11/26/08 - Road warrior is the term used for business travelers who are frequently on the road between destinations and rely heavily upon their laptop computers to get their work done and keep in contact with the office. They rely so heavily upon their devices that any downtime is critical. For them, keeping things light and simple are generally best but their are a number of things to make life on the road easier. Here are some ideas of computer related items that would make great gifts for the frequent laptop user.
Power Inverter
©American Power Conversion Corp.
One of the biggest problems for laptop users when traveling is power. Laptop batteries can only run for so long before they need recharging. The ability to charge up those batteries and power up a laptop while in an airplane or car can provide that extra edge without the need to carry extra and very bulky laptop batteries. The APC Auto and Air inverter allows one to charge up any standard computer device that uses a 120V power adapter via 12V auto adapter or a commercial airline power recepticle. The 150W power rater allows it to handle even the most power hungry laptop power brick. Definitely something useful to any traveler with limited charging options. Price is around $50.
Laptop Lock
©Kensington
Laptops are one of the number one targets for thieves in airports and hotels. They are valuable and relatively easy to take. Most laptop comptuers feature a small slot on them that allow a locking device to be attached to them. The Kensington MicroSaver DS Notebook Lock is such a device that allows a laptop to be tied down to a hard to remove object such as a fixed desk, plumbing fixtures, airport chairs, etc. This is a great device for a traveler because it is relatively small but features some impressive security features such as disc-locks, 3 layer cable and t-bay locking mechanism. Price ranges from about $40 to $50.
TSA Approved Laptop Bag
©Targus
Traveling by air became a huge has for those carrying a laptop computer thanks to the TSA rules. Every time you go through a security check point, it is necessary to remove your laptop from the bag. A new line of computer bags is now being approved by the TSA for what are called chekpoint friendy or clear scan bags. These are bags approved by the TSA and receive a TSA logo allowing the bag to pass through x-ray machines without the need for removing the laptop. The Targus Zip-Thru line of bags is one of the first of the bags to be approved. It is available in a variety of sizes and styles although the Corporate Traveler is their most popular design. Prices are around $100.
Wireless Mouse
©Microsoft
Laptop pointing devices may have improved over the years, but frankly the trackpads and pointers are still quite difficult to use over extended periods of time. Their location make them prone to accidental clicking or movement as well. A wireless mouse provides a much more ergonomic pointing device which is great for working extended periods of time. Many laptops now feature a Bluetooth wireless adapter built into them. Because of this, a Bluetooth mouse is much more convenient to use than a standard wireless mouse that requires a separate wireless dongle. The Microsoft Bluetooth Notebook Mouse 5000 is a good balance between size and performance. Prices range from $40 to $60.
Bluetooth Adapter
©AZIO Corporation
While many laptops have Bluetooth built-in, there are still many that do not. Bluetooth is extremely useful for the laptop because it allows the use of wireless peripherals such as a mouse or keyboard. Even more useful though is the ability to tether a laptop to a mobile phone. This cann allow a laptop to access the internet when Wi-Fi or wired networks are not available. The Azio BTD-V201 allows any laptop that has an available USB 2.0 port to support Bluetooth devices. It's relatively small size is also great because it doesn't stick out too far from the laptop where one might risk bumping it and damaging the adapter or worse, the laptop. Prices are between $20 and $30.
Mobile External Hard Drive
©Western Digital
While laptop computer hard drives have increased in size dramatically, the need for extra storage is always something that a traveler can use. An external hard drive can be useful in many different ways. It could be used to back up the data in the event of a problem with the primary system drive or it could just be used as additional storage. They can also be used to separate a company's files and data from personal files that the road warrior may wish to carry with themselves. Western Digital has had a great level of success in the hard drive market of late and this translates to their external drives. The My Passport Essential 500GB will run off a single USB 2.0 port and is extremely portable. Prices range from $150 to $200.
Laptop Display Privacy Filter
There are times when using a laptop in a public place such as an airport or a coffee shop that you just don't want other people looking over your shoulder to see what you might be working on. Privacy filters are a layer of film that is placed over the laptop screen that give the display a much narrower viewing angle. This allows the user who is looking directly at the screen to see what they are working on but not someone at a different angle. 3M is a company that has been producing such filters for years for companies as a means to protect their information from being viewed by other parties. They are available in a variety of different sizes for the different screen sizes. Prices range from $30 to over $100 depending on style and size.