I’m one of those fanatics who goes out before dawn on the day after Thanksgiving, to wait in line for the doors of my favorite stores to open so I can snap up the best deals before they are gone. It sounds really crazy, until you see my receipts and calculate how much money I’m saving for my effort.

And I’m not just saving money on gifts. My first stop is usually an office supply store, because Black Friday can also be a great day to buy web worker gear for bargain prices. Here’s a look at what you might find in stores for your business needs this year.

Of course, when we think web work tools, most of us probably think computers first. But despite the ubiquitous ads for computer sales on Black Friday, a computer may actually be the most difficult tool to find a good deal on. Web workers need computing power, and most Black Friday sale computers at the major chain stores are vastly underpowered so they can be advertised for cheap prices. Unless you are looking for a basic netbook to make travel more convenient, I recommend going directly to the sites of computer manufacturers like Dell  to shop their sales on more powerful machines suitable for work.

Unfortunately if you are shopping for a Mac, even on Black Friday there won’t be much of a deal to be had. Apple typically runs a small sale with discounts of around 10 percent. (The supposedly leaked ad that has been circulating online showing much bigger discounts from Apple on Black Friday this year is widely believed to be a fake). Other than that, a few retailers usually get creative and offer bonuses as a way of creating “sales” on Apple machines. Best Buy will be offering a $150 gift card with the purchase of a 13” MacBook for $999 on Black Friday this year, for instance.

If you are in need of computer peripherals, however, get your credit card ready to do some work! The sales on some of these items can save a web worker a lot of money on very necessary items.

(Please note that there are no OfficeMax deals in this article because that retailer has issued legal threats against all sites that published details of its Black Friday ads early, so that store’s information is not available for comparison in articles such as this one.)

Some of these deals will be available online starting on Thanksgiving Day, but not all of these items can be purchased online, so you’ll need to carefully check the ad for any item you select. Almost all Black Friday items are “limited quantity, no raincheck” sales, so you’ll want to prioritize your shopping and get out there (or log on) early.

External Storage: Portable and desktop hard drives are great deals on Black Friday. For desktop storage, 1TB and 1.5TB drives will be on sale at virtually all of the office and department chains for bargain prices. Portable drives can also be had for well under $100 for 500GB. WWD Pick: 1.5TB Western Digital My Book Home Edition desktop drive for $119.99 at Best Buy, or the 500GB Western Digital My Passport Essential portable drive for $69.99, a doorbuster at Staples.

Monitors: Black Friday is a great time to pick up a cheap monitor. Like with the computers being advertised, the advertised low prices often mean less-than-stellar performance, so shop carefully. WWD Pick: Dell 20” widescreen for $99 at Best Buy (regularly $159.99).

Flash Memory: Flash memory in the form of cards or USB drives is often sold at deep discounts as Black Friday doorbusters (items with extremely limited quantities and no rainchecks given) to get people to come out to a store and shop for more expensive items while they are there. Because of this, it can be one of the best deals of the whole shopping weekend. I stock up on SD cards at insane prices every year on Black Friday. WWD Pick: USB drive, CF, microSD, and SD card selection on sale at Staples. (Get there early — I can tell you from experience that they go fast!)

Digital Media: If you use CD/DVD media, Black Friday is the time to head to an office supply store to stock up. Both the media and cases for them will be on major sales at all the office supply chains. WWD Pick: Staples 100pk CD-R for $4.98 (doorbuster price) or Staples CD/DVD Jewel Cases 50pk for $4.99, both at Staples.

Keyboards/Mice: These computer accessories can be had for deep discounts on Black Friday. Going for the slightly higher-priced ones will get you a huge step up in quality, however. WWD Pick: Microsoft 4000 Wireless Laser Keyboard/Mouse Set for $29.99 doorbuster price at Staples (regularly $79.99).

Printers: If you need a printer but don’t need the latest and greatest high-end model, Black Friday is the time to get it. Older printer models are offered on deep discounts to holiday shoppers to secure their future business as ink cartridge customers. Depending on whether you want wireless, laser or inkjet, and intend to print photos or not, there are a variety of options available. But check prices versus online vendors such as Amazon, because not all the advertised prices are actually deals. WWD Pick: HP OfficeJet Pro 8500 for $149.98 at Staples and Office Depot (regularly $299.99).

Routers: Whether you are looking for a portable router to pack on the road for setting up impromptu networks, or an upgrade to your home office network, Staples is the place to head on Black Friday for solid router choices with good discounts. WWD Picks: Netgear WNR1000 RangeMax 150 Wireless Router for $34.99 (portable) and Linksys Dual Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router for $89.99 (office), both at Staples.

Battery Back-up: There’s nothing more annoying than having a power blink reboot your computer unexpectedly. Battery back-up units are some of the biggest Black Friday bargains, available for over 50 percent off at multiple stores. WWD Pick: APC 550VA Battery Backup Unit for $24.99 at Office Depot (regularly $59.99).

