy that I use it for my Cintiq 21" tablet.
get a plexiglas panel cust to the size you want,
if you really want the pillow to res on your legs buy a pillow.
then follow the steps
1. combine
2. enjoy
3. ??
I have used a wireframe dish tray I got for around 5 USD from Meijer for the last year or so. I think working with the notebook on my lap is causing some shoulder pain, so I frequently work on a table instead. I have a Dell 640m and I have never had any heat issues with it, but it will warm my lap; the wireframe helps with good circulation and it keeps the notebook about 2cm off my lap.
http://www.x2ii.info/
I take the sides off my computers and use those as lap desks. Very cost efficient and space efficient.
If you have an older computer around, those tend to be slightly smaller than the gaming beasts of today. I have two (one on each side off of a single computer) that are almost 100% exactly the dimensions of my 15.4" laptop, and the side of a bigger case which can fit a 17" or 19" easily.
No mouse room, though. It's generally better to use a desk for gaming IMHO.
Laplander. I've been jonesing for one of these for a few years. It's not a lap desk per se, but it's the best option for ergonomics that I've found, since I am also a slouch on the sofa person.
technical writing / development
or at least not light plastic. the one I got warps from the heat of the laptop. unvarnished wood would be the best surface. (varnish may melt in heat.)
-- it's ridiculous how many people misspell ridiculous... (damn, damn, damn...)
I've bought myself a very good chair from StressLess They have a special table for a notebook. see: http://www.ekornes.be/be-fl/stressless/tafels_en_accessories/tafels/
I've had a Scooter for a couple of years. It's great - comfortable, adjustable, light.
I use it all the time.
- For the complete works of Shakespeare: cat
If you want to use your notebook as a laptop and don't care about things like mousepads, I like the Xpad (xpad4laptop.com). It's thin and light and really keeps the heat off. All the others block your outlet vents and guard your huevos at the cost of heating up your machine, or they have fans that suck up your battery power. It's got this rubber stuff on the top so it really sticks to the system at any angle. There are some concerns as to whether it fits a 17" system, but it works great for anything 15" or under.
...are they explosion proof?
I'll patent the kevlar Lapdesk =o)
Ubuntu is an African word meaning 'I can't configure Debian'
I have this really cool one. It's called "Desk". I think IKEA has them.
... then why not just sit at a proper desk? (and maybe with a proper keyboard and full-size screen)
Seriously, if someone has:
a) a laptop
b) a lap-desk
I know it sounds funny, but if you're looking for a 'lap desk' why not check out lapdesk.com? Seriously, I have one of these (got it as a Christmas present last year, had to search google for a bit just now before I even found who made it), and it works very well. I have the "Jumbo Lap Desk", and originally used it for doing crossword puzzles, but soon found out what a great laptop desk it made. The cushion underneath is very soft and comfortable on my legs while the flat surface allows my laptop to vent properly. You can find the one I got from organize-it-online.com, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon.com (and amazon again... it looks like exactly the same product, but for a different price... I don't know).
The version I have is around $15, but it looks like the manufacturer has plenty of fancier models as well.
We always knew Comcast was corrupt, here's the proof: http://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1909890&cid=34545432
Just use an empty 3-ring binder. It has excellent thermal insulation, it's lightweight & cheap.
So hey, oddly enough i've been looking for almost exactly this sort of device. my situation is slightly different, but my needs are mostly similar. specifically, my PC gaming setup (and PC working setup... only one PC) is now in my living room: my monitor is my 50 inch hdtv, and my keyboard and mouse are set up across the room, about 10 feet away. for gaming, it is beautiful, blah blah blah, meaningless materialistic drivel. the point is, i've been attempting to use a mouse and keyboard from a frigging couch. needless to say, this is a concept rife with issues.
without any alterations, my mouse hand would have fallen off after the first hour or so. i did stumble upon a solution which sorta works.... i put my wireless keyboard on my lap, and put a pillow under my right elbow, and then the mouse on the couch surface. the pillow provides enough support that i can work/game like this for hours, as long as i take frequent breaks.
