You've bought the shiny new laptop and maybe added a laptop carry bag. Is that everything you need to protect and use your laptop? I don't think so.

While the case can protect your laptop from bumps and scrapes it can't protect from two other potential hazards: overheating during use and electrical surges.

Have you ever set your running laptop down on a bed, sofa ,or rug? Every time you do you risk overheating it. Most laptops use small fans to expel heat from the interior. While the exhaust opening is usually on the side or back of the laptop, the air intake for the fan is located on the bottom of the laptop. When you set a running laptop on a soft surface the air intake becomes blocked and the laptop begins to overheat. Depending on the age of the laptop, type of processor, and amount of time it is left on the soft surface you can literally fry the interior components! The solution is a laptop desk or cushion. These inexpensive (>$20) accessories provide a hard side for setting the laptop on and soft side for your lap. A great gift for your teenagers who like to lay on the floor or sofa with their laptops.

Along with overheating, electrical surges are a threat to your laptop. Every time you plug in your laptop's charger you risk an electrical surge frying the charger and/or laptop. The solution is an inline surge suppressor. The advantage of an inline surge suppressor is you plug it in between the laptop charger and laptop power cord. Unlike a traditional laptop surge suppressor you don't have to contend with a large unwieldy device at the end of the cord. Instead the inline surge suppressor can be bundled right with the charger and cord. The inline surge suppressor comes in two types (C6 and C8, these are the two standard cord types used by all laptop manufacturers) and costs ~$20. Leading manufacturers are Tripp-Lite, APC, Targus, and Belkin.

The final essential laptop accessory is more about efficiency than safety. A good cordless laptop laser mouse will save you a lot of time and frustration when you are trying to work with your laptop. A laptop touchpad is ok for short durations but a cordless laptop laser mouse is essential for maximizing your productivity or game playing. The leading producers of cordless laser mice are Logitech and Microsoft. Selecting the right mouse for you is best done, by going to the store and seeing how they fit your hand. Cordless laser mice range in price from $20 on up and are available from a wide variety of retailers.