Saturday, December 21, 2024
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A Column On Assistive & 'Boomer' Friendly Technology

 

When I was 30 years old the warranty on my body ran out. Systems started failing and tech support wasn't a whole lot of help. Re-booting wasn't an option and calls to the manufacturer.... Well let's just say the‘answers' are still a point of discussion. It's not like it was the‘blue screen of death' or anything, but it is chronic... (Multiple Sclerosis). It has caused me to have a different perspective on most things because where I sit.... is in a wheelchair.

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Logitech Speaker Lapdesk N700

Details
First Usability:
The firm stable work surface has ample space for notebooks with up to a 16” display. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want anything heavier than that resting on my legs for several hours! Underneath is a soft, air-mesh pillow padded base surrounding a fan enclosure to keep the laptop cool and me comfortable.
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The fan, powered by a USB connection, along with the heat-shielding devise works quietly and evenly to move air keeping me and my lap nice and cool (and not toasted). 
We appreciate the fact that the USB 2.0 connection (a single cable to the laptop’s USB port to power both the fan and speakers) is designed to have minimal impact on the laptop battery. And speaking of ‘speakers’, the N700 has a pair of 2” high performance neodymium drivers that provide surprisingly good sound. The designed in bass reflex performance doesn’t leave you with a thin or tinny sound. We were all quite impressed while listening to tunes or watching a movie. 
Comfort
I can sum up my impressions in a single word, Excellent. The combination of an air mesh fabric and polyurethane foam stuffing makes for excellent weight distribution. 
n700__profile.pngThey’ve also biased the padding to give the screen end of the platform a 10° rise. This gives me an easier view without the neck strain. Having the N700 on my lap for several hours is like working with my laptop on a pillow. OK, a pillow that has great speakers and a fan.
Convenience
There are no tricks or surprises to the N700. That’s what makes it so easy and convenient to use. Setup is simple and intuitive. Put the N700 on your lap, put your laptop on the N700, plug in the USB cable to enable the speakers and power the fan and you’re ready to go. 

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To add to the convenience/usability, the N700 has 2 flip-up retention stops facing the user to prevent the laptop from sliding down at angles as steep as 50°. Nice. Controls are provided on the right hand side for Volume up and Down as well as mute, which, by the way, activates a red LED to remind you that you haven’t suddenly gone deaf or lost audio. Also nice. Finally, there is also a handy on/off switch for the fan.
The Exception
The only thing we regretted about the N700 was its lack of provision for an external mouse. Sure we all understood that the padding and speakers had an impact on that part of the design, but still…..it would have taken a great lapdesk and made it pretty much perfect.

Available on-line and elsewhere at a very reasonable $79.99 USD.