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5 Cool Gadgets to Keep Your Business on the Cutting Edge

RobotWhether you’re working from your home office, the local coffee shop, or the back room of your brick and mortar store, you want to find ways to do things better, faster, and, well, just plain cooler.  If you’re looking for ways to take your business operations high-tech, look no further.  Here we’ve listed some great devices to make it happen.  Some are for keeping your information safe, some are for better communications, and all are way cool!


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LifeCamMicrosoft LifeCam HD-5000

Thinking about adding a video blog to your site or video webinars or video chat?  There are a million video cameras out there, and which one is perfect for you depends a lot on what you’re doing, but this one is very cool.  Ever see a video that’s so shadowy you’re not sure who you’re watching? The LifeCam corrects that issue automatically by tweaking brightness and exposure and even slowing down the frame rate to capture more light when necessary.  That and true 720p HD, TrueColor technology and Crystal-clear audio make this one slick cam.
Price tag: $50                        Where to get it: Microsoft.com


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RAID DriveSuper Talent USB 3.0 RAID Drive

Five extra pins in its USB 3.0 plug mean this 128-gigabyte drive copies data 10 times faster than the competition. USB 2.0 can’t come close to the speed of the RAID drive, thanks in part to two solid-state drives housed in its two-inch case.  At a price comparable to an inexpensive PC, you need to really want to store and quickly transfer a lot of data to justify this drive, but if that’s the case, you can’t beat it.
Price tag: $600          Where to get it: SuperTalent.com


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Eye-Fi ProEye-Fi Pro X2 – 8GB

If the RAID drive is overkill for you, here’s an SDHC card that might do the trick.  The company calls this “the most powerful memory card ever.”  Basically, it’s a memory card that never fills up.  “But it’s only 8GB,” you say.  Ah, but that’s where the coolness happens.  Based on a preset capacity of your choosing (90% for example), this nifty card wirelessly uploads and deletes its contents!  The company bills it as a photo solution, but the SD slot in your laptop or PC makes this a good all-around storage solution too.
Price tag: $150          Where to get it: Eye.fi


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apc-upsAPC Back-UPS RS-700

At about a foot long and seven and a half inches high, this little box is a giant savior if you ever need it.  When your power goes out, you have two primary problems (other than whacking your shin on the coffee table): First, you can’t do much work.  If you’re using your laptop you’re ok for a short time, but otherwise you’re dead in the water. Second, when the power comes back on you run the risk of damaging your electronics with the resulting power surge.  A good surge protector is of course a must, but why not cure both issues with one great devise?  The RS-700 will keep you productive, and it comes with a $150,000 equipment protection policy to cover you on the other end.
Price tag: $130          Where to get it: APC.com


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ipevoIpevo TR-10i Speakerphone for iChat & Skype

If you use Skype or iChat in your business, you’ll find this gadget to be one of the most useful things to come along in a long time. The TR10i works as a desktop mic, a speakerphone, and as a handset for when you want to take a private call.  With dedicated Skype buttons, it makes life easier than you knew it could be. Want to record a call to listen back to at a later date or to add to your podcast?  This gadget’s got you covered.  Also, it weighs next to nothing, so it’s easy to take with you wherever you go.  And it doesn’t hurt that it looks pretty cool too!
Price tag: $50                        Where to get it: Ipevo.com


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Isn’t technology great?  These are just a few of the very cool gadgets to help you do business better, faster, or more easily.  Every year, we see more and more, and we’ll be sure to keep you posted.  In the meantime, if you have experience with any of these or have your own suggestions, be sure to share with everyone in the comments below.

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