Rohan MathawanLife is riddled with challenges in 2020. The necessity to work from home is one of them, and many people are still struggling to adjust their routine to this new lockdown-stricken reality. It’s not particularly encouraging to hunch over your laptop in the morning, looping around the same closed-off experience every day. While these are the basics that get the job done, creativity inevitably suffers.
If you feel like the moment of burning out is nearing, it’s time to look into how you can add variety to your working process. The easiest way to do it is with the right tools. In 2020, numerous useful and plainly cool gadgets exist to help you not just power through your working day but also enjoy it.
#1 Nexstand K7 Foldable Laptop Stand
Switching from the office computer to a laptop can be painful—both literally and figuratively. Nexstand laptop stand can remedy the situation and remove a large portion of inconveniences that come with using a laptop rather than a desktop. This stand is light, foldable, and adjustable. You can use it both to improve the experience at your desk and to bring the makeshift office with you if you feel comfortable working elsewhere in your house.
#2 Google Nest Mini
Nest Mini is a compact smart speaker that you can control with your voice. The device plays music from Spotify, YouTube Music, Google Play Music, and many other services. You can also hook it up to your phone or laptop with Bluetooth. Overall, Google’s Nest Mini is a good solution for home use, as it’s incredibly easy to set up.
#3 iPad Pro with the LiDAR Scanner
The new iPad Pro includes absolutely incredible AR capabilities. The gadget’s LiDAR scanner, coupled with the new version of ARKit 3.5, delivers a truly impressive experience when it comes to augmented reality applications in your hand. Whether it is to unwind with some games or to take conference calls to the next level, iPad Pro is a powerful solution for AR functionality.
#4 Oculus Go
If AR is not enough for you, it’s a good idea to invest in a headset and gain the ability to enjoy fully virtual environments. Oculus Go is not the top headset on the market, but it presents the best quality for money, particularly for casual players at home and those who plan to use the hardware for other applications as well. For instance, apps and services like Connec2, running on Oculus Go, allow you to create a virtual office environment and interact with other people there when they join. It can be immensely beneficial to productivity when several team members are forced to work from home.
#5 Plantronics ML15 Wireless Bluetooth Headset
Holding a phone to your ear is annoying, but when you need to stay online and constantly in touch, the situation gets even worse. Plantronics headset can save you from getting entangled in wires every time you try to leave your desk. You wear this small earpiece once, hook it up to your device of choice, and the communications for the day are secured. It might seem redundant to wear a headset at home, but in reality, having your hands free is incredibly comfortable. With this gadget, you won’t need to worry about rushing back to fetch your phone as soon as you get up to make some coffee.
#6 Anker PowerConf Bluetooth Speakerphone
For those who prefer speakers to earpieces, Anker’s PowerConf is a perfect solution. The gadget is powered by six microphones, noise-canceling functionality, a 6,700mAh battery, and Bluetooth as well as USB connection options. PowerConf is also suitable for working in teams in coworking spaces and other office-like settings.
#7 Oneo Cleaning Gel
Taking care of your tech at home can get tedious, particularly when you use it four times as much. This cleaning gel and other similar products help you keep your keyboard, mouth, earphones, cords, and other pieces of hardware clean and functional. Due to its composition, the tool works better than a simple piece of cloth. It’s also reusable and environmentally friendly.
#8 CalDigit TS3 Plus Thunderbolt 3 Dock
If you have more than one machine that you need to work on, this Thunderbolt 3 dock will make your life significantly easier. This gadget allows you to connect all your peripherals to it and switch between computers without unplugging anything. It can be particularly handy for Mac users who need to actively interact with Windows/Linux machines and vice versa.
#9 Philips Hue Smart Lights
This gadget may not relate to boosting your work directly, but it certainly contributes to creating the right environment. Philips Hue helps you regulate the lighting in the room and adjust its intensity, warmth, and color. Forget about it being too dim or too bright to get some work done. With this gadget, you can take control over your inspiration and set the right tone for each project you have.