Laptop Accessories from Twewlve South and Satechi - Finessing Your WFH Experience

Working from home, or at least hybrid working, is well and truly here to stay.

That means by now you should be way past making do with a laptop perched on the kitchen counter. There's no point trying to improve your productivity by staying home if your work environment is less comfortable and no more user-friendly than the resources you have available back at the office.

A small investment in the right accessories can make all the difference.

As usual, Twelve South and Satechi are here to help.

The first step most of us will take when setting up our home office is adding an external monitor - probably a mouse and keyboard too. This is especially helpful for hybrid workers who want to keep using the same laptop wherever they go, yet prefer a larger display and the more ergonomic control offered by a separate keyboard and mouse.

Adding those peripherals is easy - however, to truly simulate a desktop experience, you'll want to tuck your laptop out of the way. That's where the BookArc Flex from Twelve South comes in.

How often have I said, the key to great design is simplicity? The BookArc Flex encapsulates this philosophy perfectly.

Available in black, white or chrome, this is a modern-looking stand with which to store your laptop vertically, so you can tuck it tidily out of the way - even behind your monitor if you wish.

The true genius of the BookArc Flex is the way it "flexes" to fit snugly against your laptop, holding it securely in place, regardless of its size. Twelve South claims it can accommodate any laptop -from those with a 16-inch screen right down to the very slimmest. Even laptops less than an inch thick will happily sit in place, held in position by rubberised pads on each side that won't damage the surface of your device in any way.

Then, when it's time to head back to the office, you can just lift your laptop out - no knobs, screws, clamps or straps required. Elegant. Simple. Brilliant.

So now you've created all this extra space by stashing your laptop away on its side, let's make your tabletop look more like a desktop, with the Twelve South DeskPad.

This is a vegan leather mat specifically sized to be wide enough to accommodate an extended keyboard with touchpad or mouse, yet shallow enough to fit in front of your monitor. This is important because the DeskPad has a soft, padded backing which makes it very comfortable to use, but potentially not so stable for standing a heavy screen on.

The leather-like material really does feel quite luxurious and it has a practical aspect too - it's a far more responsive surface to operate a mouse on than say, a glass-topped desk or a polished stone benchtop.

What's more, DeskPad comes in both black and dove grey, so there should be an option to either blend in or contrast with your existing colour scheme.

However, this newly spruced-up workspace isn't much use unless you can make the most of the latest technology when it comes time to add storage, transfer files and connect other accessories. Enter the Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Slim Hub Pro.

I don't know about you but I find I never seem to have enough USB ports - especially if I'm trying to use my laptop as a WFH workstation.

By connecting the Slim Hub Pro via a single cable, not only will you keep your laptop fully charged, you'll also have instant access to a full-sized USB 3.2 Gen 2 data port - capable of transfer speeds of up to 10Gbps - and three Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports which can run at a sizzling 40Gbps.

This is all wrapped up in a very stylish - and compact - little box, with friendly-looking chamfered edges.

Because the Slim Hub Pro is so small, it's a great option to carry around with your laptop - although it does come with a separate, external 21W mains power supply, which bulks things up a little.

The advantage to that is not only will you get up to 96W of Power Delivery to your host device, but this doubles as a 150WGaN charger - with each of the three Thunderbolt 4 ports capable of a 15W charge.

The latest Thunderbolt protocol means incredibly fast data transfer - ideal for backing up to external storage or importing large files from devices like phones, card readers and cameras. Importantly, it also means high-definition video output. The Slim Pro Hub will support two 4K displays or one 8K monitor - so although there's no HDMI port, you'll still be able connect a nice, big screen, no problem.

There's also a 28-inch Thunderbolt 4 cable included in the box, which should be plenty long enough to reach from wherever you've stashed your laptop.

Altogether, these three accessories are a great way to instantly make your WFH space feel more professional. The DeskPad provides a more comfortable and responsive surface. The Thunderbolt 4 Slim Hub Pro brings a host of ultra-fast ports and charging options into the frame while the BookArc Flex keeps your laptop out of the way.

At this rate, you may never go back to the office.

    

Click here for more information on the Twelve South BookArc Flex.

Click here for more information on the Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Slim Hub Pro.

Click here for more information on the Twelve South DeskPad.

Norton Genie - Keep One Step Ahead of Scammers

Hands up if you've never received a scam text, email or phone call?

No-one?

Not surprised.

These days scamming is such a widespread, global industry it's practically mainstream. Apart from the usual barrage of unsolicited spam emails we're all subjected to on a daily basis, you really have to be vigilant from moment to moment.

