When I went freelance, one thing I hadn’t really considered was just how much technology and equipment I’d need. You take for granted grabbing a Dictaphone from the cupboard or hunting down an artwork bag from under someone’s desk.
And there isn’t a handy Planners Shopping List you can download anywhere with a list of what you really need, so I just kept buying stuff as and when. As a result, I now have enough tech to fill several draws:
Not shown: the digital camera I took the pic with, the old PC + external hard drive I have as backup and the macbook one of the agencies I work for lends me.
Unfortunately, my two biggest agency clients have now both issued their account handlers with macs and one has even switched from powerpoint to keynote so I’m wishing I’d followed Neil’s advice and bought a macbook instead of a PC laptop.
I guess you can’t predict what you’ll end up needing (my friends with small children tell me they all bought two pushchairs; the one they chose when they were pregnant and the one they later realised they actually required). But if you’re in a similar position to me I’ve three pieces of advice – a) buy/hunt out loads of cheap makeup bags to store all your wires, batteries etc. in, b) apply for a Staples loyalty card and c) get a mac.
For me the ideal solution is Windows desktop and a Mac laptop. Just need a few grand to make that one a reality…
I have a mac too…if I could take back the time spent tryint to fix windows in its many forms, ohhh, the world would be a better place.
I use it at home but I know that if I’m after a laptop, I’d go for a 13″ Macbook Air. It’s light and it doesn’t look like it’s going to drag me down or make me sink if I fall in the sea…not that I would, but just saying. It won’t give me back pain as much as a bigger, bulkier one would.