5 best tech essentials for 2022 back to school or work

With the start of the 2022/2023 school year fast approaching, we are recommending five tech essentials that should make your work life easier.

The 2022 summer holidays rapidly coming to an end, and we all need to be preparing to go back to the salt mines, be it going back to work and/or back to school. Over the next week or two, it would be opportune to reassess the tech gear upon which you will be relying, and decide whether changes, upgrades and/or replacements are needed.

Although it may be important that these devices be aesthetically pleasing, it is crucial that they work well, are effective and help you to be more productive – regardless of whether you are working from home or have had to return to the office. Below, we recommend five tech essentials that could make your life easier going forward.

1. A second monitor

With most of us using laptop computers, we have had to get accustomed to using smaller screens. Moreover, it can be difficult to juggle more than one window on a single screen, as you end up continually toggling between them, which can become tedious over time.

Investing in a second monitor can be a game changer: the sort of thing you never knew you needed until you have it. Even if you have a desktop computer, and so have a large monitor, being able to view multiple documents side by side without minimizing others is likely to make you more efficient and productive.

With regard to the size of the monitor you should choose, price and available desk space are likely to be two key considerations. Also, do remember to check the type of connector the monitor will need versus the ports available on your computing device, as you may need to purchase a separate accessory to connect the two.

2. Multiport adapter

As laptop and tablet computers are being made lighter, thinner, and thus more portable, the number of ports built into the device has been dwindling. These days, besides the power port, a couple of USB ports and a microphone/audio port might be all the ports new devices have. It is thus crucial to have at least one multiport adapter or portable dongle.

As the name suggests, a multiport adapter has a variety of different ports built into this single device. You connect it to your computer, and voila, you have increased the number of ports and types of connections you can now make. Ports that the adapter has includes the following: HDMI output, VGA, Ethernet, USB ports, audio port, charging port and an SD/Micro SD card reader.

Generally, there is a wide range of multiport adapters from which to choose. However, do your research before purchasing and understand your needs and the types of functionality you would like from this device.

3. External storage

Thanks to the sheer size and number of the files we would like to store, especially images and videos, we may need additional storage to free up some of the space on our main devices. This is when external drives are especially useful. Depending on the number of files you may need to store and how you plan to use the storage, you may be able to choose between a USB flash thumb drive or an external hard drive.

Thumb drives have been designed for short-term storage and ease of transport. They tend to be inexpensive and portable, but less reliable for constant use. On the other hand, hard drives have been designed to read and write files regularly, so they last longer under constant use. As a result, they tend to be more expensive than flash drives but usually have more capacity.

4. Digital doodle/memo board

This device is often marketed as a child’s toy or learning tool, but it offers an innovative way to keep tasks or important noted top of mind or to share news and messages within an office. Essentially this device is an LCD writing tablet, which tends to range in size from 8.5 inches to 10 inches and comes with a stylus.

Since devices in this segment tend to be marketed primarily to children, they are usually lightweight, portable, rugged and budget-friendly. If you work from home, you may need for than one, as your children may enjoy using it just as much as you.

5. Laptop lap desk

Although it might be a no-brainer that you should be able to use your laptop computer on your lap, depending on how they can be designed, they dissipate heat from their base, and so can get quite hot on your lap. In addition to the discomfort of having a hot laptop on your lap, skin damage can result, ranging from the mottling of the skin to eventually developing skin cancer.

However, working on your laptop at your desk day in and day out, can become tedious and a change of setting is welcomed. Being able to settle into a comfortable chair and get work done – whilst keeping your laps safely insulated – requires a laptop lap desk.

This desk is placed on your lap and usually has room for your laptop and some extras, such as your phone, mouse, and pens, depending on the design. They are lightweight and relatively affordable and can improve your productivity, and so can be a good buy for those who either do not have a dedicated desk from which to work, or regularly need a change of scenery from their desk.