anyway, the relevant stuff: this set up is tolerable, but it's crappy enough that i've been shopping for a new solution almost non-stop for months. i haven't really found anything, in all honesty. i found that lapinator thing and a few similar devices, but for my mouse-hand needs, they just wouldn't cut it. i need something that can offer wrist/arm support for the right hand, otherwise i'm screwed. that being said, i DID find some things that might help the poster. specifically, BED TRAYS.
bed trays are... well i dunno, i'd never heard of them before amazon decided that they were PRECISELY what i was looking for. as usual amazon was wrong, but at least i now know what they are. just head on over to amazon or wherever the hell you want and search for bed trays. they're like little TV dinner-type racks, except designed to be propped up on the surface of a bed, couch, chair, futon, whatever, straddling your legs as you sit. pretty neat, i thought. and some of them are damn cheap.
like i said, they didn't help me, so i'm STILL looking for a solution (suggestions warmly welcomed!) but they may just help a chair-bound laptop user.
education
That which discloses to the wise and disguises from the foolish their lack of understanding.
~a.bierce
I've been quite happy with a device called a "Laplander", sold by Levenger. They have a cushion attached with velcro like strips for easy removal. I use them at home, and in the car. There is a much larger one called a "Lapdesk" that I use when I do laptop work while in my favorite easy chair.
I have used lapgenie from lapgenie.com for about three years. I have both a standard and large model. I prefer the large, but the standard fits in a daypack better. It's great for my laptop, but I also use it for books and paper letter-writing. I can't say enough good things about it. I also use it on a desk to get my laptop up high (esp. when using multiple computers/keyboards) and on the floor next to the couch when I attach the laptop to the tv.
Maybe you can build a laptop stand yourself, they are easy to build and usually cheap. To give you some ideas, there are some guides about making custom laptop and notebook stands from different materials at Repair4Laptop.
I was using my laptop on my lap a lot over the summer, and to be honest, my thigh was always blocking the air intake on the underside and a fair portion of the laptop's weight was on the battery pack. So I switched to using a TV tray which has a beanbag sort of arrangement underneath, and it's perfectly comfortable for both myself and the laptop. No mousing surface, of course, and the lip on the tray is just high enough to block my DVD drive from opening. You can't have everything, though.
No kidding!!! What do you say at this point?
I just rest my laptop on my belly.
"If you think you have things under control, you're not going fast enough." --Mario Andretti
The LapGenie is the best computer "lap" desk I have ever seen. Plus it works if you're laying down or sitting up... and has an interesting name. :)
Not only am I a scientist, I play one on TV
The iLap by Rain Design is great. I've used it for a few months and love it.
I never noticed before but I guess some people really use laptops on their laps. I've always treated my laptop like a portable terminals ("...Somebody has to take portable terminal, patch into the colony up-link tower and get another drop ship..." ALIENS). 95% of the time I'm using it at a desk or table with plenty of space for a trackball or mouse.
I really don't understand why you'd want another piece of equipment to carry around.
Why not invest in a hand held computer?
I bought this not to long ago. I have definitely got to say that this is probably the best accessory for a laptop owner. At first it took a long time to get used to but once you get a knack for it. It definitely helps around the house. You can look at the gallery here..http://www.lapdawg.com/laptop-accessories/laptop-table.html It's basically a big tray with 3 legs on each side that locks into place when you press the button. It's quite handy to use in bed. Makes for a great book holder or a platform to compute on. You can actually use this thing and lie down on bed while computing..it's quite neat actually. It's prices $130, but it includes shipping anywhere in the usa and canada. Not to bad for what you get. Looks great too. The only thing i'd change is make a bit smaller. The space you get is big, and works best for large 17" laptops. HG
Okay, at $48 it's a pricey solution, but I love my Levenger Lap Desk. Had it for 10+ years! levenger.com Levenger Lap Desk Price: $48 Item:AD4985 Shaped like a large flat kidney bean, it's solid wood (though it weighs less than 2 lbs). The size is perfect for resting on top of the arms of a chair (La-Z-Boy recliner) so it holds the weight of your laptop off your lap. Though it's not designed for laptops I haven't had any problems with overheating. Good luck with it!
Now that I've read the other responses, I see I'm -1 redundant.
