Ten Great Tech Products That I Recommend

[The Tech Professor]

Hello everyone,

Let's say you go to a clients house, you fix their computer and the client is very satisfied. Many times to the client you aren't just a "computer repair guy" but an expert in "all things tech". They think you know everything!

They ask for your opinion about various products and will most likely follow your suggestions. Here are ten tech products that I recommend without hesitation. I have investigated these products thoroughly and they are "top notch".

Maybe someone will find something in this list that can be shared with a client:

1) Operating System (OS) : Windows 7 (Home Premium Edition). The no.1 “no brainer” for the home market segment.

2) Netbook: Samsung NC20. A little more expensive than some others but it’s a 12.1″ full sized netbook. I don’t like the “normal” netbooks because they’re too small and so “underpowered”. Can run Windows XP or Windows 7.

3) HDMI Cables: Buy them online from (http://www.monoprice.com/home/index.asp). You will save literally hundreds of dollars compared to the outrageous “rip offs” that you will encounter at the big-box stores (Wal-Mart, Target, Best Buy, etc.). Get version 1.3.

4) Rechargeable Batteries: Sony 2500 mAh AA Rechargeable Nimh Batteries. These AA batteries are simply superb and very inexpensive! Use them with the Sony BCG-34HRMF4 Battery Charger with LCD Display. Please don’t continue buying non-rechargeable batteries!!

5) Mini LED Flashlight: MAGLITE SP2301H 3-AA Cell. Incredibly bright beam (much more than 2AA model), great long battery life and very inexpensive!

6) Computer Tool Kit: Belkin 36-Piece Demagnatized Computer Tool Kit with Case (Black). A great basic tool kit for computer/electronic maintenance jobs – you probably won’t need anything more!

7) Stereo Multimedia Headset (music and voice) : Plantronics DSP400 Multimedia Headset. Foldable, USB connect, very good mic, great quality for the price!

8) HD Pocket Video Camera: Kodak Zi8. High Defenition video AND external microphone jack!

9) Point & Shoot Digital Camera: Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera. Great still photos, great HD movie shooting, HDMI output, 2.5″ widescreen, under $200. Wow!!!

10) USB Soundcard: Behringer UCA202. Great sound, USB powered, no drivers needed, many advanced features for an inexpensive price!

You can still get great tech products at great prices if you will only have the time and patience to “search them out” !!

Best wishes,

The Tech Professor

 

[anonymous Mac Tech]

6) Computer Tool Kit: Belkin 36-Piece Demagnatized Computer Tool Kit with Case (Black). A great basic tool kit for computer/electronic maintenance jobs – you probably won’t need anything more!

I'll take mine magnetized with few black nylon probe tools, thank you..

They ask for your opinion about various products and will most likely follow your suggestions. Here are ten tech products that I recommend without hesitation. I have investigated these products thoroughly and they are "top notch".

Not sure I'm ready to share those with my clients?

 

[Cue]

Excelent list you have there.
Thank you!

What dont you share MAC?

 

[anonymous Mac Tech]

What dont you share MAC?

The list is based on recommendations to clients so I thought in the original post. Why would I want to recommend them hand tools? So they can experiment with taking apart their desktop/laptop and call me when they screw something up?

@tech professor-not flaming or anything, just not understanding what the point is? If I'm not mistaken you just teach tech stuff to high schoolers and have no formal training and I'm assuming you've never done this work professionally. Are these like practice lectures or something? Do you want our input?

 

[basic]

Thanks "professor"..............

There seems to be an influx of members that seem to want to lecture us.

 

[stevenamills]

5) Mini LED Flashlight: MAGLITE SP2301H 3-AA Cell. Incredibly bright beam (much more than 2AA model), great long battery life and very inexpensive!
/QUOTE]

Not a bad light, but I think the Cree based LED lights are FAR better for serious work and much brighter. Worth the additional cost.

 

[JosephLeo]

5) Mini LED Flashlight: MAGLITE SP2301H 3-AA Cell. Incredibly bright beam (much more than 2AA model), great long battery life and very inexpensive!
/QUOTE]

Not a bad light, but I think the Cree based LED lights are FAR better for serious work and much brighter. Worth the additional cost.

 

[The Tech Professor]

Thank you everyone for the replies,

My intent is to post well researched information with the hope that it may be of benefit to someone. In this post I included three "geekier" products that may be more of interest to technicians.

I know that the information may not benefit everyone and I'm sure that some may disagree with the info. and that's fine by me.

I certainly welcome input (thanks for mentioning the preference for magnetized tool kits and the Cree based LED lights as I was unaware of them). If you have some products that you are "crazy" about please let me know and I'll check them out!

