If you’re like most people, you probably have a love-hate relationship with your smartphone. It’s great for helping you stay in touch with friends and family, but it also becomes a huge time-suck because of all the apps, games and social media.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from years of being a professional organizer, though, it’s that your technology has the power to make you more productive, not less. In fact, there are several apps and gadgets that can help you become more efficient and effective in both your personal and professional life.
Here are the top 10 tech gadgets that will help increase your productivity at work or at home:
Working from home can be a challenge for many people. Whether you’re trying to keep your productivity up or juggle work with personal commitments, you’ll need the right tools to get you through the day and make sure that everything gets done on time.
From simple note-taking apps to in-depth task management software, there are loads of ways for you to boost your productivity and make every minute count. Below, we’ve pulled together ten of our favorite tech gadgets and software packages that will help you to improve your workflow.
1. Apple MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (13-inch, Mid 2018)
2. Microsoft Surface Pro 6
3. Acer Swift 7 (2019)
4. Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
5. Dell XPS 13 (2019)
6. Apple iPhone XS Max
7. Google Pixel 3 XL
8. Microsoft Windows 10 Pro
9. Amazon Alexa app for iOS and Android
10. HP Sprocket Portable Photo Printer
The right tech can make any task easier, but with the endless options out there, it can be difficult to determine which devices are truly worth your money. Here are 10 that’ll help you work smarter, not harder.
1. Personal Hotspot
Tethering is a great way to get internet access on the go. Many cell phone providers offer hotspots for as little as $15/month, or you can purchase a pocket-sized mobile hotspot for around $50 and get unlimited access for less than $5/month. Whether you’re at the airport or in a coffee shop, you’ll always be able to connect to the internet and get things done.
2. External Hard Drive
External hard drives are a quick, easy way to back up your data. They’re portable so you can take them with you when traveling and plug them into any computer with a USB port in case of an emergency. Look for one that’s USB 3.0 compatible so it will transfer files quickly. Make sure to encrypt it if it will be holding sensitive information.
3. Ergonomic Keyboard
If you’re spending long hours at your computer typing away, consider investing in an ergonomic keyboard like Microsoft Natural 4000 ($80). It’s designed with your hands
1. The Cafflano Klassic
The Cafflano Klassic is a manual coffee grinder, bean roaster and French press in one gadget. It’s perfect for the coffee lover who prefers to grind their own beans and make coffee on the go. You can use it while you’re camping, hiking or at work. If you’ve ever been stuck in an office where the coffee maker was broken, you’ll understand how this device can save your day.
2. The Belkin Thunderbolt 2 Express Dock HD
If you have a MacBook Pro or Air, the Belkin Thunderbolt 2 Express Dock HD is just what you need to stay productive when traveling. This device lets you connect two 4K displays to your Macbook and you can also charge your MacBook, connect external drives and plug in other accessories through its ports.
3. The Oco HD Home Security Camera
The Oco HD Home Security Camera is a simple Wi-Fi security camera that will allow you to keep an eye on your home, no matter where you are. It records 720p high definition video with a 140 degree wide angle lens so that it captures all the action happening in your house. You can view live feeds from anywhere using the
1. The Amazon Echo
I have the original Amazon Echo, which I use for everything from playing music to controlling my smart lights. You can also use it to add things to your shopping list or make lists for anything you need to remember. It’s really convenient and allows me to stay organized without having to write things down.
2. Anymeeting Web Conferencing
This is the tool that we use for our weekly team meetings and it allows me to schedule a meeting in minutes and invite anyone by sending them a link. I can share my screen with whoever I’m meeting with and even allow them to take control of my screen if necessary. I can also record the meeting if I want, which is great for training purposes or if someone needs to view it later.
3. Evernote
Evernote is another app that I use daily, although not as much as I did in the past. Evernote is great for jotting down notes, recording audio notes, creating checklists and storing web pages that you want to read later on your computer or phone. It’s a great way to keep all of your ideas organized in one place, which makes it super easy when you need to find something later on.
1.Microsoft Surface Book 2
The MacBook Pro 15-inch isn’t the only one who can run a powerful laptop, tablet and a portable studio. The Microsoft Surface Book 2 is an amazing device that takes what we loved about the original Surface Book, and made it bigger and better. With its 360-degree hinge, you can use this as a laptop, a tablet or even sketch graphics on it with the Surface Pen. It runs the latest Intel Core processors, including Intel’s eighth generation Quad-Core processor. This allows you to do all sorts of heavy lifting like video editing or other intensive tasks without any issues.
Its battery life is also incredible at up to 17 hours of battery life, which according to Microsoft is “the longest battery life ever in a laptop”. Furthermore, if you need to charge your phone or other devices fast, it has USB Type-C ports for charging and data transfer up to 5Gbps.
If you’re looking for the best in terms of hardware performance and have deep pockets, look no further than the Surface Book 2.