Building the Ultimate Office: Tech tips, picks, and tools for your home office

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Tech tips, picks, and tools for your business on your budget

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Start-up

Tech for a tight budget

Growing

Best tech per dollar

Mature

Tech to impress

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Check out real-life stories of how people use the latest electronics and computing technology in their home offices.

Go to Show Us Yours: Home office

Got an old PC lying around? Put it to work as a first line of defense for your network or as a Linux box.

Find out what to do with an old PC

A good wireless network lets you work from any corner of the house. It can also carry music, movies, and photos.

See how to set up a wireless network

Additional resources

Check out real-life stories of how people use the latest electronics and computing technology in their home offices.

Go to Show Us Yours: Home office

Got an old PC lying around? Put it to work as a first line of defense for your network or as a Linux box.

Find out what to do with an old PC

A good wireless network lets you work from any corner of the house. It can also carry music, movies, and photos.

See how to set up a wireless network

Building the ultimate office: from start-up to skyscraper

Conference room

Products

Start-up: Budget laptop, cell phone with speakerphone, Web conference software, Webcam
Growing: Budget desktop PC, Web conference software, multifunction inkjet printer, digital camera
Mature: Tablet PC, conference phone, projector, whiteboard recording device

Additional resources

Best practices: Web conferencing the smart way
CNET's how-to: Record a meeting
Tech you can expense: Get Uncle Sam to work for you

Home office

Products

Start-up: Budget desktop PC, LCD monitor, Inkjet printer, DVD burner
Growing: Desktop-replacement laptop, multifunction inkjet printer, Wi-Fi router, handheld/PDA
Mature: Ultraportable laptop, docking station, multifunction laser printer, external hard drive

Additional resources

Show Us Yours: Home office
Insider Secrets: Three things to do with your old PC
Digital Home DIY: Set up a wireless network

Hotel room

Products

Start-up: Budget laptop, Internet phone (VoIP), software, low-cost laptop accessories
Growing: Thin-and-light laptop, laptop accessories, software, projector
Mature: Ultraportable laptop, cell phone and headset, software, high-end rental car

Additional resources

Best practices: Stay in a hotel with free Wi-Fi
Insider Secrets: Wi-Fi the right way
Show Us Yours: What's inside your home office?

Airplane

Products

Start-up: Budget laptop, cell phone, flash MP3 player, budget headphones
Growing: Thin-and-light laptop, smart phone, MP3 player, earbuds
Mature: Ultraportable laptop, world phone, MP3 player, noise-canceling headphones

Additional resources

Best practices: Book your trip online
Get the Picture: Packing your bags preflight: power and portability
Best practices: Get work done at the airport

Boss's office

Products

Start-up: Budget laptop, PDA, phone, VoIP service
Growing: PDA/phone, RSS reader, desktop, LCD
Mature: High-end laptop, PDA/phone, mouse/keyboard, HDTV

Additional resources

Insider Secrets: Streamline your Web browsing with RSS
Weekend Project: Double your display power: add a second monitor
Internet phones: Cut costs with Internet calling
Works for Me: Too much of a good thing

Utility closet

Products

Start-up: Basic network setup, Budget desktops (as servers), Antivirus and firewall software
Growing: High-end networking setup, Basic NAS drives, Small-office server alternatives
Mature: Server, High-end NAS drive, Networkable printers

Additional resources

Weekend Project: Share files and printers across your network
CNET business buying guide: Networking and wireless
Show Us Yours: What networking gear do you have?
Security Center: Protect the integrity of your network

Cubicle

Products

Start-up: Budget business desktop, Low-cost LCD monitor, Thumbdrive,

Webcam

Growing: Networked printer, PDA, DVD burner, Headphones
Mature: Laptop, Wireless desktop sets, Cell phone headsets, Smart phone

Additional resources

Insider Secrets: The best software is free software
Weekend Project: Add a second monitor to your PC
Works for Me: A change from default settings will do you good
Insider Secrets: Make the most of your keyboard

Car

Products

Additional resources

Insider Secrets: Geek your car
Show us yours: High-tech payload
Best practices: Literate listening with Audible.com

Where do you work?

Start-up:

Tech for a tight budget

Conference room, Home office, Hotel room, Airplane, Boss's office, Utility closet, Cubicle, Car

Growing:

Best tech per dollar

Conference room, Home office, Hotel room, Airplane, Boss's office, Utility closet, Cubicle, Car

Mature:

Tech to impress

Conference room, Home office, Hotel room, Airplane, Boss's office, Utility closet, Cubicle, Car