Working from home is no longer a ‘perk’ that well-meaning businesses peddle in their job descriptions. WFH is now a reality of working life and I don’t know about you, but it’s about time! Having said that, there are some drawbacks to zoom-life infiltrating your home life. Not all of us have access to self-contained office ‘pods’ or sleek home offices that have been carefully styled from Home and Garden magazine. Some of us work from our kitchens, our sofas, the sunroom off our child’s bedroom, our closet…
At WLT, we’re here to show you no matter what your WFH environment, there are ways to stay “profesh” during your morning zoom meetings without breaking the bank. Here are our 5 must-have gadgets from JB Hi-Fi to polish your WFH setup:
This portable green screen is described as the perfect backdrop for even the “tightest of workspaces” (hello closet). If you need to hide the laundry in the corner or make your bedroom look like a chic coffee house, this is the perfect way to fool your colleagues into thinking you have your life together. Consistency is key to being professional which is why this is a great purchase if you’re someone that often needs to change your working environment according to what’s happening at home.
Tech specs:
- Dimensions: 148 x 180 cm (screen); 164.5 x 10.5 x 11.5 cm (retracted)
- Material: 100% polyester (Dacron by DuPont)
- Weight: 9.3 kg / 20.5 lb
2. Influencer 6″ Ring Light Tripod Kit
When I’m WFH, I tend to skip my makeup routine and let my ring light work its magic on my complexion. Aside from the green screen, this is the next accessory that will really make a difference to your on-screen presence, not to mention make your colleagues jealous of your morning glow. While usually a gadget used by influencers, I personally think great lighting makes video conversations less distracting, it brings focus to your face, blurring any annoying posters or clutter in the background. Of course, if you do produce video content for your work, a ring light goes a long way in making it look professionally produced.
Key Features:
- Adjustable phone mount
- USB powered ring light
- 3 Levels of brightness
- Phone holder size 3.5inch to 6.3inch width
This one is for the parents or house-sharers (anyone who can’t always control the volume of the people around you). In-built microphones are notorious for bad feedback and picking up distracting sounds – we all know THAT person in the zoom call that never mutes their microphone. Let’s not be that person. What I love about the Blue Yeti mic is the 4 pattern modes built specifically for different types of audio capture. If you’re like me and using a mic specifically for zoom calls, you’ll be using the ‘Cardoid’ mode which captures sound sources that are directly in front of the microphone, rather than the cry of your toddler next door or your gamer flatmate in the next room.
Blue Yeti also has a great reputation for usability and you’ll find a lot of useful how-to videos online.
Specifications:
- Recording Resolution: 48kHz/16-bit
- Capsules: 3 x Blue 14mm condenser capsule
- Polar Pattern: Cardioid, Figure-8, Omnidirectional, Stereo Mode
- Frequency Range: 20 Hz to 20 kHz
- Maximum SPL: 120 dB SPL 0.5%
- THX Certified: Yes
- Output Connectors: USB
- Headphone Connector: 1 x 1/8″ (3.5 mm)
- Dimensions (with stand) mm: 120 x 125 x 295
- Weight (microphone): 0.55kg
- Weight (with stand): 1kg
This is more of a want than a need, especially if you opt for an external mic. Pop filters are designed to soften the popping from “plosive” sounds in vocal recordings. In a nutshell, this means words starting with ‘p’, ‘t’, ‘k’, ‘d’, ‘b’, and ‘g’, will sound softer on the ear. Of course, this may be particularity useful for anyone producing content to be shared online, and perhaps less useful if the only video content you produce is when you accidentally hit record on your zoom meeting.
Key Features:
- 130mm Diameter pop filter
- Dual layer nylon
- 320mm Flexible gooseneck
- Heavy duty clamping system
5. Logitech C922 Pro Stream Webcam
A webcam is another great accessory to offer greater control of how your home office setup is captured, including angle and clarity. If you’re working within a tight budget, you can use a webcam in place of a ring-light and microphone with its built-in stereo quality mic and low-light correction with true-to-life HD video capture. If you’re one of the lucky ones whose WFH setup is enviable, then this webcam will present it in all its glory with a 78° diagonal field of view. It’s also worth mentioning that the Logitech webcam uses less network bandwidth, making your stream more reliable when your whole household is online.
Key Features:
- Full HD 1080P at 30FPS/720P at 60 FPS Streaming
- Automatic Low Light Correction
- Capture Stereo Audio from Every Angle
- Tripod extends to 18.5cm
