Don’t Rely On Your IT Staff To Understand Digital Nomads

by David Mould of Techdirt / Aug 26

Most of the challenges faced by the consultant on the road generally have to be solved by the consultant. In my experience IT staff are geared up to office based workers as they typically don’t travel themselves.

One of the largest concerns has been the weight of a typical laptop. Most of the executives and sales team have small lightweight machines but barely use the features. The delivery team usually receives larger laptops that have the power but compromise on weight and portability. A good sized laptop with good computing power at a decent price point would go a long way to solving my travel needs.

The second significant concern for the average “Road Warrior” should be ergonomics. I have played with carrying a fold out Bluetooth keyboard, normally used with PDA’s and Smartphones. This gives me the ability to lift up the laptop onto the usual set of telephone directories found in the room and still be able to use the keyboard. Combine this with the now standard wireless mouse and I have a reasonable analogue to the home office setup.

If it was possible to separate the laptop screen from the laptop body and setup on an optional stand thus allowing me to create a monitor like layout, this would make those hours on the laptop easier on the back and shoulders. The other option would be to incorporate a micro projector that would allow the display to be projected onto a suitable surface.

The simplest consideration and one that I feel I have solved is the use of a USB drive and a U3 drive.

Being away from the office and outside of the corporate network severs the ties to the knowledge network most consultants rely on at some time. I could not now do without my USB drive, so much so I have moved from my initial 40Gb through 80Gb and now use a 120Gb as standard.

This allows me to carry all of the files that I need:

· Documentation

· White papers and case studies

· Code snippets

· Email archives

Also with the addition of VMware I also have a proof of concept / development / testing / demonstration environment in the palm of my hand. No need to have connectivity.

The second drive is the U3 drive that allows me to extend any machine I have access to so I can use applications like Skype and have PIM software in my pocket.

Where possible I try to use Google applications to take the burden off of network needs. If I can get an internet connection then I can work. It is worth noting that the Australian Defence Force allow gmail for almost 80% of their traffic when the realization was that only 20% of email traffic was sensitive enough to be encrypted. Combine this with office like applications and calendars and there are enough links back to the office water cooler to at least allow simple communication to agree a time to discuss in a more secure environment.

The natural extension to gmail that has been very useful is the use a Symbian based email application, I use Flurry. The biggest benefit to the company is that all of these services are free. This more than makes up for any perceived lack of function when compared to more costly SaaS offerings and services like Blackberry.

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Leading By Example With Work/Life Balance

by Devin Moore / Aug 21

I only hire people that enjoy working, and then I encourage them to take lots of breaks and engage in other activities. I champion work-sponsored events including but not limited to team sports, field trips, flex time and other outings to make sure that the employees are taking enough breaks. The supervision issue means that it’s extra important to have a longer tryout period on an employee to make sure that they don’t take advantage of a great work environment by not doing enough or trying to do too much. Either of these conditions should be treated as if it were as serious as simply not showing up for work, with the consequence of termination communicated clearly in the tryout period. It’s not that I want to fire someone for trying to get the job done, but the health costs of an employee pushing themselves to burnout far outweigh whatever tiny productivity gains they might achieve.

Finally, I lead by example: I try to balance my work/life as much as possible, and I communicate my schedule to my employees so they can see that I’m not unnecessarily burning the midnight oil. Another thing that helps employees to work hard only when necessary is to communicate far in advance the schedule for working overtime on projects such as a required late-night rollout. If employees know in advance that they will be required to make the extra effort, the special-ness of that effort will be recognized and they will have less of a chance of assuming I want them to do that all the time with projects. I also take care to remind people that are working too hard that extra hours do not equate to extra income on a salaried position — it’s predictable achievements that are rewarded the most. My employees are rewarded for working smarter and producing value for the company, not for being a warm body to show off to some VP or client.

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Learning How To Travel Light

by Joseph Hunkins / Aug 20

I’ve had more than a few bad experiences failing to manage my mobile workflow properly.   These included backaches from lugging around heavy laptops during conferences and, far worse, slow website updating and blog posting when I decided to leave the laptop at the hotel or could not find power or connectivity during conferences or events or work trips.

This year, during planning for a trip to China, I managed to solve all these problems thanks to my purchase of an inexpensive ultra mobile PC.   This has combined with my PC backpack, smartphone, digital camera, and online email and document capabilities to make me mobile ready for almost any online work environment.

I chose the ASUS eeePC because it was the best choice at the time, but clearly superior models have now come into the market.    The biggest challenge with the ASUS eeePC was the small keyboard.   I’m used to the keyboard now but would not recommend this model to others for that reason.  Surprisingly, the 7 inch screen has not been a major impediment to productivity.

Most important for me has been the super light weight of the UMPC which has allowed me to carry it around as just another gadget.   I generally carry a large PC backpack which helps organize my stuff and provides extra capacity for airplane trips as well as conferences.  Also, the reinforced padding makes this type of backpack comfortable for long days away from the hotel.

Another significant advantage of the small PC over my previous eight pounder is that battery life is much greater.  Airports and conferences are notorious for having too few electrical outlets and this is less of a problem with longer battery life.  I also now carry a small adapter plug that turns one outlet into three, which will guarantee power for me even if two other folks are plugged in to an existing adapter.

