One of the reasons I write about tech is that for a freelance writer, tech is exceptionally important, at least in the home office. The importance of tech is related directly to efficiency, however, it bleeds over to stuff that is just, well, cool.
2016 has been full of tech advances, some helpful, some distracting, some promising, and some just downright puzzling. Where will 2017 go? Here's a look at the past, the present, and the future of tech from the home office outward.
Health Inside and Out
Everyone who works in any kind of office, but especially a home office knows it is really easy to get out of shape. Everything is in easy reach, and the commute to the coffee pot and restrooms is the same as the programs I should be enrolled in: 12 steps.
Fitness
This year, even more tech became focused on getting you out and moving. The original Apple watch fared very well, exceeding sales expectations and catching the interest of Healthcare providers with its potential to gather and share health data. But the introduction of the Apple Watch 2, with its additional focus on fitness (waterproof and with its own GPS built in, no need to carry your phone on your run) more people looked to it as a wearable fitness device with a lot more capability than its rivals.
Speaking of its rivals, Fitbit and other fitness devices became even more mainstream this year. It's estimated that one in five Americans owns a wearable fitness tracker and one in ten wears one daily. Step challenges, fitness challenges, and alarms that reminded people to get up and move more often at least resulted in us home office users looking at our wrists more frequently (and hopefully moving too).
Cleaning
Cleaning? That's right. The environment you work in needs to be healthy too, and the image of a cluttered home office filled with dust might be a stereotype, but it certainly is not a healthy one. This year, more than any other, there are better options.
Decluttering. There are a ton of ways to declutter your workspace even if you are a heavy tech user.
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Cable storage devices: all those cables snaking around your desk make it look messy. Clean them up with a cable storage device that contains them and keeps them from getting tangled or a being tripping hazard.
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A Kindle: eBooks are not new for 2016, but more books including reference books are available on Kindle. You can clear a lot of space by having your reference books electronically, and they are easy to search, bookmark, highlight, and take with you anywhere.
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Touchscreen tablet or an electronic notepad: Still like to write things down? So do I. So get an electronic notepad or touchscreen tablet. The Microsoft Surface (see computer section below) offers great options for this, but a stylus and the right program will work on any touchscreen.
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Charging Station: Devices scattered all over your desk? Gather them together in a charging station. This works even better if your device will work with wireless charging (Samsung, and rumored to be coming with the iPhone in 2017). However, there are good options for corded devices as well, that hide the long cords and keep everything neat and powered up.
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All in One printer: It's 2016, and if you don't have an all in one printer instead of a copier, a fax machine, a printer, and a scanner, your desk has way too much stuff on it.
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Go Paperless and Use Green Paper: You don't have to print everything anymore. Scan your documents, sign, and even fax online. When you do print, use recycled paper options and recycle the paper you do use when you no longer need it.
Using tech, you can make your desktop much neater.
Vacuuming: If you are like me and you have dogs, you know that just vacuuming your home office once a week is not enough. You need to have your carpets cleaned fairly often as well, especially since you and probably your pets) spend more time in that room since you are home all day.
But what if you had a robot that vacuumed your office every day when you were not even there? Well, you can have one, and the robots are even better than last year. The internet of things has inspired more invention in this area. Neato Botvac and iRobot Roomba dominate the market, but Dyson's newest entry the 360 Eye is perhaps the most intelligent and powerful one yet, but costs nearly a grand. Of course, if you are looking for last minute home office tax deductions, it might be a worthwhile end of year purchase.
Computers
Every year I look at new computers and go through the Mac vs. PC debate. Last year, I switched from an Android phone to the iPhone 6s, so the debate is even more pointed. Both Apple and Microsoft have advanced this year, and more is promised for next.
Microsoft: The new Surface Pro computers are significantly better than the first generation, when it seemed like Microsoft was testing the market and even the tolerance of their buyers to wait for them to work out bugs. Despite the issues, the tablet/keyboard combos sold as buyers became disillusioned with the aging iPad and MacBook options.
The Surface also released a desktop, also a rival to Apple's aging iMac. While currently an expensive option, at least the Surface has cutting edge tech the Mac still lacks. However, Apple did not sit idly by either.
Apple: The new Macbook with the neat (but not as functional as we would like) Touch Bar came out this year. The machine is lighter, faster, but with fewer options to plug in other devices. This is similar to the move to lightning headphones: if you are an Apple die hard, no problem.
For most devices now, you will need adapters from lightning to USB 3, HDMI, and even the 3.5 mm headphone jack which disappeared from the iPhone.
Tim Cook also promises employees and customers that the iMac will get an update this year as will the Mini Mac. Hopeful Apple fans are hoping this means the company will move toward innovation instead of lagging behind in technology.
So what is the consensus of this year's debate? If Apple follows through with the promised updates, I might go with an iMac, but it won't happen until mid-2017. I'll probably wait to buy though rather than dropping money on a new PC I'll want to replace.
Software
The final piece of the tech puzzle is software, and in the name of efficiency and decluttering, each year I look at what programs I use regularly, and what ones can go away. Here are some of the debates of 2016:
Google Docs vs. Microsoft Office: As the Google apps get more updates and even work offline, the need for Microsoft office is becoming more questionable. After all, the Google apps are free, and Office 365 costs $99 a year. Sharing options are better on Office files than they used to be, and they do offer some more advanced features than the Google suite.
Still, the cost is something that must be weighed: does what you do necessitate the power of Office, as Google gets better and easier to work with? I'm not saying Office is dead, but if you are going to clean up your desktop, getting rid of the bulky software might be feasible.
Not to mention that Google has a suite of other apps and extensions that make even the new Microsoft Edge the browser voted best browser for downloading a better browser again. It and its predecessor Explorer have held that title for a number of years.
Project Management: As to project and time management software, consolidating to a single program where you can integrate docs, have several projects each with its own team members, and track time spent on each is essential.
This year a few programs have become my go to, primarily because they integrate with Google, and declutter my browser. I usually have more than 20 tabs open, and these programs are powerful and diverse enough to meet all of my needs.
The first is Asana for project management. Web-based and responsive, I can link to Google Docs, upload files, and create tasks for others that help me complete projects on time, and to keep track of due dates and other deadlines on a simple calendar.
The second is Evernote for organizing research, my own articles, and resources for a variety of projects. While the free version can only be used on two devices now, the premium versions have a number of features that make them well worth the few dollars a month they cost.
There are several others I use for other functions as well: Mail Track to see when my emails are read and by whom, and Tweepsmap for organizing, analyzing, and working with my Twitter profile. I've also upgraded to LinkedIn Premium: a sure way to find clients and build your professional resume.
Virtual and Augmented Reality
At the beginning of 2016, virtual reality was supposed to be a big game changer in business, marketing, and content creation. It hasn't, although Pokemon Go did illustrate the potential value of augmented reality.
It hasn't worked out that way, but 2017 may provide different results as the technology catches on, and Microsoft, Google, and others explore the potential applications. Already, libraries and educational institutions are exploring ways to use it to teach and entertain young minds.
The applications for research may be significant though. Google street view already offers the opportunity to visit places otherwise out of reach, and businesses are even offering 360-degree virtual tours through Google. This ability to see and virtually visit locations is invaluable, and as more video data is created, the ability will only be expanded.
Technology may not make a new me in the new year. However, it may make me more efficient and my life even easier. From health and fitness to computers and software technology will continue to shape the home office and our lives in 2017.