I love my macbook pro, I have the 17" version that came out several months ago. So I can take it with me wherever, at my desk, friend's place, on the couch.. and have a full development environment with the big screen.
Problem is my wrists scrape against the edge on the bottom of the keyboard. I'm on the computer a lot and this is starting to really bother me. Normal desktop (detached) keyboards don't have this edge… I actually bought Apple's wireless beautiful little keyboard, but then the issue is the screen gets too far away if I have to put the wireless keyboard in front of the laptop's built-in keyboard. And working on my lap, which I absolutely love, is much less comfortable.
What's the solution? Is there a nice thin padding product I can buy for the bottom of the macbook pro? Is there a stand or way I can position the laptop so I can use the wireless keyboard without the screen being too far away? Is that even possible while the laptop and wireless keyboard are on my lap?
UPDATE: I guess the Apple wireless keyboard is a little problematic to use on my lap because it doesn't have a trackpad… so I'll constantly be moving my arm far to move the mouse.
Best Answer
As cheap alternative to the bookstand + external keyboard combination already mentioned, I find it very useful to simply wedge a small flat object (I use a marker) under the back of the laptop while it's resting on a desk. This puts the keyboard at a slight angle, which I found much more comfortable for prolonged typing (keeps the wrist from pressing on the edge too hard).
It also provides some extra ventilation (that's why I originally did it), as the wrist rests can get uncomfortably hot sometimes on my MBP.
You can also use an external monitor with your external keyboard in front of it and leave the laptop somewhere to the side to use as 2nd screen.