Photo: Jens Mortensen
Taking your job on the road is easier than ever, especially with the right mobile office tools. Just make sure you’re sitting in front of a work-appropriate background for those video calls.
1. Dell Latitude E6320
This powerful mobile command station packs a 2.6-GHz i5 processor, 320-GB drive, and 13.3-inch screen into a stowable 3.7-pound package. Built-in broadband connectivity means one less device to carry.
WIRED IT will love the streamlined management and security features, including software encryption and fingerprint recognition. Metal casing feels like it can take a beating.
TIRED Extra touchpad keys are redundant and distracting.
$2,255, Dell
2. Innergie mCube Mini
Slip this 2.4-ounce adapter—touted as the smallest in the world—into your carry-on to take advantage of the growing number of flights with in-seat power outlets. It comes with 10 tips for charging just about any portable device—as long as it’s not a MacBook.
WIRED Didn’t get the tip you need? Innergie will send you the right one for free.
TIRED Tiny toggle switch for adjusting voltage is tough to find.
$70, Innergie
3. Hitachi LifeStudio Mobile Plus
This 500-GB drive harbors a detachable 4-GB flash drive that’s handy for quick runs to FedEx Office. But our favorite part of this portable package is the Cover Flow-like interface—a “3-D wall” for shuttling through photos, videos, and documents. The docking station just adds needless heft, though.
WIRED Includes 3 GB of cloud storage.
TIRED There are smaller portable drives out there. Cheaper ones, too.
$125, Hitachi
4. Case Logic Hydrus
The Hydrus impressed with cushy compartments for a tablet, phone, and 16-inch laptop, besides a dozen other pockets and dividers that kept us organized enough to work while riding shotgun on a four-day cross-country drive. Plus, the rugged nylon holds its shape nicely.
WIRED Light blue lining makes spotting stuff easier. Large zipper pulls let you open and close pockets in a hurry.
TIRED Too few of those interior pockets have zippers.
$100, Case Logic
5. Brother PocketJet 6 Plus With Bluetooth
One of the smallest printers ever made, the new PocketJet has a rechargeable battery and Bluetooth connectivity. The whole thing weighs a mere 1.3 pounds, and it’s Windows- and Mac-compatible.
WIRED Thermal print technology (you might remember that from the ’80s) means you never need to buy toner or ink.
TIRED But it does require you to carry special paper.
$529, Brother
6. HP Scanjet Professional 1000
We slipped a magazine page into the Scanjet and watched as the HP scanned both sides simultaneously in about 15 seconds, in full color. At 1.4 pounds, though, it’s twice as heavy as the popular NeatReceipts scanner but doesn’t use that weight to improve on anything.
WIRED Print-quality menus for settings like color mode and brightness.
TIRED Relatively heavy. Software installation took 30 minutes.
$250, HP