We live in a digital world where it’s almost impossible to function entirely offline. Information is there for us whenever or wherever we need it, we can source whatever items we may need and the best part, technology allows us to achieve our dreams and be as efficient as possible.
Over the years, I’ve tried out different bits of tech, some of which has been incredible but some of them haven’t been as helpful as the adverts made out. I’ve always found it helpful to read reviews and see what other people have found out when using certain pieces of tech. Here are my current top 5 tech items.
1. Dell XPS 15
Starting my own business and trying to work on many simultaneous projects at the same time, I needed a PC that would be able to handle… everything. I did a lot of research as the most demanding thing is video editing and although many PC’s can work to some point, my Acer PC wasn’t really having it.
The DELL XPS 15 is a pretty lightweight laptop (with only USB-C ports) but it is fast. It’s never had a problem with any software and the only thing slowing it down is the internet speed (which has nothing to do with the laptop itself). For video editing, I use DaVinci Resolve and it works like a dream. I don’t think it’s ever crashed but there are moments it sounds like it’s going to take off (like a rocket). The battery life is pretty impressive too and of course, it’s nice to look at. It has everything you could need from a laptop.
2. iPad Pro
This isn’t really specific to which one. I have the iPad Pro 10.5” from 2017 and the 5th Gen iPad Pro 12.9”. Both are great and they are a great piece of kit when you don’t need a full laptop.
I’ve found it great to review photo’s from photo shoots, have video call conferences, do some word processing, producing financial reports, creating website mock-ups and looking up analytics. There are so many fantastic apps that help you to be more productive and although I couldn’t do as much as I had hoped with the 2017 one, it still proved very useful.
Creating and edit simplistic videos is easy enough and I find it much quicker/easier to use the iPad whenever it’s typing related. I don’t have to worry about the battery and it’s easy to move around (since I don’t really like sitting in the same place). Plus I don’t have to worry about it overheating.
3. Canon 90D
I love photography and it’s something that I do on the side but equally, I create a lot of videos. This camera is wonderful in so many ways. It provides professional quality, is lightweight and can take videos in 4K. It’s not top of the range but it’s good enough to take some beautiful images, especially in the right lighting and the quality difference isn’t notice unless your work is visible at a very, very large scale.
The flip screen is perfect for when I need to video myself but also, I use it in conjunction with my iPad when I need to shoot wirelessly.
4. Pivo
Along the lines of having to record video’s myself, and needing to move around at times, the Pivo has been a fantastic addition to my set up. It enables me to focus on what I’m doing and gives me the freedom to move without having to worry about changing the set-up. It also zooms by itself when using the AI tracking which saves some time when it comes to editing.
The only downside is that it can be a bit jittery so it’s not high quality and if it does lose where it’s tracking, it has a mind of it’s own and spins around. Those are the only issues I’ve encountered but the benefits definitely out way the cons, at least for the video’s that I’m currently producing.
5. Honour 20 (any smartphone)
Finally, it’s a smartphone. Currently I’m using the Honor 20 because of it’s Dual Sim function and it’s camera quality but really any smartphone is a pretty essential piece of kit. It’s great to have a lightweight camera wherever you are as well as a dictaphone, and an encyclopaedia. It provides us with so much assistance and in such an effective way. Without my phone, I would definitely not be as productive in my daily life.
Let me know in the comments your top five pieces of tech at the moment. To be a productive individual, it helps to have the tools that enable you to be the most efficient as possible. It opens up many doors for you no matter your age. It’s just about finding the right tools for you.