Is the Laptop Dead?

What kind of technology will grace your home office desk five years from now? According to Kit Eaton over at Fast Company it wont be a laptop. While Intel is hard at work pushing the Ultrabook, Eaton argues that – the sleek MacBook Air is the peak of design in the laptop field. Intel are simply chasing the tail of John Ive’s Air. According to Eaton “the Utrabook isn’t the silver bullet to securing their future–they’re instead almost like a well-polished, perfectly refined full stop at the end of the design description of the device.”

It’s interesting to think of this technology at the end of its natural life. We are on the brink of the next wave and in my mind it has to be some kind of tablet type device. Although having spent the weekend without my laptop trying to work from our iPad I am much relieved to get back to this MacBook Pro. The tablets need to resolve their cumbersome typing problems. If they could fix that I’d blog from the iPad in a heartbeat!

Unplggd: Keep Your Computer Up To Date

AppFresh by MetaQuark

• $Free
• MetaQuark
Are you good at keeping all your apps and your operating system up to date? If you’re like the majority of people we know, probably not. Applicatiib and system updates are usually right up there with “reorganizing the closet” and “properly tagging all my music files”: ideal ventures better held off till tomorrow. Procrastinate no longer (OS X users), the free AppFresh will keep tabs on Apple Software Update, Sparkle, Microsoft AutoUpdate, Adobe Updater, osx.iusethis.com and other apps, preferences and widgets, providing a centralized way to make sure you’re running on the latest and greatest. AppFresh is still in beta, but the free price tag might warrant a download.

By Gregory Han

Unplggd: Keep Your Laptop Cool

There is no comfort in using a hot tempered laptop. Nowadays, the overheating of laptops has become one of the most common problems they have. The fact that most of the time they are resting on our lap, make these cooling units, even more appealing. They are simple to use and harvest the power from the USB source from the computer. The only drawback could be a lower battery range.

Belkin F5L001-BLK Laptop Cooling Pad
The Laptop Cooling Pad’s unique patented wave design prevents your laptop from overheating. It uses natural convection to enhance fan cooling, and ensures low power consumption via your laptop’s USB port. It requires no bulky power adapters. Gentle slope improves typing comfort and reduces wrist strain while raising the screen height to help reduce neck strain. Fits conveniently inside a laptop bag and the wave design enhances cooling capabilities. We love the fact that it even has a convenient storage compartment for USB cable when not in use.

Logitech N100
For a fan-equipped laptop cooler, Logitech’s N100 is really silent. It is otherwise a simple construction with an attractive, rounded design. The surface is gray (or an optional pinkish hue), but underneath it is moss green for some reason. Whether you like this particular choice of color is a matter of taste of course, but it is distinctly unique. The single, centrally placed fan in combination with the efficient air channels provide good cooling and exceptionally low noise.

Targus Lap Chill Mat
This is one of few fan-based laptop coolers that do not have fans in the base of the stand, but relies on air intake from the sides. This is great since you will not get needlessly cold when operating it on your lap. In terms of design it’s not spectacular in its dark and light gray appearance – Targus has instead gone for a discreet and low-key approach with the Lap Chill Mat. Neither is it all made of metal. Instead it is clad in neoprene fabric on top and bottom, which provides added comfort when it rests on your lap.

Microsoft Cooling Base
The big fan in the middle of the stand provides adequate cooling, but is also relatively loud. To make matters worse, Microsoft forgot to include a compartment where you can stow away the USB cord when it’s not in use. On top of the Cooling Base are two rubber strips, one at the top and bottom, to keep your computer in place. They are gray while the rest of the board is white. On the black bottom there is a fold-out that allows you to place your computer a bit higher if you want to.

By Joel Pirela.

Unplggd: One Way To Extend Your Laptop’s Battery Life

Apple seemed to have gotten a lot of flak for not having Adobe Flash pre-installed on the MacBook Air, but ultimately, there is a very good reason why they didn’t; on average, the MacBook Air will use 33% more battery power when running Flash then when it’s completely uninstalled. While we have no real comments about the politics involved, we do see a great way of extending your laptop’s battery.

Logic dictates that if this works so well for the MacBook Air, there’s no reason why it shouldn’t work for other types of laptops. So why does Adobe Flash, which is used on websites for animations, games, and videos, use so much battery power? Simply, when a browser loads a Flash file, the computer’s processor has to run a lot harder than if there wasn’t any. Initially, this seems ridiculous, but Ars Technica has run some tests and apparently the new MacBook Air can run up to 6 hours without Flash installed and only 4 when it is installed.

What does this mean for the normal user? Basically, on your home computer, it doesn’t mean anything. However, if you are on the road a lot and rely on battery power to make your laptop run, then a smart move would include uninstalling the Adobe Flash player to get that 30% extra juice for the long hauls.

