Tripalog

My Logitech speakers' control pod is malfunctioning. When I turn the volume knob I get horribly loud static in the left front speaker. I've tried several times to fix it, and have called the company twice. I even squirted compressed air and tape head cleaner inside the volume control, but I still get the popping sound whenever I adjust the volume knob.

Other than the volume knob popping, the speakers are fine. So, I don't want to pay hundreds of dollars to replace them.

Instead, the other day it dawned on me that what I needed was an easy way to adjust the volume without turning the knob. I wanted a non-software solution (since I multitask and it's hard to find the volume control quickly). I thought about buying an external mixer or USB volume knob, but that seems like overkill.

Instead, I decided to look at multimedia keyboards. These are keyboards with extra keys mapped to common multimedia functions. They range in price from $6 up. Most have volume up/down buttons. A couple have volume knobs, but they start around $25.

The one that caught my eye was an HP multimedia keyboard (sold by Amazon.com) with a volume knob. I love the placement of the volume knob: it's in the upper right corner, close to where my mouse usually is. Other keyboards put the volume controls in the center top, which is less convenient.

Anyway, it arrived today. I followed the part of the instructions that said to turn the PC off, then plug in the keyboard, and then turn the PC on. However, I didn't bother installing any drivers. Funny thing is, it worked anyway, with no driver installation. I can adjust the volume and start and stop windows media player using the keyboard. Cool.

One bad thing is they put the normal function key labels (F1 .. F12) on the front rather than the top. Weird. I guess I'll get used to it.

Anyway, this was a really boring blog entry, I know. I don't know why I keep writing these things. It's not as if anyone reads 'em.

My right hand hurts. It's been hurting for a few days. I first noticed it when I was staining the front deck last weekend. It still bothers me, especially at night. Actually, only at night. During the day it's fine.

What does this have to do with using laptops in bed?

Well, I want to make sure I don't make my hands and wrists worse by straining my hands and wrists any more than I already strain my hands and wrists. Get it? Do you get my "joke" about straining hands and wrists, or do you not get my "joke" about straining hands and wrists.

Actually, I was trying to be funny. I was trying to simulate repetitive stuff. Repetitively repetitive repetition. Get it?

So if I keep typing and my hands are at a bad position, I can hurt my hands and my hands will hurt like hurt hands. I don't want that.

I also don't want more blog entries like this beast, so I will put this beast to bed, which reminds me: I need to get back to the topic.

Laptop in bed. How do I put the mouse at a decent height so that my wrist isn't bending downwards? And how do I not hunch over? My eyes seem to glaze when my head is too far away from the laptop monitor. Right now it's about 3 feet away. I think I need it about 6 inches away. That's a good geekorific distance. 5 inches is too geeky. 7 is too pedestrian. 6 is just right.

I want the "just right" feeling when I am using the laptop in bed. Has anyone felt that just right feeling? If so, what multi-hundred dollar laptop stand thingie are you using or did you actually learn how to use your laptop's native keyboard and touch pad? I haven't. I still use an external keyboard and mouse. Just like a newbie.

That's right, I'm geeky enough to warrant a precision 6 inch LCD clearance but not so dweebish that I know how to use a touch pad efficiently.

Actually, does any geek actually use the touch pad? Or do true geeks use keyboard shortcuts for everything, including web browsing? (If you answered "what" then, um, like, huh?)