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Let’s redesign the laptop for a work-from-home era

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Re: Let’s redesign the laptop for a work-from-home era

#81

Post by mullingitover »

podiki wrote: post #7

I don't really understand the point of this article as "redesigning the laptop." Nearly all of the things they mention is either software (e.g. better processing of mic input) or called a desktop (screens, noise, etc.). If people are working from home that negates a big reason for the laptop: portability. Sure it is nice to move to the couch or kitchen or whatever, but maybe that could be having a keyboard and using…

> Or if you are working from home nearly all the time, a desktop will be a better and more economical choice.

If I'm not doing something that requires huge wattage, the only thing a desktop computer does is to force me to sit at a desk 100% of the time I'm using it. Hard pass. Tablets are nearly all toys, and the ones that aren't weigh more and cost more than a good laptop (but with a cumbersome UI). If you want to sit at a desk to work, a laptop still has you covered.

Desktops are a very impractical, niche product these days, they're a Ford F-350 when most people just want a decent hatchback.

Re: Let’s redesign the laptop for a work-from-home era

#82

Post by jaywalk »

Jtsummers wrote: post #19
tpmx wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

(Edited.) Perhaps mounting a polarizing filter in front of the laptop camera to kill most of the glare would make it work with glasses. Otherwise: For those who can make it work, contact lenses and lasik are nice options. Increased FOV.

Not everyone who wears glasses qualifies for lasik or can wear contact lenses. I’m lucky that I can wear contact lenses and get pretty good correction, but LASIK and PRK are off the table for me (I’d still need glasses all the time).

Not everyone who wears glasses wants to stop wearing them.

Re: Let’s redesign the laptop for a work-from-home era

#83

Post by 6510 »

monocasa wrote: post #70
hc-taway wrote: post #3

1) physical kill switch for camera (as in, it breaks the power or data connection to it, physically) or at least a physical cover. 2) physical kill switch for the microphone These are very much not "nerd" concerns, either. I see a lot of non-techies with stickers over their laptop cameras. [EDIT] teachers in particular spread the "put a sticker over the camera" practice, in my experience, both before and during the p…

One issue is that laymen know enough to not trust that switches are true kill switches, but don't generally have the skill set necessary to verify for themselves what their hardware has in that regard. A piece of tape is a very low technical skill system that you know will cut off a video feed.

Transparent casing with the wires running to a slightly to large mechanical toggle switch that switches all wires. Then it looks like someone went out of his way getting it right.

Re: Let’s redesign the laptop for a work-from-home era

#84

Post by Koshkin »

monocasa wrote: post #70
hc-taway wrote: post #3

1) physical kill switch for camera (as in, it breaks the power or data connection to it, physically) or at least a physical cover. 2) physical kill switch for the microphone These are very much not "nerd" concerns, either. I see a lot of non-techies with stickers over their laptop cameras. [EDIT] teachers in particular spread the "put a sticker over the camera" practice, in my experience, both before and during the p…

One issue is that laymen know enough to not trust that switches are true kill switches, but don't generally have the skill set necessary to verify for themselves what their hardware has in that regard. A piece of tape is a very low technical skill system that you know will cut off a video feed.

Does not necessarily work on the microphone though.

Re: Let’s redesign the laptop for a work-from-home era

#85

Post by nickelcitymario »

sonofhans wrote: post #59
viklove wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The answer is very simple: the display of your laptop is much thinner than your phone. So if you want something better, you will need to use an external camera.

This is entirely correct. Even phones are these days too thin to fit good cameras, thus the bump.

I'm willing to bet that adding a bump to a laptop would be viewed as acceptable by the market if it means we get good cameras.

Heck, if Apple's the first to do it, it'll be seen as a feature.

Re: Let’s redesign the laptop for a work-from-home era

#86

Post by hellbannedguy »

6510 wrote: post #83
monocasa wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One issue is that laymen know enough to not trust that switches are true kill switches, but don't generally have the skill set necessary to verify for themselves what their hardware has in that regard. A piece of tape is a very low technical skill system that you know will cut off a video feed.

Transparent casing with the wires running to a slightly to large mechanical toggle switch that switches all wires. Then it looks like someone went out of his way getting it right.

I would like to see prisoners provided with in transparent laptops. Take away the lithium battery if worried.

Re: Let’s redesign the laptop for a work-from-home era

#87

Post by zozin »

jxramos wrote: post #61

Products to help the macbook out with work from home variation - a lapdesk, to rest the laptop directly or an external keyboard for stability - https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MJ2R2LL/A/magic-trackpad-... , best when paired with an external keyboard to gain distance to the macbook. - https://www.raindesigninc.com/mstand.html , to elevate the laptop for more comfortable viewing - https://www.goalzero.com/shop/porta…

I agree with most of these, but the Rain Design laptop stand sucks. Why is it static when it can easily adjust based on various people's heights and use cases. This was a much better buy (I compared it to the Rain Design one side by side): https://www.amazon.com/Adjustable-EPN-Heat-Vent-Aluminum-Com...

As far as a second monitor is concerned, in the Apple universe you're better off buying an iPad and using that as a second monitor.

Re: Let’s redesign the laptop for a work-from-home era

#88

Post by Koliakis »

asdff wrote: post #64

If we are to redesign the laptop why can't we admit that it's current design and use cases are at odds? People are running zoom and docker and slack and a dozen other things at once. We waste more resources than ever doing the same chat/etc. stuff we've been doing for 25 years. Things aren't moving faster, fans are going full tilt and CPUs throttle down. What the people need more than anything is for manufacturers to…

I loved my old Thinkpad. Thick, but it could run at full load without throttling for as long as I needed it to. But nowadays, even their T series keeps getting thinner and they've been soldering the RAM.

Re: Let’s redesign the laptop for a work-from-home era

#89

Post by Koliakis »

thrower123 wrote: post #65

Once you go to an actual desktop, you can't ever go back to working on a laptop.

Funny, I work from home and I'm on my laptop 99% of the time instead of my more powerful desktop. The flexibility of being able to choose where at home I can work is unbeatable and has made the pandemic slightly more bearable.

Re: Let’s redesign the laptop for a work-from-home era

#90

Post by Fezzik »

hc-taway wrote: post #3

1) physical kill switch for camera (as in, it breaks the power or data connection to it, physically) or at least a physical cover. 2) physical kill switch for the microphone These are very much not "nerd" concerns, either. I see a lot of non-techies with stickers over their laptop cameras. [EDIT] teachers in particular spread the "put a sticker over the camera" practice, in my experience, both before and during the p…

My work Laptop is an older ThinkPad and it has a physical sliding camera cover as well as the F4 key which functions as an all purpose mute button for the microphone. The F4 key even lights up when enabled. So these options definitely exist, to some degree.
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