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These gadgets keep electronic-age workers plugged in
Saturday, October 24, 1998 By Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette Staff Writer
You're probably not going to find a typewriter - electronic or otherwise - in the '90s home office. Instead, computers are the most popular buys for today's home office, say office suppliers. At-home workers can choose a simple machine like the IBM Aptiva desktop (list price: about $549) or a more sophisticated and mobile, laptop computer like the Compaq 1240 Notebook (cost: about $2,000). Of course, there are also plenty in between.
"Sub-$1,000 computers are the big thing for us right now," says Donna Fierko, a spokesperson for Best Buy, the country's largest consumer electronics and appliance specialty retailer.
Also selling like hot cakes are 3Com's PalmPilot Professional and Palm III, electronic organizers that connect via a cradle to your home PC. These calculator-sized gadgets, priced at $249 and $369, respectively, allow users to store and organize thousands of phone and fax numbers and addresses, keep track of up to five years of appointments, tally expenses, even take meeting notes. Want more? The Palm III offers infrared transfer capabilities, enabling users to simply aim and "beam" data - including business cards - to other users. For more information, check out the company Web site atwww.palm.com.
Portable digital notepads like the CrossPad, which uploads 50-plus pages of handwritten notes to your computer, are also gaining in popularity. The price tag for such convenience: $399 (www.cross-pcg.com).
Other must-haves include items that make computing life easier and less expensive to store information, such as zip drives, which enable users to store up to 6 gigabytes on a specialized disk. Ditto with audio equipment like CD sound cards and computer speakers.
Space-savers like the HP3100-SE, an all-in-one printer/scanner/copier/fax machine that sells for $699, are increasingly popular because they eliminate the need for four separate machines. Busy people also want cordless phones, digital answering machines and waste basket-sized shredders, which run about $30.
"Because of information security, a lot of home office people want the ability to shred their documents," says Staples spokesperson Christina Erridge.
In office furniture, Erridge says large executive-type desks are a thing of the past. Consumers prefer L- or U-shaped desks because they require less space. Ergonomic chairs, which offer more padding and bigger seats and backs, are also selling well.
On the smaller (and less expensive) side, wide-barreled, cushioned pens like the Flex Grip Ultra from Paper Mate are all the rage. For $2.99 per three pack, consumers can write in ergonomic comfort.
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