Despite the speed and convenience of Nextel’s i85s, we prefer
the Ericsson R380, with just one reservation—the Ericsson’s
steep price. It costs $600. For $300, we could buy a full-featured
cell phone and a Palm OS-based PDA. Freeing up a little more
space in our backpacks definitely isn’t worth an additional $300.The smartphone category shows a lot of promise, but we have
yet to see anything even remotely close to perfection.HEALTH POSTURES PLASMA 2 SYSTEM
THE UPSHOT
AUGUST 2004 MAXIMUM PC 19
A
s cool as it is to move your chair from a sitting to a
standing position with ease, in matters of overall comfort,
features, and perceived ergonomic benefit, the nod goes
to Herman Millers’ Aeron chair. As much as we love the Aeron’ssexy lines, expensive materials, and instant office cache, our
butts made the final decision. The Aeron is simply more com-
fortable than the Plasma 2 system, and doesn’t require the
accompaniment of a cumbersome display elevator. Features: The Plasma 2 system is essentially
one big feature—that being its incredible
range of motion. With the pull of a lever,
your body can be transformed from a
seated to standing position (or anything
in between), while head-to-toe support
aligns the rest of your body accordingly.
What’s more, the chair works in conjunc-
tion with a motorized monitor/keyboard
stand so your desktop can be easily
adjusted to suit the changing stations of
your chair. The Plasma 2 also features add-on
risers for both sides of the keyboard tray that
can hold a phone, speakers, documents, and
other items that need to be close by.
Winner: Plasma 2
Adjustability: Although the Plasma 2 is
unique in its ability to move along a vertical
axis, the seat itself has limited adjustability.
The area that holds your rear can be raised or
lowered and it’s possible to manipulate the arm-
rests, but overall, you’re not given many options
for personal fine-tuning. Winner: Aeron
Comfort: After long-term use of both chairs, we
prefer the Aeron’s firm support and extensive adjust-
ability to the Plasma 2’s cushy vertical action. Sure,
it’s nice to work in a prone position when your legs
feel cramped or your bum needs some blood flow,
but we spent the majority of our time with the
Plasma 2 in the “normal” position, where its com-
fort was easily exceeded by the Aeron.
Craftsmanship: The
Plasma 2 chair is well-
constructed and feels
solid, but the desktop
accoutrements seemed
flimsy. And considering the
cost of the Plasma 2 system,
we’re disappointed that it’s not more stylish or sophisti-
cated. When compared with the Aeron, it’s clear that one chair
was “designed” and the other was simply created, if you know
what we mean. Winner: Aeron
Desktop integration: Once you’re firmly ensconced in the Plasma 2 system, it’s best to stay
put, because the leg support in particular can make exiting it difficult. Don’t get us wrong: It’s a
comfortable way to sit, but because you are sort of wedged into the seat, you’ll need to have
everything on your desk within arm’s reach. To this end, the Plasma 2 is sold with a variety of
arms and platforms for holding various desktop items, but they require an additional layer of
planning and rearrangement. Winner: Aeron
Comfortable, and the ability to stand is a nice touch.ERGONOMICERGOMANIAC
Crude shape, limited adjustability, and pricey.
$1,995, http://www.healthpostures.comMAXIMUM PC VERDICT 8