More and more
people are working away from the office or home office. And digital
nomads are everywhere. They're traveling and hammering their
keyboards in an airport or a hotel. Or, they're closer to home
at a coffee shop, a
coworking space, or a library.
 You
can lead that kind of roaming, working lifestyle and carry with you
just about everything you need to be productive. If you're a
seasoned digital nomad or an aspiring one, here are a few of the
things that you can use to make your portable computing easier and
more complete.
Note: In case you're wondering, this TechTip was written
over two days in one of my favorite coffee shops that offers
wireless, and at a local public library.
Laptops
The
laptop computer is the preferred tool of the digital
nomad. Back in the early 1990s, the average laptop had only a
fraction of the grunt of a
desktop computer. But not any more. Whether you're using a
MacBook, a laptop running Windows, or one powered by
 Linux,
you can do just about anything with a laptop that you can do with a
desktop.
Your choice of laptop is a personal one, but one that should be
informed by your needs. About half of the people that I know use a
MacBook, while the rest use Windows running on hardware from
Dell, Lenovo, or Sony. Those folks aren't all artists or graphic/Web
designers, either. Many are writers and software developers. You'd
be surprised at which ones use a MacBook …
When looking for a notebook, consider getting the most
RAM, the biggest
hard drive, and the best graphics adapter that you can afford.
And check out
this TechTip to learn what you should look for what buying a
laptop.
One option that's becoming popular with digital nomads who want to
travel really light is the
netbook. A netbook is a small laptop computer, usually weighing
two pounds or less. A popular one is the
Asus Eee PC. Besides being ultraportable, netbooks let you get
your essential work done quickly and easily. And they don't take up
a lot of space – you can use them anywhere.
 Wireless
Just about
every portable device out there has great wireless support. So, you
probably won't need a
wireless adapter. But what about detecting a wireless hotspot?
The software that comes with a laptop or a wifi-enabled device is
usually pretty good at doing the job. Sometimes, though, things get
missed. That's where a hotspot detector comes in. It's a little
gadget that fits in the palm of your hand which checks for the
existence of a signal and its strength. A couple of the more popular
devices are the
Digital Hotspotter from Canary Wireless and the TRENDnet
adapter with hotspot detector.
In the previous paragraph, I wrote that you probably won't need
a wireless adapter. But the geek in many a digital nomad likes
to be on the cutting edge. With wireless, that's
wireless-N. Wireless N is an enhancement to the
802.11 wireless standard that improves the rate at which data
flows through the network. While wireless N is still a draft (it's
expected to be released in 2010), several networking gear
manufacturers have put hardware on the market using the draft
specification. Three of the biggest of these names are
Linksys,
Belkin, and
D-Link.
There are a lot of wireless hotspots out there. Some of them are
free; many aren't. As you move around, chances are you're jumping
between hotspots. Using for-pay hotspots can quite expensive – $5 to
$10 an hour. And juggling several accounts with those hotspots is a
headache.
Boingo Wireless makes using multiple hotspots easy. With Boingo,
you have access to over 100,000 hotspots worldwide. You just log in
using your Boingo account and you're ready to go. The price isn't
too bad – $21.95 per month for use within North America. It's
definitely worth it if you're a frequent user of wireless.
 Bags
While working
on the road, you'll be carrying more than just a little gear with
you. A good
bag or case is essential. What makes a good bag or case? One
that will hold all of your gear, of course, while keeping it safe
and well organized. The average notebook case, though, just doesn't
cut it. You need something a little bigger and a lot more
versatile.
Like what? Most of the road warriors I know swear by a good
messenger bag. Among them are two favorites: the
ID from Tom Bihn and the Ogio
Hip Hop. Both are large enough to comfortably hold a laptop, a
few gadgets, some accessories, a water bottle, and a snack or two.
But they're not so bulky as to inconvenience you (or anyone else)
while moving through a crowded area or riding on public transit
during peak hours.
If you're a digital nomad who frequently flies, then you might want
to check out a laptop bag that's
approved by the TSA. Those are the kind that (theoretically,
anyway) don't require you to remove your laptop or anything else
from the bag while moving through an airport security checkpoint. To
be honest, neither I nor my digital nomad pals have any experience
with these bags. But
this article looks at eight of them.
Power
Laptop batteries, as we all know,
don't hold power forever. And they tend to run down at crucial
moments – like when you're in the middle of typing an important
email or saving that spreadsheet. On top of that, you never really
know if you're going to be near an electrical outlet to plug in.
Having worked in a few libraries, coffee shops, and airport
departure lounges, I can tell you that outlets are often at a
premium. Anyone who gets the outlet jealously guards it.
Carrying an extra laptop battery can be essential. It's a bit of an
inconvenience – one more item in your bag, and a little extra weight
– but well worth it when your main battery runs down.
 Other
Gear
Is there
anything else a digital nomad should consider carrying? Here are a
few things that I like to have with me whenever I'm working away
from home.
First off, a
wireless mouse. It's one less cord to deal with, which is a boon
at a cramped coffee shop table.
Also, I like to have at least two
USB flash drives with me at all times. One is for storage,
backup, and quickly passing files to someone else. The second one is
loaded with
PortableApps (an Open Source productivity suite).
Since I often spend time aboard public transit, an
MP3 player is a must. The music blocks out a lot of the noise,
and gives me a chance to rest my brain by listening to something
pleasant.
Finally, a
paper notebook and pen. Sometimes, you'll find that you can't
avoid going the analog route. This is especially true if you need to
jot down a note or a phone number and your notebook computer is
packed tightly in its case.
Have anything
to add? Feel free to leave a comment below. |
