I learned the value of an external hard drive quickly when Windows 10 trashed my home computer.  <sigh>  That was not a fun time.  I'm back on Windows 7 Professional and that's where I'm staying until this computer dies.

Your computer should be backed up regularly and the backup needs to be stored somewhere other than on your computer.  External hard drives are portable, secure storage for your data and are commonly used precisely for this purpose. 

Do you know who's watching you?  Do you keep an eye on your home or business effectively?  Every so often I like to showcase an unusual item - one that you ordinarily might not think of trying to purchase from your office supply dealer - and today I'd like to show you our selection of surveillance cameras and dashcam recorders.

Everything in life goes in a cycle.  Many years ago, document scanners were the hot thing to have.  Then they became integrated into all-in-one printers and the stand-alone scanner became a bit of a dinosaur.  Now, everything that is old is new again and stand-alone scanners are hot. You see them in just about every doctor's office - the receptionist scans your license and insurance card along with the other paperwork for your visit.  My accountant scans all our tax receipts and W-2's, etc. when we come to see him each year. Personally, I have an AIO printer at home and a portable page scanner as well.

There are a variety of formats, ranging from flatbed scanners and sheet-fed scanners to page scanners and business card scanners.  

If you have electronic equipment (and who doesn't?), you need to protect it from damage.  There are a couple ways to do this - one of which is to use surge protectors.  There are lots of variables to choosing a good surge protector and I may bore some of you if I were to discuss all of them, so I'm going to try to narrow it down to the most important points.

Charging and storing multiple mobile devices can be a challenge.  In recent years, schools have begun to purchase and pass out iPads to the students.  Hospitals use tablets for portable medical records; factories or warehouses may use them for inventory, and office settings can have multiple uses for the staff.  These are expensive investments and you need to not only charge them conveniently, but also keep them safe in a secure location.

Enter tablet charging stations - offering high speed charging and syncing, while keeping them safe from theft and tampering.

The Air Mouse GO Plus isn't new on the market, but it is new to our product assortment.  It's a mouse that can eliminate the need for multiple presentation devices.  With this mouse, you can control your desktop from up to 100 feet away, use it as a laser pointer, onscreen pen, highlighter or remote.  It's really pretty cool.  Take a look:

We live in a digital age.  Transactions are electronic now - we pay our bills online, make purchases online - even buy our coffee with our smartphones.  Technology is wonderful, isn't it?  

Until something goes wrong.

ID Theft is everywhere - has it happened to you yet?  It has to me.  Fortunately, an alert bank teller stopped it before it became a disaster for me.  Trying to restore your identity and credit rating, as well as recovering your money, is time consuming and frustrating.  It can take years sometimes and require a lot of hoops to be jumped through.  And you can incur a lot of expense in the process.  Just what you need, right?

Safco has introduced a unique new line of powered desk accessories that allow you to charge your USB devices while you work.  You can also operate USB peripherals (keyboard, mouse, etc) from it.  When I heard about them, I thought they were a fantastic idea and couldn't wait to check them out.  There are four products in the line - a monitor stand, an organizer with three drawers, an organizer with three upright sections and three horizontal sections, and an organizer with six upright and two horizontal sections. 

Logitech introduced a keyboard which may very well be answer to many people's prayers.  Dubbed the K480, this is a universal keyboard that works with all types of Bluetooth capable devices that support external keyboards.  It can be paired with up to 3 devices at once and it's super easy to switch between them or swap one device out for a different one.

Normally at the beginning of the year I do a lot of blogs about the newest, latest and greatest office products to hit the market and trust me, I will do that this year also.  But today I'm writing about an item that's been around over 10 years already - the 3M Ergonomic Mouse.

Should you use an OEM cartridge in your printer?  This is a very frequently asked question because there are several different types of printer cartridges available and many people are confused by all the options.  Is one type better than the other?  One brand better than the other?  Today I'm going to explain the various options and hopefully clear it up a bit for you.

Yes, you read that correctly.  

I think this keyboard is the answer to my problems.  Up until now, it seemed to me that there was no good way to really keep my keyboard clean.  For my home computer, I purchased a keyboard skin - that sounded like a great solution.  I ordered one customized for my particular keyboard and it kept the keyboard in pristine condition - but the skin got grimy after a while and nothing that I used to clean it really worked well.  After a few years, I threw away the skin and went back to using the keyboard by itself.  I dust it, spray with canned air, use keyboard wipes, but still stuff gets in between the keys or on the keys and it's difficult to get it really clean.  Know what I mean?

We live in a world of technology.  We have smart phones, tablets, laptops, mp3 players, iThingies - the list is endless.  And all of those wonderful gadgets need power.  They last for a day and then need to be recharged.  And if you forget to charge it..................................

Problem.

Do your reports look polished and professional?  Do you have crisp, vibrant pie charts and pictures?  Does your boss compliment you on the great job you did putting it together?

If not, the solution may be as simple as changing the paper that you print it on.   Standard copy paper is good for black and white, everyday-type reports, but documents printed in color look best on paper that is designed specifically for color printing.   Color copy paper is heavier, extra bright and ultra smooth.  It offers a better surface for the toner to adhere to and, therefore, creates better quality images.

Ergonomics has always been an issue in offices.  Companies are responsible for providing a safe work environment for their employees and ergonomically correct work spaces are part of that safe environment.  It's important to realize that ergonomics encompasses more than just a good office chair.  Proper height and tilt of a monitor, elimination of glare, distance of the keyboard from the user, keyboard position and angle, clearance under the desk, headsets for frequent phone use, and even the type of stapler you use are all factors in an ergonomically correct space.

I think that anyone who has ever used an office supply item has heard of Smead®.  You know – the filing folder guys.  Well, our friends at Smead® have come up with a cool little gadget (that has absolutely nothing to do with filing) and I just have to show it to you.

Introducing the Smead® Stick-N-Find Bluetooth Location Tracker.