That said, I also found a metal folding lap desk at a military surplus store, that's awesome (though heavy). It has a tilting top so it works flat, or angled like a drafting table; folding legs that bring the desk from bed height up to lap height.
I tried google and I can't find it - d'oh.
Problem solved.
+++ATH0
http://ikeahacker.blogspot.com/2007/06/need-laptop-desk-diy-your-own-stand.html
I love my Herman Miller Scooter. It may be overkill for you.
Buy the biggest table size you can find.
http://office.pricegrabber.com/tables/m/10389209/
deleting the extra space after periods so i can stay relevant, yeah.
I had a spare piece of baltic fir plywood about 4' x 3'. I rounded of all four corners, then cut a large arc in the center of one of the long arcs using a bicycle wheel as a template, joining the arc to the corners with a French curve
Finally, I used a router to cut a channel to hold pencils and pens. I'm going to extend it all the way around some day to hold coffee spills too.
It turns out to be perfect in a large easy chair; you feel all cocooned and ready to work, and there is room to spread out. You can move your entire project aside if you aren't done with it. It's not bad looking either, except that my daughter uses it every day for homework and uses it as a scratch space. I'm thinking of putting a white board surface on one face.
Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
Better yet, get a little bit bigger lap-table to handle this beautiful Toshiba 17 inch TruBrite Widescreen for $799 available on Black Friday only.
Laptops are for teenage girls and PHBs.
I've been using a Dave for over a year now. It's cheap, easily modified, and tilts for better viewing. The top piece is only held in by 4 screws which i replaced with some different hardware so that it can be removed and used as a lap desk. My roommate decided to attach peg board to the bottom of his so that he could wire in his usb peripherals.
I have been using a laptop alot lately and I would like to have a lapdesk with fans built in, I've seen such, but with a Li-ion battery built in. You could then extend the working time of your laptop by at least a factor of 2, maybe more. Anybody know of such a device?
I also use a lap desk in two locations. ...first the lapdesk...
The top is wood covered with plastic and a wrist rest along the length.
The bottom is like a bean bag chair covered with a suede-like material that is very soft and more like cotton-than-suede texture.
When sitting or lying down, the material that the bottom is made of keeps the computer stable for your comfort and it does not slip around on your lap like the leather model allows.
Obviously, the vinyl covered wooden top gives the laptop support for typing and cooling.
The wrist rest keep the laptop from sliding around.
There 'ya are cowboy! You have all the fixens for bad posture, poor computer ergonomics, and whatever the hell else ya can condure up. ...at least you'll be comfy!
I sit in a very large chair
http://www.rhino.com/fun/henrydiltz/jan/8big_jan.jpg
-fb Everything not expressly forbidden is now mandatory.
On a completely unrelated note, my doctor recently told me that I can no longer have children.
Why, did your doctor say you burnt your genitals off when the battery caught fire?
"All great wisdom is contained in .signature files"
I usually reach for one of the large kids books that seem to be lying around our house all of the time. Convenient, large and keeps the heat off the legs.
THIS SPACE FOR RENT
These are inexpensive, the last two I bought were about $20 apiece. One was plastic, with a non-slip soft rubber/plastic mat glued on its top surface. The other one was wood. Both had a beanbag underneath, which adapts to the shape of your thighs. These are barely wide enough for a laptop and a small mouse.
Pedro
----
The Insomniac Coder
"I have a 15" laptop and have used a number of lap desks over the years, and none have satisfied me." ...that's what she said. :-P
---As my daddy used to tell me: "You gotta be smart before you can be a smartass."
It's all an evil plan to make sure the smart people in america don't breed.
You can knock one out of $4 piece of 2'x4' 3/8" hardboard from the Depot with a jigsaw in less than 10 minutes. I like a general "arc" shape, so that the sides of the desk curve in under my forarms for comfortable typing better than a square tv-tray style, and find it easier to move around if you add 1"x4" slots to each side for your fingers to lock into.
If you're made of money and want to get fancy, you could add some rubberized drawer liner too keep your beer from ending up in your keyboard, and I'd probably superglue on a few rubber feet from something I neglected to add them to since the hardboard lays pretty flat in you're not adding a pad to the bottom...and who needs a pad for a 4lb laptop?