I can use my Treo smartphone for emails and quick browsing when hotspots are not available, but generally I now find enough wireless hotspots for the PC such that I have not felt the need for a wireless or EVDO card like those offered by Verizon and Sprint.   As WIFI becomes increasingly commonplace everywhere from Airports to Coffee shops, the extra $50 or so per month for these cards does not seem justified given that the smartphone can already take on most simple mobile work challenges outside of long typed entries.

So in summary I think you can become a powerful and effective mobile warrior, ready to attack even advanced online environments, with an ultra mobile PC, a smartphone, a digital camera or camcorder, a decent PC backpack, and a few cheap accessories.    Oh, and let me know if you can’t find a power outlet – I’ve got a spare right in my pack.

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The Long Ago Promise Of Technology For Digital Nomads Is Finally Here

by Joni Blecher / Aug 19

The nice thing about being a mobile worker these days is that the promise of technology long ago is here today. Memory is larger in smaller formats and can be transferred in multiple formats (USB flash drives in the form of keychains, SD Cards, MicroSD cards, and even MiniSD cards) and as such can help you lighten your load and give you more security about the content you create on the road. Use it to backup your laptop on the road. If you’re on the road a lot weight of your mobile pack is going to be an issue – so limit the weight by spending the extra bucks on a lighter machine that includes at the very least built-in EVDO service and WiFi. One of those two options should pretty much keep you connected wherever you might roam.

That said, if you can’t change the laptop you take with me make sure you’ve got a decked out cell phone. It doesn’t have to be a smartphone, but it definitely should be a phone that you can use as a wireless modem for your laptop, just by attaching it either via Bluetooth or a USB cable. You’ll need to sign up for a data plan, but typically if you travel two to three times a month, the service pays for itself over having to use a hotel dial-up connection. Additionally, WiFi is just about everywhere and if you don’t have WiFi built into your cell phone or laptop you can buy a USB drive device that can add WiFi to your laptop. This all makes getting online a lot easier than it’s been in the past and let’s face it: a lot of work gets done via an Internet connection.

Finally be smart about what you take on the road. Say you have a digital camera but ran out of film, but you do have a 1GB MicroSD card in your cell phone that’s got maybe 100MBs used, stick that card in a MicroSD card SD card adapter and use it as digital film for your digital camera. Being a mobile worker definitely has advantages, but if you go into it with a technology learning curve you should cut yourself some slack and take the time to try your set up at home before you hit the road; since once you’re out there finding the missing pieces and reliable tech help isn’t always easy.

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The Road Warrior’s Laptop

by Stephen Foskett / Aug 18

For IT-centric workers, being productive from the road requires more than just exceptional personal skills: A killer laptop is needed to replace an entire office full of equipment. Let’s consider what a modern road warrior’s laptop should include.

Power and Space

The ideal road warrior machine needs capacity to handle any modern computing task. Nearly every road warrior has to occasionally perform intensive activities like compiling code or encoding video, and these require serious capability in all three axes of computing: CPU, RAM, and storage.

The road warrior laptop should have a serious CPU, chipset, and graphics combination. Multi-core CPUs with plenty of cache will take the sting out of intensive computing, and modern architectures can provide good battery life, too. Don’t overlook the impact of a fast system bus and good graphics hardware, too. Integrated graphics chips are getting better, but a road warrior should have a discrete GPU and dedicated video memory, especially if video or photo work is to be performed. Tip: It may not make financial sense to spend hundreds more for a few extra megahertz, but make sure the system is configured with the latest-generation high-end chip.

Max out the RAM, too. Extra RAM will provide a serious boost to overall performance, and should help battery life since more data will be cached. The modern road warrior laptop should have 4 GB, and the next-generation OSes and chipsets will bump this to 8 or more over the next year or so. Tip: It’s easy to upgrade your own RAM on most laptops, and you can save some bucks!

Storage capacity is a must, too. Equip a road-warrior laptop with as much disk space as is available, and consider upgrading the hard disk on older machines as new sizes appear. Larger disks are generally quicker than smaller ones, and serious performers might want to step up to 7200 RPM drives for an extra jolt. No matter the size, a portable external backup drive is a must, but make sure it’s secure and encrypted to protect your data on the road. Tip: I like to lock my backup drive in the hotel safe while I tote my (encrypted) laptop around during the day.

Portability and Longevity

So-called desktop replacement machines are often too bulky for road warrior use, so try to strike a balance. 15-inch widescreen notebooks are a nice compromise between usability on the road and ease on the shoulders, but some might be able to get by with a 13-inch or smaller ultraportable, depending on their needs. Focus as much on the physical size and shape as on the weight, since a 1-inch rectangle might fit your backpack or briefcase better than a bulbous wedge. Besides, most modern machines weigh within a pound or so of each other.

Consider the weight and portability of the total package, too. Many manufacturers are introducing smaller and lighter power supplies, and this can make a huge difference to the road warrior. Invest in retractable cables and Kensington locks and keep the clutter down to reduce the load on your shoulder. Tip: Cutting out the cable clutter also helps keep airport security from flagging your rats-nest of a laptop bag for extra screening!

