Travel Technology - Laptop cooler - suggestions?

To prevent overheating, I'm thinking of getting something like a laptop cooler to put under my laptop. I'm hearing about all these new fan-free laptop cooling things. Do they work? Does anyone have a recommendation about a particular brand or model?

Thanks!

I have a laptop cooler - it does have a fan, but is incredibly skinny (i couldn't figure out how they got fans in it), lightweight & plugs into USB slot. It's in my hotel room, so when I wander back there from the exec lounge of hotel, I'll look at what brand it is. I know it's a mainstream one & there were several different models at Fry's Electronics. I went w/ this one because it was so lightweight. Cost $30.

Cheers.

I've been happy with my Targus Podium Coolpad, even (or maybe especially!) with a heat-producing monster such as my HP ZD7000. It also works well with my smaller notebook and is easy to travel with.

My old HP laptop used to get so hot that I started to develop a chronic rash on the tops of my thighs. I got a $10 plastic cooler at thinkgeek.com that just elevated the laptop slightly so air could circulate. Solved my problem.

Mine is sitting on a cafeteria try as I type this. Works well and is cheap. As in free. I did offer to pay for it but it was given to me.

I tried the Targus with built in USB hub. After a month or so, the fans and the usb hub stopped working, leaving me with an almost worthless piece of plastic (It still provides some benefit by keeping more air circulation area between the machine and the table - probably about as good as the aforementioned cafeteria tray).

I don't know if my experience was atypical, but next time Ill probably try a different brand.

I have a Targus Chillpad, the basic model w/o the USB hub. It's perfectly sized for my Dell 710m. With it, I can use my laptop, well, on my lap... or my bed, or my desk... On average, it lowers the temperature by 10 degrees, and thus, the internal fan rarely kicks up to high gear any more. Plus it's silent, so I never know its on.

I've had it for about a year and a half with no problems.

I have a pad that I bought from eTronics for something like $19. I had the Targus pad, which is nicer looking with it's leather-like cover, but i snapped the cord on it. I chose to replace it with the eTronics one, since not only does it have dual fans, but it's a 4 port USB hub and a 7-card reader, plus it works with a standard USB cable. Heck, it even has it's own power supply, if you think you want to keep the thing going when the PC isn't on. Me, I haven't thought of when I'd need that, but your mileage might vary...

A low-tech solution if you're working on a desktop and don't want to lug around the cooler/fan assembly is a pair of laptop legs. (http://www.laptopdesk.net/access-legsf.html) I have them on my Toshiba and they work great.

A low-tech solution if you're working on a desktop and don't want to lug around the cooler/fan assembly is a pair of laptop legs. (http://www.laptopdesk.net/access-legsf.html) I have them on my Toshiba and they work great.

That is the best solution. These fans don't do much good, just raising the machine a few inches is often all it needs. Laptops have decent cooling of their own, let that do its work.

Also, check the power settings on the machine, if you don't need top performance, lower the settings.

Thanks!