Shredders: A wide variety of these are on sale at office supply stores, but be sure to check the features. The biggest difference is in how long they can run before they need to cool off (for as long as an hour in some cases). Most sale models are good for only light home office shredding, typically under two minutes at a time. WWD Pick: Omnitech 15 sheet Cross-Cut Shredder for the $39.99 doorbuster price at Staples (regularly $129.99).

Labelers: If you have made a resolution to get organized, Black Friday is the time to pick up a basic electronic labeler for your office. I use my Brother PT-1290 for file folders, plastic storage containers and power cords. Brother sells that basic unit at 75 percent off on Black Friday to get new users captured as a market for the expensive labeler cartridges. WWD Pick: Brother PT-1290 for $9.99 at Office Depot & Staples (regularly $39.99).

Office Furniture: A few basic office furniture items are on sale, but desk chairs are an especially popular sale item at the office supply chains on Black Friday. 50 percent off is not an uncommon discount. You can pick up a low quality chair extremely cheaply, or get an affordable price on a high quality one. WWD Pick: Realspace Harrington High-back Bonded Leather Chair, $99.99 at Office Depot (regularly $199.99).

Phones: DECT 6.0 phones are great for avoiding interference with wireless routers in home offices and for adding extensions where there aren’t installed lines. Lots of options are available on Black Friday depending on whether you need an answering machine and how many extensions you need. WWD Pick: Panasonic KX-TG9333T DECT 6.0 Expandable Cordless Phone with Answering System for $49.99 at Staples (regularly $89.99).

Will you be deal hunting on Black Friday? What will you be looking for a deal on?

Here in the UK, we use very bulky three-pin earthed electric plugs for our 240V AC system. In normal domestic use, these plugs are satisfyingly chunky and solid, but if you need to go on the road, not only do they take up a much larger amount of space in your bag than European or U.S. plugs (particularly if you have more than one), if not well packed they can end up damaging your precious gadgets.

So when I saw this video of a concept design for an innovative folding three-pin plug, I was astounded. Not only does the clever folding design save space in your bag and keep the pins from damaging your electronics, the folded plug can then be used to save space in multi-outlet wall adapters. I really hope that it can pass the various safety checks and makes it into production — I would happily pay a premium for it.

(via Unclutterer)

Have you seen a genius bit of product design like this lately? Let us know!

Over at jkOntheRun, Kevin has published an excellent post called “7 Rules of the Road for Maximum Mobile Bliss.” In it, he shares some maxims for getting the most out of your gadgets while on the road. His “mobile mantras” include:

• Always buy a second battery for your main device
• Carry a toolkit for drive restores
• Have a backup plan for wireless connectivity
• When not in use, turn off the juice
• Invest in a useful web-based data storage and synchronization service (or provide your own)
• Consider using the “lightest” tool for the task at hand
• Tote a headset

Most web workers are on the road for at least some of the time, so go check out Kevin’s post and make sure you maximize your mobile productivity.

Share your tips for getting the most from your gadgets on the go below.

I was lucky enough to get my grubby mitts on a Wacom Bamboo Touch tablet recently, one of the newly-released models from the popular input device maker that supports multitouch finger input. It’s the basic model that only supports touch, which is ideal for me, because I already have a Cintiq and don’t need the pen tablet functions.

The Bamboo Touch is an interesting product for me because it brings the multitouch gestures  that I’ve become so used to on my MacBook Pro to my desktop Mac and PC (though not all of them, more on that later). I wondered how, as a user interface device, such a thing could stack up against a traditional mouse, or whether it would just add another dimension of input instead of replacing my existing pointing device.

Look and Feel

Right away, I noticed that the Bamboo Touch (and the related products in the Bamboo line) was a fantastic looking addition to my gadget arsenal. It’s a simple, black tablet, with little in the way of bells and whistles. It has a matte finish, except for the piano key gloss on the express key buttons and the bar on the left edge with the “Bamboo” moniker printed across it. A single glowing white light lets you know it’s on, and flashes slightly when input is detected.

The Touch model takes up little space on my desk, approximately being about 8″ by 5″. I’d say it occupies approximately the same amount of space as the area I normally use with my traditional mouse. The way I have my desk set up, I can still use a mouse and the tablet concurrently, and my keyboard, while still not having things feel cramped.

The surface is smooth, but not overly slippery. It feels like a good laptop trackpad, which is ideal considering the Bamboo’s usage in my workspace setup.

Buttons and Gestures

ExpressKeys, despite there being only four, are a godsend on this device. My Cintiq has 10 versus the four found on the Bamboo Touch, but honestly, I only ever use four on the larger pen display anyway, so I think Wacom’s right to aim for simplicity with its more consumer-oriented devices. You’ll need to assign one Key as single click, which I’ll explain later, but the others can be configured according to your needs (I have back/forward for the middle keys, and Exposé All Windows for the bottom).

The Bamboo’s Mutli-touch features will be familiar to you if you’ve ever used a recent generation Mac or an iPhone before. It uses two-finger gestures only, not the three- and four-finger gestures available on the most recent Macs, but that’s probably enough for most users.

