Jobs today are much less “desk-oriented” and a lot more mobile. Employers expect you to be reachable at all times and ready to work anywhere. Therefore, it’s important to have the right tools available when the boss calls at 3 a.m. wondering why you haven’t sent off the Thompson report yet. The following five gadgets should help you remain connected and organized during those crucial moments.
Smartphone
The variety of powerful, sophisticated cell phones available right now makes it hard to pick the right one. Your choice in smartphone depends upon your needs, because you’re going to be using it daily for at least two years. When selecting the right smartphone, ask yourself:
- Can I navigate the user interface easily or do I have to drill down into submenu after submenu to access a core feature?
- How is the network’s service? Will I be dropping calls everywhere or will I have a clear signal anywhere I go?
- Does the carrier offer global data plans? I don’t want my bill to skyrocket just by checking the weather.
Running through questions like these before making a decision could be the difference between the slickest device you’ve ever owned and a very expensive pocket-watch.
Two solid smartphones available right now are the Apple iPhone 3GS ($199-$299 w/2-year plan from AT&T) and the Motorola Droid ($199 w/2-year plan from Verizon). Both devices offer Microsoft Exchange support, user-friendly interfaces, desktop-like web browsers, and run hundreds of applications from their respective app stores.
Netbook
Carrying a full-size laptop everywhere can be exhausting. They’re heavy and oftentimes unnecessary for everyday tasks, like catching up on email or updating documents. Netbooks, however, are half the size, half the weight and run many of the same applications as their larger counterparts.
The HP Mini 311 comes with an 11.6″ HD display, Intel Atom 1.60 GHz processor and Windows 7 for $399 from HP.com. The slower processor means you won’t be playing Call of Duty on your lunch break, but you’ll definitely be able to email clients, update Facebook and create spreadsheets with ease.
MiFi
To make that netbook even more useful, you’ll need a broadband Internet connection anywhere you go. MiFi is a credit-card sized device that offers secure 3G Internet access over a cellular network and allows you to share your portable hotspot with up to five separate devices (or people) wirelessly.
Both Sprint and Verizon offer the MiFi for between $79.99 and $99.99 with purchase of a 2-year contract. While the monthly costs will be slightly more than most cell phone plans, having a secure Internet connection almost anywhere in the country makes it worth the price.
E-Book Reader
What happens when you’ve finished your work and you’d like to crack open the new Stephen King novel? It’s not easy to slip a 1000 page tome into your bag with your files and tech toys in the way. That’s where an e-book reader, such as the Amazon Kindle ($259, Amazon.com) or Barnes and Noble Nook ($259, BN.com), comes in handy.
E-book readers are thin, lightweight devices, able to download and store thousands of digital books so you’re never without something to read. Their e-Ink displays render pages like those in printed books, so you can read for hours without straining your eyes. E-book readers can also display a variety of document formats, so you can quickly look over a Word document on your way into an important meeting.
Checkpoint-Friendly Laptop Bag
Frequent fliers are all too familiar with the hassles of emptying their computer bag at a security checkpoint, booting up their laptop and praying they make their flight on time. That’s why a checkpoint-friendly tech bag is an absolute necessity.
SOLO’s CheckFast Clamshell laptop bag ($49.99, SoloCases.com) is optimized for passing effortlessly through airport checkpoints. Its clamshell design separates the laptop from the accessories for easier x-ray scanning and has a see-through mesh pocket for holding a laptop up to 15.4″ in size. The bag’s dedicated file section will safely store your important documents and its various accessory pockets will stow your smartphone, MiFi and e-book reader safely on those long flights.
Equipping these five tech tools in your professional arsenal should help you remain more organized and connected while away from the office. When your boss sees how much more efficient and reliable you’ve become, you’ll be promoted in no time…and probably need more gadgets to keep up.
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Can’t you do all of that from an iphone? Why does anyone need to carry around a ton of gadgets anymore. If I needed to be connected 24/7/365 I’d go insane. Bosses shouldn’t expect one to be connected that much. If so, I think that is asking too much of one person. It takes time from families and life outside of the internets. Is this the way of the future? If so, it is pretty darn scary. They passed labor laws a long time ago. Let’s not forget that.
Technically, you COULD do all that from an iPhone (except for carrying your gadgets), but let’s look at the issues with doing everything from one device:
1. An iPhone is a pain in the arse to type long messages on, let alone entire documents.
2. While a lot of people read full novels on their iPhones with the Stanza or Classics apps, many (including yours truly) find it very fatiguing on the eyes. I only read printed books or those on my Nook – I can barely get through an article on my laptop. There’s no way I can do long-form reading on my phone.
I agree wholeheartedly with you about being so connected, but unfortunately, many employers expect their employees to be “on call” all the time. Some even equip their managers with BlackBerries so they can be emailed at all hours of the day and night. On top of that, they’re salaried – no overtime pay, no extra compensation for working such odd hours.
Technology has truly become a blessing and a curse for businesses.