I like surprises. This was the case when I walked down to get my business mail and discovered I had a package from the folks at LapWorks. They asked if I’d be interested in reviewing one of their new products – Ergo Fan Riser. Since I had purchased one of their laptop desks a couple of years back, I was intrigued and agreed. Although the product appealed to me for ergonomic reasons, the product will also appeal to people who have notebooks that overheat.

Their new product is quite different from the first laptop desk I reviewed. The first product was a folding ergonomic unit with grooved channels to help airflow. This new product has added bells and whistles. The most noticeable difference is the built-in fan that produces its own airflow to cool your notebook. Overheating can happen for many reasons ranging from design to cat hairs. Don’t laugh as I had a friend whose notebook was constantly rebooting. On opening the notebook, the technician discovered it was packed with cat hairs and the fan blades couldn’t turn. Over time, it’s common for notebook fans or heatsinks to gunk up and stop operating as designed.

The remarkable thing for me was this fan makes little noise. I fully expected I would have to adapt to the “white noise” whir of the fan. I thought it would sound like my notebook fan. Instead, I found myself putting my hand close to the fan to see if it was working. The fan is a simple design that does not require any settings, switches or thermostat controls. It’s powered by a small USB cable that you plug into your notebook USB port and the Ergo Fan Riser. This newer design is much more efficient at cooling your notebook.

The other major difference is this product includes 4 USB 2.0 ports on the back for accessories. I found this useful since one of the USB ports on my Sony VAIO died months back. This meant that I had to decide between which devices to use or to pack the heavier docking station. These extra ports also allow me to recharge devices such as my PDA.

 

Another distinction with the Ergo Fan Riser is the number of angles you can set. This unit allows 10 different angles to view your notebook rather than 5. Like the Laptop Desk, you set the angle by using one of the notched grooves. The added angles make it easier to find the best typing and viewing angle. The riser has a small lip at the bottom with a protective rubber strip to hold the notebook in place. The underside has 4 rubber feet to prevent skidding or scratching the surface.

Although I’ve made comparisons between the Laptop Desk and the Ergo Fan Riser, they serve different needs. I view the LapTop Desk as more of a portable solution. I can include the desk in my backpack and pull it out on the train or BART and do work. Although I could do the same with the Ergo Fan Riser, it’s not the ideal solution for commuting. Instead, the product is more a permanent solution to maintain the health of your notebook, neck and wrists.

This product does a nice job of combining three useful products into one form factor for an affordable price. You could easily spend $20 each for a cooling pad, ergonomic stand or mini USB hub. With the Ergo Fan Riser you get all three for $39.95. About the only missing item is a built in storage compartment or strap for the connecting cable although the company tells me they are working on this.

• Size (L x W x H): 15" x 11" x 1-1/4"
• Weight: 2 lbs
• Price: $39.95
• URL: http://www.laptopdesk.net/fanriser.html

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