A single finger controls your pointer, and left clicks. Tap two fingers for a double click, and drag two fingers for scrolling, both vertical and horizontal. You can also flip through files or pictures by moving two fingers left and right. Pinching your fingers will zoom, and rotating them will rotate images and documents on your computer, if the software you’re using supports the feature.

What I Like

I like the seamless transition from my laptop to my desktop the Bamboo Touch provides. There’s never that brief adjustment period that occurs when I’ve been using either a trackpad or a mouse exclusively for an extended period of time. That said, I’m not sure it actually offers a better user experience than a mouse with a desktop, just a different one that I’ve no grown used to. I know my girlfriend, who only uses a laptop most of the time, says she still prefers the mouse with the iMac over the Bamboo.

Regardless, multitouch is terrifically intuitive, and when you’re used to both an iPhone and a MacBook Pro, it can be frustrating at times not to have those features at hand on a desktop. Especially for scrolling-intensive tasks or while working with Photoshop or iPhoto, the Bamboo Touch is my preferred interface device. It’s even incredibly useful when you’re trying to browser and/or organize your files using Finder in OS X or Explorer in Windows.

What I Don’t Like

As mentioned above, one of your ExpressKeys must be assigned to single click if you don’t plan on using a mouse with the Bamboo Touch. That’s because otherwise, it’s very difficult to click and drag, or to make text selections. There’s an “Add Touch to the Left” feature where you click with your thumb while your pointer finger is already touch to select or drag, but as of yet, it doesn’t feel natural to me.

I’m also concerned about the ergonomics of the device and the long-term impact of using it as a mouse replacement. Without a suitable wrist rest, it seems like it could potentially lead to some kind of RSI pain. That’s a completely uneducated opinion, but rational or not, it is a fear I have.

Conclusion

For the time being, I’m continuing to use my Bamboo Touch as a total mouse replacement. I like the option of using multitouch, and for now, I welcome the novel feeling as compared to standard mouse work. I have a sneaking suspicion that for 80 percent of my work-related tasks, a mouse is more efficient, but even if I do go back to my old ways, I’ll still keep the Bamboo Touch on hand for organizing my media libraries or working with Photoshop, which are both things it does fantastically well.

Have you tried a touch tablet as a mouse replacement? How did it go?

Some of the biggest hardware efficiency boosts we can get are either completely free, or nearly so. Sure, a maxed-out new laptop would be great to have, but these are tough times. If you spend a little time with the hardware you have or pick up some very inexpensive peripherals, you can immediately start working smarter. In this post, you’ll find five hardware devices and tweaks that you can put to work with good results almost immediately.

Optimize Your USB Flash Drive. Many people own USB flash drives that they got as gifts or were passed on from someone else, and high-capacity versions have become very cheap. Even on drives with relatively low capacity, you can put entire suites of freeware and open-source applications on your flash drive, keep it in your pocket, and have useful applications to use no matter where you are, even if you need to work on someone else’s computer. PortableApps is my favorite site for downloading a suite of Windows apps optimized for a flash drive, while MacLibre is a good equivalent for people on Macs.

Next-Gen Note Taking. Recently, I’ve been using the Livescribe Pulse smartpen (shown above), which you can get for $149 to $199, for capturing digital notes. It’s a writing instrument, but it has a computer and camera onboard. As you jot down notes on special paper (it has millions of dots embedded in it), every move you make is digitally captured so that you can take handwritten notes right into software applications. What makes it better than other similar digital pens is that it also records audio, and creates a time line so that you can jump to various parts of a recording and review anything you were taking notes on at that point. Highly recommended.

Better Battery Life. Low battery life remains a chief complaint among users of portable computers, but there are a number of simple steps you can take to radically improve it. In this post, you’ll find nine tips that can make a big difference. Also, this post illustrates how much juice the display on your portable computer consumes, which is an incredible amount. One of the quickest and easiest ways to get much more battery life is simply to turn your brightness down.

The Lowly Mouse. In my post, “Nine Ways to Make Your Mouse Roar,” I made the point that many of us spend more time sitting with a computer and a mouse than we do with any person. The post details a number of ways to get more out of your mouse (not many people read mouse documentation), including using a scroll wheel directly within productivity applications, scrolling horizontally, and speed scrolling without using the scroll wheel.

Get More From Wi-Fi. Many of us rely on Wi-Fi all day long, but I am constantly surprised by how many people there are who don’t optimize their Wi-Fi setups. As just one example, a couple of years ago, I wrote this post, recommending using access points around a home, and many commenters responded that they use a router only for home Wi-Fi, and haven’t considered access points. That’s fine in some homes, but in others, especially larger ones, an under-$50 access point can provide huge performance and range benefits. Check out more tips on inexpensive Wi-Fi hardware upgrades here.

Share your hardware tips in the comments.

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.

FLAP is a collaboration between San Francisco’s iconic messenger bag company, Timbuk2, the Pop!Tech conference, and Portable Light. Timbuk2 has modified one of its standard messenger bags with a removable flap that contains a photovoltaic solar panel connected to an LED light and a USB power outlet, which can be used for charging portable electronics such as phones and MP3 players.