Of course, it could also be that you're using the wrong chair?
http://www.levenger.com/PAGETEMPLATES/PRODUCT/Product.asp?Params=Category=5-344%7CPageID=3567%7CLevel=2-3%7CLink=PT%7Cspecial=search%7CID=SearchClicked%7Ci=1/
Levenger "Laplander Lap Desk"
24" wide, so plenty of space to put 17" notebook, with ample mousing space (no pad needed for my MX Revolution!). The pad is REMOVABLE (Velcro), which is sometimes warm for me. The Lapdesk.com desks do not have removable pads. The others are too narrow, and aren't wide enough to span my knees when sitting Indian style.
AND it's nice, comfortable wood.
I've been using the Ikea Dave laptop table for over a year now, and I really like it. Features I especially like:
- Cantilevered, so you can scoot it up to your body
- Has legs, so you're not supporting in on your lap, and the legs are quite stable
- Tilt-able and height adjustable
- 17" laptop still has room on the side for a small mouse pad and mouse
The only con so far is what do do with it when the laptop isn't on it. It's kind of ugly, and doesn't fold up to put away.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20078234
Once upon a time I used a lap desk regularly, long before there were laptop computers. It was pretty big and rested its edges on the arms of my easy chair. That lap desk is long gone now.
I recently got laptops for my SO and self. We sit on a loveseat in the living room in front of the TV in the evening, with laptops, reading the news and doing correnspondence. We both decided we needed lap desks. Here's what we did:
I found pieces of peg-board in the scrap heap. I cut two pieces 12"x24". My SO got some drapery fabric from her scrap heap and some pillow stuffing material. She used a hot glue gun to make an angled pillow on one side of the peg-board, with the fabric wrapping around, attaching to the opposite side of the peg-board. Using the hot glue gun, she attached mouse pads at the right spots to the peg-board.
The angled pillow keeps the computer at the correct angle for comfortable use. The pillow also keeps the heat from the laptops from heating up our legs. This seems to work well for us.
Seriously. I use a Ouija board.
Thin, light, just the right size, and a little bit of overhang to allow space for using my wireless mouse. Add that to the fact that it's pre-decorated in a neat theme that I like, there is no better lap desk for my laptop.
I would really recommend you take a look at www.airdesks.com , I found them a few years ago and the one I have has worked great for the last few years, I picked one up for my parents and they use it daily for their laptop. In addition I others I recommended it to for use during recovery from surgery swear by them as well. Not well advertised, pretty simple design but they work great. They even have a unit for use on a treadmill that I may be picking up soon.
I have a Laptop Desk (www.laptopdesk.net). I really do love it, too. It doubles as a laptop riser when I use it on my coffee table or at my desk at home, and it's really quite sturdy and portable. Totally worth the $30. Don't get the Futura; get the original one - it's definitely better.
I'm a geek girl. Seriously.
One I like is the "air desk" from www.airdesks.com
My wife and I have both used different sizes of the padded aluminum iLap (from Rain Design) with our PowerBooks / MacBooks / MacBook Pro's over the years. They can be a little expensive in the larger sizes, but are rugged and comfortable and do their jobs very nicely. No complains.
For portable laptop stands, I use instand.
http://www.instand.com/
I understand there are perfectly good reasons to want a moderately-transportable powerhouse machine that can encode and render and whatever. Great. But, they still need a desk.
For lap use, 12" is where it's at. I'd argue that a one-spindle laptop (i.e., one without CD/DVD ability built in, though it may have a docking station) with WiFi built-in is best. Low power consumption = long battery and low heat. A somewhat older model will surf fine, play any media you can name, and isn't too expensive. Consider the Dell X200/X300 models, some Toshiba Portege's, and the Thinkpad X-series models. The Asus Eee may grow to fit this niche even better.
A 12" think WiFi machine with a neoprene sleeve is small and light enough that you'll actually carry it, thus have it when you want it.
a nice big tupperware container usu. does the trick. In the hot summer months I throw an ice pack in from the freezer to keep it cool.
I'm a huge fan of the lap desks. I've got one that's a stiff plastic board with a mini beanbag chair on the bottom. I got it at a thrift store for like $3.
