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Ikea's Gustav Laptop Table Is Good For Small Spaces, Wallets

GeekSugar — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 10:00:43 -0800

Surely you can't frown on Ikea in a time such as this, when a recession is at hand? (Not that I ever frown on Ikea, for shame!)

The $150 Gustav Laptop Table isn't merely a petite table that could accommodate your laptop - though it does that with an extendable panel, so you can type or rest it on the leaf or the main surface.

What's great about the Gustav is that the drawer is the perfect size for laptop storage, and inside you'll also find a cable outlet so you can organize or hide the laptop's cords and cables. Plus, it's simple and sturdy and looks fabulous. But you already noticed that.

The First Microsoft Retail Store Finally Opens

GeekSugar — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 01:44:52 -0700

Earlier this year, Microsoft announced their plan to open a retail store, and yesterday was the day! The Scottsdale, AZ store drew an initial crowd of around 500 people who waited in line for the opening, including some die-hard fans who spent the night. Just before opening, employees handed out gift bags to the first customers in line, including a $25 gift certificate and tickets to an Ashley Tisdale concert at the store later in the day. The store opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9:30 a.m.

The new store is outfitted with Microsoft's high-tech Surface Tables to help customers find what they're looking for. Giant screens decorate the walls in "gaming zones" where customers can test out their favorite video games, including Rock Band and Halo. The store sells several brands of Windows-compatible laptop in addition to Microsoft software (including the just-released Windows 7 operating system), and Xbox consoles and games.

The next store is scheduled to open on Oct. 29 in Southern California.

To see more store photos, just read more.

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How-To: Decorate a Dual-Purpose Space

CasaSugar — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:00:55 -0700

Having lived in a studio in the past, I've experienced first-hand the trials and tribulations of trying to make one room play two roles. I have many friends living tiny apartments who try to cram the furniture meant for both a living room and a bedroom into the same room, and let me tell you, none have succeeded. It's not only studio dwellers that encounter these issues, though. Sometimes a home office needs to double as a living room, or a bedroom as a workout room. If you're in the same boat, I have a few tips for you.

Foxconn: Working Conditions Haven't Improved Over the Years

GeekSugar — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 03:49:23 -0700

In the wake of the tragic news about 25-year-old Foxconn employee, Sun Danyoung, who fell to his death after an iPhone prototype went missing, authorities are now turning the tables on the billion dollar electronics manufacturer to further investigate the incident and company practices in general. Foxconn is not only responsible for producing products like the iPod, Mac mini and iPhone for Apple, but it also manufacturers items for Nintendo, Amazon, Microsoft, Hewlett Packard and Sony. Danyoung had told friends that he was beaten and humiliated by the factory's security team before his death, which was an alleged suicide. Foxconn has already paid Danyoung's family $44,000 and given his girlfriend a new Apple laptop, but the incident has sparked a ton of criticism about the company and its working conditions, which include excessive working hours and deplorable food and living quarters.

The following photos are from September 2006, when more than 180 workers contracted food poisoning at Foxconn's factory in Shenzhen, China. One can only hope that justice is served in the case of Sun Danyoung and that the company makes some major changes to its working conditions and treatment of employees.

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Su Casa: An Elegant Entry

CasaSugar — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:00:30 -0700

Su Casa member PoshBride recently posted photos of her fabulous entry makeover. I love how elegant and feminine this space is!

She writes,

When we moved into our new home in February, I immediately envisioned the beautiful Sex and the City blue paint that covered Carrie's walls when she redecorated her apartment. I also loved her mirrored dressing table and searched high and low for an entryway piece at an affordable price. Once the walls were done, I fell in love with this fuchsia chair and somehow just knew it would accent the blue walls. The living room is not complete yet, but my little corner definitely makes me smile.

To see another photo of Poshbride's fuchsia chair, as well as my picks for mirrored side tables read more.

The fuchsia chair is a great addition to the space, and I love the idea that PoshBride has a luxuriously comfortable chair to sink into upon returning home. It's a great space for kicking off your heels, setting down your laptop bag, and relaxing into the evening.

Want a mirrored table of your own? Check out some of my finds below! And if you have photos to share, share them on the Su Casa group.

"Iris" Mirrored Chest - $599.00	Platt Collection - $1,199.00
Park Mirrored Bedside Table - $399.00	Mirrored Buffet/Console - $1,339.90
Mirrored Sideboard - $1,200.90	Mirrored Console - $779.00

What Electronics Can Be Recycled?

GeekSugar — Thu, 28 May 2009 09:01:16 -0700

You can't escape the grocery, electronics or movie rental store without seeing a small cell recycling drop box, but how can you dispose of larger, more ecologically dangerous gadgets? Electronics companies have - or been forced to! - put considerable resources into making their products recyclable. A handful of states have even passed laws that require companies to take back their goods (Apple, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, and Sony all do so at no charge), but you can always be green by selling or gifting the item, or giving it to a reuse effort.