AfriGadget’s founder, Erik Hersman, has been traveling through communities in Ghana, Kenya and Uganda, assessing the usability, usefulness and adaptability of FLAP for everyday use. So far it seems the solar-charged light is the key feature, with the bag’s built-in USB charging being less crucial. However, given the crucial cultural role that mobile communication is playing in countries such as Kenya and Uganda, I’d be surprised if this feature doesn’t become more popular.

Interestingly, Timbuk2 plan to offer the solar flap as part of their own range of accessories — bringing technology tested and evaluated in the developing world to its geek-dense customer base in the developed world.

With the popularity and utility of Timbuk2 bags among web workers, combined with the emerging interest in solar power, this seems like a great collaboration. I hope some benefit will accrue to those developing nations’ communities, and not simply to more affluent buyers elsewhere.

Would you buy a bag with a solar charger or solar accessories?

Recently, Nancy Nally suggested that the newer members of the WWD team should share the gear that they take with them when they’re out on the road.

I carry my gear in a Timbuk2 Laptop Messenger Bag. The Washington, DC/Northern Virginia area can seem a little sterile, so I wanted a distinctive and durable bag to haul my gear. While I am seeing more folks sporting Timbuk2 bags out and about, they are still outnumbered by those carrying the typical dull employer- or client-issue laptop bags.

Inside my bag, you’ll find:

• 15″ MacBook Pro running OS X, Windows 7 RC1 (soon to be upgraded to Windows 7 RTM), and Windows XP. The Windows 7 RC1 virtual machine is just for tinkering at this point. On the Windows XP virtual machine, I am running Microsoft Visio Professional 2007 and Project Standard 2007. Mozy is always there for backup when I am online. Depending on the project I’m working on at the time, my MacBook Pro might stay home in lieu of a client’s standard notebook PC that is on loan to me.
• 80 GB iPod that is a couple of years old because I like to work to music or podcasts. My newer 120 GB iPod serves up tunes for my gym workouts.
• Bose ear buds.
• Charger for my iPod.
• Ethernet cable for those times Mr. Murphy prevents me from finding WiFi.
• XtremeMac microphone for my iPod to record meetings as needed.
• BlackBerry 8820: this goes with me everywhere. The phone is due for an upgrade this fall. My plan is to go for one of the newer Android phones or (gulp) an iPhone.
• Charger for my BlackBerry.
• Plantronics Virtual Phone Booth for Skype and Gizmo5 calls.
• A leather folio with an old school yellow legal pad. True, this is not a lightweight addition to my load but they’re typical in many of the meetings I attend on client sites in my local area. The legal pad and folio stay at home if I am going on a long trip. While I am a big Evernote and OneNote user, I still like to take handwritten notes and draw diagrams and charts during meetings and then transcribe them later. One of these days, I will get better at taking notes on my laptop during client meetings.
• Moleskine notebook for capturing WWD post and other article ideas.
• Pocket change in case I am on a client site and need a caffeine fix.
• Pens because there is nothing more embarrassing than a technical writer without a pen.
• 4GB thumb drive that includes PortableApps and MojoPac.

My Other Gear

While many of the WebWorkerDaily crew pack along a camera, mine only comes along on special occasions and isn’t part of my regular kit.  I also don’t use a mouse when I am using a laptop.

My D-Link DWL-G730AP AirPlus G Wireless Pocket Router/Access Point jumps into my bag when I know I am going to be spending time in a hotel that has only wired broadband in its rooms.

How I Roll

My technical writing career has been a mix of onsite and offsite work with periods of intermittent travel. This means I try to stay flexible with the gear I carry including swapping out my MacBook Pro for my MacBook Air and messenger bag for a backpack for my (now rare) long trips.

What’s in your bag?

Over the past year, I’ve made an effort to cut down all the gear I  carry in my bag on a regular basis. If I was headed somewhere to work, like the local coffee house, I had a whole backpack of gear that I felt was absolutely necessary. I began to realize that the majority of it was staying in the bag, and figured I had better rethink just what I needed with me on a daily basis. I’m actually pretty pleased with the results: I’ve found that I can get away with a pretty light load and still do my work.

The Bare Bones

I’ve gotten out of the habit of taking my laptop with me wherever I go since I got my iPhone last year. In part, that’s because I can do a surprising amount of my work on that little screen — I’ve written entire blog posts on it, and even can publish them to my blogs pretty easily, although the difficulty in adding pictures usually leads me to save the finishing touches for when I get back to a computer. I also use the camera on my iPhone for basic photography.

A Flip Ultra Camcorder handles all my video needs. I’ve been tempted to upgrade to an HD version several times, but so far video isn’t the biggest part of the work I do, so I stick to the cheaper model.

Despite entirely loving all the technology that makes my work much easier, I also keep paper and pen with me at all times. The notebook is a Moleskine cashiers journal. I like being able to take written notes. My pen is a Cross fountain pen. I prefer fountain pens over ball-points, especially if I’m writing anything longer than a quick note.

