Check it out: http://www.gear4laptops.com

As for appearance, they have that hippie, natural feel which, admittedly, doesn’t go with every decor. But for a fraction of the price, I’m willing to live with it.
Shivali Shah

Thanks for your report! I also updated my review tonight with some temperature data.

So, for me at least, the claims hold true – my CPU temps are about the same (slightly cooler, but not significantly so) using a lappad or sitting my laptop on a table. CPU temps for the lappad (and table) are much cooler than with a pillow.

This seems counter-intuitive, but after thinking for a bit, I think I understand what is going on (going back several years to my college days and thermodynamics classes). When you put your laptop on a table, the table initially acts as a heat-sink, absorbing the heat from your laptop. However, after a certain amount of time, the table can’t absorb any more heat, and all of the additional heat generated by the laptop is radiated back by the table top to the laptop, so the heat has to go somewhere else (I’m remembering the term black body radiation for some reason – thermo was *years* ago). At this point, the table looks to the laptop thermally just like a lappad – it doesn’t absorb any heat (i.e. doesn’t cool the laptop). Thus the CPU temp for a laptop on a table should be about the same for a laptop on a lappad – which mine was.

OK – sanity check. So what is the difference between a lappad under my laptop and a 1″ thick piece of wood? Thermally, the table and lappad should come to the same final temperature as seen by the laptop. So the cpu temp should be the same, regardless. Important factor here – this temperature, is more than safe for laptops – it’s what they are designed for. However, the lappad is thinner, lighter and (forgive me mom) cooler looking. Basically, it is a more efficient table.

More thoughts – so what really controls the cooling of the laptop on a hard surface after it reaches steady state is the air forced by the fan. A laptop on a hard surface is so close to the surface that you can’t get natural convection (there is a boundary layer near the surface), so the fan is what drives the hot air out. That’s why, with my pillow, the laptop gets so hot, the pillow conforms to the bottom of the laptop and blocks the air path, so the laptop keeps heating up. The lappad, however, has a rigid surface, so the fan can move air, and the laptop cools like it would on a table. I’d argue that the no-slip surfaces let you hold your laptop at an angle (I do), which improves cooling a small amount. So, the reasoning seems to hold water.

I don’t think you can compare the lappad to a coolpad. The coolpad’s are designed to cool the laptop. The lappads are designed to passively protect the laptop user from the heat. Different beasts. Frankly, if my cpu runs at safe temperatures, I’ll pass on the fans and plugs on the coolpad and use the passive lappad. I just want a cool surface on my legs.

I know my thermo is rusty, so feel free to step in an help me tighten this up, but it seems to make sense to me now. And, frankly the bottom line is that mine works, and I’m going to keep using it. My CPU isn’t any hotter than when I use it on a table, my laptop runs a heck of a lot cooler than it does on a pillow, my legs stay wonderfully cool, and I would much rather use my lappad on the sofa than a chunk of wood

Final, picky point. Any modern laptop shouldn’t be able to overheat. The BIOS watches temperatures in the CPU, GPU, memory and HDD (I can see all 4 in mine) and it will automatically shut down if the laptop gets hot enough to damage itself. Computers capable of thermally destroying themselves are a thing of the past.

With all due respect, it’s what he said that leads me to believe it’s not a “do-it-yourself approach”

“. . . . for about $30. Much less in quantitiy. ”

Besides, the point is that everone is entitled to grow their own lettuce in their backyard. It’ll be much cheaper than buying it in your local grocery store.

I for one value my time more than trying to save $30 to have a metal company make one laptop stand for me. That is, if all I want is to make one or two for myself, and not try to market it.

However, let’s not digress. I’m looking forward to your test results.

I don’t think you can really compare someone wanting to try a Do-It-Yourself approach to a laptop stand the same as being a software pirate. In my opinion if you can build a less expensive widget on your own that has the equal usefulness of something more expensive, then go for it!

Originally posted by JohnKes
[B]“I need to see what my local metal shop would charge for something like this.”

