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I am someone who believes in stretching the definition of “office,” whether that means working from bed, sofa, or local third-wave coffee shop. My favorite place to park a MacBook is an outdoor table, where I shield my screen using a clever and only slightly crazy-looking device called the Sunshader.
I was first alerted to the Sunshader by a friend who, aware of my passion for en plein air email, texted me a photo of someone deploying one in Carl Schurz Park. Following a sighting of my own in Prospect Park a few weeks later, I contacted the brand and requested a test unit. I was both curious and cautious. Sometimes the best productivity tool is just … giving up and going inside. Human beings were never meant to send Slack messages in nature.
This remains true, but the Sunshader is certainly helpful to those of us who continue to delude ourselves. It’s made from lightweight rubbery material and folds down small and flat enough to fit into a tote bag. It comes in two sizes with clear guidance from the brand as to which will fit your screen. The medium size clips onto the screen of my MacBook Pro 13 and stays there as I adjust it to whatever angle. And yes — it does provide total screen shade while also leaving enough space to type and use the trackpad, especially if the laptop is placed on a flat surface. The dark gray exterior absorbs sunlight as well as shielding the screen from it, protecting my laptop battery from overheating. (As I researched screen-shielding technology I came across several Sunshader competitors, most of which were made from flimsier tent-style fabric and didn’t seem to perform this function.)
Using the Sunshader in public is maybe not my favorite thing, as comments from passing strangers tend to distract from my very important work. It is probably best for typing away in your own garden or outdoor space, or else that of the Airbnb that you’re cheekily working remotely from this summer. The brand’s promotional imagery suggests using one while sitting beside a stunning hotel pool, which is compelling. And if none of these options are available, there’s always the fire escape.
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