My laptops sit to the side. I have an old, old, old one that is about maxed out just playing MP3 tunes. I bring one of the "modern" ones if I want to watch/listen to YouTube or DVD or cam clips etc. I also have a DVD player, VCR, and a tiny TV (it's the finishline review TV from Bethel).

I use two tote bins, stacked up, as my laptop (and everything else) stand.

In-laws just gave us a reasonably large TV (30"?) so that's going downstairs in the bike room.

I have a long headphone extension plus "in-ear" headphones (that's what they call them when I looked them up):
http://www.staples.com/Memorex-CB25-...P1832:CL162357
(I have orange btw)

The in-ear headphones don't gather sweat, don't move around, and work great on a trainer.

I also use a big floor fan. It's one of those fans that when you turn it on the lights dim. Metal blades, metal cage, etc. It's powerful enough to keep about an inch of water at least 3-4 feet away (when we lived in a diff house where the basement flooded every now and then). The fan is powerful and effective. I have a second fan, a pedestal one, 24"?, as a back up when it's hot.

As far as using the computer to set resistance etc I only know of the Computrainer, Tacx (they have a new system that allows you to set a route using Google Earth and you can watch yourself ride the route), and one other, name escapes me.

cdr