To get the scoop on electronics that can be recycled, read more.

Accepted AT All Locations	Accepted AT Most Locations	Rarely Accepted
Computer Monitors CPU's (Central Processing Units) Televisions with Cathode Ray Tubes and Flat Panel Displays Printers Laptops Cables Keyboards Mouses	Answering Machines Camcorders Compact Disc Players Copiers Duplicators Electric Typewriters Fax Machines Hard Drives Mobile Phones Modems Pagers Printed Circuit Boards Radios Remote Controls Stereos Tape Players Telephones Telephone Equipment VCRs Word Processors Batteries PDAs Games (Video)	Microwaves Smoke Detectors Large Household Appliances (Refrigerators, Washing Machines, and Air Conditioners) Toasters Fans Vacuum Cleaners Lamps Specialty Cookers

This list is based on data from the EPA. Check out the EPA's guide to where you can donate or recycle your electronics.

Ask Casa: A Home Office for Two

CasaSugar — Wed, 13 May 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Hi CasaSugar,
My boyfriend and I are moving into a small one bedroom, but luckily the living room is quite spacious. As children of the digital age, we always have our laptops out for work or school. Is there some sort of space-saving desk that allows for two workstations at a time? It would be easy to just get a long folding table, but I was hoping there was something more stylish. Thanks! SaranoemiTo hear my suggestion for Saranoemi, read more.

Hello!
Funny you should ask. A home office for two that was featured in the now-defunct Blueprint magazine is one of my favorites. Two simple Parsons-style desks were pressed up back-to-back with a sheet of colorful Plexiglass in the middle.The arrangement offers a bit of privacy for each person, and the Plexiglass can be use to hang paperwork and stick Post-its, etc. You'll essentially have two work zones, but you won't break up the room physically or visually, since the sheet is transparent. And, it doesn't require as much wall space as a long table or two desks set length-wise against the wall.

Depending on how much space you have to work with, you can re-create this with either the West Elm Parsons Desk or Parsons Mini Desk. Contact your local plastics supplier for the sheet of Plexiglass.

Parsons Desk with Drawers - $329.00

Parsons Mini Desk - $249.00

Hope that helps!
Casa

Source and Source

Turn Inexpensive Furniture Into All-In-One Charging Stations

GeekSugar — Thu, 07 May 2009 09:04:05 -0700

I bought this Ikea Aneboda ($40) bedside table over the weekend, and am drafting up plans to turn it into an all-in-one charging station.

I realized after searching and scouring the Internet to track down the best charging station possible, that it probably wouldn't hold everything I wanted to charge, and the ones that might were way out of my price range. I don't see anything that could hold my laptop anyway.

I don't have my plans finished quite yet, but it seems simple to do. Just drill a few round holes in the shelves to allow for cords, one in the back of the pull out drawer for the power strip, and voila! All the cords and plugs will be in the drawer, while I can stream up cords to charge my laptop, cell phone, iPod, camera, DS, and whatever else I can think of to plug in!

Plus, with a new paint job, this charging station isn't just DIY, but it will fit in nicely with the rest of my decor. Have you DIY'd your own charging station?

Higher Priced and Hotter or Cheaper and Chicer?

GeekSugar — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:06:48 -0700

The $25 Dave laptop table from Ikea still holds a special place in my heart - as well as a special place in both my bedroom and living room (tee-hee). But look out Mr. Dave, there's a sexier laptop stand in town and he's popping up at Target stores across the country. Unlike the Dave laptop table, the Ergonomic laptop desk from Target is made of metal in a laminate walnut finish, which you'll pay for with the table costing $50. The wood version would definitely look a lot nicer in my living room, but for now, I just can't justify the upgrade.

Ladies Who Brunch Together, Read Alone

TresSugar — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 01:00:00 -0700

Sunday morning. It's sunny and warm, gorgeous - the perfect time to poach an egg and fail. With laptops in tow, my roommate and I sat down to eat pain perdu and read the news.

Halfway through, I saw us for what we were: two singletons staring at computer screens, occasionally coming up for air and conversation. "Is this the new Sunday morning table," I asked, picturing Mad Men's Don Draper with his newspaper fanning wide while wife Betty poached his eggs to perfection. "Probably," my roommate replied, "but I'm sure people in relationships realized it long ago."

Good point! Both chronically single, we have no idea what people in relationships do (j/k! we've had one, or two, who's counting?). I don't see how it's any different than reading the newspaper at a table, so how does it work for you? Sparkling water with a MacBook Pro? Or, printed paper and conversation, unaided by the Internet?