The unsung heroes
WIRELESS: SMARTPHONE CHARGING MADE EASY WITH A BOOST UP PAD
In the second of a two-part feature on his gadgets of the year,Arthur Goldstuck looks at some of the most useful gadgets of 2018.
There is nothing bright, shiny or glamorous about getting one’s work life organised, or about the gadgets that contribute to this cause. While the focus of gadget watchers is usually on flashy new consumer devices, practical workhorses and accessories tend to be the unsung heroes of the working world.
These are some of the serious, but often unknown, gadgets that made the biggest impact on me this year:
Productivity Gadget of the Year: Samsung DeX Station
The DeX looks like a simple, if elegant, docking stand for a smartphone. But plug it into a keyboard, mouse and monitor, and it turns the handset into a fully functional Android computer. As opposed to the relatively small screen of a smartphone, only the size of the monitor limits the desktop real estate. From there, one can access apps and work on documents, watch videos on a more comfortable screen, and browse websites in desktop mode.
If preferred, a Bluetooth wireless keyboard and mouse can also be used. Samsung has had a fold-out keyboard with built-in trackpad designed to go with the DeX. The X-Folding Touch Pro adds a serious cost to the overall price, but is the ultimate in portable productivity.
Samsung also collaborated with Microsoft and Adobe to ensure compatibility with Microsoft Office and Adobe apps, as well as with virtual desktop software makers like Citrix, VMware and Amazon Web Services.
Presentation gadget of the year: Logitech’s spotlight presentation remote
A standard tool at conferences nowadays, remote clickers allow presenters to move about a stage or room, using a built-in laser pointer to highlight elements on the screen. Now, that is about to look very 20th century.
Logitech has produced a remote control for presentations that is both stylish and highly practical, adding a new dimension to the information on screen, without the content being altered in any way. The spotlight not only highlights an element on the screen, but also magnifies it, allowing the presenter to zoom in on more interesting or complex content.
It is compatible with all common laptop operating systems, and has a range of 30m for the serious pacer. It has built-in cursor control to activate a video on screen, saving the presenter having to dash back to the laptop computer to press play. The three buttons on the front can all be programmed to perform functions specific to an individual’s presentation content or approach.
Finally, it has one of the most needed features in the world of presenting – a timer with vibration alert. Now you’ll know why the audience is fidgeting despite your dazzling presentation and content.
Projection gadget of the year: Sony Xperia Touch
If smartphones and computers ever vanish into other devices we carry, like earphones, smartwatches and smartglasses, the Xperia Touch will have played a small role. The second generation interactive projector from Sony turns a wall or a desktop into an interactive touch screen.
It is half the size of the first iteration, and we expect the size to keep dropping, even as its functionality increases. That means that any surface – even a writing pad – can be turned into the equivalent of a computer or smartphone. Make it small enough, and it’s all one would need to carry.
Office declu ering gadget of the year: Bluelounge Soba cable director
In busy offices, the bane of everyone’s lives tends to be the clutter of cables that snake, tangle and trip up around most desks where serious technology is used. Enter the Soba, which promises to “show your cables who’s boss”.
Up to three loose cables can be consolidated into the Soba tube or Vortex, which zips open along its entire 3m length. A Y-split allows cables to be routed in several directions, and mounting caps allow the cable to be fitted along walls or under desks. This is more than just a conduit for cables, with its innovative zipper allowing for both flexibility and manageability. The Soba was such a hit for the Accessory Lab last year, it has sold out. However, the rest of the Bluelounge decluttering range can be found at: https://accessorylab.co.za/
Smartphone accessory of the year: Belkin Boost Up
As more smartphones are released with wireless charging, we can expect to see charging pads become as commonplace as portable power banks.
Chances are, prices will drop as fast if the Belkin Boost Up is any indication – it sells at less than R600 at the iStore. It uses the Wireless Power Consortium’s Qi wireless charging, meaning one doesn’t have to dump it when one moves to the next handset.
The pad remains plugged into a power supply, and compatible phones begin charging when placed on the pad. Expect to see them in a coffee shop near you.