Thanks and I enjoy the forums,

The Tech Professor

 

[PcTek9]

You should see my toolkits. LOL. I have one toolkit that is actually 3.5" by 2". It contains a multihead screwdriver, a 4 prong grabby tool, a small streamlight hyperbright LED aaa flashligh (the microstream has electronics that boost voltage up, so 1 AAA batt. produces 20 lumens! ). My kit also has a small bottle with a random selection of screws and jumpers, a wifi finder, a bluetooth device, and 5 usb sticks. 1 usb stick is only 256 meg, and contains a bootable copy of INSERT, a free linux for repairing windows or linux computers. 1 contains the computer toolkit from technibble.com that uses keratin to upgrade the packages. 1 contains over 10,000 utilities i've collected in my 27 years of computer repair. 1 contains tons of ebooks on computers. 1 contains highly specialized highly secure information that i use for fixing certain systems of one of my clients.
In addition to all that though, I also have a jensen case with 3 doublesided pallets of electronics tools (i hadly ever have to use any of this stuff). I also have a toolkit that rolls around on wheels and is about 3 feet high, but i never use that much either. I have a design kit too with breadboards for designing circuits, and a wirewrapping kit for chipsockets, etc etc. the fact is...
I have a fluke 620 network tester, a fluke 87 dmm, a fluke 30 dmm, tektronix scope, etc. In all my years I've only used some of this stuff 1 time.
Mostly you only need a screwdriver to repair any pc, that, and repair utilities.

 

[JosephLeo]

Mostly you only need a screwdriver to repair any pc, that, and repair utilities.

+1

80% of the time I just need my handy flash drive.
10% of the time I need above + boot disk
5% of the time I need above + screwdriver

The missing 5% is where all my other tools come in.

 

[RicoS]

+1 on this.....USB drive is my #2 tool.........brain is #1......for what is worth!

 

[JosephLeo]

+1 on this.....USB drive is my #2 tool.........brain is #1......for what is worth!

I guess that's the missing element in Geek Squad

 

[topshelfpc]

Geek Squad Techs are Entry level at best, no offense to any seasoned GS Agents out there. It was where I started, stayed for about 6 months and started working for a real company. It's a great place to get paid experience, but the sad thing is that even though I had a degree in computers, most of the people working there are straight out of High School!

 

[The Tech Professor]

Thanks for the replies,

A fellow technician Simon Zerafa just pointed out a tool that looks awesome and it's now on sale at Amazon for around 50% off.

http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Swiss-CyberTool-Translucent-Pocket/dp/B0019T4OBW

I personally have not used this Swiss Army tool but I guarantee you that it is now on my Christmas list!

Please let me know of any tool that you "would die for" so that I can research it thoroughly and possibly add it to my favorites list.

Thanks,
The Tech Professor

 

[JosephLeo]

Thanks for the replies,

A fellow technician Simon Zerafa just pointed out a tool that looks awesome and it's now on sale at Amazon for around 50% off.

http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Swiss-CyberTool-Translucent-Pocket/dp/B0019T4OBW

I personally have not used this Swiss Army tool but I guarantee you that it is now on my Christmas list!

Please let me know of any tool that you "would die for" so that I can research it thoroughly and possibly add it to my favorites list.

Thanks,
The Tech Professor

Me and swiss army knives don't get along. I have big hands and those things are so...tiny. I would love if they made maybe a larger version...

 

[Tweak]

Me and swiss army knives don't get along. I have big hands and those things are so...tiny. I would love if they made maybe a larger version...

Really?......................

 

[JosephLeo]

Really?......................

Please tell me that those come out piece by piece- OR that it's just a novelty.

Because if that is the case I will have to buy one.

 

[Tweak]

Please tell me that those come out piece by piece- OR that it's just a novelty.

Because if that is the case I will have to buy one.

It is the largest one made and in the Guiness Book of Records as such. I doubt it'd be useful at all though. Also the fact that it is Out Of Stock and lists for $999 bucks might deter your purchase.

http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/tools/8b97/

If you manage to buy one you must post back though that you have done such.

 

[JosephLeo]

It is the largest one made and in the Guiness Book of Records as such. I doubt it'd be useful at all though. Also the fact that it is Out Of Stock and lists for $999 bucks might deter your purchase.

http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/tools/8b97/

If you manage to buy one you must post back though that you have done such.

Nevermind. $1,000 for that? Sure it's a collectors item, but these days anything is a collectors item.

 

[NWPhotog]

+1

80% of the time I just need my handy flash drive.
10% of the time I need above + boot disk
5% of the time I need above + screwdriver

The missing 5% is where all my other tools come in.

+2 but it is always nice to have a reason to buy a good tool. I am funny about screw drivers. I just like the feel of some.