This will definitely impact how long you can run off the battery when you are on the road. Alternatively, you can install some extensions so that your browser blocks those pesky ads that use Flash, without hampering the playback of some Flash videos, like on YouTube. For Firefox, this includes the NoScript extension and the appropriately-named Flashblockaddon. There’s Foxie for Internet Explorer that includes a flashblocker. Apple’s Safari hasClickToFlash and Google Chrome has got the Flashblock extension.

By Range.

Unplggd: The Best Monitor for Your Laptop

“When you’re putting together your home office, especially if you are a mobile warrior and work off your laptop most of the time, it’s really nice to have a big monitor at home so that you can use your laptop more like a desktop. In the past, docking stations were a must, but nowadays, mobile users just need a decent-sized keyboard, and a mouse so that they are ready to go coupled with a good monitor.

The most important thing about a monitor is its general size, which is measured from diagonally in inches from one corner to the other. Anything under 20″ is definitely too small for most users. The other thing that important is the screen resolution. Most computer monitors have great resolution, which is still better than HDTV resolution, so it’s important to get as high of a resolution as you can. The thing is that you can always select a smaller resolution when setting up your computer, or simply use the zoom feature of many apps.

Refresh-rate is also a particularly important feature. This will cut down on the flicker rate that can be perceptible to some users. The latest monitors use LEDs, which offer great brightness. It’s almost shocking when you put an older LCD next to a new LED screen and compare them. LEDs are the way to go, even if they are slightly more expensive.

A brand that I trust is Viewsonic. My last two computer monitors have been from Viewsonic and I’ve had no complaints. My latest is a Viewsonic 22-inch screen. There are almost no dead pixels and the resolution is good at 1680 × 1050. I always trump the largest size possible, within a certain budget. When I upgrade, I’ll go for a 27-inch screen.

Dell also makes some good screens as does Sceptre. You can get a 27-inch monitor for around $500 and you can easily spend up to $1,000 on it if you go with Dell. The new Apple Cinema Display will also cost a lot more. The 30-inch used to cost $1,800. The 24-inch LED LCD from Apple is sometimes available on special for $599. Check out our full review of this monitor here.

By Range.”

Unplggd: The Well-Disguised iPad

“It is no secret that we love our iPads here at Unplggd. It is also no surprise that we have a great fondness for trying to find the perfect case for our aforementioned Apple device. While we think we might have stumbled upon just the right one, a case that looks great, protects, but does not scream “iPad case,” we figured we should not let all that searching go to waste, and have decided to share some of the great cases we have found.

M-Edge Flip Jacket: Constructed from durable canvas and with an elastic strap that holes the jacket tightly closed for easy portability and reduction of conspicuousness, this case does not scream “iPad inside” and is available in a variety of colors.
Archival iPad Musette: Cycling enthusiasts will recognize this clever little bag made of stout, closely woven waxed cotton and military-grade cotton webbing. We love the solid brass hardware that is used throughout and that these babies are handsewn in Oregon.
Moleskine Inspired DIY: Make your own iPad case for about $19 using these easy to follow instructions.
SGP Vintage Edition Leather Case: This gorgeous case has vintage full grain leather as the exterior and microfiber on the interior, giving it a very luxurious feel.
DODOCase: Our personal favorite on this list and the one that our iPad is currently wearing. We love the design of this case, and the feel of it in our hands. We also love the artfully carved bamboo that the iPad rests in and that this case is handmade using bookbinding techniques in San Francsisco.

For more great iPad cases check out this roundup.

By Joelle Alcaidinho.”

Unplggd: Infinite USB Connector

“If you’re like us and you own a 15″ MacBook Pro, you’ve likely wished for “just one more USB port” at one time or another. Designers Yi Fan Lin and Hong Yih Chu might have a solution for this problem with their iF Concept Design Award 2010 design which extends usable ports with a smart stackable design, the peripheral equivalent of The Human Centipede. Of course if you’re not willing to wait for this concept to make it (if ever) to the market, there’s always these 10 great looking USB hubs that are ready to grace your desktop without marring or cluttering your setup, while allowing for additional connections.

[via Yanko Design]

By Gregory Han.”

Unplggd: 5 Tech Products You Should Never Buy Generic

“Inspired by a recent blog post by Walletpop covering the topic of generic products, or what they prefer to call “private label,” we set out to cover a similar roundup – only our focus is targeted specifically on products that tends to head towards technological fail when one chooses to settle with the generic brand rather than a name brand.

OUR LIST:

1. As Walletpop had previously mentioned, MP3 players are a big one. If your budget is $10, then sure – you can grab one from your local bargain bin. Just don’t expect it to last for long. The quality of manufacturing, materials used, and interface will suck so bad that you’d might as well not buy it at all.

2. Cameras. There’s plenty of affordable name brand options out there with plenty of sources (including us) to provide first hand reviews and experiences regarding the performance and picture quality of the camera you plan to buy. No-name models tend to milk on the “buzzwords” like “high pixel count” and “70 event modes.” Best to avoid those if you’re looking for something that’ll take pictures where people’s faces are actually distinguishable.