I always have a glasses wipe on me, which tends to get used on my iPhone, computer monitor and anything else that happens to be sitting around on a regular basis. I also keep a business card case on me, whether or not I’m headed to an event where I expect to trade cards. You never know who will sit down next to you.

The Bigger Bag

I don’t always rely on the absolute basics, though. I’ve got a MacBook Pro with a couple of years on it. About this point, you might be coming to the conclusion that I have a preference for Mac products. It’s a direct result of this laptop. I went through two cheap laptops in two years and decided I needed something that would hold together (and that I would have a reason to look after).

I also pack my SLR camera on a regular basis — it’s a Canon Rebel XTi. Not the newest camera, but it takes great quality pictures.

Lastly, I’ve got a whole box full of chargers, card readers, adapters and other necessary items for working on the web. I may be the only web worker who always packs stamps and notecards, though. However, the ability to drop a card in the mail from anywhere has saved me from forgetting birthdays and other embarrassing situations.

All of this goes into the same backpack I’ve been carrying since high school, though it’s probably reached the point where I should consider replacing it.

What’s in your bag?

Most of the time, I’m hauling a bag for one of two reasons. Either I’m around town and taking my computer with me to get some work done, or I’m traveling to conferences and events, something I do a couple of times a year.

Around town I carry more basic kit, of course: usually, just my computer, power cord and surge protector. But when I’m traveling, the kit gets more complicated.

The Bags

Yes, bags is plural. For flying, I use a Kata Digital Rucksack. It holds all my digital gear and still fits under the seat of a 757 for security and easy access. Once on-site, I use a rolling bag. (When flying, the backpack is my “laptop bag” and the rolling bag is my “carry on” item.) My current roller is a Targus, and will be until I find the budget for the Jill-E bag I covet. For day trips, I have a Timbuk2 Hacker bag, a vertical messenger bag that also has tuck-away backpack straps.

The Basics

The two devices that I take on the road are my 13” white MacBook and my 8GB iPhone 3G. I have to agree with Imran; I have also questioned my laptop choice. I was torn between the MacBook and the MacBook Air when I bought my laptop. Several times since when I’ve been toting the MacBook I’ve wondered if I should have chosen the MacBook Air instead. The iPhone has proven itself an invaluable purchase that I’ve never questioned.

The Gadgets

My bag ends up stuffed with all sorts of peripherals and extra gadgets. The line-up changes but a few are constants.

• Surge Protector. I use a three-outlet portable surge protector by Belkin that also has USB outlets on it.
• Portable Hard Drive. Especially if I’m taking a lot of pictures, I like to back up new files while traveling.
• Ear Buds. Sometimes, I just want to plug in my iPhone and tune out while traveling.
• Battery Pack. My iPhone battery pack by Kensington doesn’t get used often, but when it does, it is a lifesaver.
• Ethernet Cable. Sometimes you get better access by plugging in (and sometimes, it’s the only kind of access available). Even in places that provide cables, I’ve encountered broken ones.

Other items (not pictured) include charging and power cables for my gadgets.

The Camera

Traveling with a dSLR really increases the amount of gear that I have to carry, as Simon described in his gear bag. My basic camera kit for traveling includes my Canon Digital Rebel XS with 18-55mm lens. Then there’s the battery charger, my SD card reader, a Spudz microfiber cloth and Nikon lens pen, and a Tamrac wallet containing extra SD cards and my back-up battery. Sometimes I’ll also carry my 75-300mm or 50mm lens.

My camera equipment is either carried in my Kata Digital Rucksack, a Tamrac Adventure Messenger 4, or in a Tamrac Aero Zoom 25, inside another bag. (Yes, bags is plural again.)

The Non-Gadgets

There are a few non-gadget necessities in my traveling bag when I’m on the road:

• Business Cards. Full-sized and mini Moo cards so I can make new friends and update old ones.
• Moleskine and Pen. Sometimes nothing can replace pen and paper for scribbling quick notes. Yes, that flowery thing in the middle is really a Moleskine Cahier. I own a scrapbooking web site, so I decorated it.
• Zip-Away Tote. It seems that I can’t go to an event without coming home with more than I started with. Hauling catalogs and swag is easy with my Timbuk2 Hidden Tote.

I’m on a never-ending quest for the perfect bag. What’s your road gear quest?

]]> http://webworkerdaily.com/2009/08/07/whats-in-your-bag-nancy-nally/feed/ 6 Nancy Nally Nancys-Bags Nancys-Basics Nancys-Gadgets Nancys-Camera Nancys-NonGadgets http://webworkerdaily.com/2009/07/27/budget-tips-everything-old-is-new-again/ http://webworkerdaily.com/2009/07/27/budget-tips-everything-old-is-new-again/#comments Mon, 27 Jul 2009 14:00:39 +0000 Darrell Etherington http://webworkerdaily.com/?p=16519 ]]>

I don’t know about you, but one of the hardest things for me about navigating these tough economic times is keeping my gadget spending in check. I have a problem, or more accurately, many problems, and they are all shiny, new and electronic. It’d be nice to say that I have enough willpower to forgo these things when the budget isn’t there, but that’s not at all true. I still have to scratch that itch, so I’ve come up with some ways to do so on the cheap.