While many of the worst and most widespread scams receive plenty of publicity and we're likely to receive fair warning before receiving our own nefarious solicitation to click a link or share our details, I also get plenty of messages that are probably totally legit... but I'm too scared to follow up because there's no easy way to tell.

And there are new ones that nearly get me every time. For example, the text claiming I hadn't paid my toll the same day I used the new motorway. Or the Facebook message warning me my account was about to be suspended due to copyright infringement.

Both had links to follow in order to avoid fines or even worse; a loss of social media access!

Luckily I refrained from clicking at the last moment, blocked and deleted thoroughly.

I really hope those messages weren't the real deal.

Now Norton has a user-friendly tool to help identify what's a scam (and what's not).

While Norton Genie is accessible from any browser - just Google it or follow the link at the bottom of this article (No really, you can click it. It's totally fine) - it works even better as an app on your Android or iOS device.

Best of all, it's free.

Once you've installed the app or brought up the webpage, there are several ways to use Genie, all of them very straightforward.

If there's a link in the message, you can simply copy and paste it into the appropriate box in the app. Alternatively, you can just screenshot whatever it is you're suspicious of - even if it's a website you're already on - and paste that into the image box. Or you can just copy any odd text you've received and set Genie to work on that instead.

A push of the Scan Now button is all it takes to bring Norton's vast database of cyber-security to bear, along with some pretty whizzy AI that's learning about scams at an exponential rate.

In just a few seconds, one of three things will happen; Genie will tell you you're not being scammed, you are being scammed or it will ask for more information before it makes a call. This last response might mean Genie has detected a link in the image or text you've copied into the app and will then give you instructions on how to copy that link for a more detailed result.

I was surprised how long some of the searches took - not minutes but often quite a few seconds. However, this kind of gave me a sense of security - as though my search really was being compared with hundreds of thousands of known threats to make sure I'd end up with the most accurate and up-to-date result.

Norton claims because Genie is constantly learning, it'll only get faster and more effective as time goes on.

Only today I received an unsolicited email from an unknown sender, coincidentally containing a link to a whitepaper on AI. However, because of its rather formal language and unfamiliar, non-New Zealand address, I was responsibly skeptical and ran it through the Genie just to be safe.

Initially, Genie wasn't sure so asked my permission to conduct a "deeper" investigation, warning of possible "side effects." When I asked Genie what this meant it explained it might mean the link no longer works as expected and may need to be re-sent if it turns out to be legitimate.

I assume what this really means when you grant permission, Genie goes away and effectively opens the link in some kind of protected environment to check it for nasties. If it's a link to an encrypted document or a password protected folder, that will sometimes be a one-use-only address for security purposes. However, if what you've been sent is that important, usually you'd expect some detailed instructions from the sender - and they'd likely be someone you already know.

Whatever the potential side effects, a few seconds later Genie was of the opinion my weird email was probably okay and I could go ahead and read the report.

And just like that, my day became more productive - and a little bit safer.

    

Click here for more information on Norton Genie. For reals. Trust me.

Apple Accessories from Satechi and Twelve South - Make the Most of Your Great Gadgets

The recent launches of the iPhone 14 series, M3-powered Macs and new Apple Watches were exciting in themselves but features like the upgrade to USB-C charging on the iPhones opened the door to a whole range of accessories to enhance the performance of those devices.

So whether you're trying to use your new Apple toys at their full potential or just want to bling them up a bit, as usual, Satechi and Twelve South have come to the party.

The first item on my little accessory must-have shopping list is the 200W USB-C 6-Port GaN charger from Satechi.

I've reviewed GaN chargers before and as a result, I'm totally converted. Just to recap, gallium nitride (GaN) is a safer, more efficient alternative to silicon. This means you can now have a higher wattage charging brick with more ports and most importantly, it'll be smaller.

This latest offering from Satechi is a classic example; 200W split between as many as six different devices. If one of those devices is a MacBook (or any other laptop for that matter) it can draw up to 140W to remain fully charged while still leaving 60W to juice up other devices like phones, tablets, smartwatches and earbuds.

Obviously, this makes for a convenient, one-stop-shop charging solution when you're travelling - even with family members - everyone can plug into one charger, dramatically reducing the need for adapters and available wall sockets.

But it also means an instant cleanup for your desk - either at home or in the office. No more double plugs or multi-boards required. What's more, there's a little stand included in the box so you can use the 6-Port GaN charger on its side, taking up even less space.

Take it from me, once you go GaN, you'll never go back.

