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SOLUTION: Avoiding Keyboard Spills

Posted February 9th, 2009, by Bet-TAY, Special Features Editor

Flirting With Disaster
I love to browse, read, and type my way through my morning as I sip my 100% Kona Joe coffee. But containers of liquid near a computer is, as my husband, Rob-ART, says, "... an accident waiting to HAPPEN!" I keep my Mac Pro to my left on a desktop and my MacBook Pro on my right. My tall coffee cup was poised between the two and every time Rob-ART walked past my desk he would hummmmm the tune to "You'll Be SORRY...." I was confident that my neat and careful ways would triumph, but one day the unthinkable HAPPENED!

Disaster Strikes!
I turned to answer an email on my laptop and smacked a full cup of coffee into the awaiting thirsty back-lit keyboard of my beautiful MacBook Pro. YIKES! Rob-ART heard my screams from my office and ran to the rescue. "TURN IT UPSIDE DOWN! And TURN IT OFF! " He grabbed the nearest can of air and I went to get towels. He didn't tell me, "I told you sooooo," but the look in his eyes said it all.

Cleanup and Repair
Despite our attempts to dry everything out, the residual problem was SUGAR! The once feather-light touch keyboard was now a sticky-gooey mass. So off to the repair shop it went. A spill like this on a laptop can often cause damage to the main logic board. And since customer-caused damage is not covered by warranty, it can be a VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. Mercifully, only the keyboard had to be replaced! (Whew!)

Search for a Solution
I enjoy my coffee sipping morning routine, but I didn't want to repeat the accident, so a search ensued for the ultimate, leak-proof drink container. This is what I found:

The Contigo West Loop Mug
Contigo guarantees that the contents of their mugs are impossible to spill and 100% leak-proof. Bold claims I know, but the Autoseal Button lets you Press-to-Sip and Release-to-Seal. Imagine, no more spills at the desk, in the car, in your backpack or bag! The Contigo Mug keeps my coffee hot all morning or my iced drinks cold all day -- even in a hot car. The stainless steel mug has a double wall and is vacuum-insulated, ensuring that our hot coffee or other beverages stay that way for hours. We purchased four mugs in two colors so we could tell the difference in beverage types. We put ice cubes and bottled water in one and our favorite beverage in the other.

Seeing is Believing (video clips)

Contigo West Loop Mug Benefits:

  • Patented AUTOSEAL lid is 100% leak-proof and 100% spill-proof.
  • Drinking made easy! Press to sip. Release to seal. AUTOSEAL automatically seals between sips to ensure no spills.
  • Vacuum-insulated technology keeps beverages hot for 4 hours, and cold for 12 hours.
  • Contoured body makes this mug easy to hold and easy on the eyes... matches my Mac Computers!
  • Will hold up to 16 ounces of your favorite beverage and fits most standard car cup-holders. Mini Cooper owners can put it in the back seat holder and get the smaller children's version for the front. (Costco is selling the child size.)
  • Constructed with a double wall and stainless steel inside and out for maximum performance.
  • BPA free.

PROS: No more spills or costly repairs; Keeps hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold.
CONS: It would be nice to have a larger capacity version so I don't have to refill as often.



WHERE TO BUY THE CONTIGO WEST LOOP MUG
Order through Amazon in Silver, Blue or Red
(ASIN: B000NVYHJ6).

WHERE TO BUY APPLE MACS and iPODs
To shop on
Apple's USA Online Store, please click THIS LINK in support of Bare Feats.
Don't forget the SPECIAL DEALS on refurbished Macs and iPods (with full factory warranty). Also check with...

  • Power Max (takes trade-ins; also has refurbs and used)
  • Silverado (custom order one with Velociraptors and/or SSDs)

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© 2009 Rob Art Morgan
"BARE facts on Macintosh speed FEATS"
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