GADGETS TO KEEP YOUR BUSINESS ON TRACK
These tech tools cover it all for the on-the-go, always-online entrepreneur
Given the speed of business today, you can’t afford to stand still.
Whether you’re a sole entrepreneur or run a small startup, you need to stay on your game, pivot when necessary and rely on tech tools to help you get more done in less time. This is especially true when you’re on the go, yet still need to manage your business remotely.
There’s no shortage of smart devices to help you stay productive, organized and in touch with colleagues. The following is a look at a half-dozen top-rated gadgets to help propel your business forward and remain a step ahead of the competition.
Thin is in
Fashion meets function with the HP
Spectre ($1,799), the world’s thinnest laptop at just a couple of millimetres thick. Boost your productivity without weighing down your backpack, briefcase or purse. And despite its svelte form, it boasts some serious horsepower, including an Intel Core i7 processor, eight gigabytes of system memory (RAM) and 256 gigabytes of solid-state storage. Dualband 802.11ac Wi-Fi provides a strong and reliable wireless connection, while you’ve got three USB Type-C ports to connect multiple devices.
Moment of Zen
If you’re looking for a premium smartphone without the premium price tag, the ASUS ZenFone 3 ($429 unlocked) is a stunning 5.5-inch Android device with Full HD resolution, 600 nits of brightness for easy outside viewing and durable Gorilla Glass on the front and back of the phone. Along with expandable storage via microSD card, the ZenFone 3 offers a dual SIM tray, so you can pop in a second SIM (phone number). A fingerprint sensor on the back of the ZenFone 3 adds an extra layer of security. The phone also packs an impressive 16-megapixel camera.
Tanks a lot
Ideal for a small office and home office, the Epson Expression ET-2550 EcoTank All-in-One ($399) lets you print for up to two years before you need to refill the ink tanks. This Wi-Fi-enabled inkjet printer/ scanner/copier has an ink yield of up to 4,000 black and up to 6,500 colour prints, and can print up to 9.2 pages per minute for black and 4.5 pages for colour. When it is time to replace the ink, it’s just $18 per bottle. Travellers can also access this “all-in-one” remotely, such as printing docs from your smartphone while running through an airport.
Dually noted
A Princeton/UCLA study found those who write notes by hand recall the information better later compared to those who type out their notes. But that doesn’t mean tech can’t give you best of both worlds. The Livescribe 3 ($249) is a smartpen that records everything you write on special paper and all your notes are then wirelessly synced to the Livescribe app on a nearby smartphone or tablet. Swipe your notes on the phone or tablet screen and your handwritten words will be converted into text before your eyes; the app also syncs recorded audio at the same time as your notes.
Stick it to me
An ideal travel accessory — especially for mobile devices you can’t add more memory to — the SanDisk Connect Wireless Stick ($69.99 for 32GB) emits a Wi-Fi Direct signal, allowing multiple phones, tablets and laptops to access content at the same time. After you load it up with files from your PC or Mac, unplug it and take it to go — now press the small button and you can access everything wirelessly via the free SanDisk app. You can also wirelessly back up photos from your phone to the drive, and delete them off your device to make more room.
Keeping tabs
When is a tablet more than a tablet? When it’s also a projector for a boardroom or hotel room. Say, what? The Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro ($599.99) is a stunning 10.1-inch Android tablet with a trick up its sleeve: press a button on the side of the device to splash a movie, TV show, photo slide show or PowerPoint presentation onto your wall up to 70 inches. This Intel-powered 32GB device also has a built-in kickstand, front-firing JBL speakers, expandable memory, dual cameras, a screen you can write on with virtually any object and a killer battery that lasts up to 18 hours between charges.