Laptop is killing my babies! Help!

Jimmy King

So I've got this laptop. At night I like to lay on the couch and write code for my own projects, occasionally do work for my job, etc. while watching tv for a couple hours before going to bed. It's comfortable and more relaxing than sitting upright in a chair at a desk. Unfortunately, it's not so good for the baby making parts which is in direct conflict with the ongoing attempt to create my own little unholy terror.

Does anyone have any experience with any sorts of laptop desks or anything designed to keep things cool down there? I have looked and there are little lap desks and they probably keep everything cooler, but given that just wearing jeans and tighty whiteys or even non-cotton boxes can have an adverse affect I'm not convinced that flopping a slab of plastic or wood over my lap, possibly with vents for the heat of the laptop to flow down through, is enough of a solution.

L Ron Howard

I use a pillow for mine, and I take a break and turn it off for about a half hour every two hours or so, specifically because of that reason. I've got nice, big and fluffy pillows to use, so it takes a while for me to get heated up. And then when I get uncomfortable, I know it's time to take a break, no matter where I'm at. I believe it's been doing me pretty well so far.

HeraldS

This thing looks pretty good if you're not against dropping a little cash. Then again, how can you put a price on functioning testicles?

Jimmy King

That lap desk might be just what I need what with the angle which gives me a little breathing space. I trust logitech over the other brands I looked at, too.

I currently do the pillow thing. I'm not sure how much good it really does. Certainly better than the laptop directly in my lap of course. I'm a big, hot, sweaty dude, though. If just wearing briefs instead of boxers is enough to cause trouble, then a pillow in the lap is probably also troublesome. Of course, underwear are all day and the pillow is a couple hours at a time. I can tell you I still get, uh, uncomfortable sweaty from doing that, though.

Sipex

Also, in regards to baby making parts. A cool source near that area will help immensely.

Like an icepack but wrapped up because it would suck if you got stuck to it.

Jimmy King

Well, I went ahead and ordered that logitech one. It's definitely nicer looking than the others I looked at, so good find there.

Gonna go ahead and keep this thread open in case there are more helpful suggestions.

ronya

L Ron Howard wrote: »

I use a pillow for mine...

Don't do this unless you want to block the vent and cook your CPU.

Reiten

If you already have a big hard cover coffee table size book (like an atlas), that is an easy (if inelegant) option.

lunasea

Breakfast in bed table! My girlfriend uses one of those and it's really comfortable. I'm not sure what they're official name is but it's like this little table/desk thing that you can put right over your legs. I think she got it at Big Lots for 10 bucks.

edit: http://www.amazon.com/Breakfast-Tray-with-Notched-Handle/dp/B000ST2I9Y

Breakfast in bed tray. There's one for $120 0_0

Six

I just use a pillow when my junk gets all toasty from my laptop.

Cycophant

It's a little late now, since you already ordered the other one, but I've been using the Thermaltake Pad for a few years now and love it.

It does a pretty good job of absorbing the heat from a laptop, which consequently makes it run cooler, but it also works perfectly at shielding whatever's underneath it from the heat. After a few hours of use it tends to get less effective, so you have to let it cool back down again, but it's not usually a big deal.