Being online and connecting with friends and family (and my online audience) is an everyday occurrence. With all the apps, social media platforms, Skype, texting, and now IGTV—it seems like my cellphone is always running out of power. Can you relate? What tech products do I think are essential for staying connected? Read on to find out.
When I’m visiting family out of town, or renting a car, I still want to listen to my own music and stay connected on the go. The Tuneable Hands-free FM allows me to make hands-free calls, listen to music, and also keep on top of the latest traffic conditions by listening to the radio. It easily connects to my car’s cigarette lighter and adjusts so that I can see my phone or allow the passenger to use it, instead.
When the installers were working on my car’s new dashboard they didn’t do things correctly, so I’m not able to get radio channels. This could be a problem if an emergency was happening and I wasn’t able to find out what’s going on. Now, I’m able to listen in and be made aware, with the Tuneable Hands-free FM for my iPhone 5s.
When I’m home, I spend a lot of my time at my desk. My cellphone is always right next to me, since I’m constantly checking my texts, responding to tweets, replying to Facebook messages, and other things. Having a charging cable for my phone in my bedroom doesn’t help much when I want to stay connected.
One thing that I’ve been doing lately is watching my favourite online people on IGTV. If you’ve ever used that platform, you know that it uses up a lot of battery. I also watch a lot of videos and use FaceTime on my phone to keep in touch with people. These are all major battery drainers! The Express Dock for iPad with built-in 4-foot USB cable allows me to charge my iPhone 5s right on my desktop! I think it looks pretty stylish, too—which I love. There is a knob at the back of the stand to allow you to adjust the connector so that your different phone cases can still be used while charging. The dock plugs into a USB slot and the cable is 4 feet long. If you have an iPad, too—this will come in extra handy for charging at your desk (or anywhere else).
The other day, I was telling a friend of mine that the Vent Mount for Smartphones upgraded my tech 10-fold. You see, I didn’t have a hands-free cellphone holder before. Vancouver and area can be a bit confusing to drive around, no matter how long you’ve been here. I rely on my phone’s GPS to help me get around. I was never able to see the screen while I was driving, before! Crazy, I know! But now, I can see the instructions, know when someone I’m meeting is running late (and texting me to let me know), and make hands-free calls. Pretty handy little device, that Vent Mount—no?
Smartphones are excellent for personal communications. However, when it comes to work-related meetings, a laptop can offer you more in terms of speed and functionality. Heavy videoconferencing apps, like Skype or Zoom, also work better on the more powerful laptop than they do on the phone. Compared with desktop computers, laptops have more mobility and flexibility. Whether you want to stay connected for work or for personal use, getting an affordable laptop can provide plenty of modern-day solutions.
Here are three essential tech products I recommend for staying connected:
- Express Dock for iPad with built-in 4-foot USB cable $59.99
- TuneBase® Hands-Free FM for iPhone 5 $79.99
- Vent Mount for Smartphones $24.99
