Beth Worthy
1/28/2013
Technology is constantly expanding and changing, producing new gadgets and incredible innovations on older ones. We live in a time that allows you to take advantage of these leaps forward. Your workplace may need a little spicing up; variety can increase employee happiness and productivity. Just look at Google's business model if you need any convincing; they retain high caliber employees partly due to their perks and gadgets.
1. Infrared KeyboardsAlso referred to as projection keyboards, you need to see these in action to believe they actually work. A small box is placed within range of your computer, and a laser keyboard is projected onto the flat surface in front of the box. By 'pressing' the keys with your fingers as you would with a normal keyboard, the device registers the key input.
2. Xbox 720You may be asking yourself why a gaming system is on a list of office gadgets. Some employers have found that when they offer downtime within the office to their employees, productivity stays high. These employees that are blowing off steam with entertainment still tend to 'talk shop', keeping their morale up and building camaraderie as well. While the Xbox 720 has not been released yet, Microsoft will be pairing new innovations with the Kinect to allow players to experience games in a way no other console can match.
3. HD Media RouterIn an interconnected office setting, the usability of networks can bog down. Shared folders experience lagging speeds and emails with larger attachments can slow down the entire network. By adding an HD-capable router, transfer speeds remain high and the entire system won't be affected by a few heavier users.
4. Dragon Speech Recognition SoftwareWhen the first talk-to-text programs surfaced, they were little more than a novelty. The interfaces were quirky, commands were often confused, and some pretty hilarious situations were created. Dragon has released their newest version, NaturallySpeaking 12, which blows the rest of the competition away. Dragon's newest version does much more than just type what you say into a text document: you can create and send emails, open programs and interact with them, open files, and even control your mouse, all with your own voice. Combine this with the laser keyboard from earlier and you won't even have to touch your computer.
5. PhabletsPhones that are also tablets, these devices allow employees to work on presentations or other office work from anywhere. Combine them with a 4G LTE service carrier, and there is almost nowhere you won't be able to work from. The Blackberry days are over; switching company phones to a more robust platform allows your business to grow and innovation to be fostered.
Read Also: 5 Simple Ways to Retain Your Top Clients Who Are Leaving