|
 How times have changed! The home office of yesterday was all about physical forms like furniture, location, arrangements, ergonomics, etc. In fact, many of the work-from-home magazines are still featuring these subjects. But according to technology consultant Raymond Wenig, today the high-tech focus is on functions, operations, services, access, sharing, deliveries and protection.
Ray, an MIT graduate and founder of the Lowcountry Technology Alliance,
sees the future trending toward portable devices with selectable
services and auto-adaptable features. He further sees the home office
becoming a “virtual office,” enabling the user to go anywhere while
still maintaining access and connectivity, with a set of services
always available including multi-media communications, task management,
idea logging and time management.
The future is also leading toward a mixed use of broadband (high speed)
wired and wireless connectivity with fiber to the fixed locations and
wireless for mobility. A host of information processes are becoming
available to the home/virtual office, such as on-line banking,
electronic bill paying, vacation and travel planning, work team
collaboration and social networking.
What about the desktop versus the laptop? Well, the latter is becoming more and more the device of choice, because of its portability, increased memory, dual processors, large capacity or dual hard drives, and faster speeds. Today the laptop is used not only in one’s travel (the “road warrior”), but often doubles as the home office machine. With their screens expanding to 17 inches, the display is almost as good as a desktop monitor. But be advised that the 17-incher may present a portability problem, and the 15.4” fits better on the airlines’ drop-down tray tables. For the long distance air traveler/workaholic, one vendor has developed a 15-hour battery.
For wired connectivity in the home, the high-tech choice is clearly digital cable or a digital subscriber (DSL) telephone connection, with analog modems soon to become obsolete. Printers are becoming more of a multi-function network device, connected to a home-based local area network.
Another trend toward obsolescence is the conventional facsimile machine (fax) that produces paper copies. “Faxing” is now a commonly offered software inclusion in most office products, enabling the user to both receive and send faxes from the computer. So do we still need two phone lines in the home office? Probably not, unless one is used for personal/family matters and the other purely for business.
Outside the home office, there has been a proliferation of various hand-held electronic devices with a variety of features and capabilities, including receiving and sending text messages. Among some technology pundits, however, there appears to be a growing disappointment with the multi-function cell phones as they are seen to be time consuming and ineffective, with their small displays and tiny keys. Ray Wenig believes that new palm devices will soon come with more laptop-like capabilities, being voice-activated and always connected. Does anyone remember Dick Tracy’s wrist video device, or are we just dating ourselves?
Ray also sees the day when rock-solid dependability is delivered to the high-tech user, with self-analyzing and repairing capabilities and a set of temporary services to fall back on when a system fails. One major vendor has a docking station that will automatically back up your system every time you dock up.
One place where the high-tech home office has become invaluable is where the user is a home-based entrepreneur, who wants to be on the cutting edge of both services and efficiency. Richard Leal, a corporate executive who has recently relocated here, says the home office entrepreneur should have:
• A 17” laptop computer, or a standard laptop with docking station and 17” external flat panel monitor;
• Wireless mouse and keyboard, one that fits your ergonomic preference for hand spacing and mouse techniques. (i.e., trackball versus conventional mouse);
• High speed Internet access, wireless with a router;
• All-in-one wireless printer receives signal from anywhere in the house;
• An external hard drive for back-up and storage of excess files;
• A PDA/cell phone which links to your PC; and
• A flat panel TV for easy access to news.
Paul Zane Pilzer, in “The Age of the Entrepreneur” states that “More than one out of every eight U.S. households contains a home business,” and “you’re more likely to find the hottest and best new technology sitting on the desk of the individual entrepreneur’s home office!”
- Jack Wilson
Clockwise: Belkin Pre-N Wireless Router, Dell Axim X51, Logitech Lasermouse, Belkin Wireless Headset, Dell Inspiron Laptop, Sony Bravia 52”Monitor
|
