stuffiti

Do you blog, write code for your new web app, send personal e-mail, or just surf the web while at work?

While we aren’t condoning spending all day at work doing this… we also know that most of us do it at least a couple times during the long work day. We asked around, and here are some tools that our friends use to make sure the network admins don’t catch on, or even worse, steal your next hot Web 2.0 idea.

Keep Your Data Secure

The first thing you need is some encryption to hide any traffic you are creating on your company network. For that, we’ve found a small app called Remobo. This free app will instantly create a private network (think VPN, but much much easier to use) between your computer and any computers in your buddy list.

Private Network

You can then use this to quickly create a private (all data is encrypted) connection from your work computer to your home computer. This lets you remotely control your home coputer from work, transfer files and data to and from home, and bypass almost any firewall or router configuration your company can throw at you. You don’t need any networking expertise to use it, and remember ANY network traffic that you send through Remobo is encrypted so not even your network admins can see what you are doing.

Remote Desktop Control

Quite often, just installing this is enough… since you can now remotely login using VNC or Remote Desktop and just do everything on your home computer. However, now that you have established a secure connection from your work computer to your home computer or other computers outside your office, here are some tips on how to use it effectively.

Personal E-mail

The first thing you can do is leave all your personal e-mail running on your home computer. You can use your standard desktop e-mail client or just leave Gmail running in a browser at home. Just remotely login a few times a day when you want to check your personal e-mail. This is a good tactic even if you are just paranoid about network admins reading your personal e-mail.

Text Editors

Next, if you are editing source code or writing blogs during your free time at work, you should always use an inconspicuous editor such as UltraEdit, VI or better yet… whatever editor you normally use at work. This will help prevent those awkward moments when a fellow co-worker walks in, only to find a brightly colored web-based blog editor on your screen. Once you are done, you can always copy and paste the text quickly to upload it, or simply send the source code file back to your home computer securely.

Web Proxy

If you do a lot of web browsing or need to access files and data via a web interface… then you should consider setting up a simple web proxy at home or some other computer outside of your company. If you use this tactic along with the instant private network (Remobo) tactic above, you will have a secure web connection that no one can peek at. All your web traffic is encrypted via Remobo, sent to the web proxy running at home and then goes out to the Internet from there.

Text Based Web Browser

Also, you should consider using a text based web browser such as eLinks for routine browsing of web forums or informational sites where you already know where all the links are and how to navigate the site. You can avoid those embarassing moments when your boss walks in only to find you posting a message on a web forum filled with images.

Be a Good Employee

We know that many of you are great employees and doing a few personal things here and there is just part of the long work day… so hopefully these tips will help you avoid awkward situations and keep your personal data and private life separate from your work life. Also, good employees always get much more room from the boss to do what they want at work than the mediocre ones… so it pays to build up some credit by getting those projects done ahead of time!

Bit of a paradox? Not really, and here’s why. Some clever chaps have realized that instead of using metal staples to hold paper together, why not use the paper itself? A really clever, and environmentally friendly idea to use at home, and maybe even in the office. I’ll grant you that it won’t hold a bundle 100, but it works fine for 5-6 sheets. I don’t really staple that much, but I’m definitely ordering one, just to show off to my friends. Also, I won’t staple my hand to the paper ever again! With this tool, I can only staple myself, with myself.

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It doesn’t really matter how big my hard drive is, I will always run out of space. After a while you can’t build in more drives and for lap top users like me, adding more is not an option. The best way to get around this is to buy an external hard drive. This particular one is a good 160 GB, should be enough for quite a bit, weather you just put your music on it, or use it to transport data from your office to your home PC. As an added bonus it’s as good looking as anything, a great addition to a stylish work environment.

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Here’s a stylish little door stop that can handle even the heaviest doors. Why am I posting about a door stop? Well, I hate when the garage door closes every time I’m going back and forth to my car while moving groceries in… So, if you’ve got a similar problem, this rubber and stainless steel wedge is a great solution. I think you can even hang it on the door when not in use.

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Never know what to do with all those receipts that pile up each day?  Instead of collecting them in a shoe box like I used to do… this nifty device allows you to scan them into your computer and then toss them in the trash.  Not only that, the OCR software will also try to read the numbers from your receipts so you can import them into your accounting or financial software!  Great for small business owners and those of us that like to stay organized

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If you like to unwind at the end of a long day with a good book or just sit back and watch some tv, then check out this stylish lounge chair.  The 50th anniversary edition of the famous Eames Lounge and Ottoman is made from a molded plywood frame, leather upholstery, die cast aluminum braces, and stainless steel guides.  Although its a bit pricey, its definitely a great addition to most any room in your house.

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If you spend long days in front of a computer like I do, then check out this gadget.  I often have to take breaks from typing and using the mouse because my wrists start to hurt… definitely not a good sign.  But if I had one of these massagers on my desk, I could rest my arm in there for a few minutes to relieve the tension.  Of course, this thing is kind of big to leave on the desk, but its still pretty cool, I think

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I remember back in high school, I had a Physics teacher who had a Far Side day-to-day calendar on his desk. Each day we would look forward to checking out the latest comic, and it was actually one of the few things to look forward to in school. Well, Dilbert is just as funny, especially if you have to deal with office politics, buzzword-spouting bosses, annoying coworkers, and pointless assignments each and every day just like he does

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Another great looking wireless keyboard and mouse set by Logitech. This company is known for making some of the best computer peripherals out there, but I like this one more for its looks than anything. Sure, it has all the same great features… but the design strays just a little bit from the conventional desktop sets you see out there and I love the orange and black accent colors.

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I often use my laptop in bed while my wife is sleeping, to get in a few hours of work… but as you all know, its pretty hard to fall asleep with the lights on. My solution is a tiny flexible light that plugs into my USB port, but it certainly does not provide adequate lighting. This wider light really caught my eye, since it can probably illuminate the whole keyboard instead of just one spot Of course, its also great for all you business types who travel on airplanes all the time.

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I always thought it would be cool to store all your digital photos in a traditional photo album-like book, and this storage solution by Western Digital is a step in that direction.  It almost looks like a book you can put in your bookshelf… but plug it in to your computer via USB2.0 and you have an instant 320GB of storage for all your music, videos, pictures and more.  It looks great sitting on your desk, or pop it in your bookshelf for safe keeping

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Although many people don’t even answer their land lines anymore, its still cool to have a stylish phone at home just as a decorative touch.  And if you do still use your land line, then just consider it a bonus!  The phone features one-touch memory, 10 two-touch memories, last number redial, mute/flash and volume controls.  Definitely a cool looking phone.

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Looking for some extra range on your 802.11b/g network?  I hate having to nudge my laptop ever so slightly just to get a WiFi signal from my kitchen… If you have similar problems, this antenna by D-Link may be the solution for you.  Instead of setting up another AP, just use this antenna for increased range on your existing one

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When the maker of the Swiss Army Knife goes and makes something else, you know it has to be good! Ok, thats probably not true, but this notebook bag has all the features you will need.  It fits most 17″ laptops, has a protective compartment, business organizer, and removable accessory pouch.  Plus, that cross on the front lets people know you mean business

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This office fish tank is a great addition to any office dek or cubicle.  Fnally, you can pass off some of your overdue work to your pet fish, who now has a fully functional office to call his/her own.  Make sure you keep it clean though… I would hate to see this thing all covered in algae.  Not a pretty sight   If you’re thinking about what kind of fish to get for this, I think a goldfish or beta would be the best choice.

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