Create Your Portable Office with a Flash Drive

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Portability is 1 of the many joys of modern computing technology. If you lot await dorsum non so long ago in the history of the personal computer, the thought of lugging a laptop to Starbucks was unthinkable. Not but because the inexpensive buggers didn't take wifi in the 90s, but considering a laptop back then was probably bigger than your desktop today.

As a nerdy kid, I still call up my dad bringing abode the Mac Portable. I marveled at its course then, only there accept been a few minor advances in technology here and there and now the Mac Portable has earned its nickname as the Mac Luggable. Imagine taking that thing to tackle some work at Starbucks.

So, now that we've taken a little trip downward retentivity lane it'southward pretty like shooting fish in a barrel to appreciate the options we accept when it comes to working on the move—let'due south accept a look at some of the software that allows us to truly piece of work from anywhere, whether the "portable office" includes your laptop or simply some calculator nosotros've accosted at say, a relative's place while supposedly on holiday. To reach this mythical feat, we'll be using…

Portable USB Apps

If you oasis't bought a USB flash drive yet, become and get one. You don't have to use it for storage at all—I use a trusty external hard bulldoze for that, only portable apps are the i thing that makes having a USB bulldoze truly handy. No affair where you are, no thing whose estimator y'all're hijacking, you lot can plug it in and use a bunch of the all-time applications around without having to download and install them.

Function Software

OpenOffice is a fantastic free alternative to Microsoft Part, and I sure as hell oasis't come across a version of Microsoft Function that is sold for wink drives. At that place'south a word processor, a spreadsheet, a presentation designer and a database app—plus more. Everything you demand to replace Role on the route, and it even opens Microsoft files. Get it for Windows and Mac.

Communication

Thunderbird is the not-quite-as-famous and somewhat-jealous sibling of Firefox, but despite its feelings of inadequacy it makes a great email app. It's simple, yet has the ability of any expert desktop mail client. There's a portable version for both Windows and Mac.

Skype is a bully communication tool, specially if yous've put your phone pecker on a diet. It does text advice well, though it is actually renowned for its vocalism capabilities. I haven't come beyond a way to go a portable OS X version, simply with some tinkering you can make it portable for Windows—instructions here.

For instant messaging, Pidgin can have intendance of pretty much whatever popular network. It was, in a onetime life, known as Gaim, the open source instant messenger. You tin catch information technology for Windows. For Mac OS 10, the equally versatile Adium is bachelor as a portable app.

Internet Browsing

Presumably in that location's a browser on the calculator you've accosted, but don't take the adventure of having to bear with Internet Explorer. Or perhaps y'all desire your bookmarks and diverse other settings with you. Either manner, Firefox is available for both Windows and Mac, and is probably ane of the most oft used of all the portable apps.

If only they had a Flock portable app.

Organization Tools

Sunbird, another sibling to Firefox, is a calendar plan with chore management capabilities. It'due south even less famous than Thunderbird, but it's skilful software as usual from Mozilla. Grab a copy for Windows or Mac. The organization arena of the portable apps earth is one I find sorely lacking, and I wouldn't mind playing with a GTD app for flash drives.

Multimedia

Audacity is a dandy, lightweight sound editor. I suppose most people don't need an audio editor on the road, simply as a recording musician this app has saved my butt a few times. If y'all practice podcasting from foreign places—a travel podcast, for instance—then it's worth keeping this effectually. Get it for Windows or Mac.

VLC is a video actor that is a true lifesaver. I haven't thrown a video at it that it couldn't play, and chances are loftier that a randomly accosted reckoner isn't packed to the brim with codecs. Information technology's besides available on both Windows and Mac.

Secure Your Flash Drive

If you're going to do any serious piece of work with a flash drive setup, you'll undoubtedly have information stored on there that you lot don't want getting out. Whether it'south your address volume, email, or files for a client projection, you need to ensure that the drive is going to be secure. The easiest manner to practise this is with a countersign.

Here's 1 method to do it with TrueCrypt. If you don't want to download more software, here'southward another method for Mac users using Deejay Utility.

Remember, good solid countersign creation techniques are essential. Never use your heart proper noun, your child'south names, birthdays or your favorite band. Passwords that are a combination of numbers and messages work all-time, particularly if you can do it in a way that'southward easy for you to call up but not for anybody else. For instance, you could use tyti8mcp08 and memorize it as the year that I ate microwaved chocolate pudding, 2008. I bet you nobody will ever guess that i.

If yous tin't manage to memorize a password, you might just desire to plonk down for a flash drive that has a fingerprint reader, though I imagine y'all'll spend more than fourth dimension showing off to your friends than working with one of these monsters.

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Source: https://www.lifehack.org/articles/featured/create-your-portable-office-with-a-flash-drive.html

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