10 Applications, Utilities, and Tech-Tools for Remote Working

Being a successful remote designer isn’t quite as simple as hopping onto a plane with your notebook. From poor internet access to baggage restrictions, there are hundreds of potential problems that can plague a remote design business. These ten tools, applications, and utilities are out attempt to solve those problems through technology. Check ‘em out, incorporate them into your mobile office, and keep your business rolling while you’re out of the office.

1. Western Digital My Passport Portable HD

Most portable hard drives are big, ugly, and prone to damage from even the most gentle bump. The Western Digital My Passport Portable HD is small enough to fit in your shirt pocket, big enough to store all of your music and movies, and fast enough to stream data straight to your media player. If you like having all of your data available when you’re working out of hotel rooms, this is the portable drive to pick.

Alternatively, for designers that only need a small amount of remote storage, why not keep your important information on an encrypted thumb drive? This option is perfect for designers that are stuck working from internet cafes and other people’s PCs.

2. Canon PowerShot G11

No, it won’t take photos as clear and crisp as a 5D Mk II, but it is great for on-the-move photography. As much as we all wish online work involved 100% online paperwork, there’s always the occasional offline invoice, contract, or NDA that requires scanning and submission. Instead of taking a portable scanner with you everywhere, using a good digital camera to ’scan’ documents can save time and a ton of storage space. The G11 has a flip-out LCD screen, awesome low-light shooting capabilities, and a slim form factor, making it the perfect remote ’scanner’ and camera for designers.

3. Deuter Futura 28 Backpack

Most notebook bags are terrible for long-term travel, or even a quick weekend away. Remote working is all about maximizing options, and the Deuter Futura 28 is perfect for designers, developers, and remote professionals that need a versatile backpack. Two pockets means more space for your notebook, spare hard drive, or even a graphics tablet. The Deuter Futura 28 has a built-in rain cover, which can save you having to worry about expensive design gear getting water damaged. Hat-tip to Tynan for the recommendation.

4. Bamboo Fun Graphics Tablet

Big tablets are always ideal, especially for ultra-detailed designs and illustration work. The only problem is that they’re annoying to lug around in a backpack, especially when you’re already carrying a notebook and other equipment. The Bamboo Fun Graphics Tablet is small enough to slide into the front pocket of your backpack, and powerful enough to be used for professional design projects. It runs on USB power, which means there are no batteries to worry about. As much as we wish it was wireless, the no-battery USB charger makes the wire worth it this time.

5. TimeSvr

How much time do you think you could save with a virtual secretary? TimeSvr lets you make the most of an online assistant, without ever having to worry about managing freelancers, paying wages, or any other administrative tasks. For just $69 per month, TimeSvr gives you access to a digital assistant, who can help with managing emails, finding potential clients, and even researching your competitors. Save time on trivial tasks and focus on the most important aspects of your work when you’re out of the office.

6. Google Applications

Short of setting up a remote PC connection, there’s no easier way to access your documents from anywhere than with Google Docs. While the interface certainly isn’t perfect and the applications don’t compare to MS Office, or even Open Office, Google Docs lets you easily share documents with coworkers and freelancers, and even access your own files from anywhere with an internet connection. Don’t expect to design a high quality presentation (leave that to Prezi instead) but do expect to make accessing work much more simple.

7. Skype

If you’re frequently traveling to different countries while you work, managing multiple sim cards can get difficult. Skype is great for video conferencing with clients, getting low-cost phone calls out of the way, and managing multiple phone numbers. Instead of listing five different cellphones on your business card, set up SkypeIn numbers and SkypeOut credit and take calls from anywhere on earth with a single phone number.

8. Mobile 3G Modem

When there’s no Starbucks around for wireless, don’t panic. Most smartphones can easily tether to your notebook, providing a cheap and simple 3G access option. However, there are two situations that could make this difficult.

1. You don’t have a tether-capable smartphone.
2. International 3G costs are high, and you need an option for local internet access.

Make it easy by purchasing a USB 3G modem from your country’s phone provider. We’ve linked to an unlocked modem on Amazon, but in reality it’s often easiest to just to go your calling plan provider (especially in a foreign country) and ask what they’d recommend.

9. LeechBlock for Firefox

You’re in a cheap hotel room, desperate to get your work finished so that you can go out and explore. All the while, thousands of online distractions are keeping your attention on something other than your work.

Changing work behavior is hard, especially when you’re in an unfamiliar location. Instead of trying to fight with discipline, install LeechBlock, create a list of distracting websites, and block them out for solid, distraction-free working periods. Create site profiles for optimum design productivity, uninterrupted research, and even single-purpose batched tasks.

10. QuickerTek Extended Macbook Battery

Note: If you’ve got a Windows-based notebook, your manufacturer probably has something similar that you can plug in for an additional ~5 hours of battery life.

Perfect for long bus trips and long-distance flights, this extended plug-in battery lets you almost double your battery life and dramatically increase the amount of work you can get done on the road. Flights are the best time to get grunt work done – there’s little else to do, so take advantage of the opportunity cost – and even with a 7-hour battery, your notebook is still unlikely to cover the distance on its own. Plug this baby in and enjoy extended battery life, awesome mobile productivity, and great work results.

Written by Mathew Carpenter

Mathew Carpenter is a 17 year old business owner and entrepreneur from Sydney, Australia. Mathew is currently running Tisme, a design agency which is quickly becoming one of Australia's top website design and development firms. Follow Mathew on Twitter: @matcarpenter