LaptopStands.tv

What if I told you that sitting is probably one of the worst things you do to your body on a daily basis? What if I told you that people that sit 6 or more hours a day have a much shorter life expectancy than people that sit 3 hours or less a day?

You may or may not have seen this graphic before. It’s pretty scary, I have to admit. I’m someone that has been working on a computer for quite a few years now. I would get up and walk around as much as I could but this graphic still scares me. I wonder how much damage has already been done?

Via: Medical Billing And Coding

I had already been thinking about a standing workstation at home for a while now but after seeing this I knew that I had to come up with something fast. Who knows how accurate these facts really are but common sense does tell us that it’s not good for our bodies to be sitting all day. The more you work on a computer, especially a laptop, the more you begin to feel the affects of sitting and staring at a computer screen for hours. Some of us have completely given in to the temptation to move from t.v., to computer, to tablet, to smart phone all day and that “some of us” definitely includes myself at times. Reducing screen time is a problem too big and too personal for this post to deal with but we can at least make a conscious decision to reduce our time sitting.

Since I don’t have a standing workstation yet I’ve come up with my own d.i.y. solution. We have a bar that wraps around two sides of our kitchen island and is open to the living room. It seems to be a pretty good height for typing putting my arms closer to a 90 degree angle to the floor. On top of that I’ve added a laptop stand that brings the screen up to a much more comfortable viewing height. Even if you don’t have a riser you can always put your laptop on a stack of books or a small shelf. Just be sure to at least put a cooling pad underneath it to give it some room to breathe and extend your battery life. These are some pretty simple things you can do to greatly increase the ergonomics of your workstation and also decrease your sitting time.

Last time I talked a lot about my laptop bag and how I am constantly refining what I keep in my bag. I recently stumbled upon a new portable laptop stand that I really like and looks as if it would be a perfect addition to my bag.

Let me introduce you to the AViiQ Portable Quick Stand. This thing is definitely small, measuring less than a 1/4″ thick! It folds out to form a kind of pyramid to prop up the back of your laptop. Talk about minimal, this thing is simple, fast, and seems to be fairly effective. Now before I go singing all of it’s praises let me point out a couple of things that I immediately think of that may not make this stand for everyone.

• It props up the back of your laptop but has not contact for the front. Now I know that my laptop has built into it small little rubber feet but if yours does not happen to have something like this there may be potential for your laptop to slide. Perhaps this would be stick enough to hold your laptop secure.
• At $39.99 it’s a little pricey. While it is small and made from patented “German engineered Hylite material” it’s still just a stand without any active cooling. There are a lot of cheaper options out there.
• Also since it only props up the back this leaves out using it somewhere like an airplane where the tray tables may be too short for a stand like this where you’d be better off with a dedicated airplane laptop stand.

Those things being said I was really excited when I fist saw this. The way that it folds out for use and back in for storage is perfect for a portable laptop stand. It also boasts raising the keyboard 12 degrees which helps out your wrists. Of course that would also raise the screen some to get it closer to eye level and allow air to flow underneath your laptop for passive cooling.

While it does come in a few colors, as a guy I’m kind of partial to the black and grey options but it is nice for the person who would want to express themselves with less boring colors. It sure is thin and lightweight and earns quite a few style points. It looks cool when you “pop” it out and when it’s just sitting there propping up your laptop. Hopefully I will get my hands on one of these soon and I’ll do a video review of it. I just loved the idea of how it pops-out and how portable it was I couldn’t wait to share this. I hope to see many more like this to come and hopefully some of this functionality in lapdesks or laptop desk stands soon.

I try to keep an “eye” out for new types of laptop stands and new ideas about the ways that we should be using our laptops. There seems to be a trend at least in the portable laptop stand market for smaller, faster, and more portable stands. This puts a smile on my face as I am constantly trying to find ways to simplify and minimize my life and my laptop bag is no exception.

You might remember an earlier post where we talked about a site a while ago called Everyday Carry or better known as EDC. Users submit pictures of their “pocket dump” or all the things they regularly have on their person. These items are neatly laid out on a table to show you what they absolutely deem necessary to carry on a daily basis. For some reason this typically includes pocket knives, flashlights, and even handguns. I’m not really sure of the reasons for the tactical items and personal firearms but I can definitely appreciate the way people have refined their items and it’s clear that most people have put a lot of thought into this.

Well I’m still waiting for a site to come up that is all about the “laptop bag dump”. Maybe it’s just not as cool as people that carry $100 pocket knives and diving watches but to me it would be very interesting. Of course there would be the staples like laptops, iPads, and portable laptop stands of course. But what would be even more interesting would be all of the extra things that people deem worthy enough to lug around in their bag all day. I’m not just talking about things that get thrown in there (like paperwork, books, etc.) but the kinds of things that people feel like they could not be without on a daily basis. Who knows maybe I will start a site like this or do a post on my laptop bag (once I’ve streamlined it down) to show what I always need to carry and the little extra things that I’ve added for a bit of a personal touch.