Closet Excavation

It may not be quite as satisfying as unboxing something brand-new, or buying a big ticket item at retail, but digging around in your closet for old, nearly forgotten hardware and gadgets can actually be pretty satisfying. Especially if you haven’t looked at them in many years, since you’ll often be surprised with what recent software updates or new peripherals can help you do with older devices.

For instance, I recently reclaimed an old Palm T|X that was languishing unused in my brother’s bedside drawer. I’d passed the device onto him when I picked up the first iPod Touch, but he’d stopped using it long ago when he got his first iPhone.

Paired with a Bluetooth keyboard, it’s still a great solution for quick document writing and editing on the road, and it actually has the added benefit of preventing distraction. I’d almost compare the experience to working with a typewriter, whereas any computer is more like working with a typewriter in a movie theater while a movie’s playing with a jukebox going in the background. Not to mention the fact that the device is still a great universal remote.

Trade for Tech

People who work from home tend to accumulate a lot of stuff. It piles up, falls in and out of service, and eventually just takes up space. You could sell it, but often the depreciation on electronics makes that an unappealing prospect to me. A nice alternative that usually leaves me (and the people I’m dealing with) much more satisfied is to try to work out barter deals to trade things you’re not using for things you’d like to try out.

I’ve done trade deals a few times, and nabbed an eMac and a nice starter film SLR out of the deal. Most recently, I traded an acoustic guitar I had (no, I don’t play guitar, and yes, I did buy it new for some stupid reason) for a 1.33GHz 12-inch PowerBook G4. It’s seen better days, but everything still works well, including the optical drive, which is a rare find for this particular vintage of Mac. A trip to the Apple Store and my local independent computer supply store later, and I’ve maxed out the RAM (to 1.25GB) and have a brand-new battery that will get me four hours and change with smart battery management practices.

Having the Powerbook means that I don’t need my Eee PC anymore. Don’t get me wrong, the battery is great on that thing, and it handles video streaming somewhat better than the PowerBook, but I just cannot get back to using Windows as my primary OS for any length of time. The upshot is that I now have a relatively new Eee PC 1000HE to use for further bartering. I’m hoping to pick up a newer-model Time Capsule, with dual-band networking.

Start a Gadget Exchange Program

Chances are, if you have a lot of gadgets, someone in your circle of friends also has a lot of electronic toys lying around which aren’t strictly useful all of the time. What better way for both (or all, if there’s more than two) of you to get a chance to try out new tools without the high cost than by organizing a gadget exchange?

Of course, there are numerous problems with such an arrangement, which is why you should make sure ahead of time that you trust the people you’re trading with implicitly, and that everyone will treat each other’s gear with respect and compensate one another for any damages that may result. It’ll still work out to be a lot cheaper than all of you impulse buying every new thing that comes out, and is a lot less wasteful, too.

Save Money

The bottom line is, the less you spend on gear, the more money you save. Believe me, if I could, I would just grab everything electronics manufacturers slap a “new” sticker on. Sadly, that’s not a realistic possibility. It’s far better to concentrate on finding “new to me” things to experiment with, and occasionally making a choice investment when one of those things actually does enhance my productivity.

Have you tried a gadget exchange program with your friends? Did is satisfy your urges to acquire shiny, new gadgets?

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.

It’s nice to have everything at hand, but it also means that no matter what workspace I choose to occupy, I come complete with my own built-in tools for distraction and procrastination. I could, theoretically, be trying to get work done in a monk’s chamber and still have the attention span of a goldfish. So starting this week, the Big Bag is taking a much-deserved break, and the Laptop Sleeve with Handle and Shoulder Strap (or just sleeve, for short) is coming into its own.

Friends on the same path to webworking Zen recommended the approach, claiming that my back will thank me, in addition to my addled brain. And so far, I’m impressed with the effect the sleeve is having on both. All it has room for, basically, is my MacBook Pro, its power brick, an Airport Express, and my iPhone sync cable for Internet tethering. (I’m in Canada, where it’s officially supported.) I’m sure I could fit more in there if I wanted to, but I resist the urge.

Psychologically, it feels tremendously liberating to be professionally productive with such minimalist outfitting. I also have less travel restrictions and inconveniences to deal with since I’m carrying less and taking up little physical space. And I don’t have to worry so much about leaving something behind. All I have to do is make sure I stay on target when I boot up the MBP. Easier said then done.

Have you experimented with different kit arrangements when working remotely from locations away from your home office? What do you find to be your most effective on-the-go equipment configuration?

I’m not gonna lie, a big reason that I like my current freelance tech blogging gig is the gear. But even if I wasn’t in this particular line of work, I’d still take an unnatural amount of interest in outfitting my office or workspace, regardless of whether it happens to be in my home or not. Computers, gadgets, office supplies, office furniture — these are the things that get me truly excited about doing my job, from the lowliest stapler to the most extravagantly outfitted desktop computer.

