Belkin's CushDesk: Because you can't be too careful with your lap
That's why they call it a laptop.
(Credit: Belkin)Belkin's looking out for your lap's well-being. While laptop heat hasn't been proven to cause permanent damage in the nether regions, it can't hurt to be safe, we suppose.
Still, does anyone really need a product like the CushDesk? At $30 (available now), it's like a lap pillow with a hard surface for laptopping on. We've often worked with laptops on our laps, and while we haven't had any brushfires, the temperature can often become uncomfortable. So if nothing else, consider it a heat sink, with an added bonus of an upward-angled hard surface (which could also aid in what might be called "laptop droop.")
Boasting an "easy to clean" exterior, according to Belkin's press release, the overall concept is slim and innocuous enough to be useful if you're a frequent couch worker.
Available in colors both muted (black/gray) and flashy (espresso/fuchsia), the CushDesk claims compatibility with any laptop, PC or Mac, up to 17 inches. We're still skeptical of the needless peripheralization of our mobile electronics, especially since a flat board could conceivably do the trick just as well. There also doesn't seem to be any room to rest a mouse or any other USB plug-ins.
Nevertheless, a previous version we reviewed, called the CushTop, was found to be decent enough for those who find laptops directly on their laps to be uncomfortable.
Scott Stein, a New York Jets fan and CNET senior associate editor, has written about tech, entertainment, video games, and viral culture for outlets including Laptop, Wired, Maxim, Esquire Online, Asylum, and Men's Journal. He also appears on the Digital City podcast. In his spare time, you might see him performing improv in New York City (when he's not being a dad). 
