wrote in message
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On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 21:38:22 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:

I saw a platform with two fans built into it the other day at Best Buy or
some store like that. You're supposed to place your laptop on it and the
fans in the platform are supposed to help cool the computer. But, it's
USB
powered, so whatever energy is used by the two fans is provided by the
computer. Doesn't make sense.

USB is pulling power from the 5 volt rail and that is the biggest
supply in the system. Case fans are usually 12v but they don't really
pull that much power.
Back in the olden days the 5" disk drives were the power hog. Now it
is the CPU, memory and processor on the video card.

True enough, but watts are watts, regardless of which output of the power
supply they come from.
I just get a kick out of "cooling" the computer, using the computer's power
to run the fans. Sorta like running a window air conditioner in the middle
of your room, exhausting the warm air as it expels cool air.

Eisboch