Of course a laptop stand is on the top of my list, right after my laptop. There is no laptop bag that should be without one. If there was only a device that acted as a laptop stand and charger with a retractable cable that simultaneously kept my laptop cool and charged it. I know that seems counter-intuitive due to the heat of the power adapter but one can dream right? There is no one item that serves all purposes that we need as laptop users (stand, power, cord management, storage, etc.). For now I will stick with my stand and case and all the other items I keep in my bag and keep looking forward to ways that technology will make things smaller, lighter, and more portable.

I’ve heard it said that today we humans care way too much for our portable devices (just take a look around in a public place and you’d probably agree). Well I have to admit that I probably care about my iPad just a little too much. I’ll never forget the first time I actually saw one in person, and it wasn’t long after that I went out and bought one.

I consider myself a bit of a minimalist. Always trying to find ways to do more with less and the iPad played right into that desire. But has it lived up to my expectations? Well, yes and no. Yes in that I’ve never regretted buying it and would really miss having one if something ever happened to mine. No in that it has not fulfilled all my hopes and dreams of an all-in-one portable device that replaces my laptop.

The best way that I would currently sum up the issue for me is this: iPads are for play, laptops are for work.

The issue of laptops vs. tablets is far from being decided (future post to come!). However I am going to focus on one really great aspect of the iPad today: the screen is separated from the keyboard. I know, there is no keyboard, at least attached that is. But when you add a Bluetooth keyboard to an iPad you add one of the great benefits of a laptop. Of course there is one more thing you need to complete the picture and that is a stand. An iPad stand can hold your iPad safely in position regardless of what kind of case you use and it can even raise it up some closer to eye level which is a much better working position. I’m not going to touch on the best bluetooth keyboard or keyboard positioning here, but getting your screen closer to eye level is really a big part of the ergonomic picture. I’ve also found that kids really love using a stand also because it frees them up from having to hold the iPad with one hand and use it with another.

The only question left for me is when will all the functionality of a laptop be available in a tablet form? That is something I really can’t answer. But for those of you out there like me that hope one day most of our work and play can been done on one ultra portable device like the iPad rest assured that I believe that day will come sooner or later. And for those who already enjoy typing with a bluetooth keyboard and an iPad now, an iPad stand is really your best friend.

There are times in life when you first see something so innovative and incredible you almost feel like you’re catching a glimpse of the future. It’s as if an object fell through a wormhole from another time and landed in the present. I remember the first time I saw an iPad, it was that kind of experience. I immediately knew that the iPad and other tablets were going to become a big part of our lives like smartphones were already.

So what’s next you ask? What is the next wave of the future? I’ve been wondering that same thing, especially when it comes to the fate of the laptop. Will tablets eventually replace laptops altogether? I don’t think so, or at least not for a while. Let me introduce you to the Ultrabook. The Ultrabook (like the MacBook Air) is simply a slimmer, lighter, and more efficient laptop with faster startup times and SSD’s (solid-state drives). Notice I didn’t say more powerful, as you can’t have your cake and eat it too, just yet. And hopefully heating issues will be greatly reduced with the advance of technology but for now I’ve read that even the MacBook Air may have some issues with overheating when putting a lot of strain on it’s CPU so don’t throw out your cooling stand just yet.

So will these new ultrabooks make stands obsolete? Let’s just say hypothetically that cooling will eventually be a non-issue. There is still the bigger issue and the one that will never change: the human element. Laptops are great for many reasons but will always have the problem of a screen attached to a keyboard which is bad for ergonomics. For a long time to come the laptop stand will be a very easy and cost effective solution to ergonomics. Get a portable laptop stand for on the go and a riser for your home with a wireless keyboard and your problem is pretty much solved. Your screen will be higher and your wrists and back more in line and your body will thank you for it.

Who are laptops for? The most obvious answer is they are for people that need to take their computers with them on the go. Of course this isn’t their only use. Some people live in small condos or apartments and don’t have the room for a desktop computer. Others just don’t use a computer enough to justify having an entire workspace dedicated to it. Still others probably just want to use their computer in bed to surf the web (if that’s you than be sure to get a lapdesk and go for it!). But for the most part the point of owning a laptop is to be able to take it with you somewhere outside of the your home. Now I’m not trying to overstate the obvious but I think the use of laptops is only going to grow for one main reason. More people are making a living outside of the office than ever before.

