Wireless Wednesday for 6/12/13: With Mitch Evans - Home Office Tech

Today we talk telecommuting  or working from home and setting up, and the tech for your home office and of course the app of the week.

More and more Americans are working from home. Some studies say workers that work out of the home are more productive.  Let's look at some technology to make working at home more efficient.

1.  Find a good clock/time app  along with a calendar app
"Time +" app
 
Understand the time of the day when you work optimally. For some it could be late nights too.
    Set up a daily start time and (more importantly) a daily stop time. Routines will help with discipline and productive use of time.
    Track time with apps


2.  Daily To Do list  -  Workflows

Worried about being distracted working from home? It creeps in unobtrusively because we telecommuters think that we have all the time in the world. If I don’t do it in the morning, I can always snatch an hour for it in the evening…and there you go and blow the time schedules you had set. The answer lies in writing and maintaining daily to-dos. Getting things done in the right time is the yardstick for productivity.
Work flow software:
 
Idea Bucket. This app lets me weigh ideas using real data, so the look and feel may be more clinical, but sometimes that’s just what I need looking at options for a new product or entrepreneurial pursuit.
 


3.    How Design Your Workspace  - The Standing Desk

Becoming more and more popular
Your workspace is your sanctuary for all the 10-12 hours you plan to spend there. A neat and well-organized workspace adds to your productivity. Don’t believe me – try it out. A workplace is not only about ergonomic comforts. It is also a lot about creating the right kind of mood for the work you do.
Consider a standing desk. A good idea not only for health benefits of standing while working, but also for focus.
 


4.     Wireless Speaker for Music and Conference calls

Use the right kind of sounds and music to drown out the noise and stay focused.
Jawbone Jambox - also serves as a speakerphone for conference calls
and
Kakkoii  Wow speaker - great sound - take it anywhere
 


5.   Dual and Triple Monitor set up

Getting more and more common
Duplicate your displays. This displays the same desktop on both monitors. For a laptop, this is the default setting. This is useful if you're giving a presentation with your laptop connected to a projector or large monitor.
 
Extend your displays. This spreads your desktop over both monitors and lets you drag items between the two screens. This is how most people use two monitors, and it's the default setting for desktop computers. After your monitor is set up, you can use your mouse to grab the title bar (the top portion) of a window and drag it to your new display. If a window does not move when you drag it, double-click the title bar first, and then drag it.
 
Most desktops are allowing for multiple monitor set ups now


6.  Webcams

Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920 ($100)

If you work from home and use video to stay in touch with colleagues and attend meetings, or if you just use it to stay in touch with friends and family around the world, the Logitech C920 HD webcam offers stunning video quality—including Skype and other video calling (when supported) in 1080p, autofocus, sensitive dual stereo microphones, and full HD video recording if you produce video from your computer. The C920 clips to your monitor easily, but if you need portability, the webcam even has a standard screw attachment on the bottom to fit a tripod so you can position it anywhere you need it. If you need to take still images, the C920 will snag up to 15 megapixel still images. Plus, Logitech's cameras are compatible with almost any operating system, including Windows, OS X, and Linux.


App of the week:  
Line 2  -  Free for the iPad   - Great for the Home Office

Line 2 brings carrier-grade calling and texting to your iPad by giving you a second line (hence, the name!) with a real number. Whether for a business or organization, as a landline replacement, or simply to keep your cell phone number private, Line2 is a solid choice for professionals and people who don't want to miss important calls.
Line2 works over both Wi-Fi and 3G, and can switch between both networks during calls. Because of its fluency with Wi-Fi, Line2 lets you make iPhone calls where there is little or no AT&T coverage. The app also lets you dismiss incoming cellular calls whenever you're on a Wi-Fi call in Line2. When a call comes in, you get a choice: you can forward it to another number, send it to voice mail, or answer it with a tap.