However, to make to most of all that charging power, you need the right cable. Or cables plural.

Again, Satechi is here to help with the USB-C to USB-C 100W charging cable or the USB4 C-to-C cable.

Both of these are attractive, braided cables of the absolute highest quality and are both capable of carrying up to 100W of charging grunt.

Now, you may be thinking any USB-C cable can do that but over the last year or so I've learned this is far from the case. There are many, many different kinds of cables out there and just because they fit into a USB-C socket, that doesn't necessarily mean they'll do what you want them to. In fact, in the world of tech, the phrase "You get what you pay for" has never been more appropriate than when it's applied to the bewildering selection of USB-C cables.

If you're trying to charge a MacBook or other laptop, a basic two-dollar-shop phone cable probably isn't going to do the job and it's certainly unlikely to offer much in terms of data transfer - if anything at all.

The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are both capable of charging at 30W - but only with the right charger and cable combination. 

Not only will the Satechi USB-C to USB-C 100W carry that high-speed charge without breaking a sweat but it's also 2 metres long. This makes it significantly more useful than the standard cable Apple includes in its iPhone boxes.

Then the USB4 C-to-C option takes things a step further.

USB4 is the latest protocol offering an unreal data transfer speed of up to 40Gbps - as opposed to the 480Mbps of a standard iPhone cable. That means high-definition video output and lightning-fast file exchange - or to be more accurate; way faster than lightning - the old Lightning cables Apple devices used to rely on anyway.

So if you're recording straight to an external storage device, performing regular backups or just moving a lot of large files around, this is definitely the cable for you.

It's also the perfect cable to connect your MacBook, laptop or tablet to an external hub or dock - high-capacity Power Delivery and plenty of bandwidth for a fast ethernet LAN connection. The only real limitation to this beast of a cable is its length - or lack of it. At only 10-inches, you'll have to be pretty close to whatever you're plugging into.

However, cool accessories aren't always about tech specs. Sometimes they're just cool.

Like the Satechi Vegan-Leather Magnetic Wallet Stand.

This is a classic example of combining two good ideas to create a single brilliant one. The Magnetic Wallet Stand comes in black, dark blue, brown or orange and works exactly the same way as any other MagSafe wallet does, holding up to three cards - two in the compartment at the back and one tucked away in the internal slot. Then it can be conveniently attached or detached from the rear of your iPhone thanks to the magic of magnets. In fact, I reckon this wallet sticks even more securely to my phone than my previous Apple-branded MagSafe wallet.

But that, as they say, is not all.

This is also a solid, fold-out stand so you can prop your phone up for selfies, video calls or even to watch your favourite streamers. It works just as well in either portrait or landscape mode and its leather-like look and feel is extremely classy.

While the Wallet Stand is a little bit bulkier than a standard MagSafe wallet, because the card slot on the back holds just two cards with the third card concealed inside, it's actually not as thick as you might think. It's certainly still quite pocketable and definitely takes up less space than carrying around a tripod or selfie stick.

My final entry on today's accessory roundup is courtesy of Twelve South.

The TimePorter is for the Apple Watch wearer who has everything... well, who has a lot of Apple Watch bands anyway.

Almost without really meaning to, I seem to have accumulated a lot of different straps for my Apple Watch over the years. Not just a selection of colours but different styles too - some designed specifically for working out while others are more of a fashion choice.

The trouble is, they used to just float around in my bedside drawer, meaning some would get used more often while others would be pretty much forgotten about.

Like so many other Twelve South accessories, the TimePorter is so simple, it's genius. An attractive, glossy white wall rack for your Watch band collection, precisely engineered so you can just push one end of your band into the slot and it's held firmly in place until you need it again. There are a couple of adhesive strips on the back allowing you to attach it to the wall in just a few moments. It also includes a convenient joiner for connecting multiple TimePorters if you have more than six bands to hang up.

Despite the Twelve South website stating you can only fit seven bands on each TimePorter, I can actually put seven in mine without any trouble. The best thing is, now all my bands are tidily on display where I can easily access them, I tend to swap them out far more regularly.

This is the great thing about all these accessories - they take my Apple products, which were already fantastic - and make them even better.

    

Click here for more information on the Satechi 200W USB-C 6-Port GaN charger.

Click here for more information on the Satechi USB-C to USB-C 100W charging cable.

Click here for more information on the Satechi USB4 C-to-C cable.

Click here for more information on the Satechi Vegan-Leather Magnetic Wallet Stand.

Click here for more information on the Twelve South TimePorter.