The reality of this world is that if you are of the 99% you have to slave away to make a living in this life and more and more people are wanting to telecommute or make working from home a reality. Graphic designers, photographers, writers, web designers, bloggers, salesman or almost anyone. These are people that often need to travel or just need to get out of their house to work so they can be around other human beings. Plus you don’t feel so bad about not playing with the kids, walking your dog, or doing the dishes that have been sitting in the sink for the past couple of days.

So what about smartphones and tablets? Won’t those just replace the laptop soon and no one will be using laptops? Perhaps, but I am doubtful and I think that even with the widespread use of smartphones if you are going to be typing more than a quick email or doing most types of work than you are going to be on a laptop. Also, while tablets and phones will advance keep in mind that laptops will too. Don’t get me wrong I love my iPad and it has changed a lot for me. But while things are changing what will not change is people and most people need a keyboard to do their work and right now laptops are still the most convenient way to do that.

So what is the point of all this? People want to be free to work where they want and people need laptops and portable laptop stands to be able to do that. I think it’s a great trend and believe the number of telecommuters will only grow every year.

What percentage of people out there do you think use laptop stands? Is there a certain kind of person who uses a laptop stand? Are they just for computer geeks or techies? What about men as opposed to women? Young or old? While I doubt any serious studies have been done on the topic I do find the question rather interesting. I found some surveys that touched on ways people are unsatisfied with their laptops, but none about who actually uses laptop stands. So for lack of a better source I decided that I would do my own survey, albeit a completely unscientific one. All I needed to do was take a look around the Starbucks I was at and see who was using what.

After a quick glance I was able to determine a couple of things rather easily. First, about half of the people on laptops were using a stand. Second, all of those people who were using a laptop stand were all using what we like to call one of the “standard laptop stand” variety. This makes complete sense since most people were sitting at tables and the few comfy chairs are usually taken by the book worms, elderly, and high schoolers who are just hanging out instead of working. I was pretty happy with myself because that’s what I would have guessed the percentage would be. However, I was not able to find any correlation between age, gender, height, weight, or even ethnicity because all of these differences were covered by the people who were utilizing a stand.

So what does my rather quick real world survey say about the use of laptop stands? That they really are portable enough AND important enough for most people to spend the money for another accessory and on top of that pack it in their laptop bag. And while portable laptop stands are not perfect, they do give a significant improvement over just setting your laptop on a desk or table. They are small enough to carry in a laptop bag and not as bulky as the lapdesk which normally has extra padding to sit on your lap. They give you the one two punch of allowing your laptop more room to breathe and improving ergonomics in an easy and most portable fashion.

Even though my survey was far from scientific, I can tell you that everyone should be using a laptop stand no matter what kind of person you are. And one last reason why you should consider using a stand especially while drinking coffee: if you happen to spill coffee on the table you could save your laptop some serious damage. Just don’t spill it on your keyboard cause there’s not much that can be done about that.

One of the products we talk about less often are DJ Laptop Stands. When it comes to musical performance involving DJing, loops, or software based sounds, laptop stands become a clearly vital part of the stage set up. The investment in a good, on stage rig is an obviously worthy investment to protect computer equipment and increase performance capability.

In looking around at options, there are invariably some very resourceful people out there who have crafted some interesting equipment. Some do-it-yourselfers make impressive units, others can be called interesting. Here are some of the more interesting laptop stands people have designed at home.

We have a pretty nice variety of DJ laptop stands in our shop here, but we also understand the desire to innovate. That being said, some of those DIY projects come out looking pretty junky. So our thought is simply this. Modify a simple laptop stand. Find a stand you already know you like, and get creative with that as your starting point. Instead of starting from scratch use something that has already been modeled to stretch those creative muscles. Let us know what kind of awesome results you come up with!

I don’t know if you have caught wind of it, but there is a phenomenon taking place surrounding the concept of carrying the right personal items. The website Everyday-Carry is a place simply devoted to the explanation of what items people carry with them on a daily basis and why they do so. This is a site where people submit images of the things from their pockets, along with brief explanations, and an occasional critique or word of wisdom from the site’s management.

The huge popularity of this site is a telling tale indeed. The truth is that these people understand that what they have with them directly effects how they function and what they are capable of on a given day.

A person who uses a laptop stand well should be able to convey an EDC type explanation for why they use the model they have. Just like the people on this site can explain why they carry all of the items in their pockets and swap tips on best brands and models, anyone who carries a laptop with them should be able to respond likewise concerning the equipment they have become most fluid working with. Perhaps the site should expand to devote some attention to people’s messenger bags and brief cases, to showcase how people get work done efficiently!

What does your portable laptop stand provide for you?