Laptop Cooling Pad (Intey)

This is a relatively simple device designed to avoid overheating problems with laptops like ours that are in use for several hours at a time, and sitting flat on a standard desk surface. Our Toshiba Satellite is on from 8 am until often past midnight. I noticed that it was heating up but had not yet settled on what to buy to address the issue.

The Intey cooling pad measures 38 x 28 cm; the surface height is 2.8 cm flat and 6 cm at the rear with the two feet folded out (which is optional).

Setting up and operation are very easy. At the back of the pad there is a toggle On/Off switch and two USB ports, the additional port making up for the one that the pad is plugged into. The three fans are powered by the laptop via the USB Male to Male cable provided (I think it's called a Type A). Their stated speed is 1100 ±100 rpm.

The cable is quite short (60 cm or 23.5 inches) so it does not get tangled up. With our configuration the cable length is perfect. When the unit it switched on, the fans start spinning and a strong blue LED light comes on illuminating all three. You always know when the pad is working.
When this pad arrived, three things impressed me immediately:
  1. The lightness of the whole unit. It's a solid-looking pad but very lightweight, which I love because it makes it very portable. I can carry it everywhere inside a thin laptop sleeve, separate from my laptop but equally well protected.
  2. The quiet operation of the fans. My husband uses our laptop to make demo recordings of his compositions, and I was surprised that even with three fans going, there is almost no perceptible noise. Often there is no need to turn it off.
  3. The effective non-slip pads. Our Satellite is the 15.6” model. It fits comfortably on the pad with a bit of room to spare and it absolutely does not slip! The retractable feet at the back tilt the keyboard at a slight angle. I think this makes typing easier and I also like having the screen a little higher.
Packaging is simple but adequate. A thin cardboard box with the pad inside bubble wrap. Simple instructions are included in English, French, Italian, Spanish and German. According to the enclosed documentation (for Europe) it is covered by a 24 month warranty. Our sample unit has been in continuous use since we received it three weeks ago, except for when we turn off the laptop at night, or during transport. I am very pleased with the quality, functionality and performance of this product.

7-Slot PU Leather Desk Organizer (Levin)
I liked this organizer as soon as I saw the photos, but I love it even more now that it is on my desk and full of my odds and ends. It looks absolutely gorgeous empty, when you can see the velvety lining of the slots, but when full, it has a way of making even the most mundane office clutter look stylish. The outer surfaces are of PU leather, in a dark shade of brown with sharp white stitching. The shape and size are perfect for my computer desk and I was amazed at how much it actually holds.

The two rear compartments are large and deep enough for the average 5 ½ x 8 inch paperback, so are perfect for all those manuals and instruction booklets that always seem to get lost when I need them most. The two front slots comfortably hold 17-18 pens each. If you have a cell phone or remote controls that like to slide behind things, these compartments will keep them visible and handy.
The little drawer is a stroke of genius because you can stash (and hide from view) a multitude of small objects which would just gather dust in a dish or open box. The design is timeless, elegant but edgy and it will look great in both a traditional and modern setting. I particularly like the round contour of the sides, eliminating any sharp edges and recalling the classic appeal of a roll-top desk.

I really cannot overemphasize how beautiful this organizer is. If you have a lot of stuff, and enough space, two or more of them lined side by side would look terrific. This is the sort of object that will become even more useful as you think up different ways to use it to suit your particular needs. I received this organizer with a request to evaluate and review it, and am delighted with its quality, sturdy good looks and usefulness. At the current discounted price of less than £19, it offers superb value for money and is a small investment in home office décor that can enhance any workspace.

Dekkorano Stainless Steel Writing Set
This set of writing instruments was sent to me for evaluation, and I was really looking forward to trying them out because I am somewhat of a pen aficionado. However, what could have been a really good quality product falls short on several levels, as I will explain. The box is quite nice, bi-coloured and pretty enough to give as a gift. Inside, however, the presentation drops a little in quality: the two pens are loosely held by a ribbon, and three extra ink cartridges are floating about in the box (there was one more inside the pen). It looks like a last-minute addition, rather than a well thought-out package.

Both pens are chunky and smooth, made of brushed stainless steel and they look identical. I like thick pens and prefer them to overly-skinny ones that are difficult to hold, however, these pens are fairly heavy and, once the cap is in place, they don't feel terribly well balanced. To make matters worse, the cap does not lock very well and sometimes falls off while I'm writing.
The ballpoint writes beautifully and has a smooth point that simply glides over the page. The medium-fine point is exactly what I like best and, as one expects from good pens, it brings out my best penmanship. The fountain pen, however, the one I was really interested in, for some reason refuses to work. I have owned dozens of fountain pens, from my school days on, and have done everything I can think of to clean and prime this pen, but to no avail: the ink simply does not flow into the nib.

I'm sure it's a fluke, because others seem to have a different experience, but I have to review the item I was sent, and this fountain pen is defective. It might be that the ink is partly at fault and that brings me to the last reason this set loses points. There is no indication, either in the packaging, or online of the type of refill that would be suitable. So, once the current ballpoint cartridge is finished, I have no idea what to buy to replace it. As for the fountain pen, I have wasted three cartridges trying it coax it into writing, and don't know what refills I should get.

So, with regret, I can only award three stars, mostly because the ballpoint pen is really lovely. At the current price of £7.00, these should be a fantastic buy, but I would prefer to spend a little more and have two working pens, rather than just one.  On Amazon US this retails for $20 (including shipping), which makes it all the more important for both pens to be working.

Laminating Pouches Enhance 80 (Fellowes)
Bought to use with a Crenova Sinchi laminator, I debated for about 5 seconds whether I should get the pack of 25 or the pack of 100. For the price difference, it makes no sense to buy small – unless you are borrowing a laminator for a one-off. I have already used 30+ pouches and have lots more photo salvaging to do. The quality is excellent. They are easy to use, the directional arrows ensure that no mistakes are made in feeding the sheets, and they come out straight and perfectly sealed.

For my purposes, 80 microns is perfect. I'm laminating old and irreplaceable photos in different formats, favourite recipes, documents and even musical scales and scores to prop up on my keyboard stand. I'm really pleased with the way old, somewhat faded photos are brought back to life with saturated colours and enhanced contrast.
Copyright © Angelica Bentley.  All rights reserved
“Fee folk know acacia myrrh fumes”