[Peaches4U]

How to keep your laptop cool


Finally! At last! The hot weather is here! Is your laptop shutting down “for no reason.” While there are several probable causes for this, the hot weather is a clue. There is an easy fix for this one. .

Laptops need airflow or they will get too hot and shut down. If you conduct a thorough inspection of your laptop, you'll probably see vents and air intake ports. And when I say "thorough" I mean, you might have to look at the bottom of the computer. (Please turn it off before you turn it upside down!) If you see intake ports on the underside of your computer, try to imagine how air is going to flow through the unit if you put it down on a table. Or a granite kitchen counter. Or a glass patio table. Or a bedspread. I can't imagine how, either, and that means it's going to heat up!

There are plenty of fancy and expensive solutions to this problem. "Laptop cooling pads" are available in a variety of styles and prices (http://www.amazon.co...+cooler&x=0&y=0) and generally do the job. There are other choices at LaptopDesk.net (http://www.laptopdesk.net/).

But you don't need to spend a lot of money fixing this problem. Do you have a couple of wine corks around? Either synthetic or real cork will do. Put them on the table (on their sides --- not standing up) and place the back of the laptop on them so the computer is an inch or so off the table. Honestly, this will help, and it's an enjoyable DIY project!

If you don't imbibe, a couple of small Post-It Notes pads, one at each back corner, will help. So will a paperback book. You're just looking for maybe an inch of space. Even if you are in an air-conditioned environment, you need that airflow.

One more solution: At the dollar store I bought two rubber door stops for $1.50 and slid them under the back of my netbook. Not only does that provide good air flow, it changes the angle so it’s actually easier to type. And the doorstops are small and light. I toss them in my computer bag.