While just acquiring and setting up new gear is cause enough for celebration, better still is getting great deals on new work-related stuff. For instance, re-purposing an old SLR camera bag as the perfect clandestine portable HDD/DVD-RW/cable tote, or having Best Buy match the deep discount a much smaller competitor is offering on a 16GB SDHC card.

Gear-swapping via Craigslist or with friends and colleagues is another favorite pastime of mine. Through straight-up trades, I acquired my first film SLR camera (a Canon Rebel that’s still in great shape), a flatbed scanner with a special film/slide slot in the lid for archiving my parents’ extensive collection, and a Palm T|X that for a long time served as my go-to mobile device.

I’m curious about the hardware-sourcing habits of other similarly positioned freelancers. Do folks normally buy new, as might be expected from those who largely write about the cutting edge of remote working trends? Or is the preferred method to look for deals on gently used or refurbished goods in order to keep costs down and profit margins high? Personally, I find my own gear strategy to be a blend of both, though as a general rule it tends to lean strongly towards the new-and-shiny end of the spectrum — an approach much noted and frowned upon by my significant other.

Any and all tips, tricks, and strategies you have to share would be greatly appreciated, and maybe we can all save a few bucks in the process! So my question for you is, how do you manage your hardware/home office/tools and supplies acquisition process?

Image by SlipStreamJC from flickr

From Reware’s solar-powered Juice Bags to Noon Solar’s range of solar handbags, some of our regular readers may have detected that I have a bit of a “thing” for solar power. I’m sure this is an enthusiasm shared by many web workers: When your working life is governed by the proximity of electricity and availability of connectivity, free solar power would be very welcome!

Sadly, most solar charging products — like the aforementioned Noon Solar and Juice Bags — unnecessarily bundle solar chargers with some other product, like a bag! Fortunately, standalone solar charging products are beginning to find their way to the marketplace. Some of the most intriguing are found in Suntrica’s range of SolarBadge and SolarStrap chargers.

Designed specifically for portable consumer electronics — like digital cameras, phones, MP3 players and GPS units — Suntrica’s chargers include adapters for common mobile charging connectors and USB devices and come in form factors ranging from flexible paperback-sized panels to wearable wrist-straps. Each charger holds an internal rechargeable battery, so that devices can be charged even when there’s little or no sunlight.

The chargers are priced between $40 and $70, with adapters priced individually at around $5 each — although, unfortunately, it seems that Suntrica’s products are currently only available in the company’s native Finnish market. Suntrica’s products are by no means the only portable solar chargers available today, but they look pretty durable, have some flexibility in the devices they support, and are competitively priced.

Alternatively, for the more adventurous, the fantastic Instructables site recently published a how-to guide to building a solar iPod/iPhone charger using some basic electronic parts, rechargeable batteries and a soldering iron! The component parts come to around $70, about the same as Suntrica’s high-end unit with an equivalent output, and although the project does look fun, it’s not quite as lovingly styled. It’s great to see that solar power is beginning to attract both venture-backed and grassroots-driven innovation.

I’m itching to try Suntrica’s products, so if you are using solar chargers regularly, let us know how they’re performing for you in the comments.

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.

I was out with a friend and was wearing some new shorts I had recently bought.  Of course, five minutes into the meeting I managed to get some kind of stain on them. I tried the usual method of blotting with water, and as per usual, it did nothing.  After a few more failed attempts of stain removal tactics, like blotting with club soda, I gave up and decided to enjoy my friend’s company. After I left my friend, I had a few extra minutes before my next appointment so I decided to run home to either change my clothes or attack the stain again. When I got home the  stain remover pen popped into my head so I gave it a whirl. I rubbed the tip of the pen all over the stain on my shorts, blotted it with a wet paper towel, and waited. Sure enough, after a few minutes my shorts were dry and the stain was gone.

It’s really important to make a good first impression in client meetings, and as I’m often running from meeting to meeting, I don’t always have the luxury of being able to go home and change. Having this little $4 stain remover in my bag means I don’t need to worry about a little mishap ruining that first impression. After saving the day today, the Tide Instant Stain Remover Pen, although it will not be used frequently, has become a permanent addition to my bag.

What non-gadget goodies do you have in your bag?

I have been a mobile worker for many years, and my gear has evolved over time to fit the way I work. I can divide my work routine into three different scenarios (on the road, day trips, and “work sessions of opportunity”), and I have a unique tool kit for each one. My gear changes frequently due to my work on jkOnTheRun, so this snapshot is certainly not static by any means. One thing common to all of my kits is that I like to be be as light and mobile as possible.

On the Road

The first mobile scenario I prepare for is my traveling kit. I don’t travel as much as I did in years past, but I do make several trips each year and must prepare for durations that range from a couple of days through a week or more. My “long distance” tool kit is good enough that the duration of my trip doesn’t change it much.

Travel bag

I like the Booq Boa XS backpack because it is as thin and light as can be, yet will easily carry everything I need. It’s with me for years and has logged thousands of miles. It’s small enough that once I reach my destination it can become my knocking around bag, too. Unfortunately, Booq no longer sells this bag, but their product line is worth a look.

