Gearing up for the Fall semester can be expensive, especially if you're buying your supplies at full price. Plus, between dorm life, computers, and other essentials, your long list of must haves can get pretty overwhelming. Thankfully, I'll be sussing out the best deals on some great back-to-school supplies for you every week through the month of August. First up, a few laptop deals you don't want to miss, and some accessories you may not be able to walk away from.
Since 60 percent of you have more than one computer monitor, you should take the time to keep them fresh and clean to enjoy for years to come. However, cleaning your screens isn't as simple as grabbing your household cleaner and giving them a scrub. LCD screens and computer monitors are particularly fragile, and since they can get so expensive, you'll want to take extra care to make sure you're cleaning them properly.
I have a few tips on how to keep your monitors squeaky clean and healthy after the break.
Sometimes the simplest accessories solve the biggest problems. Take this useful gadget: the i360 iMac Turntable. It's a simple rotating turntable affixed to the bottom of your iMac or Apple monitor that allows you to easily swivel the monitor from side to side. They're made to match your computer in white or aluminum, and most models even feature a tiny built-in picture frame for an added touch of personality.
I swivel my screen to the right at least three times a day to share something I'm looking at, which usually involves making sure I don't knock the monitor over or disturb whatever else is sitting on my desk. Priced around $40 depending on which model you choose, this is an inexpensive and smart solution!
I'm a busy gal, and most of the time find myself working wherever I can — on the couch, on the train, anywhere I can find a WiFi signal. But when I'm at the office, I like to not only use my laptop monitor, but hook it up to my cinema display and double my desktop real estate. When I'm at home? It's a single screen for me.
I do notice a big difference in productivity when I have more than one monitor. I typically use my laptop screen for emails and IMs while my cinema is used for blogs and writing up posts. However, one of my friends is an animator and uses three screens daily. Needless to say, he's got a huge desk. What about you — are you a single-screen gal, or do you make the most of your desk space and use multiple monitors? How many monitors do you use?
As pathetic as it is, I think of my computer as an extension of me, in that I want to keep it safe from bumps and bruises like any good mom. I take the time to select a comfortably padded bag or sleeve for my laptop, so shouldn't I want to protect it at home? Acme makes soft, sleek, and extremely attractive iCovers, not only for laptop screens, but Apple cinema displays and monitors. 
I actually hunted for something like this a year or so ago for my monitors and couldn't find it, so I sewed it. Maybe someday I'll be brave enough to post my instructions, but all I can say is that they don't look near as pretty as the iCovers.
Prices range from about $30 to $80, and they even take custom orders.
All I gotta say is try privacy scarfing this bad boy! Gizmodo was first on the scene to capture this ginormous LED curved monitor by Alienware at CES. With a screen resolution of 2880 x 990 and a supersized DLP display, I can't help but assume this massive television, I mean monitor, is going to cause some serious eye damage. The Alienware curved monitor is reportedly going to be available later this year. No word on pricing just yet.