Around here, they would be glad to make one for about $30. Much less in quantitiy. Someone is making tons of money at $60. [/B]

After paying over $2,800 USD for my 15″ Powerbook, I have no difficulties with paying $60 for a product that helps keep my $2,800 investment functioning well. Furthermore, the Aluminum stand helps protect my laptop from nicks and scratches during travel by placing my laptop into the Koolsink’s inverted position. Try that with the lap pad.

I don’t subscribe to your pirate like attitude. There is a reason why the Koolsink sells for $40. Have you checked the price of lettuce at your local grocery store lately, and compared that to growing your own. Pirating software is also lot cheaper than buying the retail packaged software. I don’t know about you, but I pay for my software. Let’s keep it honest.

Around here, they would be glad to make one for about $30. Much less in quantitiy. Someone is making tons of money at $60.

Tonight I’m going to test the temp while using my Powerbook at the Chinook LapPad. We’ll see how the pad really effects the internal heat.

Originally posted by Peter_dee
As for the “bent piece of aluminum”, kudos for such fine, minimalistic, ingenenous and effective design.

And what a way to make a ton of profit. I need to see what my local metal shop would charge for something like this.

What I don’t understand is the Powerbook is made of Al, and they claim that the surface area of AL of their product helps in wicking away the heat. It seams to me that if I bought two fans and put a little bit of space between the Powerbook and the two fans I could pull air across the bottom of the Powerbook and actively pull the heat away from it with convection. Considering the Koolsink doesn’t touch the bottom of the Powerbook (if the powerbook’s feet are still in place) it has to convectively pull the heat off without the help of a draft.

Considering that I have never had the fan on my powerbook kick on, I really don’t need any of these, but I thought it would be nice to look into something. I think that I will probably just get one of these since I mainly use my powerbook docked at my desk.

Originally posted by johnsoax
That seems like a great product. But it costs almost $60 (with shipping). That seems a little steep for just a bent piece of Al.

Compared to the prices that one could be paying for upgrades for increased performance and/or comfort, not to mention insurance, $60 is a wise investment. As for the “bent piece of aluminum”, kudos for such fine, minimalistic, ingenenous and effective design.

Originally posted by Peter_dee
Be careful with insulative products such as this. Just as it insulates your lap from the heat, it also insulates the laptop. Heat is heat, and it’s detrimental to electronic components. Some people do not cause the latop to generate heat, others do, depending on the programs that you run. If you’re the latter, you want to use something that will dissipate the heat, rather than insulate it. Try the KoolSink®. http://www.koolsink.com and read the customers’ testimonials. Make your own conclusions, and have fun.

That seems like a great product. But it costs almost $60 (with shipping). That seems a little steep for just a bent piece of Al.

That product is fine if you don’t mind a little fan noise. I’m about QUIET these days, so the LapPads work great for me.

Starting temp tests now…

If you really need cooling, the Antec Notebook Cooler looks really good:
http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/antec-nb-cooler-review.html

I found a program that will display the CPU temp of my PowerBook. I’m going to do a few tests and see what the temp is just working on my desk and then using the LapPad. When I’m done, I’ll update the review. It should be interesting to see if the pads actually cause the PowerBook to hold on to the heat internally.

Originally posted by JohnKes
Unfortunately there is no lightweight, low cost way to get rid of the heat and protect your thighs at the same time.

What about this: http://www.coolpad.com/

I use the Traveler Coolpad, and it works well for me – my lap stays cool AND the bottom of the laptop stays cool, thus prolonging the life of the laptop. It is a low tech solution (put an air gap below the laptop so air can circulate between your lap and the laptop), but it works extremely well.

Those thermal insulating pads reviewed look like exactly the wrong solution to the problem – they make the laptop overheat, and merely postpone the heat reaching your lap. Also, if your laptop has a fan on the bottom, these thermal pads prevent the fan from working right, increasing the overheating of the laptop.

[I have worked many years with advanced ($$) materials for thermal control.]

http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/laplogic-lappads-review.html

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