Features:
The Futura is currently available in eight different colours and patterns to choose from. Four being solid colour designs and the other four are patterns. Although there is eight right now, every month Lapworks runs a survey previewing some new design ideas. At the end of that month the one with the most votes will be brought into production. To add the element of having a custom product how you want it, the buyer can select two other options when ordering. Would you like black non-slip pads or translucent ones? How about a matte or semi-gloss finish? Those certainly aren't options you get when ordering most products these days because most are mass-produced with very few options to choose from, if any.

As the pictures illustrate, the Futura folds in half for easy storage and transportation. Folded up tight it has a thickness of a mere 1/3" making it very friendly to toss in a bag or backpack when you're on the go. Unfolded all the way flat and you now have your lapdesk surface for a laptop to sit on. As you can also see in the pictures, there's a ton of very large open vents that run horizontally along either side of the Futura. These allow your laptop to properly vent it's fans out the bottom and into open air. This as opposed to being vented into your lap which doesn't allow the air to properly escape which can lead to components overheating.

As I mentioned earlier, the Futura is really two products in one for your laptop. In addition to being the lapdesk it can fold out to, it's also an ergonomic support. Think of it as a very simplified version of the Attache we reviewed a few weeks ago from Lapworks. If you look on the underside you'll see a fold out flap on one side and a rubber 5-position stopper on the other. If you fold the Futura in half, you can rest this flap in any of the 5 positions to provide you with a slightly elevated surface to rest your laptop on. Since the angle doesn't go high enough to require a stopper ledge at the bottom, the rubber pads do a great job of holding the laptop firmly on the surface. As learned from the Attache review, having your laptop's screen at an elevated height will bring it closer to the height where a monitor should ergonomically be placed in relation to your sitting height. When at lower levels you can easily still type on the laptop's keyboard but once you elevate it more, you'll want to switch to an external keyboard for better comfort.

 
(Click to enlarge)
 

Painting of the Futura's is done with a special industrial grade ink that is cured instantly after painting by exposure to UV light. The coating of your choice, be it matte or semi-gloss is an acrylic coating that is applied after this primary painting process. Since the machine used is capable of advanced painting designs, Lapworks takes this into account when designing all the cool paint jobs the buyer can choose between. This painting method also helps to keep costs as low as they can be while still maintaining an extremely durable finish that will last for years. With each Futura being custom painted once the customer orders it, Lapworks gives you a two week period in which you may exchange it for another if the finish is not entirely up to your liking (assuming it is in pristine condition with the original packing).

Testing:
I'll admit that there isn't a whole lot to say when it comes to testing a product like this! When using it as an ergonomic support on a desk I found that the laptop sat just fine on it and did not move even when pushed upon. Having this extra level of elevation on your laptop is something that brings more comfort to your eyes than most would expect and is an excellent thing to look into for people who work on laptops heavily as a part of their job.

There were also no complaints when using the Futura as a lapdesk. I gave it lots of stress testing by pushing quite hard on a laptop that was sitting on it and even removing the laptop and pushing the hinged area just with my hands. You can rest assured that it won't budge or break leaving your laptop laying on the floor.

The finish was also excellent, I gave it quite the heavy inspection because I was surprised at the complexity in the paint job; especially on a product as simple as this. It is certainly an eye catcher! My only complaint is that after only a few openings and closings that the paint around the hinges had worn almost entirely off and revealed small white rings around the hinges. However, unless you flip it over and specifically look up close for this, you probably won't notice it too often, and besides, there is no way to keep paint on an area that rubs together anyway, so this is to be expected really.