Gadgets and shortcuts for making your digital life easier
Here are accessories to boost your device and smart home repertoire.
You own a great phone, a stylish tablet and a powerful, lightweight laptop. It seems you’re all set for a big digital life on the go. But what about that heavy power brick you carry around with your laptop? What about the devices that can’t connect easily with each other for seamless data transfer? While we’re at it, how’s your smart home? Is it as smart as you want? Here are accessories to boost your device and smart home repertoire.
Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Mini HD (RRP $139.99)
Don’t be deceived. Those small USB-C ports on your new laptop are absolute power houses. They can be used for powering your device, and for data transfer. If they are Thunderbolt 3 enabled, USB-C slots can offer a theoretical transfer speed of up to 40Gb per second.
USB-C ports are also powerful enough to support docks and hubs. Belkin’s Thunderbolt 3 Dock Mini offers dual HDMI 4K ports at 60 Hertz which lets you connect two 4K monitors. There’s USB-A 3.0 and USB-A 2.0 ports, and a Gigabit Ethernet port, all in a small aluminium case. Note that it’d designed for USB-C ports that have Thunderbolt 3.
Cygnett ChargeUp Duo (RRP $129)
Power banks can be saviours when you’re out and about and your phone or laptop is out of juice. But what happens when the power bank itself has no charge left?
Australian firm Cygnett (founded by the children of Swann Electronics’ David Swann) has an answer. It has released a power bank that can charge a phone on your desk while the power bank itself is being recharged by its own charging dock. The power bank supports wireless charging and has two USB charging docks for wired charging.
When the big day dawns and you need to take a power bank, the Cygnett ChargeUp Duo will be brimming with charge to keep you connected.
GE C smart switches for homes, no neutral wire (RRP $US40 – $58.40)
Smart switches let you control anything plugged into them remotely, or by voice with Google Home, Amazon Alexa or Apple Siri.
These switches usually require you to have a neutral wire running through your home. Many older places don’t have that and even my relatively new apartment doesn’t. GE has addressed this with a switches that have the usual line, load and ground (earth) wires, but not a neutral wire.
We don’t know Australian availability yet.
Laser Smart Wi-Fi Plug with Dual USB Charger ($29.95)
If you don’t want to fully install a smart switch, Laser has one that you simply plug in. You can control devices plugged into the switch using the Smart Life app. You can also issue voice commands to your favourite virtual assistant. Plugs additionally have two USB charging ports for your mobile devices.
Belkin USB-C GaN wall chargers (30W, 60W, 68W) — TBA
Gallium nitride (GaN) chargers are lighter and smaller, and it is claimed they conduct electrons 1000 times more efficiently than silicon. That means the power brick you carry around will soon be obsolete.
Belkin will soon sell GaN chargers that deliver 30, 60 and 68 Watts of power. The 30W charger is sufficient for a MacBook Air, the 60W charger will power a MacBook Pro while the 68W one can handle two devices.
Microsoft Surface, Surface Pro and Surface Go are great devices but their chargers are bulky. Cygnett’s cable lets you charge these devices from a Cygnett laptop power bank. You can charge your phone and earbuds at the same time.
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