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Thursday March 8, 2007
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 A while ago, I posted about the Thanko Easy Desk Aluminum, and was utterly a-twitter at the thought of being able to comfortably compute from my favorite place in the world: my bed. An express package from Japan to our offices meant I actually got to try one out, and, sadly, most of my twittering was for naught.
First, the positive: the desk is attractive and well-made; the shelf was large enough to fit my 15-inch wide-screen notebook without much fear of it tipping over, and the cool metal dispersed heat well and kept my machine running cool. However, actually setting the dang thing up and using it was an unexpectedly unwieldy experience. I felt like I needed an extra set of arms (or two extra sets) to get all the adjustable leg segments evenly and comfortably arranged. I'm not sure I ever succeeded; the best I could manage was to get the desk only slightly lopsided. In addition, within an hour of use, one of the buttons that controls leg adjustment became stuck, making it impossible to lock that segment in place, and thereby rendering that half of the desk useless until I could manage to unjam the joint... a feat I have yet to accomplish.
Before I broke it, the Easy Desk Aluminum was very comfortable for lying back and watching a movie on my laptop, but because of the thick rubber bumper necessary to keep the laptop from sliding off the desk when positioned at an angle, it failed to be very comfortable or ergonomic for regular typing and computing. My shoulders were hunched, and my wrists were extended in ways that made my good ol' repetitive stress injuries start tingling within minutes.
And so, my quest for a desk for my space-constrained, lazy lifestyle will have to continue on! The Easy Desk Aluminum has potential, but needs to be a little more true to its name before I can really call it a success.
Post by Whitney Reynolds
Posted By:
Gearlog
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March 8, 2007 8:43 PM
If you're interested in an alternative, Whitney, you might want to give the LapDawg a try! It's essentially the same product with the same idea, but well, it's different and from a different company. It might make all the difference!
http://www.lapdawg.com/
March 9, 2007 4:22 AM
Thanks, Phoenix! I'll have to see if we can get one in... just from looking at the product specs, it looks like it might be a little easier to adjust and use.
March 17, 2007 5:37 AM
Hey guys, I anxiously waited almost 2 weeks for my LapDawg and on the 2nd day of using it in my bed, it broke. I barely nudged it (WITHOUT the laptop on it) and one of the the adjustable wheels (made of plastic) popped off and thus the leg separated. The toothed wheel is merely attached by 3 tiny screws that sink in about 1/8 of an inch. I would have thought that the adjustable area which supports all the weight of a laptop plus the user typing would be alot stronger such as the wheel which should have been made of metal. I'm glad my laptop wasn't on it when it. I am going to return it and maybe try the Laidback which I think is sturdier but I really want to try the Easy Desk Aluminum EX which is smaller and more compact and has an "improved" button than the model Whitney tried. Like Phoenix said it is essentially the same as the LapDawg and it looks like the Laidback. Phoenix, do you have a LapDawg? Maybe I received a bad one so I was wondering if you liked yours.
March 22, 2007 4:33 AM
Whitney, I just received my Laidback laptop table and it rules. It is constructed of maple and it is very sturdy. I highly recommend the Laidback based on materials and construction. I haven't been this satisfied since I bought my laptop. They ought to have a laptop/Laidback combo since I truly believe the Laidback is the ultimate accessory for anyone who loves the freedom and comfort of a laptop over a desktop. I'm typing this comment on the Laidback in bed right now. Let the slothing begin!
March 22, 2007 1:09 PM
Thanks, Ron! I got a LapDawg in for testing, and I'll be seeing how it holds up through my weekend sloth. You'll be seeing my thoughts on it here soon. I've got a pretty big laptop; I hope it'll hold up. We'll have to check out the Laidback, too.
April 30, 2007 10:49 AM
Based on a blog on cool tools, I decided to try out the LapDawg. The first one they sent had their adjustable wheels, as Ron describes them, mis-aligned, so the desk was impossible to keep level. They graciously sent me a second one with much better alignment.
However, the second LapDawg broke as Ron's did. After inspecting the damage, this is what I concluded: the joint is not stable because the wood is soft. The screws dig into the wood quite easily, but repeated stress on the joint puts pressure on the screws until they strip the wood in which they are housed.
Thus, I cannot recommend the LapDawg. I would be interested in finding out your experience, Whitney.
November 30, 2007 6:28 PM
This looks a bit like a LapGenie, but not exactly - I have been using my LapGenie for over 10 years, maybe up to 15 years, with no problems and it's still doing the job for me. Adjusting for bed use, for seating use, for floor desk that my daughter can use, and other ways, it's been easy for me to handle and is a blessing for my back. You can see it at http://doubleii.com/LapGenie.html