Any Road Warrior will tell you that you need the right equipment to get the job done. While only you can determine which PowerBook or iBook is right for your budget and the tasks you perform, everyone can benefit from having these items in your arsenal. Here's what I carry and how:
Spire Meta backpack
In picking a backpack, you need to consider how much you want to be able to carry, how much protection it will provide to your precious laptop, and how it looks. The Spire Meta is my pick after trying a wide variety of choices, both well-known and unknown. There are plenty of smaller pockets and webbings to tuck specific pieces of equipment in, and large compartments that can accommodate files, books, large hardware and even clothes. The padded, removable inner sleeve provides superior protection for the precious cargo of a portable Mac. The Spire is comfortable to carry either on one shoulder or two, and perhaps best of all, it doesn't look like a computer backpack, cutting down on the liklihood that someone will want to walk off with it. SpireUSA makes other, smaller packs with similar features, but the Spire is the one to choose if you want plenty of space.
Apple iSight Camera
Are you still waiting on effective video conferencing? Wait no more: The iSight, even though small, is a serious tool, allowing you to communicate with the office, your loved ones at home, or other colleagues wherever they may roam. You might be very surprised how much productive collaboration can be accomplished when you have an iSight link up, and can pass snippets of text and files back and forth effortlessly through iChat. There are even shareware options to turn your iSight into a useable, though not outstanding, camcorder.
Digital Camera: Casio Exilim EX-Z40
A digital camera is no longer a luxury, but an essential tool. Sure, you can take photos of friends and the sights of your latest junket, but don't count a digital camera out as a great way to capture flip chart or whiteboard notes for later review, mug shots of the people you met with for reference or publication on your web page, location shots for future projects, etc. For this kind of work, look for a camera that is small and easy to carry in a pocket or suit jacket pocket, has good batter life and excels at "point and shoot" capabilities. A feature I find essential is a movie-mode. Having a 30-second movie camera with you can be amazingly handy for location shots, documentation of agreements, and more. The .avi files produced by the Exilim can be posted straight to a .Mac account for fast and easy web sharing. (I recently was at a concert, remembered I had the Exilim in my pocket, and shot this clip just for fun.) No, it won't be DV camcorder quality, but for convenience it can't be beat.
Palm
While iSync allows you to put all kinds of things in your iPod, there is still nothing like a Palm for keeping all sorts of information in the palm of your hand. Especially convenient is the ability to have flight information, frequent flier or rental account numbers and more easily available, rather than having to rely on printed pages or having to fire up your PowerBook. Select the Palm model that is right for you, but definitely include it as part among your required hardware.
Kensington Microsaver Notebook Lock & Cable
When you're on location, you don't always want to have to tear down your workspace when you go to get a drink. The Microsaver let's you lock down your computer to the desk so that you can leave it for short periods of time in relative safety.
Apple iPod
Of course, the iPod is an essential accessory for any Mac user, but for the Road Warrior, it has more uses than just as the coolest music player on the planet. First, it is a roomy external FireWire hard drive, to store a second copy of your system, applications and data files.
Second, rather than just music, you can load your iPod with audiobooks from the iTunes Music Store (be sure to check out Tom Peters' Reimagine), or fresh daily content from Audible.com. This can be a great way to make more efficient use of your commuting or travel time.
Third, by adding in Griffin Technology's iTalk, your iPod becomes a dictaphone, good for recording notes, meeting summaries, interviews or whatever comes your way that would be best preserved in audio.
iPod Cases
There are almost as many ways to carry your iPod as there are playlists. For carrying your iPod to listen to, you can't do better than the WaterField iPod case. Light, fully enclosing to protect from scratches, and with a front flap that provides full control access, the case includes a sturdy belt clip and a pocket for your earbuds.
For more rugged environments, consider investing in iPod Armor. This rugged hard shell protects your iPod from anything you can throw at it. For older iPods, it prevents buttons from being depressed while in your backpack or briefcase, and running the battery down. Even though equipped with a belt clip, you probably don't want to wear this one; it is a bit heavy for that.
SanDisk Cruzer USB Flash Drive
A USB Flash drive is an essential piece of hardware for the Road Warrior. Not only can you keep a backup of the most important files for your trip (that career-making or breaking presentation, for example), but you can transfer files rapidly between virtually any Mac and/or PC without the necessity of hooking up a network connection or burning a CD or DVD. Have a handout that you would like to distribute around the Board room? Pass your flash drive around and let attendees copy it to their laptops directly. Conveniently backup documents you create while on the road...just in case. Once you have a flash drive, you'll wonder how you ever did without it.
MacAlly CompactFlash PC Card Adaptor
If you have a PowerBook, you can leave your camera's connection cable at home by getting a PC card adaptor to plug in the memory card directly. Doing so mounts the card on your desktop just like anoy other storage device. Best of all, iPhoto will recognze the card just like it would your camera, providing you with the same options for importing your pictures. This also let's you save precious battery pwer in your camera, since it doesn't have to be powered up to transfer the photos.
Keyspan Presentation Remote
When you are trying to make the big presentation, it is less than professional to be tethered to your computer to change slides in Keynote or PowerPoint. The Presentation Remote let's you control your Mac from across the room via a BlueTooth USB dongle and a small remote that fits comfortably in the hand. A built-in laser pointer is a nice touch, so that you don't have to have more than once hand occupied while speaking. After hours, you can also control iTunes and other software with it; handy for not having to get out of bed to change your playlist.
Cables, Cords and Adaptors
Few things are more frustrating than having the equipment you need with you, yet not being able to use it because you're missing a cable or adaptor. In today's environment, you should always keep with you:
- FireWire cable
- Extension cord (10' is preferred)
- Three prong-to-two-prong adaptor
- Extra-long telephone cable
- Female-to-female phone adapter
- Ethernet cable
With all those cables, you need a way to keep them organized or you're going to end up fighing a bag of tangled snakes. You can invest in one of the sexy (and expensive) cable organizer pouches, but I recommend a pile of good old plastic bags. Don't skimp and by the bargin brand - get a box of the better quality zip-lock bags (you pick the size that works for you). These let you keep your cables segregated yet easily available. The zip-lock bags are important since you can actually seal them rather than just fold them over and have cables creeping out.
Because the zip-locks are nearly air-tight, use a pen to punch a hole or two in a corner to allow air to escape, and the bags to pack flat in your backpack.
If you want to take cable organization a step further, either buy the brand of plastic bag that has a writable panel on it, or use a piece of masking tape and label each bag. No, this isn't just a compulsive process; when you go to re-pack your equipment after a meeting or trip, you hava an automatic checklist of cables and/or small pieces of equipment. If there's a bag left over, you are about to leave something behind.
Blank CDs and DVDs
Carrying a stash of blank CDs and DVDs is a great way to give your self the option to share files, do on-site backups, provide copies of information or presentations to those you encounter, and more.