My main workhorse is the aluminum 13-inch MacBook. It’s thin and light enough to easily carry it everywhere, yet it’s a powerful laptop for getting my work done. A second battery goes in the bag as I don’t carry a power adapter when I’m out for day trips, and the two batteries easily get me around 10 hours of work, which is plenty.

For longer trips, I have a cable stash pouch, which is where the MacBook adapter lives. This pouch also has an Ethernet cable, in case I need one at a hotel, and the indispensable Monster Outlets To Go. This gadget provides four power outlets that are surge-protected, so I never have to worry about outlets at any hotel. The Monster has saved my bacon on many occasions.

I now carry the Kodak Zi6 pocket camera on most trips as I never know when I want to shoot some HD video clips of gadgets for my work. The Zi6 is as small as can be but shoots very high-quality video. The battery charger and a USB multi-card reader go in the cable stash, and the Kodak goes in my backpack.

The only other gear that goes in my travel bag is connectivity-related, as I simply must have good Internet connectivity everywhere I go. Currently, I am using the Verizon USB727 modem for high-speed connectivity, which is usually so good I don’t worry if the hotel has Wi-Fi or not. Verizon has good coverage in all the big cities in the U.S. I frequent, and it’s usually all I need to get online.

I have my iPhone 3G in my pocket at all times for phone calls and for quick email work. This is not restricted to this scenario; I carry it all the time.

Day Trips

Day trip kit

I work from my home but frequently head out into the world for work sessions to stop myself from getting isolated. These day trips can last anywhere from two to five hours, so I don’t need to take much with me. I throw the Macbook and the second battery into the Booq bag, and off I go without a worry. Of course, the Verizon USB727 modem goes with me, too, just in case I don’t find Wi-Fi around. This little kit is all I need to work, no matter where I end up.

Work Sessions of Opportunity

Over the years, I have discovered that I often find myself with “work sessions of opportunity.” I have a special selection of kits for those times. What are these opportune work sessions? Let’s say I am out running errands and find myself with half an hour of unexpected free time on my hands. I have realized that using these times when they crop up can let me get a lot of work done if I am properly prepared. That’s where my special tool kit comes into play.

Most people aren’t able to capture these opportunities when they crop up because they don’t have the proper gear with them. That’s understandable, because the last thing any of us want to do is carry our laptops with us all the time. I get around that with the Viliv S5 Ultra-mobile PC (UMPC). It’s slightly bigger than a PDA yet is a full PC. It fits in my pants pocket, but since my work involves writing I often need a good keyboard.

UMPC kit -- no laughing at the man purse!

I use a portable Bluetooth keyboard, the Stowaway Sierra (unfortunately no longer available) and a Bluetooth travel mouse, also by Stowaway. These two gadgets go along with the UMPC into a man purse that I carry with me for non-work local trips. When free time crops up, I can pull these little devices out of the bag and take full advantage of it. The ability to do this means I’m able to knock off work earlier on many days than I could if I didn’t have this stuff with me. That makes it worth the embarrassment of carrying the man purse around.

UMPC in action

Use Your Head

I find it beneficial to have the different tool kits to fit the particular work sessions because my mantra is to keep things as light and simple as possible. My gear lets me get the most out of anything that I am confronted with during my day, yet I don’t carry anything nonessential. Most folks tend to carry too much gear with them “just in case,” but for me, it’s not worth it.

What’s in your bag?

I was just reading Meryl’s take on our “What’s In Your Bag?” theme and realized we had a lot in common. Turns out that I’m not the only one on the team here without a MacBook or iPhone, and we are also both fans of the RoboForm Password Manager.

But it was when she mentioned her Lapworks Laptop Desk I realized I had forgotten to include my lapdesk in my own post. Honestly, it is so much a part of my gear that I hardly think of it as anything other than part of my laptop.

A couple years ago I realized that laptops get really hot. The fan on the side of my ThinkPad puts out a good amount of heat and can get uncomfortable pretty quickly. At the time, I did a lot of research about laptop desks and such and eventually ended up buying the oddly named, but very effective, Lapinator portable insulated laptop desk.

Unlike a lot of lapdesks I looked it, it’s not fancy looking and doesn’t include a fan or USB ports. But it is well designed and manufactured with high-quality 3M Thinsulate™ insulation. The design not only minimizes the heat coming from the PC but the dual-padded ridges, or feet, also keep air flowing between it and my legs. It’s much more comfortable than a solid desk.

I don’t just use it when working casually, though. It also serves to keep my laptop raised an inch or so off of any table, so it helps keep things cool even at my desk. I also tend to bring it with me on outings, particularly coffee shop meetings. This helps minimize the risk of damages due to coffee or water spills. It has already saved me a couple of times as spilled fluids run right underneath the base.

For larger machines, there is a Lapinator Plus, which would work well with a laptop with a 17″ display.

For about $25 ($30 for the Plus) it’s a bargain compared to a lot of the other options, and going on four years now it’s still holding up quite well. It’s well made, sturdy, functional, lightweight and an essential part of my work area, no matter where that is. It also stows easily right in my backpack.

Do you use a lapdesk? How do you keep things cool?