article – At the risk of sounding a little cranky, this will include references to my workplace that are, uh, not so flattering. I’m a college professor, and while some might think that means we’re smart or something, it really just means we’re experts at a small subset of things, and we’re pretty much the same idiots as the rest of society area. One of these areas is technology. So now that I’m back on campus, I’m sharing technology in the classroom with others who use it, and let’s just say it: It’s not an ideal situation.So with that caveat, read my gear below, I hope you enjoyed this post and read The rest of this series when you’re done.
This Bobby Antitheft Solar Backpack by XD Design What amazes me about the Kickstarter project is that it went public for a number of reasons. One is a master’s degree in engineering, and you need to figure out what’s going on with the cables inside. Trying to charge anything with a solar panel requires a lot of trial and error, and even then, solar panels do need to be tilted to generate energy. Unfortunately, when it’s on your back, it doesn’t tilt up and it does almost nothing. Still, I carry this with me for a rainy day. If there’s an earthquake and there’s no power, I can still charge my phone in a pinch, and aside from the solar panels, it’s a great bag. It has several features that make it my top pick (btw, the original Bobby is still on sale if you want a similar package without the solar panel). I love the little zippered pocket under one of the straps for cards. It holds credit cards, room keys and my driver’s license when I travel. When I work, it holds the keys to all my classrooms. I also like the way it distributes the weight on my back. It’s a bag I can carry all day, no matter what I’m carrying. I can also vouch for the excellent customer service from XD Design. They really came through when I had problems. So, while this particular backpack is a bit crappy in places, it’s still a great product for carrying stuff on the go.
DinoFire Wireless Presenter, RF 2.4GHz PowerPoint Clicker Presentation Presenter Remote Control USB Laser Pointer
Now, you’re probably wondering why I use bulky stuff when I have that slick one Vitality waving Item I reviewed last year. The answer is because none of the computers at my workplace have bluetooth enabled. That means I have to use something like this plug and play (because god forbid we install apps ourselves). The little bluetooth dongle fits in the bottom of this (cons: I often forget it in the classroom), and then I don’t get tethered to the podium when I’m giving a talk. It also has a laser pointer, which is a general fact that a laser would be better. Oh how I love laser dots!
I use Logitech MX Master 2 and 3 Home mouse, work mouse, although for some reason the bluetooth usb stuff doesn’t work on my new work computer, I’m not quite sure what’s going on. So really, one for home and none for work at the moment. I think they’re one of the most popular mice out there, and I know why I love it: the second scroll wheel! The second scroll wheel lets me swipe left and right across the screen, and I find it magical to enter grades on a spreadsheet. Great!
If my classroom has a power cord, I prefer to always have my laptop connected to the projection system. Why? Well, because every classroom I go into has some weird setup on the classroom computer that makes rendering a real pain. Currently, my classroom projector has the wrong aspect ratio, so about 20% of my slides are not showing. can i change it? Yes. But I have to replace it every day like I do now because everyone else who uses that room is in some kind of aspect ratio cold war with me.I have made a job request to plug in a VGA CORD so I can use UGREEN Mini DisplayPort Connect my Surface (yes, you heard that. We still have VGA at Citrus. We also have a VCR/DVD combo in our room. Basically 1995).
A few years ago, I decided to rule them all with one water bottle, and Takeya White Originals Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle, 24 oz is this one. It’s big enough so you don’t have to refill it every ten minutes, it’s insulated so your water stays cool, and it has a mouth big enough that you can throw it in the dishwasher and it’ll come out clean. The lid is also easy to clean – there are no complicated or narrow openings to use. I threw out all the random water bottles I had in the cupboard, I only had a bunch, so I didn’t look for the right cap when I tried to go out in the morning. The only problem with these is that sometimes the silicone gasket comes out of the small spout cap. If it’s lost, it’s new lid time. No one seems to sell small replacement washers. it’s a pity.
I hope you enjoy seeing the gear I use every day.If you have any questions feel free to ask below, I hope you will consider reading The rest of the series is at The Gadgeteer.
