[GADGET : lapdesk] Logitech Comfort Lapdesk

Logitech formally announced the Comfort Lapdesk for Notebooks on December 8, 2008 with expected availability first for the European market by January 2009 and for the U.S. by February 2009.  By January it was already available in the U.S. market via Amazonin very sparse quantities.

The product's intentions for notebooks, like other existing "lapdesks", was to help dissipate heat and shield the same from direct contact with skin, as well as provide a stable platform with the end-means of providing overall comfort. Hence, Logitech Comfort Lapdesk.

 

Ever since it's announcement, I've been waiting for it to reach the Canadian shores and even participating in Logitech's blog site (Blogitech) to hopefully convince them that there is interest on the product.  How hard can it be, we're just a stone's throw away from the U.S.  Anytime after it's availability in Amazon, it won't be long before the Logitech distributor makes it reach here as well.

As of May 7, 2009 (five months after it's announcement) there seems to be no hope of the product ever going to be made available locally here.  In fact back on the Blogitech site, Logitech has confirmed on April 29, 2009 that it wasn't good news for the Canadian market.

Well, that's a shame and a loss for the Canadian Logitech distributor for not having the early foresight to carry a product as sleek, modern and functional as this.  For a very simple device and an attractive price, it could have been a winner that attracts both Mac and PC notebook users.

As for me, I didn't bother waiting.  I purchased from Amazon and had it shipped to me. Costly? Perhaps.  Worth it?  Definitely.  With a base price of USD39.99 and spending more for the exchange rate conversion and cross-border shipping, the product has finally arrived at my door.

Product packaging is simple - a see-thru plastic wrap on the product covered overall with a colourful printed cardboard.  No further waste of material.  Once you get passed the packaging, you are greeted with a glossy white plastic base for which to place your notebook of choice.  I wouldn't want to sound too much of a hypocrite (having had our iBook stolen two years ago and deciding to  switch  to a Sony Vaio based on our budget), but Macs definitely would look more at home with this product.

Dimension-wise.  It's large.  In fact it's larger than any large notebook I know (and can rightfully accommodate it).  Try a dimension of L x W x H (18.03 x 11.26 x 2.87).  Take that 17" notebooks!  Surface-wise.  It's glossy.  So glossy, the white surface shines.  

The reverse side is the miracle material.  A light grey mesh fabric that's soft and ultimately comfortable as it rests on your legs.

Logitech has designed the product to curve giving it a 12 degree angle so that it elevates the notebook bringing the screen closer to you than have you bend forward.  The result of which is a more comfortable surfing experience.

The weave material is very elegant.  It helps wrap an inner cushion, but also elevates by providing air pockets in between the material and your skin.

Because of it's size, it's also stable on your legs.  There's no wobbling here.  It just simply sits planted there.

It has a very simple design and that's a good thing.  With the muted colours, it can ideally blend in to any type of home decor.  When not in use, it can just tuck away underneath a bed, sofa or couch.  Or it can stand vertically on the side of any furniture.

If I were to rate this product from 1 to 5 stars, I would give it a 4.  It's not nearly perfect.

First, the problem is that given it's massive dimension, there is space for more than a notebook. Depending on the size of your notebook, a notebook mouse can even operate along-side it.  But because of the glossy surface, laser mice need not apply here.  But I guess this was not the intention of the designer.  Well, how about the ability to add a piece of material to change part of the glossy surface and enable a laser mouse for those interested.  In the meantime, I'm adding one of those paper-thin mouse pads.

Second, notebooks with small rubber feet will have to work harder to try to stick to the surface.  If you want to leave the notebook planted on the Comfort Lapdesk for eternity, it may eventually start to slide away because of the angled surface that is raising one side higher.  As with the case of the Sony Vaio notebook and it's tiny rubber feet, the next morning it has already slid down on one side.  If that was the edge of the sofa, you can imagine the disaster. The work-around is to have a stack of magazines and let the flat surface rest on it while elevating the angled portion.  Viola!  No more mysterious sliding notebook by next morning.

Third, it's really big.  I wouldn't be surprised if Logitech introduced a smaller size of the same product for netbooks and a MacBook Air.  I wouldn't mind using a 13" notebook with this present dimension if, again, it had the ability to accommodate using a mouse in the process.

Overall, at USD39.99 and with a 3-year limited hardware warranty it's a purchase I don't regret even if I had to do some cross-border shipping just to obtain one in Canada.