September 23, 2009, 10:06 AM — Digital nomads tend to find ourselves using laptops in places where there is too much light, and too many nosy people -- like at sidewalk cafes. In parks. In bed. Etc. The problem is made especially bad by the popularity of those shiny laptop screens.
[ See also: What kind of digital nomad are you? ]
One solution is the Laptop Burka. This specially designed piece of "high-quality, breathable, lightweight fabric" covers both you and your laptop, to create a private, glare-free environment anywhere.
The Laptop Burka is a great idea, but with one minor problem. YOU'RE WEARING A BURKA! As a general rule, looking to the Taliban for IT 
solutions is ill-advised. What's next, Microsoft certification madrassas? User policies based on sharia law? Beating users with a stick when they open unknown attachments? (Actually, that's not a bad idea...)
There's got to be a better way.
One pseudo-solution, akin to the Laptop Burka, is the Compubody Sock. It's basically a sweater you put over both your head and your laptop, with holes for your hands. You'll have to knit one yourself. Oh, and you'll look like a complete idiot. But at least you'll have, glare-free privacy. As a bonus, the Compubody Sock also prevents you from seeing the facial expressions of people when they see you using the damned thing. Oh, one other downside. It will probably cause your laptop to overheat, then catch fire, catastrophically burning your head, face, neck and hands.
Another alternative is the CompuShade, and products like it. The CompuShade is a fold-out barrier that physically blocks others from easily seeing what's on your screen. Like those blinders they use over the eyes of horses. The trouble is, the CompuShade is so conspicuous, that everyone will become aware of the fact that you've got something to hide. "What's he looking at? Porn? Sarah Palin's e-mail? CuteOverload.com?" Sure, you're partially blocking your screen. But now you've made everybody curious.
On second thought, maybe the Laptop Burka isn't so bad…
Are YOU interested in location independent, digital nomad living? Please add this blog to your RSS reader and follow me on Twitter!
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| laptop-burka.gif | 37.04 KB |
