MY FAVOURITE TECH

by Isabelle Tennier

If the past two years has taught us anything, it is how to leverage the right combination of hardware and software to be more organized and efficient when working from our home offices. As we move into more permanent home office roles, or explore hybrid solutions, our team is continuously reviewing the latest, most reliable, and cost-effective solutions to maximize your home office space.

SOFTWARE

ZOHO

free alternative to Google Docs and Microsoft Word. Zoho Workplace offers a more streamlined approach to formatting documents, even commercially. They also offer a site creation tool, collaboration options, and file management. Some notable companies that have used Zoho Workplace include Nike and BBC.

LIBRE OFFICE

Free software suite that is compatible with all types of Microsoft formats. LibreOffice also has tools for mathematics and drawing, something not commonly found with other free types of software suites. LibreOffice is open sourced, and free to use for both the home and businesses. Available for Mac, Windows, and Linux.

DROPBOX

A file sharing program which allows users to edit and share documents amongst numerous collaborators. Dropbox allows users to export these documents in popular formats such as .docx and .pdf, making sharing files easier. Dropbox accounts are free for up to 2GB of storage, higher amounts are available to users ranging from $12.99 CAD to $23.25 CAD.

POLARIS OFFICE

A cloud-sharing software that’s compatible with all Microsoft file types. Making an account with Polaris Office gives users up to 60MB monthly data transfer, 1GB cloud storage, and can be used across three devices (one desktop and two mobile). Users can also connect their Polaris Office account to Dropbox, Google

Drive, Amazon Cloud Drive, and Microsoft OneDrive, in addition to saving locally on a user’s device.

EM CLIENT

An email service as an alternative to Windows. It features a calendar, contacts, and a chat space. It’s also compatible with Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, and iCloud email services. The newest update for eM Client featured PGP encryption, live backup, basic image editing capabilities and auto-replies supported for Gmail. eM Client is easy to use to transfer contacts and email addresses, even going so far as to transfer events into the software’s calendar.

Hardware

HP Envy Pro 6420 Printer

The HP Envy Pro 6420 Printer is one of the best work-from-home printers available on the market. With its compact design, it’s able to print, scan, copy, and even fax from your smartphone. While the printing speed is slow, it can duplex print and photocopy a stack of up to 35 pages with its inbuilt ADF (automatic document scanner). It also has built-in WiFi and Bluetooth support. The HP Envy Pro 6420 is best supported with HP's ink subscription service.

Lexmark MB3442adw

One of the most compact printers for home offices, it has four-in-one capabilities of faxing, printing, scanning, and photocopying. It’s also one of the fastest laser printers on the market, printing up to 42 pages a minute, and 350 sheet storage main tray. The best part about the Lexmark MB3442adw is the only parts that need replacing are the ink cartridges.

Satechi Slim X2

The Satechi Slim X2 is a rechargeable bluetooth keyboard that can be used with mobile devices. One of the advantages to this keyboard is the backlit keys and the capability for it to pair with multiple devices, making it the perfect keyboard to use at home and on the go. It can be recharged using an included USB-c cable.

Logitech BRIO 4K Pro

One of the best webcams for online meetings, with high quality image. It also has three fields of view, an omnidirectional microphone, a tripod screw mount, and noise-cancelling technology.

Modway Articulate Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair

One of the best affordable office chairs for working from home. It has a supportive mesh backing which can form to your body shape. It also has an adjustable seat and armrest height, allowing for users to modify it best to their needs.