It's way more comfortable & ergonomic (as far as laptops go). More importantly, laptops get hot. So, my advice to all you guys out there:
USE A LAPDESK!
DON'T FRY YOUR NUTS!!!
Here's a picture of mine in use.
No, the giant sticker didn't come with it and no, I have no idea what it's supposed to mean.
--Pete
Thumbsense converts certain keyboard keys into mouse clicks when a finger/thumb is in contact with the touchpad. It works great and the keys can be changed to suit your needs (though, alas, there is no middle click that I've found).
The Thumsense site is http://www.sonycsl.co.jp/person/rekimoto/tsense/soft/ and can be downloaded from the "Version" link at the bottom of the page.
Oh yeah, as the website says:
Currently, the software works on Windows(XP or 2000). Two major touchpad devices, Synaptics and ALPS are supported (ThumbSense automatically detects them).Anyway, its a cool little program and is free. Try it, you might like it...
later,
MK
It's called Bräda it works very well.
Yeah, it's really only specialty computers which have filters, so either industrial or server, or you get it from a custom house instead of off the DELL/HP/LENOVO/SUB(your_favorite_brand) assembly line.
Good point though, as my brother keeps whining about his almost five year old laptop having that problem, but he won't do anything serious about it.
2^3 * 31 * 647
I've used this lap desk from Levenger for years. Works great.
http://www.levenger.com/PAGETEMPLATES/PRODUCT/Product.asp?Params=Category=5-344%7CLevel=2-3%7Cpageid=614%7CLink=Img
Try this thing. http://www.lapdawg.com/ You can transform it's shape to make the laptop fit you. Portable as well.
I use a 1/4 inch thick plastic cutting board that I got at Safeway. Really low tech, works OK and keeps the air flowing.
Excuse me, but please get off my Pennisetum Clandestinum, eh!
I can recommend with authority the LaptopDesk.net product line. I've used them all since generation one. The best part is the "swivel" attachment so that the laptop swivels 360, the keyboard is propped up for easy viewing/typing, and I can spin the laptop (I'm a shifty person as I work). And thee item are cheap (20-30$). http://www.laptopdesk.net/stands.html and http://www.laptopdesk.net/swivelriser.html and http://www.laptopdesk.net/laptopdesk2f.html
Horns are really just a broken halo.
Seriously, I have a glass cutting board that you'd normally use to chop veggies in the kitchen. It's big enough to hold my laptop, has enough space to use my mouse if I wish, and keeps the air vents cool so it doesn't roast my legs.
If you're a geek who likes to read, they've got cool stuff you'd probably be interested in.
The Laplander lap desk is nice.
I've bought a good amount of stuff from Levenger over the years (fountain pens, folios, etc.) and I've never been disappointed.
Interested in a Flash-based MAME front end? Visit mame.danzbb.com
Please, for the love of Zod, educate me as to why someone would want a lapdesk ? Maybe I have tunnel vision, but it seems to me like most people use their laptops on a conventional office desk, or at least some sort of table. It's hard to find a chair without a nearby table, unless you're waiting in the emergency lobby or watching life trickle away at the bus stop. I know some unenlightened souls like compute in bed, spraying awful music all over their MySpace profile while being anally violated by 50 Cent's ego, but frankly I don't care about those tards and I certainly don't want to market a computing accessory to people who blow every last penny of their fry-cook wage on rap albums and Febreze.
:P
What would be nice, perhaps as an evolution of mini-laptops like the EEeeeeeee PC, is a laptop that's ergonomically designed for one-handed typing (wanker jokes aside!) Something that you can comfortably hold in one hand and type with the other, like a supersized PDA on steroids. At least some sort of convenient step-up until wearable computing goes mainstream in a decade or two.
I don't even carry a laptop anymore, but that's because I'm a power freak and nobody makes a quad-core 8gb-Ram SCSI Raid laptop. *blinks* I guess I could strap it to my back along with a car battery
-Billco, Fnarg.com
Although cheap. Not exactly portable, or useful besides as a lap warmer.
Here is what i believe are the ferrari's of portable laptop desks. http://www.lapdawg.com/ not exactly cheap $130.00 (includes shipping), but hey man you gotta live once in a while. Especially if you make a living off laptops.
guns
Solid Wood Breakfast Tray Has a Flip-Up Multi-Purpose Top
http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=10269&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=48&iSubCat=196&iProductID=10269&searchid=inceptor/
That's an excellent question!
