The Best Position - Review Logitech Laptop Accessories

As more people shift over to affordable notebooks, there has been a rise in problems posed by bad ergonomics. To save yourself from laptop-related health problems, doctors recommend you use your laptop sitting on a table, or at least make sure your posture is straight. Ironic, but some think the lap is the last place to place your laptop, as the heat generated may cause some health hazards. So it makes sense to sit as ergonomically as possible, or buy notebook accessories, like the first two, to ensure a better posture.

NOTEBOOK RISER N110

This is ideal to put your laptop in the best position at home or office. The Logitech stand offers multiple angles and has a rubber soled swivel base that keeps the riser in position. It also has two flaps that hold your laptop—and, trust me, it works. Priced at Rs 1,595, the N110 comes with a three-year replacement warranty. The plastic quality is brilliant, but it comes only in white and could easily get dirty.

ALTO CORDLESS

This stand is a mixture of both matt and reflective textures, but in black. It comes bundled with a wireless keyboard and has a transmitter built into its base. Though you will need to connect your laptop to the base using a USB cable, there is an advantage: the built-in USB 2.0 hub with three additional ports. However, since the base needs a power adapter, the keyboard will not work during a power-cut. Moreover, Logitech could have integrated a touchpad inside the keyboard since there is no provision for a mouse. The Alto is priced at Rs 6,995. But, I don’t think you should pay so much for just an additional keyboard. I also found the angle a bit awkward. The stand, unlike N110, has just one angle and is a bit bulky. My unit even developed scratches within a week.

AUDIO HUB

I know all of us hate laptop speakers. But additional speakers mean a mess of cables. Logitech has tried to find a solution that can fit behind your laptop and be plugged in through the USB port. The speakers and the subwoofer on the hub give good sound quality, but since it uses a USB, it can be connected only to a Windows laptop. The hub also comes with a flimsy stand for mounting your webcam— though I am not sure any other webcam will mount on it. At a price of Rs 7,495, I think this one is also not worth a buy.

QUICK CAM PRO

Logitech still makes the best webcams. Its latest notebook camera features a Carl Zeiss Lens, a USB Interface, can take still pictures up to 8 megapixels, and shoot video at 2 megapixels. But there are two other brilliant things about this camera: it has a clip for your laptop screen and a stand, though a bit flimsy, for mounting. I could not get this to work with my Mac, but got brilliant results on Windows. At Rs 6,695 this is a great buy if you are into video conferencing. Alternatively, for this price, you can buy a good digital camera and hook it up using a table USB cable for use as a video cam.

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The above article appeared in the Indian Express, on Sunday 24th May 2009