IS THAT A NEW IMAC? NO, IT'S YOUR LAPTOP.
Do you suffer with iMac envy? Apple's latest
iteration of the iMac raised the bar when it came to computer design.
The flat panel screen hovers over the white dome base. It's precision,
chrome plated arm suspends the screen in such a way that it appears to
literally float over the base. A delicate touch moves the screen up,
down, left and right while preserving the angle of the screen. It took
Apple over a year to perfect the viewing system, and it is one of the
iMac's strongest operational points. It's not easy creating an
ergonomic design that is both functional and beautiful to the eye. But
now, if you own any laptop be it Windows or Apple, you can capture
some of that magic iMac ergonomic functionality and design.
 The
Lapvantage Dome (www.lapvantage.com) made by Plasticsmith, is one of
the coolest stands on which you can place your laptop or notebook
computer. At first glance, the Deluxe Dome appears to be a beheaded
iMac. For starters, the base of the portable stand looks just like the
domed base of an iMac. The support arm is a satin finished anodized
aluminum rod and projects out from the top of the base. But instead of
the flat panel LCD screen at its other end, you'll find a horizontally
positioned clear acrylic table surface that is positioned parallel to
the surface on which the dome is seated.
Place your laptop on the acrylic stand and
you're almost ready to go. Combine the Lapvantage Dome with an
external keyboard and mouse and using a laptop becomes almost
synonymous to the look and feel one gets when using a desktop
computer. In fact, you may find this system to be less cluttered than
a desktop. And given the deluxe version of the Lapvantage Dome has the
ability to swivel 360 degrees, the visibility of the screen surpasses
the accessibility of an average desktop display.
It's important to note that at $79.95, the
Lapvantage Dome does not offer the engineering sophistication behind
Apple's support arm. The 360 degree swivel is accomplished via a
rotating platform on which the dome base rests. And unlike the iMac,
the raising and lowering of the arm is not done on the fly with a mere
touch. You must first turn a small release knob, move the platform to
the desired level and then retighten the knob to secure the platform's
position.
Ergonomically speaking, the Lapvantage Dome
raises your computer so that you view it in the recommended neutral
position outlined by the U.S. Center for Disease Control.
Specifically, the organization recommends against using a laptop as a
primary computer unless it is positioned so that the top of the screen
is at or just below eye level when seated in an upright position.
Lapvantage includes 3M designed rubber feet that
keep the laptop slightly raised above the acrylic surface. This helps
to keep the laptop cool as well as providing a non-slip surface.
Moving the stand forward, backward, left or right keeps the acrylic
table perfectly level so finding the ideal viewing angle is done by
how much you open or close your laptop's screen.
The Lapvantage Dome comes in two versions. The
standard model ($49.95) is a fixed height of 5.5 inches and does not
swivel. The Deluxe Dome ($79.95) has an adjustable height from 4.75 to
6.5 inches and swivels a full 360 degrees. Both models are available
in either black or white.
www.lapvantage.com |