1. It was a fragment like this one
2. I meant what I said.
3. I am smarter than the average bear.
4. Yes.
5. No.
6. Neither.
No more questions, you should be ready to guess what I'm thinking of.
I have a wireless Optical Mouse. I can use it on the couch arm, I can even use it on my pants leg. So table space for a mouse is irrelevant. I also have an old GyroPoint mouse that works in the air by measuring G-forces as you move the mouse without touching anything. However the GyroPoint mouse does have a significant motor-muscular learning curve.
- I live the greatest adventure anyone could possibly desire. - Tosk the Hunted
RS
Shoes for Industry. Shoes for the Dead.
The smallest size of these aluminum cookie sheets fits perfectly under a Macbook. It even fits in my laptop case. I bought some rubber adhesive pads to stick on the bottom. The nice thing about this solution is that it doesn't insulate the laptop and cause it to overheat. It absorbs the heat, and spreads it out. The tray still feels warm, but you don't get a painful hot spot.
In the "not what it's intended for, therefore it's cheap" category, I often use a synthetic cutting board placed on top of a pillow. The feet grip well to the board and it does not heat up like wood does and provides good ventilation. I place a non-skid mouse pad on one end when I want to use a mouse (or you could glue one on). A bonus feature is when it gets dirty, you can just throw it in the dishwasher.
This is not the one that I use, but just find one that's the size that you need - http://www.amazon.com/Vision-Easy-Grip-Cutting-Board-White/dp/B00013KR72
I've been using one of these http://www.raindesigninc.com/ilap.html (actually two in succession, in different sizes) for several years now, and still find the design practical and comfy. They're obviously designed to be a good visual match for the aluminum Mac laptops, but, yes, I have tried the experiment of perching a Dell atop one, and it wasn't immediately flung off into the air by some sort of eject mechanism.
The only slight nit I can pick is that with time the Velcro strip holding the removable near cushion can get oddly aligned, and expose the strip's edge, resulting in slightly less comfort (if you have princess-and-the-pea sensitivities). Not enough of an issue to keep me from continuing to use mine, or from buying the second one.
Jeeze. 5 pounds for my portable desk, plus five for my laptop. Might as well just find a freaking real desk.
Get a girlfriend, put her on your lap, and then put the computer in HER lap. What's so hard about that?
Don't piss off The Angry Economist
Vista:XPSP2::ME:98SE
I use one of these, and it works very nicely. It's very height adjustable--I use it in front of the TV in my living room, and I can pull it right up to my body even though I'm sitting in an easy chair. There's enough space to fit a 15.4" laptop, a mouse and a numeric keypad. They're also available all over the place.
Reach over to your bookshelf and pull out your D&D PHB (you know you have one).
They're the perfect size, and you can work on them for hours before the heat gets through to your lap. Once it does, trade it out for the DMG for a while.
For myself, I like to lean back on the couch a bit, with a hot drink on the coffee table, and my faithful laptop chugging away. I couldn't really do that with a desktop.
To prevent crotch-burn, a large wooden cutting-board serves as a buffer between my overly-hot 2.8Ghz P4 laptop (earlier generation, so hotter) and my important bodily parts.
Made one out of 3/4" PVC, 8 elbows and 4 tees. Cheap, easy, adjustable to your specific chair/couch/lap/computer circumstances.
-Ted
-=-=- Quantum physics - the dreams stuff are made of.
I did that and the compressed air stream spun the little integral fan in the heatsink a million miles an hour. The laptop was off at the time, but the little fan acted as an electrical generator and irreparably damaged the laptop.
Remove or jam the fan before you spritz the heatsink to get rid of the accumulated dust.
Get one of these:
http://www.sitincomfort.com/dellaptopdes.html
But don't pay that price...I found one like this at OfficeMax for $40 about 3 years ago. It's about $50 now, when it's on sale.
When I put mine together, I turned the legs 90 degrees so I could move the desk aside when not being used and it wouldn't fall over (being braced by the chair bottom).
