Keep your laptop cool with Jenga!

I recently purchased a Dell Latitude XT Tablet PC, my first foray into the world of laptop/tablet PCs. I quickly noticed that the machine gets fairly warm during normal laptop operation, and that it sits fairly flat on my desk, making airflow underneath difficult. Plus the angle of the keyboard was flat and made long typing sessions a bit uncomfortable.

I tried to think of an inexpensive solution to these issues… I’d read about using wine corks to elevate the back of the machine, and even tried small pads of Post-It notes but nothing satisfied me.

That is, until I was cleaning out a closet and came across an old Jenga game. Judging from its position near the very back of the closet, up on a top shelf, it was apparent that it hadn’t been thought of, let alone played with in years. So I swiped a couple pieces from the game and placed them under the back corners of my XT. The pieces are nice and solid, they raise the machine just enough to make the keyboard more comfortable, and very, very inexpensive (you can probably get Jenga games at a second-hand shop for next to nothing — and who cares if the set is incomplete!).

Now, I keep a couple Jenga pieces on the desk in my office and at home, and I threw a couple into both of my travel bags, so I’ve always got them with me and ready to use.