TECH HEAD

Not only are desktop computers shrinking to accommodate an increasingly footloose work force, but a whole new line of accessories is being cranked out to make life easier for wandering hackers, from college students to footloose freelancers.

Now with a Net Board and a Legtop Podeum, any cyber-addict lugging a laptop can literally wear everything needed to check e-mail or write reports on the run.

The Net Board nestles on your leg. It’s a mouse pad shaped like a swooping surfboard, with patented feet to grip the top of your thigh, freeing you from a desk so you can kick back and surf the Internet in comfort. And it is said to be ergonomically correct, with a built-in wrist support to minimize back and wrist stress. The board comes in four designs from iSiNorth America. Information: (800) 211-9608.

The Legtop Podeum is both an instant desk and a carrying case. Seattle-based Rach Inc., looking for a solution to the common technological failure known as the “dropped laptop,” came up with a double design. A work surface, which is a foam base with a rigid platform, makes the laptop usable almost anywhere, without the inconvenience of knock-knees. Not only does it provide a working angle of up to 90 degrees, it compacts to a self-contained carrying case for easy transport and additional padded protection.

The lightweight Legtop Podeum, which comes in two models, fits all laptops and all legs, Rach says. Just unwrap it, strap it, cinch it and go. Information: (800) 942-4902 or https://www.podeum.com.