Have you ever missed those little drop down feet that used to be a standard feature on many laptop computers? Have you ever noticed how much heat newer laptops put out? Don't want to spend $30 or more on a laptop podium? Here's a better solution that costs less than $2.

Go to your local home improvement or hardware store and buy a package of rubber chair leg tips. These are typically one inch in diameter and nearly two inches tall. You can cut them with a hacksaw or knife to any desired height.

I have my "cheap feet" cut to about half an inch. This is just enough to keep the rear underside of my G4 laptop elevated so that air can circulate freely to help dissipate heat. It also improves the ergonomics for typing. I've found that less is more - too much elevation makes typing awkward and blocks the front-loading CD slot.

And what about the little rubber rings that are left over? I keep those in my travel case for use on the road. They're lighter and pack easily for use anywhere.

Enjoy!

Copyright 2002 by Richard Rathe <rrathe@ufl.edu>
http://medinfo.ufl.edu/omi/docs/cheap-feet/