The Lifeline IT Guide to Office Tech Accessories

Choosing the best equipment for online meetings, calls and video conferencing can be a daunting task, as there are hundreds of different cameras and headphones on the market.

To help make things simpler, Lifeline IT’s gadget expert Adam Woolf gives some pointers on what to look for and how much to spend, as well as recommending the brands and products that perform well.

THE BASICS

• Test, test, test
  Selecting the correct equipment is about trying different products to see what works best for you. Commented Adam: “With any kind of headphones or cameras it really is about trial and error to find what’s right for the individual’s usage. And don’t be afraid to send them back if the functionality isn’t great. Most reputable brands offer a no quibble refund if you’re not happy with the quality or performance.”

NB: when first connecting a new camera or headphones, if they don’t initially work, try re-starting the device you’ve connected to. Or use a different laptop or computer in case it’s the USB port on the machine that’s faulty.

• Location, location, location
  Make sure you choose something that is suitable for your work environment. Speakers that sound great in the isolation of your private home office will not be suitable for a communal office.

CAMERAS

• What to look for
  Explained Adam: “Always choose one that has a microphone on board and avoid cheap cameras – you really do get what you pay for. At Lifeline IT we are constantly testing tech equipment and we’ve had bad experiences with some of the cheaper cameras as they don’t last very long.

“Also, today’s iPhones and smartphones have excellent cameras that you can use with your PC or laptop and you can get mounts and holders to attach your phone to your screen. The only thing to remember is your camera will only be as good as the internet connection you have available.”

• What to spend
  Between £50 and £100

• Brands and products
  Logitech https://www.logitech.com/en-gb
  Yealink https://www.yealink.com/en
  Poly https://www.poly.com/gb/en
  Phone mounts and holders https://shorturl.at/gnGIK

HEADPHONES

• What to look for
  “It’s very important to have noise cancellation on the microphone – and don’t mistake this for noise cancellation on what you’re listening on, such as laptop speakers. It’s the microphone that does most of the work so it’s vital to have noise cancellation.“You could also consider getting Krisp, which is a virtual microphone and speaker noise cancelling app that integrates with your PC or laptop to improve sound quality and reduce background noise,” said Adam.

• What to spend
  For cabled headphones, about £50 will get you a good quality set. If they are wireless, be prepared to spend around £100.

• Brands and products
  Jabra https://www.jabra.co.uk/
  Microsoft – good headphones for using with its Teams platform https://shorturl.at/acjBM
  Yealink https://www.yealink.com/en
  Bose – the QuietComfort® Earbuds II are excellent but quite expensive https://shorturl.at/zAT16
  Krisp https://krisp.ai/