It works great for me. YMMV.
I made my own lapdesk about a year ago after my new Dell notebook kept scortching my legs. I just used two sheets of 5-ply plywood joined together with long strips of plumber's insulation foam (the type you put around pipes), glued with a 'liquid nails' type of glue. It works very nicely and is easily light enough to carry with me to/from work each day. The long strips allow any heat coming through the top sheet of plywood to escape out the sides of the lapdesk. From the side, it looks somewhat like 'IIIIIIIII'.
Staples sells multiple models.
My favorite is a grey-colored plastic lapdesk.
It has a bean pillow underneath, a handrest at the front and grippy grey surface that makes mousepad optional. About $29.95. I bought one for me and one for my sister. We love them.
Leonid S. Knyshov
Find me on Quora
One thing male lapdesk users should keep in mind is that the increased temperature of keeping the legs together and trapping heat in with the lapdesk could potentially adversly affect your sperm counts.
http://www.compusa.com/products/products.asp?No=100&N=200486
Its decent... the center area pops and swings out to form a mouse area. That also leaves the center of the tray with a big hole to keep air circulating.
However, I suggest you keep what you have, get a nice but tiny OPTICAL mouse, and just use the mouse on the upholstery/pillow/jacket at your side.
It's not as easy to pack away with you, but the iRain lapdesk works really well for me - there's a vent and since the supporting piece doesn't touch your legs, heat isn't an issue.
rmr
Can't find it at Sharper Image, so a Dillard's link.
I use it a lot with a Macbook. It has a detachable mouse area that clips underneath. I never use it, but it's there in case I want to, and it's completely unobtrusive. Reasonably comfortable, considering the inherent unergonomic properties of a laptop. As it happens, the little legs on the top that are supposed to help hold the laptop in place just prop the Macbook up a bit which helps keep it cool.
Recommended.
Potato chips are a by-yourself food.
I am a bit appalled here, to read this. What's the big deal? You need support for a laptop that allows for air circulation. Fine. Use your imagination while gazing into the nearest available dumpster. Mount whatever you find on a cantilevered sheet of scrap plywood and get on with your life. When my eldest son moved into the front room of my two room apartment I built for him a cantilevered support for his monitor, the whole task requiring about 45 minutes, then assembled shelves for his clothes, another 30 minutes, then installed myself on a scrap of carpet at the foot of my bed in the back (bed) room and added a wall mounted spotlight and read and studied there for two and a half years while he found his way. At 22, he joined FaceBook to write PHP, C++, and MySQL, starting at $80K, more than twice what I have ever earned. Just get out of your own way, make it happen, giggle, and proceed. I mean, REALLY!
I had a student bring me a "Targus" cooling pad thingy for his laptop. It had 2 traditional case-style fans, with one side open to a grill (under the laptop) and the other side enclosed in plastic. They were supposed to pull air from the sides and push it up under the laptop. That's one of the most inefficient uses of fans I've ever seen! Targus should be ashamed. A single small squirrel cage blower in the center would do a better job of moving air.
I'm thinking about designing my own replacement.
My student (Robert) suggested a USB hub should be built into the cooling pad thingy, since it runs off USB power most of the time.
It occurred to me that USB devices drain batteries quickly. For example, using a USB 2.5" HDD on my old Fujitsu Stylistic Tablet PC cuts the battery time from 90 to 30 minutes. So, why not add a battery for the USB hub? If it took AAs, we could use rechargeable batteries, or one-time-use batteries (think delays at an airport.) Also, with removable batteries, you can keep the weight to a few ounces while still allowing a big battery when you want it.
Given the standard bays on the bottom of many laptops, a bay to take a removable DVD drive or HDD would be nice, but it might move us from cooling pad thingy to docking station.
Good Heavens! Email me! I'll come on over and build a solution for you. (I built a rosewood/teak/mahogany serving tray for a Rockefeller that remains one of his favorite possessions. Do you doubt that I can resolve your modest request?) And I build pergolas, redesign island properties, create virtual realities, whatever. What I do not understand is how a man of your considerable gifts has not already resolved this issue 15 times over.
