It Pays to Accessorize
If clothes make the man, high-tech accessories help him dress up
a typical workday. By Rachel Cericola
WHEN YOUR CLIENTS LOOK GOOD, they feel good, and that means sporting the most cutting-edge accessories. Call it the coolness factor.
It also helps that these small electronic wonders make a day in (or out of) the office more productive or just plain easier to manage.
1. APC Universal Notebook Batteries
There is no greater moment of panic than being in a boardroom and having your
equipment conk out because of a weak battery. This slim savior can triple
the power of almost any PC, without
adding a lot of extra weight to a laptop
bag. Three units are available, weighing
just less than a pound, and add anywhere
from four to six additional work hours to laptops, BlackBerries, or other devices. Prices
range from about $100 to $200. www.apc.com
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2. IOGEAR Wireless Laser Mouse with Nano Coating
We’ve heard of antibacterial soaps and sprays, but here’s a new one for
the mysophobe: a wireless laser mouse with antimicrobial properties. The
$40 mouse is coated with a titanium dioxide and silver nano-particle compound that is said to deactivate bacterial enzymes and proteins on the surface of the unit. A vertical cavity
surface emitting laser, rather than an optical sensor, provides tracking power. www.iogear.com
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3. Callpod Chargepod
This handy device doesn’t play favorites; it juices up six of your
clients’ most crucial handhelds (excluding laptops). So instead of
stuffing a briefcase or duffle bag with chargers and cords for your
portable devices, this lifesaver charges all of your clients’ electronic
essentials using a single power outlet. Price is $50. Expect to pay
an extra $10 per manufacturer-specific adapter; optional USB
adapters and car chargers are also available. www.callpod.com
4. i. Tech Dynamic Bluetooth Laser Virtual Keyboard
It’s tough to punch the tiny keys on some small handhelds. Instead, the Bluetooth Laser Virtual Keyboard,
a device just larger than a matchbox, projects an infrared image of a full-size keyboard onto any flat surface. Just type on the projected keys as you would a traditional keyboard—it even clicks with every keystroke. The $180 device connects to a variety of handheld devices and supports Bluetooth HID and SPP
profiles. www.itechdynamic.com