3. If you’re used to listening to low bitrate MP3s or fuzzy radio all day, then you may disregard this one. But if you actually wish to appreciate music, we suggest investing in a pair of quality headphones or earphones. We’ve covered plenty of ground here, so there should be no soul out there blasting away with some iPod headphone throwaways unless they have to.

4. This should be an obvious one - computers. No, we’re not saying to go out and buy a Mac. Just be careful when settling for a “netbook” sold at the flea market from a brand you’ve never heard of once in your life. Computers break, but a generic one will break much faster with little hopes of getting even a single e-mail back from the manufacturer when things start to fall apart. (Additionally, buying off-brand Apple power chargers and accessories is risky business as well)

5. Cell phones. Yep, we’re talking about you, $0 after $100 mail-in rebate AT&T standard phone. Avoid, avoid, avoid. This falls into the same realm as cameras, here. If you’re not willing to spend a dime on your phone and figure the experience is merely “just talking on the phone” then you’re mistaken. Even simple things like a buried contact list, sluggish buttons, and sticky keys can go from annoyance to technology hell. Best to do some research and try a few phones out first before settling for the default.

Got a tech product that you know will suck tremendously unless you buy name brand? Share it in the comments below!

By Anthony.”

I Spy…

Great desktop wallpaper. We interviewed Tom Watson about his workspace and Simple Desktops – a curated site of cool computer wallpaper. This is one of the newest designs by Yi Wei Liao. The name of this design? “Eames Chair” of course.

Unplggd: Have Laptop, Will Travel

“We’ve been on the go for what seems like ages and haven’t been using our traditional home office. Although we miss our usual double desk set up with all the bells and whistles, we’ve done just fine without it — here‘s a few items that have helped out along the way.

1. Backup Laptop Battery: Even though most places have a spot to plug in or someone with an extension cord willing to lend a hand, we’re more of a lone wolf and would prefer to be 100% independent of everything else. To date, it’s been one of the best eBay purchases we’ve ever made.

2. Privacy Screen Shield: When you have to work on the go, it means the to-do list has to get done right then and there. There’s no waiting to transfer funds in your bank account until you get home and not wanting to share information with strangers next to us (even if we’re just reading other blogs) led us in this direction. It’s simple to apply and keeps spying eyes in all directions off your screen. You can also apply it to your cell phone if you are wanting to cover all bases. We found this one online for just under $50 (on sale), though we’ve seen them in stores for less.

3. Wireless Mouse: Even though some have no desire to own a wireless mouse, we found ours to be particularly awesome when it came to doing more work than just typing out a few emails. When Photoshop or other larger programs are involved, it can save you time and multiple headaches for sure.

4. Proper Cell Phone Applications: It might seem silly to include cell phone applications in this list, but knowing we can do anything on our Blackberry that we can do on our laptop provides sincere peace of mind. If you have a phone with such abilities, make sure to research applications that help control email, internet, passwords and credit card numbers.

5. Converter Plug: For those who might be headed overseas, taking a universal adapter or plug for your electronics is always a good thing. If you’re unsure of which one to purchase, you can wait until you arrive (check the airport gift shop before you leave) or read through reviews on Amazon, but a backup battery doesn’t do you any good if you can’t charge it when everything is drained of it’s power.

6. Concealed Carriers: Though laptop bags are universal these days and many folks are toting their equipment back and forth to work, that doesn’t mean there aren’t those who aren’t looking for an easy score. Before purchasing a laptop bag (or even camera bag) make sure the outside doesn’t look like what is going inside. We use a laptop sleeve inside a typical Jansport backpack that doesn’t look triple padded or even that it’s carrying more than our lunch. Although carrying cases are becoming more sophisticated and able to carry more with extra pockets and zippers, sometimes it’s best to find something more traditional that’s a bit more flexible rather than something made specifically for the task (when it comes to safety).

7. Paper File: It doesn’t have to be much more than an envelope with a strong clasp, but a secure place to put papers is key to keeping track of bills that might not be paid online or important check stubs or receipts that need to be used later on down the line when it comes to taxes. If you’re away from home it’s easy to start putting things in random pockets to keep them safe, but never putting anything in the same spot to be able to find them easily later on.

8. Silicone Pot Holders: This one seems a bit out of left field, but what is a girl to do when her lap board gets packed along with her other belongings and she needs to cool down her laptop while still holding it… well… on her lap. She uses a pot holder, that’s what! We now keep two in our backpack at all times. They help wick away heat and keep things in place when we’re on the go without the bulk of added products.

9. A Dropbox Account: So what if you don’t have a home computer, or it’s in transit with other items (if you’re say moving?). When utilizing computers from your local library, it can be handy to have an account with Dropbox.com to stash all your files in without the hassle of a flash drive or other plug in storage device. It can hold everything from music to photos to files or important documents you might have scanned in.

Are you constantly on the go? What helps you out the most when working away from home? Share a link to your favorite product in the comments below!

(Images: Flickr member MikeCogh licensed for use by Creative Commons)

By Sarah Rae Trover”