The Gadgets

Mobile Gear

Most of the gadget lovers want to keep their gadgets with them all the time. Entrepreneurs and bloggers can make their laptop bag, their mobile office. Being an entrepreneur, I am conscious about time and being a gadget lover, I am conscious about my gadgets. To save time and keep my gadgets with me, my laptop bag is my mobile office which has everything I may need on the go. Here I am providing the list of my gear and gadgets that I keep with myself. It will definitely help you decide your on-the-go luggage so you can work wherever you find a spare moment.

1. The Laptop

Laptop is the most important, if you work on the go. Cell phones, even a PDA or an iPhone can’t do the trick. If you want, you can go for a netbook too, it will provide you with more mobility and ease of carrying than a laptop. Keep all the important software installed and the battery fully charged.

2. Laptop Bag:

I recommend a backpack laptop bag because it is very easy to carry and handle. Either you travel by bus, by motorbike or on your own car, backpack bag is the best option.

The bag should have a handful of pockets to fit all types of gear. You may not go for the looks, instead look for the bag which can provide you the best value. A bag with only two pockets – one for the adopter and the other for papers – wont do. There should be at least six pockets.

3. Laptop Adopter/Charger:

The most important and the most obvious thing in your laptop bag will the laptop charger so that you may not run out of the power. I recommend using the laptop on AC power when you have access to it, you may need the battery juice when there’s no socket around.

It is a good idea to cover the plug-in pins of the adopter with a cap, they can form scratches on the laptop body if not properly covered.

3. A Pack of DVD-Rs:

Suppose you are just done with a presentation to the client and he wants the copy of your portfolio now. Obviously you can’t hand over him your flash drive. Writable DVDs will accompany you at such times.

4. Stationery

A pencil, a rubber, a sharpener, a ballpoint pen, a gum bottle, a stapler with pins, a notebook, a scissors and some A4 sized papers are all necessary parts of an office. You frequently need to sketch out figures, note down things in black and white, write a note for some one who is not on his chair and staple the print outs.

5. A Cleaning Cloth

Yea, you know you need it whenever you spill coffee on your table, drop your cellphone in tomato ketchup or have dust on your shoes.

6. Business/Visiting Cards

Who can forget to keep them along? Obviously no one. After all they are your identity, they help people remember you when you are gone.

One thing which people overlook is the social networking. Social media is the most critical thing for modern startups. So don’t forget to provide your twitter ID, facebook profile link and your website on your business cards.

7. A USB Flash Drive

Unless the whole world shifts to cloud, flash drives are must to share data between people -either your colleagues, friends or clients. I recommend having at least an 8 GB flash drive so you don’t have to delete old files to copy new ones.

8. A Wireless Mouse

Wires are always a hassle, I wait for the time when electricity will go completely wireless. Touch pad is good for light usage but you will end up having pain in your fingers if you try to work a lot with it. And don’t forget to keep spare batteries for your wireless mouse.

9. Cell Phone Charger

What can be more important than a cell phone while you are away from your world? What if the battery drains out while having a critical talk with your client or boss? Your cell phone charger will save you at such occasions.

10. Spare Cell Phone Battery

At times you don’t find a power outlet, the spare cell phone battery will save your life.

11. Tissue Papers

You need them, you definitely use them to clean the sweat on your face before entering your client’s or boss’ office, to clean your hands after having a hamburger and dry your hands after coming out of the washroom.

12. Bluetooth Headset

A bluetooth headset will let you talk while driving or typing. Entrepreneurs can’t live without it because multi-tasking is what they are all about. Don’t forget to keep a bluetooth connecting device with you – to connect the headset with the laptop – if you listen to podcasts on your laptop.

13. A USB Hub

You have a bluetooth connecting device, a USB flash drive, a mouse and some other USB devices to connect with the laptop but the laptop has only two USB ports. What to do? No worries, a USB hub is right there in your laptop bag.

14. USB Mini Cable

Keep a USB mini cable to connect your cell phone, a digital camera or the USB hub to your laptop.

15. A Pair of Headset

If the battery of the bluetooth headset has drained out or you want to listen through both the ears, you will need the the headset. Its a good idea to have an inter-converter as well – to use the headset with the cell phone (standard mini headphone jack) and the laptop (standard headphone jack).

16. 3-in-1 Tiny Screw Driver

A tiny screw driver is probably enough for all the modern gadgets. It will help you tighten the tiny screw of your goggles or the wireless mouse that you just dropped from the table.

17. A Comb

Looks are important, you know! Having properly dressed hair is always a good idea.

I know some of you are thinking that how will all that reside in a single bag? Won’t it be too heavy to carry? The answer is “No”. Here’s a photo gallery showing my mobile gear that I always have with me.

Mobile Office Picture Gallery: