My obsession with portable solar energy continues — in the past I’ve written about Suntrica’s portable chargers, Reware’s Juice Bags and Noon Solar’s range of bags. Suntrica’s chargers, though difficult to purchase outside Finland, currently offer the most elegant and practical solution for cheap, mobile and clean solar energy.
Interestingly, a unique field test of mobile solar power is taking place in a handful of African nations, where electrical power is often unreliable: AfriGadget’s Flexible Light And Power (FLAP) initiative. Read the rest of this entry »
We like stuff, it’s fair to say, and I only just said so earlier today, in fact. But like having multiple applications running at the same time, having lots of gadgets close at hand will unavoidably split your focus — which is a bad thing if you’re trying to do more singletasking like me, and less driving yourself insane doing 50 things at once.
So as part of my new program of simplification, I’m re-evaluating what kind of kit I roll with on a regular basis. My weapon of choice used to be a large, multi-pocket bag (or two) with ample room for my computer, camera, and countless other attendant knickknacks including portable hard drives, USB keys, and most recently, a small secondary screen for auxiliary tasks like monitoring Twitter or my IM client. Read the rest of this entry »
I’ve really enjoyed reading the “What’s In Your Bag?” posts here on WWD. I have my fair share of electronics in my bag, but I also carry around some useful non-electronic items. Today I had a moment where a handy new non-electronic item made it into my bag: the Tide to Go Instant Stain Remover Pen, which should help ensure that I always looking my best for those tricky first client meetings.
This pen is one of those “as seen on TV” type of items that I would never purchase myself, because they “never work.” Tuns out I was wrong, very wrong. A few years ago my mom gave me one. It got thrown into my junk draw and hadn’t been seen since, until today. Read the rest of this entry »
I don’t travel much, mostly just going to Fort Worth, Texas, about an hour away and where I was born and bred, to visit family. If I stay overnight, I pack up my work. When I manage to get out of the Fort Worth area, I tend to end up in Austin. It’s a popular place for conferences. Though I carry more gear for these trips, I try to pack as lightly as possible.
Read the rest of this entry »
I’m always taking advantage of the mobility that web work allows. Once a week, I spend a night or two with relatives in another city. Also, when I travel, I prefer to stay in my destination for more than a week. But whether I’ll be away for a night or two weeks, I find that the things I bring with me are predictable and consistent.
The Bag
I use an ordinary backpack that I found in a sale bin. It’s well-padded and it’s also the most comfortable backpack I’ve ever had. It has a lot of secret compartments in which I hide valuables.
My backpack is important because I live by a “one bag” rule: If it doesn’t fit in my bag, I don’t bring it. My friends always laugh at me for having the lightest luggage, but I’m not the one who gets slowed down because of the weight I’m carrying. To paraphrase something I once read, “You’ll find that you can take anything with you. The joke is that you have to carry it yourself.” Read the rest of this entry »
Web Work 101: How To Escape The Cubicle
