Lapvantage Portrait and Ergo Editions
Company: The Plasticsmith
Pricing: $29.95 – $79.95
http://www.lapvantage.com
Using a laptop computer opens an entire new world for computer users. Digital photographers can take their entire lab with them. Webmasters can update a web site from a hotel room thousands miles from their workplace. The list of things you can do with a laptop that you cannot do with a desktop iMac or G4 Tower is long, but there is one problem with a portable computer: they sit too low on the desk, at least for me, to use comfortably.
Enter the Lapvantage Portrait and Ergo laptop computer stands from The Plasticsmith. Both these stands are made from top quality, high-grade plastics. While both raise your PowerBook to eye level, the Ergo and the Portrait models do so in very different ways.
First, the Ergo looks more like a traditional laptop computer stand. It is very sturdy, and supports a PowerBook very well. There is ample room under the stand to partially slide an external keyboard, a nice feature if desktop space is an issue in your working environment.
Sandwiched between the top and the bottom plastics is a clear lift, making the Ergo model very attractive indeed. A newer iBook, G3 PowerBook, and the newer TiBook rests very well on the Ergo, though the original iBook is a bit bulky for it. It holds it just fine, but does not look natural on top of the Ergo as the other Apple laptops do.
The Ergo model is also very cheap, but only in price! At only $29.95, it will look nice on any desk. It brings the laptop up to a nice eye level for most users. The top of the unit protrudes enough so that you do have a recess for your keyboard, though not enough to completely hide one.
After extended use with a PowerBook G3 400MHz (Lombard) I found that the heat from the bottom of the PowerBook was less noticeable with the Ergo than the top of my wood desk feels after the same amount of time. I did note, however, a slight plastic burn smell for a few hours on initial use. This went away, but was a little worrisome at first. There was no wear or marking on the stand afterwards. Perhaps the smell actually came from my PowerBook, but I never noticed it before sitting on my desk. Very curious.
There are three different models of the Ergo, and they all cost the same $29.95. Check their website for details on the other models, as I only used the clear model for this review.
The other model is the Portrait edition. When first uncrating the unit, I could not figure out how to use it. It bears no resemblance to any computer stand I have ever used.
While the Portrait edition will in fact take more desktop space than your laptop will alone, it offers a nifty feature for PowerBook users. You can use your screen in Portrait mode! Long time Mac users will remember the old Portrait Displays Apple sold years ago, which were very popular with the page-layout crowd. Basically, it lets you use your screen real estate more efficiently that normal. You can actually see more of a document (legal size) than you otherwise could.
The PowerBook is secured to the Portrait stand via fasteners on the stand itself, as well as a padded foam cushion to protect your PowerBook from scratches. Nice features all. The foam itself shows a concern on the company’s part on the safety and well being of your computer. Nice touch.
The Portrait edition is also bundled with PivotPro 6.0, the software that lets your PowerBook’s monitor to be used Portrait style. Without the software, the Portrait edition costs $49.95, and $79.95 with the software.
There are a few drawbacks, however. If you have an internal CD-RW, you will not be able to burn discs with your Laptop turned sideways. Also, as of this time, the PivotPro software does not work with OS X, so only OS 9.2 and earlier Mac OS users can take advantage of the full features of this stand.
All in all, both the Portrait and Ergo editions are fine laptop stands, worthy to hold your PowerBook. The company itself was very accommodating, to this reviewer, more so than many other companies. I reserve a perfect 5 out of 5 MacMice rating for only those rare programs and products which, in my opinion, are almost perfect. In that sense, I give the Ergo model a
MacMice Rating: 4 out of 5
And the Portrait edition a perfect
MacMice Rating: 5 out of 5
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