Did you know a notebook computer is stolen every 53 seconds in the U.S. That’s a ton of bummin’ laptop owners out there. If you’re a home officer on the road, don’t become a statistic. They lead pretty boring lives. Instead, think of ways to thwart the bad guys.

With laptops, cable locks are the ideal solution. The Kensington ComboSaver Combination Portable Notebook Lock is a pretty cool and compact device. With a six-foot self-coiling cable, it expands and retracts with relative ease.

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Are you a power broker? You have your laptop and broadband wireless card that provide access to the connected world. You may even have a back-up laptop battery in case your first does during the middle of a major project or especially thoughtful missive.

But what about the power that empowers you? Whether you’re in an RV or a hotel room, the stuff we use — our laptops, portable printers, iPods and cell phones — invariably require more power than some measly little two-plug wall outlet will provide.

So, power up.

I’m using a variety of tools that bring power to peak performance. My Targus Travel Power Outlets with Surge Protection ($19.99) turns one outlet into four, and includes a reset button should a power surge knock it out. What’s really cool is spacing between outlets and the butt-end outlet ensure my oversized power bricks won’t block one another from finding a home.  Plus, it’s small (5.5 inches with an 8-inch cable) and light enough (5.6 oz) to fit in your laptop back. Also pretty cool, its plug fits into one of its outlets — making for a tidy, secure device. It even has its own Velcro cable tie (and we all know how I feel about Velcro). Read More »

Which road tracking and map tech to use was always a toss up in our car.

We’d traveled for years with traditional GPS devices, that British lass barking out orders and seemingly venting frustration whenever we’d ignore her suggested turns. She was good and reliable. As the kids always warned, “Trust the technology.”

Then along came the Verizon Wireless and its VZ Navigator Version 4 application.

Our “traditional” retail GPS would just tell us, “Make left in 2 miles.” No street name audibly announced (thought it’s there in print on the screen). I have to admit, though, the British voice was something last summer when we took an impromptu detour onto the Blue Ridge Parkway — and she couldn’t convince us to “Make the next available turn…” Frustrated, she was. Read More »

I’ve planted my flag and staked my claim to the front-facing perch of the dinette table in our mobile home office. It is here I’ve created my workspace. And I’m settling in quite nicely.

With a few common supplies, a couple of hardware gadgets, and a little ingenuity, I’ve made it my own

My Foray Mobile Workmate has packed with my laptop (a killer new HP Compaq 2710P tablet ultraslim notebook) and my accessories abound. I’ve got several cameras (a Sony Cyber-shot 8.1 megapixel, and my two-year-old HP Photosmart 5.1 megapixel. Nicole brought her Casio Elixim. And the phones have cameras(of course). The Workmate fits perfectly between the driver and shotgun seats while moving. And when I’ve relocated to my office, it opens right beside me.But what’s really cool are the little tweaks I’ve made.

With a pair of inch-square patches of Velcro, I mounted the Ativa surge protector to thee wall behind me. Up and out of the way, it’s become the power charging station for the phones, cameras, printer, laptops and all our other accessories.

The other occurred in that place where A-Ha! meets the right-designed product. The dinette table has two cup holders set in holes routed out from the wood. I popped out one of the holders, unscrewed the in-desk USB hub, and slip the top through the wood. I then screwed the backing behind the table, screwed it into place and — Viola! — I had an in-desk USB hub.

Working from an “alternative” home office requires a bit of make-shift thinking, a few epiphanies and some luck. More tweaks and creativity to come.

It’s positively a unique experience. Except Sponge Bob’s on the cable. So I guess it’s not that unique at all…

Imagine taking a three week trip. Then imagine packing the family — and home office — for that trip. The details are innumerable, intimidating and seemingly insurmountable.

From packing kids’ duffel bags for camp, and outfitting an RV for almost a month of workation, it’s a daunting task — for mom and dad alike. How to do it all? It reminds me of a quote I once got from someone when I asked what they wanted for the holidays? Overworked as she was, she said, “A clone, with insomnia.”

We’re eyeballing the RV with keen interest on where things should go for most effective ergonomics and functionality. Where should the home office be kept — when it’s not a home office? Where should the travelers’ stuff be stored on a vehicle with limited storage?

Thankfully, we have a few products that are helping organize the space. My Foray Mobile Office Workmate will stash one laptop almost all my accessories, and some files and paperwork. This way, when I’m ready to work, I just roll it out (from where yet, I still don’t know), open it up, pull out and power up the laptop, and — Voila! — I have an office.

I’ve put a batch of supplies behind the driver’s and passenger seats. One weatherproof storage container will stash all my printer paper, cartridges and the like. My inlaws — veteran RVers of more than 40 years — said to keep supplies in the shower stall, and fetch them as needed. Talk about maximizing space.

In tight quarters, whether it’s an RV-turned-home office or a Manhattan apartment or the corner of your den, the key is to improvise with a keen eye on functionality. We’ll make it happen.

I’m just waiting for the clone to show up.

As we prep, pack and panic to head out for three weeks on the road in the ZRV, it’s important to remember the essentials.

10. My Office Depot Christopher Lowell Collection Home Office Lean-To and Herman Miller Aeron “Around the Campfire” office chair.

9. The back-line to Tim, your Filipino buddy in the IT help desk overseas. Always there with some advice.

8. Raid, Off, citronella, flyswatters. I know how bad bugs can be in the Florida suburban summer. I can only imagine what they’ll be like in the actual outdoors — especially with the glow of the monitor to attract them like moths to the flame. Read More »

For a home officer, the concept of the Mobile Home Office seems the epitome of “Independence.”

A professional who can take off for several weeks without worry of boss, client or customer repurcussions. A husband and dad who has learned to balance home and work — and earn the admiration of family in the process.

A man who can load up an RV, create a home office on the road — and never miss a beat as he tours the nation’s highways and byways; who can meet deadlines by seamlessly weaving them into the travel plans and around the family’s needs and expectations; who can keep clients loyal and unconcerned about deadlines and deliverables; who can create lasting memories for the family — ones they will look back on with smiles and fondness in years to come. Read More »

T-Minus four days until Home Office Highway hits the open road, and I still find myself in search of the must-have supplies. I have my latex gloves and Velcro straps. I have Purell (there’s actual germs in the woods!). And I have my harmonica and funky travel hat.

But in frenzied fashion befitting a home office denizen first-timing it in an RV, below is the rest of the stuff I believe I’ll need. Have other ideas? Let me know…

– Cable locks to secure laptops, and a travel pad lock to close my Mobile Workmate. A baseball bat would be nice, too.
– My must-have user IDs and passwords so I can blog, log on, bank and otherwise work and live on the road. Read More »