retroremakes
January 14th, 2010, 18:05
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/4/2010/01/500x_lap3.jpgLogitech's basic lapdesk is pretty great product, but I know what you've been thinking: "Why doesn't this thing have speakers and a fan inside??" Behold, the USB-powered Logitech Speaker Lapdesk N700 (http://gizmodo.com/tag/logitechspeakerlapdeskn700/).
Price
$80, available now.
Verdict
The N700 is a decent product, but we'd like to see the company push the idea even further.
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/4/2010/01/500x_lap2.jpg
You see, the Speaker Lapdesk is every bit as comfortable—if a tad heftier—than Logitech's stock Lapdesk. The firm, mesh pillow is cool and comfortable on your legs. And by plugging in your laptop via integrated USB cable, the N700 instantly allows you to control volume through its own buttons while toggling on/off a low-speed fan that sits under your computer.
Sound quality? It's OK—midrange-heavy with tinny highs—but better than my 3-year-old MacBook Pro overall.
However, my MacBook Pro actually has better high range than the Lapdesk, which cued me to remember another laptop audio gadget I looked at not so long ago, the BassJump. The BassJump came with software (the N700 requires none) that mixed its audio with your laptop's.
This simple sound mixing option could really help users milk more overall quality out of the N700, and I urge Logitech to consider it in products moving forward.
Secondly, while the fan and speakers are handy, the fact that they're bus powered means that your laptop is working that much harder off its own battery. A small, integrated lithium ion could help guarantee that you won't need to plug in your laptop while vegging out on the couch.
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/4/2010/01/500x_lap1.jpg
As for right now, the N700 is basically a mediocre set of computer speakers integrated into a very comfortable, cooling laptop stand. It's probably better than what your laptop uses day to day, but then again, spending this much on headphones and one of Logitech's cheaper desks would garner better results. [Logitech (http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/notebook_products/cooling_pads/devices/6564&cl=us,en)]
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizplus3.jpg Comfortable
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizplus3.jpg No drivers necessary
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizminus_01.jpg Audio quality won't impress you
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizminus_01.jpg Kinda looks like something designed by Walmart
http://ads.pheedo.com/img.phdo?p=1 (http://ads.pheedo.com/click.phdo?p=1)http://a.rfihub.com/eus.gif?eui=2226http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/obK0CPu0kPDeBZUWGN_Fny8Tl0U/0/di</img> (http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/obK0CPu0kPDeBZUWGN_Fny8Tl0U/0/da)
http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/obK0CPu0kPDeBZUWGN_Fny8Tl0U/1/di</img> (http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/obK0CPu0kPDeBZUWGN_Fny8Tl0U/1/da)
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?d=H0mrP-F8Qgo</img> (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?a=rq0DrIPgMx8:BsSG3Vz7HGU:H0mrP-F8Qgo) http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?d=yIl2AUoC8zA</img> (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?a=rq0DrIPgMx8:BsSG3Vz7HGU:yIl2AUoC8zA) http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?i=rq0DrIPgMx8:BsSG3Vz7HGU:D7DqB2pKExk</img> (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?a=rq0DrIPgMx8:BsSG3Vz7HGU:D7DqB2pKExk) http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?i=rq0DrIPgMx8:BsSG3Vz7HGU:V_sGLiPBpWU</img> (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?a=rq0DrIPgMx8:BsSG3Vz7HGU:V_sGLiPBpWU)
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~4/rq0DrIPgMx8
More... (http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/rq0DrIPgMx8/logitech-speaker-lapdesk-n700-review)
Price
$80, available now.
Verdict
The N700 is a decent product, but we'd like to see the company push the idea even further.
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/4/2010/01/500x_lap2.jpg
You see, the Speaker Lapdesk is every bit as comfortable—if a tad heftier—than Logitech's stock Lapdesk. The firm, mesh pillow is cool and comfortable on your legs. And by plugging in your laptop via integrated USB cable, the N700 instantly allows you to control volume through its own buttons while toggling on/off a low-speed fan that sits under your computer.
Sound quality? It's OK—midrange-heavy with tinny highs—but better than my 3-year-old MacBook Pro overall.
However, my MacBook Pro actually has better high range than the Lapdesk, which cued me to remember another laptop audio gadget I looked at not so long ago, the BassJump. The BassJump came with software (the N700 requires none) that mixed its audio with your laptop's.
This simple sound mixing option could really help users milk more overall quality out of the N700, and I urge Logitech to consider it in products moving forward.
Secondly, while the fan and speakers are handy, the fact that they're bus powered means that your laptop is working that much harder off its own battery. A small, integrated lithium ion could help guarantee that you won't need to plug in your laptop while vegging out on the couch.
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/4/2010/01/500x_lap1.jpg
As for right now, the N700 is basically a mediocre set of computer speakers integrated into a very comfortable, cooling laptop stand. It's probably better than what your laptop uses day to day, but then again, spending this much on headphones and one of Logitech's cheaper desks would garner better results. [Logitech (http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/notebook_products/cooling_pads/devices/6564&cl=us,en)]
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizplus3.jpg Comfortable
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizplus3.jpg No drivers necessary
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizminus_01.jpg Audio quality won't impress you
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/02/gizminus_01.jpg Kinda looks like something designed by Walmart
http://ads.pheedo.com/img.phdo?p=1 (http://ads.pheedo.com/click.phdo?p=1)http://a.rfihub.com/eus.gif?eui=2226http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/obK0CPu0kPDeBZUWGN_Fny8Tl0U/0/di</img> (http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/obK0CPu0kPDeBZUWGN_Fny8Tl0U/0/da)
http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/obK0CPu0kPDeBZUWGN_Fny8Tl0U/1/di</img> (http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/obK0CPu0kPDeBZUWGN_Fny8Tl0U/1/da)
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?d=H0mrP-F8Qgo</img> (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?a=rq0DrIPgMx8:BsSG3Vz7HGU:H0mrP-F8Qgo) http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?d=yIl2AUoC8zA</img> (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?a=rq0DrIPgMx8:BsSG3Vz7HGU:yIl2AUoC8zA) http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?i=rq0DrIPgMx8:BsSG3Vz7HGU:D7DqB2pKExk</img> (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?a=rq0DrIPgMx8:BsSG3Vz7HGU:D7DqB2pKExk) http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?i=rq0DrIPgMx8:BsSG3Vz7HGU:V_sGLiPBpWU</img> (http://feeds.gawker.com/~ff/gizmodo/full?a=rq0DrIPgMx8:BsSG3Vz7HGU:V_sGLiPBpWU)
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~4/rq0DrIPgMx8
More... (http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/rq0DrIPgMx8/logitech-speaker-lapdesk-n700-review)