Mac Opinion Review

August 24, 2004

By Charles Moore

New Road Warrior Review Posted - The Laptop Desk UltraLite

The Laptop Desk folding laptop table from two-year old start-up company LapWorks has been a marketing success for three years now, especially since major laptop bag and accessory firm Targus picked it up to sell as the “LapDesk.”

Invented by José Calero of Rancho Cucamonga, California, the Laptop Desk is a disarmingly simple device consisting of two panels of molded polycarbonate plastic hinged together, which unfolds either to a wedge shape that elevates the laptop screen to a more comfortable viewing angle for desktop use, or folds out flat to create a support platform for the computer with a mousing surface on the side.

Launched in June of 2001, the Laptop Desk Original was designed in response to industry research conducted by IDC and GartnerGroup that estimated U.S. corporations would spend more than $1 billion over the next several years to repair or replace damaged notebook computers at an estimated cost of $1,400 each. The leading cause of damage was computers being dropped from users’ laps, resulting in financial and equipment losses as wells as losses in productivity and opportunity. In addition, GartnerGroup research estimated that one-third of all employees would work from a mobile location by 2004, creating the need for a lightweight, portable full-sized laptop work surface.

A combination of scalloped channels molded into the area where the computer rests combined with raised soft robbery pads that hold the laptop firmly in place as well as slightly raising it clear of the panel also result in from 8 to 20 percent better cooling characteristics (according to a study by California Polytechnic University cited by LapWorks) depending on the orientation mode. And of course, the Lapdesk itself helps insulate your lap from computer - generated heat.

Now LapWorks has introduced a new product, the Laptop Desk UltraLite, which begins shipping August 26 — a lighter, thinner, but slightly longer counterpart to the Laptop Desk v2.0 (which remains in production), aimed at users of lighter, thinner portable computers in the five pounds or less range, such as Apple’s 12” iBook and the smaller G4 PowerBook models.

The Laptop Desk UltraLite’s weight has been reduced to 14.6 ounces, compared with its heavy- duty stablemate’s one pound, 6 ounces, and it is half as thick at just 5/16”.

In fully-open lap tray mode, the Laptop Desk UltraLite creates a generous 22” expanse of workspace (1.5 inches wider than with the v2.0 model). In “wedge” desktop stand mode, the UltraLite offers 5 adjustable angles with a maximum screen elevation of 3 1/4”, and increases cooling efficiency by 15 percent to 20 percent. When used as a desktop stand the Laptop Desk allows unimpeded access to front-loading optical drives, which some laptop stands don’t.

When folded, the Laptop Desk UltraLite measures 11” x 11” x 5/16” and will slip easily into most computer bags or backpacks, and stores conveniently just about anywhere.

José Calero says: “I designed the Laptop Desk v2.0 and the Laptop Desk UltraLite to be versatile, portable platforms to eliminate the hassles of portable computing. They allow any notebook computer user to work more comfortably with it on their lap, on a desk, or any other work surface. I also felt they should be thin and lightweight so they could travel easily next to the notebook inside any computer bag or backpack.”

“Heat is a laptop’s worst enemy,” Calero continues. “That’s why I designed to both Laptop Desks with heat - polycarbonate plastic that resists heat buildup, and built-in ventilation channels that allow heat better to escape.” He notes that: “They are also be only dual-purpose lap desks on the market today.”

The Laptop Desks come in one color -- the steel or charcoal gray (very similar to the color of the old 500 series PowerBooks) that will go with just about anything from traditional black laptops to Apple’s current metal and white portable livery.

Our test Laptop Desk UltraLite feels very sturdy, notwithstanding its light weight and thin profile, and the hinges appear to be robust enough to withstand extended use and many folding cycles. As Mr. Calero notes, polycarbonate plastic is incredibly strong.

To set the angle for “wedge” or desktop mode, one of the UltraLite’s two panels has a wire bail that folds down to engage a series of height adjustment grooves bonded to the underside of the opposite panel. Just choose your desired angle and slip the support wire in. This takes about two seconds, and is very secure. The height adjustment notch pads are made of the same rubbery material as the traction pads that hold the laptop in place and identical inserts on the units underside that keep it from marring or sliding around on the desk or table surface. They really work too, with amazingly tenacious grip.

For use as a laptop desk on your lap, aside from its heat insulation and dissipation function, the Laptop Desk’s greatest feature in my estimation is the provision of a mousing surface. I’m a fairly happy camper with trackpads, but there are times (for instance when you’re doing graphics editing) when a mouse is much preferable.

Indeed, the Laptop Desk can be used in conjunction with other types of laptop stands, such as the Dexia Rack shown here, to provide a convenient mousing surface, or also to extend the surface of platforms like the tapered ends of this oval pine table.

For larger and heavier laptops of greater than five pounds in weight, LapWorks recommends the heavier-duty Laptop Desk v2.0, however, I found that the UltraLite model handled the seven PowerBook 1400 shown in the photos with aplomb, and no sense of instability or sign that the platform was being overstressed. The 1400 has essentially the same footprint as a 12” iBook.

I didn’t have one here to try, but I’m inclined to think that the UltraLite with its wider stance would be the better choice for Apple’s widescreen 15-inch PowerBooks as well. A 17-inch machine isn’t going to leave any usable room for mousing on either LapDesk model.

The answer to that is the Laptop Desk MouzPad, a snap-on, rigid plastic accessory that increases the Laptop Desk’s mousing surface for an external mouse. The MouzPad creates a 6” by 9” mousing area, but extends the Laptop Desk by only 3”. It works for right or left-handed users, and both v1.0 and v2.0 of the Laptop Desk. Available from LapWorks’ website (http://www.laptopdesk.net) for $9.95, or $4.95 when purchased with a new Laptop Desk.

The MouzPad snaps on easily, but LapWorks designed it so heavy-handed mouse users won’t inadvertently snap it off. To remove it, users simply lift up the outer edge of the MouzPad until it snaps away. “Getting the release weight just right was critical,” says Jose Calero. “We’ve been through several prototypes and determined two pounds of lift pressure was optimal.”

The MouzPad is thin (1/8” thick), lightweight (3.7 ounces), and made of the same polycarbonate material as the Laptop Desk. There are three utility holes and three notches on each side. The holes are for pencils and pens. The notches enable users to weave their mouse cable through them to keep the mouse from falling when they release it to type on the keyboard. Note that the MouzPad works only with the Laptop Desk v.2.0 or the Laptop Desk Original, and not with the UltraLite.

The Laptop Desk is a really cleverly designed and useful product for laptop users. Both models sell for a modest $29.95, but for a limited time there is a ten dollar instant rebate on the UltraLite model, which makes it just $19.95 cents. Hard to resist at that price, and it may well be all the ever need in a laptop stand.

Criticisms? Well, the 3 1/2” screen elevation at the Laptop Desk’s highest adjustment angle is really not that much of a boost, and if that is your primary interest in a product like this, you might want to consider a product that facilitates higher elevation, like Griffin’s iCurve or the Lapvantage Dome.

The Laptop Desk UltraLite will be available in a Targus version at $29.95 later this year, but you can order directly from LapWorks now and take advantage of the rebate.

For more information, visit: http://www.lapworksinc.com