A recent spate of questions concerning laptops/notebooks (see list at end) prompted this note from frequent correspondent* Tony Luxton:
“It’s worth pointing out that ‘laptop’ is a terrible name (I can remember when they were called ‘desktop replacements’). The one place you shouldn’t use a laptop is on your lap; or any soft surface, come to that.”
You’re right, Tony. Many laptops draw their cooling air from the underside of their housing; if you block that air supply, your laptop will run hot — possibly hot enough to cause malfunctions or premature failure.
And even if the laptop’s OK with the heat, you may not be! A number of people have actually experienced burns — even second-degree, blistering burns! — from laptops. See: Burn Injury Caused by Laptop Computers and this.
Males have an additional concern because the heat from a laptop is not good for their, um, dangly bits; potentially leading to reduced fertility! See this and this.
Be careful, out there!
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Some recent Langa.Com laptop coverage:
A reader asks: How much RAM do I need for my laptop?
A reader asks: What is the difference between laptop and notebook PCs, if any?
Why won’t my laptop charge when it’s running? It only charges when it’s off.
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This is why I still have my EZ-LAP Fred recommended way back when!