Don’t Leave Home Without These Four Items in Your Laptop Bag
by Dave Paradi
Next time you rush out of your office with your laptop over your shoulder, make sure these four items are in the bag.
- Laptop power cord and Adapter
The adapter and power cord are usually plugged in at our desk and can sometimes be forgotten. Laptop batteries only last so long, so make sure you pack both the power cord and adapter (the brick looking part). To make this easier, I have a power cord permanently plugged in at my desk and one in my laptop bag – that way I only have to grab the adapter, which is easier to remember because it is the piece that plugs into the laptop. You can get an extra power cord at Radio Shack or an electronics supply store. You can also buy a spare adapter from your laptop manufacturer or computer store.
- Computer Security Device
Laptops are being stolen at an increasing rate and a security device is now mandatory. These devices attach to the laptop and then to a fixed object such as a table. It is not perfect, but it usually makes the thief move on to an easier target. You can get ones that include a motion sensing option or ones that can lock up a suitcase or laptop bag as well. Two of the most popular brands are Targus (http://www.targus.com) and Kensington (http://www.kensington.com).
- Cell Phone Wall Charger
When traveling, it is quite common to use a cell phone more than we normally would, and this drains the battery faster. If we aren’t in our own car, we can’t recharge the phone battery from a car charger, so we need our wall charger. I have gone to just keeping it always in my laptop bag so it is always with me.
- Diskettes
While many consider diskettes to be "old" technology, they can be very useful because they are often the easiest, quickest and most universal way to transfer files between different computers. The most common reason to transfer files is to be able to print them at a different site. If we don’t have the correct printer drivers and network connections, it is easiest to copy the file to diskette and print from a connected computer at the site.
Did you find this article helpful? If so, click here to check out some great learning tools to help even more!
©
2003 Dave Paradi
Dave Paradi’s Think Outside the Slide™ approach helps presenters get results by showing them how to quickly create effective PowerPoint presentations. He is the co-author of “Guide to PowerPoint”, part of the Prentice Hall Series in Advanced Business Communication. He offers a free PowerPoint e-course, newsletter and articles on his web site at www.ThinkOutsideTheSlide.com.