Must Have…. Laptop Accessories !!!

Sure you reached deep into your pockets and went out of your way to purchase that fancy laptop computer that you are all so proud of. It has become a part of your everyday life and you take it everywhere you go. The thought of using a desktop just repels you now and you are quick to pull it out and tap away any and every chance you get. You watch your movies on it, you play your music on it, you complete your assignments on it, you surf the web on it, you do all your social networking on it and the thought of being without it gives you nightmares now. 

But are you really doing justice to your laptop and making real use of the mobility or are you one of the mainstream users that just use their laptop as it came out of the box. Well if you are the latter then it is time to take note. The following list of accessories taps a bit more into your mobile computer’s potential and takes your laptop experience a step further. None of these accessories look like must haves at first, but once you get them, you will wonder why you went for so long without them. Here they are….

A Decent Pair of Headphones:

The saying that common sense is not so common implies here. A decent pair of easy to carry earphones is a must have accessory for the various times when you simply can’t afford to turn the volume up on the speakers. But then again, given the average quality of speakers present on most laptops, you should use headphone more often than not anyway. Make sure you don’t skimp out on them though; a decent pair really makes a difference so spend a little extra cash on them if you can. In the very budget line, Sony and JVC make some decent pairs. They are readily available in Pakistan and in the case of headphones… you get what you pay for.  

Wireless Mouse:

Sure you have a decent enough touchpad on your laptop that does everything you expect, but the convenience of using an actual mouse outweighs a touchpad’s any day. While you are at it, try getting one that is wireless and comes with a “Nano Dongle”. These tiny USB connectors don’t stick out of your laptop and you can even leave them connected all the time. The convenience of a wireless mouse will be well worth it in any task that you are trying to complete. They are very easily available in Pakistan and Logitech and A4 Tech both have some decent models.

Micro USB Hub:

USB Hubs are becoming smaller and easier to carry by the day. And as the number of USB devices that we all use continues to increase rapidly, it is always a good idea to own one and carry it around with you. There are times when you have to have many peripherals connected to your laptop on the go and you simply don’t have the luxury of available USB ports, this is when a USB hub can prove its worth. So every time from now on that you need to connect your phone, a flash drive, a USB mouse and some other peripherals to your laptop, you will be thankful that you made the purchase. Peripheral manufacturer Targus has some interestingly small and portable models.

USB TV Device:

Here is another accessory that expands your mobile computing horizons. If you are an avid sports follower or one of the few who cannot live without your daily dose of soap television series this could come in handy. In situations where you don’t have the luxury of having a dedicated TV in your room, you can always hook this little gizmo up to your laptop and you are good to catch a cricket match, the European league or Star Plus. In the Pakistani market, the manufacturer Dany has some decent models available.

USB Numpad:

For those of us who chose a relatively smaller sized laptop, (read 13” or 14” mostly), a noteworthy feature that is missing is a dedicated number pad on the laptop keyboard. Sure you might just make do with the number keys in the top row, but if you often find yourself doing some number crunching or using MS Excel extensively for school projects, an external number pad can be a blessing. The devices are very affordable and yet again bring an element of convenience to your laptop. Logitech has some variants available in Pakistan at affordable prices.

Wireless Presenter:

Be it academically or professionally, presentations have become the norm in both environments. Adding a professional touch can’t really hurt the effectiveness of your presentations then. A Wireless Presenter allows you to go through your visual presentation without reaching for the laptop keyboard to manually advance your power point slides or animations. This not only gives you the freedom to move about in your space but also allows you to focus more on the delivery rather than worrying about heading back to the laptop to get to the next slide. Almost all professional speakers use Wireless presenters and its crunch time that you use one too. Some variants available in Pakistan are manufactured by Logitech, Targus and Kensington. 

Notebook Cooling Pads:

It is pretty obvious when so many of our activities are connected to our laptops, the amount of time we spend using them is significant. Since they are electronic items with both moving and non-moving parts utilizing electricity, after extended use laptops tend to heat up. This can be detrimental to the hardware and can become a matter of inconvenience and discomfort for the user. A Notebook Cooling Pad is an accessory that goes below the laptop, often has one or more fans, and facilitates the flow of air to the underbody. This accessory allows a user to keep using their laptop for extended periods of time without having to worry about hardware damaged caused due to heat. 

Solar Powered Carrying Case:

Last but certainly not the least, this one is for the power users. Probably the most expensive of the accessories by far, this accessory serves the dual purpose of protecting your valuable equipment as you lug it around, while juicing up the batteries of the laptop through on-board solar cells. Carrying cases such as this ensure that you never really run out of juice for when you need to use your laptop on the go. It also certainly dramatically reduces the need to look for a power socket to plug your bulky charger into. Availability in Pakistan of this product is limited, but if you look hard enough, you may very well be able to find one.