Perhaps I'm the only person who's actually bought a lapdesk... I bought the Laplander from Levenger.
http://www.levenger.com/PAGETEMPLATES/PRODUCT/PRODIDPG.ASP?Params=Category=5-344%7CPageID=1859%7CLevel=2-3
I really like it for home use.
ShoutingMan.com
Ever since my daughter emptied most of a bottle of Elmer's glue on the lap desk that I used to use (fortunately, the laptop wasn't on it at the time), I've had to use the box I still have from an old dual Pentium II SuperMicro motherboard as a lap desk. It actually is just as comfortable as the original in terms of positioning and insulates the heat even better than the original thanks to the huge air cavity in the middle.
We are the 198 proof..
If you type on the floor, like I'm doing now, consider a case from Zero Haliburton http://www.zerohalliburton.com/computer/aluminum.jsp/ . The aluminum works like a huge heat sink, and, my laptop is still going strong after many hits into door frames than I can count. On the downside, they're very expensive cases, and at times feel like you're carrying around a ton of bricks. Consider a luggage cart if you have to walk any great distances.
Doesn't feel very sturdy, but works surprising well. You can get the screen very close to your face (saved my back). I use with an external keyboard on my lap.
I have a "Dave" from Ikea: http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/20078234 It's cheap, adjustable and has a cool angle thing that works well if your laptop's rubber feet are intact. There's room for an external mouse next to my X30 Thinkpad.
I've used an older version of this simple Targus lap desk for 3 years. Very satisfied with it. http://www.targus.com/us/product_details.asp?sku=PA243U
I use a leather desk mat. It is a stiff light board covered on the top with leather and felt on the bottom. You see these in board rooms and banks sometimes.
Looks like this http://eleganceleather.com/images/gif_250x250/79181-79437-59508.gif
Since my laptop draws air from the bottom this mat lets the machine stand on it's feet and does not impede air flow. Also does a damn fine job of keeping my legs from getting hot.
Leather and felt seem to be the perfect combination to keep the laptop from sliding even when my lap is not level to the ground.
Cheers
For 4 years we have been conducting video editing and streaming tests, using cellular aircard, and find Pentium M machines most satisfactory for "desktop" work. A mouse can be attached via PS2 port leaving USB 2 available for all manner of peripherals. Here are some provisos we recommend when driving a vintage Laptop Desk for videography. Be sure to load up with memory to 1GB. Replace all drives with 7200 rpm in order to avoid "write delays" on video. If your computer has "universal drive bay" that's another mainline to the mother board and can enable multiple hard drives, DVD burners, extra batts etc. These are the main big deals. With 4 fast connections [firewire, USB2, PC Card and universal drive bay] you can do most every task. Also consider keeping code load down with installed software. We use Office 2000 and Adobe CS2 and that is pushing the size of our 60GB C: drive. We ask you to consider holding at this level until the next generation HD platforms come out of flux. Anticipate all NAND memory drives and quad core in these units. Bob Kiger www.videographyblog.com There is a workflow published in the archives at www.vidiots.us
I spend 3.5 hours a day working on a train (I commute from Philly to NYC). The best solution overall after many different attempted solutions is a half inch thick plastic cutting board, available at your neighborhood grocery or kitchen supply store. Odds are good you can find one the exact size of your laptop. Nice and grippy for your rubber laptop feet, plenty of room for fans to operate, insulating enough to protect the jewels. If you leave that at home, I find a SkyMall/TrainMall open to the middle page laid over the lap is passable in a pinch.
I have used a Tablemate 2 with my laptop for a few years now... yes, you may have seen the infomercials, and i believe they have them for sale at BB&B... The height and desktop angle are adjustable, and there are two front legs configured so you can pull it up to you on the couch with the feet going under the couch. I find it pretty comfortable to use, although in a few years i think the heat of my laptop has caused the plastic desktop to warp a little... Check one out, you might like it!
I use a heavy laptop while sitting on a couch many hours each day, and found that the weight of a lapdesk eventually bothered my knees, so looked for a way to take the load off. My solution was simple: I picked up a small, cheap, rectangular trash can and laid it on it's side between my knees and supported by the couch and a near-by coffee table. It keeps the weight off me, my knees cool, and even the laptop cool. I also added a bit of rubber to keep is more securely in place.