It’s time to radically upgrade your home tech
Sitting on the couch with a laptop on your knee is no way to work from home. This is what you should do.
Lockdowns and isolation at home has gone on longer than we thought. What started as two weeks, extended to two months and for some companies could be indefinite. Nowadays, working from home should no longer be happening at the dining table.
For consumers, the make shift tech setups we used at the start of the pandemic should be upgraded to a more powerful, efficient, comfortable and work-friendly set-up that we can use going forward.
Thinking long term means looking after yourself and creating an effective space to be productive. Like most things, you need the right tools for the job. Here are some suggestions.
See the bigger picture with an ultra-wide monitor
I’ve been using a Samsung 34-inch ultra-wide monitor, a major step-up from the normal 13-inch display on my laptop. The display sits higher, reducing neck strain. The image is also larger reducing eye strain. Many will opt for a dual-monitor set-up to multitask and you can split your windows on a single display to do the same. However the key reason to use a single monitor is to limit distractions and stay focused on one task at a time. Most new monitors will have additional USB ports, a headphone socket and sometimes wireless charging on the base. That means less clutter on the desktop. Look for these extra benefits when shopping around.
Give your hands the treatment they deserve
If you use a laptop condensed keyboard and touchpad all day, you’re going to be terrible at knitting when you retire. Save your hands and fingers with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. I use the Logitech MX Keys and Mouse which can both be recharged with a USB-C connection. This product is compatible with MacBooks and PCs and the keyboard has hot keys to quickly switch Bluetooth connections to your tablet, smartphone or second computer. You won’t need to leave the keyboard and pick up a device to respond to an SMS. The mouse features vertical and horizontal scrolling, which is perfect for spreadsheets, and also has customisable keys for other navigation options.
Be seen
Face-to-face conversations have been replaced by Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meets. How good is the image you project when online? A laptop webcam often is generally poor quality and angled to show participants your nostrils and developing second chin. Mounting a webcam above your desktop monitor is a must. Logitech and Microsoft make some of the best options and they work with PCs and Macs. They often have built-in microphones to better capture audio and come with software to ensure the best colour contrast and brightness.
Be heard
By being heard, I don’t mean ensuring you’re on or off “mute” at that next meeting. I mean being understood and communicating clearly. Many people use the earphones that come with their smartphone or their built-in computer speaker and microphone for communications. There are better solutions, such as this headset from Jabra. It’s been serving call centres well for decades and while you may look like the Thunderbirds with a boom arm microphone near your mouth, you’ll never need to repeat yourself again. It’s available with wired and Bluetooth options. This headset also handles multiple audio inputs. You’ll love being able to jump from a Skype call with your manager and onto a phone call from your children. With added background noise cancelling, you won’t be the culprit contributing background barking and car horns at your next meeting.
One hub to rule them all
Laptops today have less connections than ever. They are thinner and offer less connectivity around the edges. To resolve this, Belkin has USB hubs which take one USB-C connection on your laptop and allow you to connect two monitors, five USB devices, audio, Ethernet, power and more - all from one single connection. You can do more and have less cabling on your workspace.
Maintain a strong connection
The pandemic has certainly displayed how important a strong internet connection is. Whether it is for Netflix or a Friday Wine over Zoom, there is nothing worse than buffering or poor quality video and audio connections. While you should talk to your internet provider to ensure you have adequate bandwidth and data allowances to the home, you should ensure your computer can make the most of that connection. Nothing beats a direct cable connection to the modem, however in most homes, we rely on Wi-Fi. A mesh Wi-Fi network from brands like Netgear and Linksys will yield benefits for the entire household. Mesh networks use multiple small beacons placed around the home to deliver strong wireless signals and reliable performance from your internet provider.
Share your home office equipment tips in the comments below!
Geoff Quattromani is a tech commentator across radio, print, online and television. Check out his podcast “Technology Uncorked” for new information each week.
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