Ask HN: Tips for coding at the beach (or in the sun) | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Tips for coding at the beach (or in the sun)

1 pointchops4 comments

For the past few months, I've become a total beach bum, hanging out at the beach 3-4 days a week either playing or watching volleyball.

That said, I'd like to be able to head to the beach and work some, but my laptop is all but completely unreadable in the sun (especially with a glossy screen, which in the sun, practically becomes a mirror).

So what tools do you guys know of or use for coding and/or general purpose computing with a laptop in the sun?

I've read a handful of articles online (always google first) all with decent advice and product recommendations, but I'd prefer some insight straight from the gritty (sandy?) trenches. Any clever hacks you folks use?

http://cgi.ebay.com/PCHood-Laptop-Bag-with-PC-Hood-for-17%22... something like that would do nicely, but just sit away from any beachball playing areas to avoid being hit without warning.

It would probably make you look pretty foolish though, I think maybe a beach umbrella is a better idea if you care about that.

Have you considered sitting under a small canopy or umbrella? I did that for a week at the beach, and it solved the glossy-screen problem quite well. Just make sure your back-light brightness is turned all the way up. Since rugged laptops that don't let dirt in easily can get very expensive, I wrapped mine tightly in a plastic bag on the way down to the beach, and while I was working, only exposed what I really needed. I kept the plastic wrapped around the outside, and over the edges as much as possible. Even so, I made sure I gave my keyboard a good vacuuming each night.

Well, this is what God intended, of course. Beaches are for kicking back, don't fool yourself that you'll increase your productivity if you bring along a laptop: some times in life you just need to blow off some steam, kick back at the beach and maybe do absolutely nothing. Then, back at the (hopefully ergonomic) desk, with a clear head, you'll be able to concentrate five days' worth of work in three: be an effective slacker!

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