Recently, a friend gave me a notebook. It is an Asus with a touch screen technology, an 11.6″ screen and 4GB of memory. It replaces my old Dell 800 Latitude. I find that I’ve become spoiled by the touch screen and Windows 8.1, which isn’t as difficult as it seems.
I built my own “office” system by adding components that I use regularly and those I use only occasionally. I might not go back to a laptop any day soon. I’ll share how I built my system.
Accessories
I have carpal tunnel syndrome, and the small keyboard wasn’t easy on my wrists. I looked into a wireless keyboard that would fit inside my carrying case and be relatively easy on my wrists. I found one at Wal Mart. It includes a 10-key pad and a mouse. I really like the mouse, and having “right-click” and “left-click” keys, something the notebook didn’t have.
Instead of buying a new Microsoft Office program, which was out of my budget, I purchased a separate disc drive and loaded my copy of Microsoft Office 2007. I like being able to leave the disc drive at home when I don’t need it.
To plug everything in, I bought a USB hub. My Excel and Word files are kept on a flash drive. It has been suggested that I purchase a separate hard drive, but right now that’s too expensive. It is on my wish list.
My notebook sits on a laptop cooling pad even though it never gets hot enough to burn my lap when I’m outside and not sitting at a table. Removing the heat may help it last longer.
Choosing Wireless Items
I plan on adding a set of wireless earbuds or headphones to my setup. This will allow me to walk around without having an accident with the length of the current wire length.
The advantages of choosing wireless items go beyond just wire length. I can set up my system in a house, campground, library, RV or in a van. I do not have to set anything up based on distance, or try to figure out half a dozen wires draped over boxes, furniture or tables. Fewer wires means less temptation for my cat as well.
I can have several disc drives dedicated for different purposes. My disc drive also plays DVDs and can be plugged into a TV that has a USB port. Instead of moving it back and forth, an additional drive can plug into the notebook.
I can carry my setup anywhere without thinking about weight or lugging around a large laptop. I can leave components home or carry them, customizing my workspace wherever I go.
Source: The author of this article has over 40 years of experience in diverse subjects and skills such as DIY, home improvement and repair, crafting, designing, and building furniture, outdoor projects, RV’ing and more.