Although power outlets are becoming more common at airports, hotels, and even airplanes, an extra battery is a must. Always buy two of the largest batteries available for your machine and keep both fully charged. Tip: If you have an airplane AC adapter, check seatguru.com before selecting your seats to make sure a power port will be available!

Virtualize for Flexibility

Advances in computer virtualization can help the road warrior in unexpected ways. Install VMware or VirtualBox to enable outdated applications to run on modern 64-big operating systems. I keep a small virtual Windows XP image with older versions of Microsoft Office, Project, and Visio on my machine just in case I have trouble with the latest versions. Mac users love being able to use VMware Fusion or Parallels to run Windows applications alongside their favorite Mac OS X apps.

Consider support implications of your choice, too. Most larger IT organizations require a specific install for corporate use, and virtualization can be a lifesaver here. If your road warrior machine isn’t an approved standard, consider running the corporate image in a virtual machine. A friend of mine uses a MacBook Air ultraportable laptop with his entire supported corporate Windows XP image running under VMware Fusion. This allows him to have 100% compatibility and support in a lightweight package.

Connectivity

Finally, there is no substitute for the always-on connectivity of modern wireless phone-based laptop networking choices. Many road-warrior laptops have built-in 3G cards, but these might not be your best choice. A USB (or perhaps ExpressCard) device can be more easily swapped between machines as needed. A new type of wireless router is also appearing that connects directly to these external 3G cards, and allows their signal to be shared with a small group. Tip: External devices are also much easier to exchange if they should fail while on the road.

All wireless providers offer similar service at similar prices, and most do not offer substantial discounts when bundling wireless broadband with voice service. Consider whether you want to buy the hardware outright in order to get a shorter contract or if you would rather sign a two-year contract and get free hardware. Pay special attention to their coverage maps when selecting a provider, as this is a major differentiator between 3G and EV-DO service providers in the United States. Although these services are expensive, they are cheap compared to a few days of hotel or airport Wi-Fi charges!

Wi-Fi coverage has become far more plentiful over the last few years, and providers like AT&T, T-Mobile, Boingo, and FON make convincing pitches about their service. But my experience shows that the limited range of Wi-Fi makes it frustratingly unavailable when you need it most. Expect to see Wi-Fi access bundled with 3G service soon. Next-generation services like Wi-Max aren’t ready for prime time at this point and should not be considered a road-warrior-suitable alternative.

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Tricks From A Freelance Digital Nomad

by Servaas Schrama / Aug 18

I have been a mobile worker for two years now. Typically, I will work from home, sometimes from strange locations such as cafe’s or restaurants (hotel bars are often quite nice in the Netherlands) and regularly from a customers office. Europe is way behind on all of this and a lot of companies tend to not trust mobile workers.

My equipment consists of 3 things:

• A blackberry with BIS service
• A macbook pro
• A flatfee UMTS card

It all fits in my backpack easily. Oh yeah, there’s a car too, obviously.

Practically speaking, it is not all perfect. Most bigger companies offer citrix based access, which is workable. Companies still believe that all workers, including freelance workers such as me, should come to the office every day and work on customer delivered equipment. I don’t believe in that concept as I run my own company.

Most companies also offer vpn options, but often it is restriced to certain hardware and impossible to bypass. This makes things hard for mobile workers like myself. I have learned that companies here are not willing to change much in this respect, but if you make sure your conditions are setup to your liking, a customer will try and get you connected in a satisfying way.

In short, it is a war, but we’re winning slowly.

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Key Factors For Digital Nomads

by Johan Hjelm of Techdirt / Aug 16

The laptop is the key to being mobile. With a really big hard disk, and a means to do everything electronically. Storing all your old emails, documents you need for reference etc makes it possible to bring up the background for any discussion when you leave the office. But since the laptop can hardly be switched on all the time, a mobile phone is required – preferably one which syncs well with the laptop.

Two more things you need: A good backup in the corporate network, so you can restore your work in a day or so (if the laptop gets stolen or damaged). And a bundle of electrical adapters, for the different countries you are going to go to. The power adapter of the laptop has to be able to handle this, too. Depending on the philosophy of the IT department, also a network cable – not all companies allow wireless access, and wired is faster. If the company runs a decent VPN, then you do not need an office any more.

Of course, the battery life of the laptop is crucial. It has to be usable for a decent flight, otherwise you will be dependent on electricity. And a secrecy filter helps, too. An office has a big advantage in terms of security: You always know that the person looking at your stuff is friendly. Spread out your things on a tabletop in a Starbucks nearby, or start reading documents on an airplane – and you never know who is looking.

These things you can actually squeeze into a decent-sized bag, which can be a rucksack or have a shoulder strap, and they should not weigh more than six kilos, if you choose to bring a book for the time when the plane is taking off and landing, or when you are standing in the train. Or maybe an MP3 player if you drive, or otherwise is dependent on music or audio books. That the bag is strong and comfortable to carry is most important. Looks matter too, of course. But with these things, and the software available in the operating systems today, anyone can forget the office.

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