Tag Archives: Office

Renting premises and negotiating the lease

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You have found the perfect place to rent for your business, and it’s time to sign a commercial lease.  This guide looks at what you need to know about renting premises and negotiating the lease.

A commercial lease is a legal agreement between the owner of a commercial property and someone who wants exclusive use of it for a set period. It normally applies to a retail store, office, industrial unit, warehouse or factory.
A retail lease is a commercial lease used for retail shop businesses. Unlike explicit commercial leases, retail leases attract additional protection under State-based legislation. Generally, a lease will be governed by the relevant State Act if the retail premises is in a shopping centre.

WHY should I not just sign straight away when renting premises?

Your business must abide by the terms of this lease, which could ultimately determine your success or failure. Indeed, the lease terms are just as important as finding the right property. Please read our guide on finding the right property.

WHAT questions should you ask before signing the lease?

  • What is the permitted use of the premises? Check if any zoning restrictions may prohibit your business activity.
  • What is the lease cost per month?
  • What additional outgoing costs may be payable? You should request a breakdown of likely outgoings in addition to rent. These might include maintenance, cleaning, and repairs on your departure.
  • Are there any incentives?  Fit-out subsidies, rent-free or ret reduction periods.
  • When does the lease end, and is there an option to renew?
  • How much is the security bond? This is normally negotiable.
  • Do I have to provide a Personal Guarantee?  In an extreme case, you could be asked to put your house as collateral to ensure rent is paid (you do not have to agree)
  • What is the lease duration, and what are the renewal options? Your business’s goodwill can easily become associated with a location, so an option to extend protects that. Conversely, if things don’t work out, you may want a short lease as a new business. So, a one-year lease with an option for a further two years might be the answer.
  • When are rent reviews, and how often? This is the time you get to negotiate, as it will affect your cost increases in the future.
  • Do you have to pay promotional or marketing funds? If you have a retail lease, be aware of your obligations to contribute to marketing funds for the shopping centre.
  • What are the refurbishment requirements? A shopping centre may require you to refurbish every x years.
  • Who will pay to create the lease?
  • Does the agreement allow the lease to be terminated early?
  • Can the premises be assigned or sub-let?
  • Does the landlord have a mortgage on the premises, and has the lending authority approved the lease?

HOW do I take out a commercial lease?

Negotiation is possible with a commercial lease. The ability to negotiate depends on how long the property has been vacant, how eager the landlord is to find a tenant, and how many other potential parties are trying to secure the property.

Ensure the landlord owns the property they are attempting to lease and confirm which part is being leased. This last step is important if there are multiple tenants.

Before you sign, ensure you have all the necessary information and have done all the necessary searches. As we have seen, this legal document can be complicated, and you should get good financial and legal advice.

The savings they help negotiate from incentive terms, including fit-out, rent, signage, marketing and advertising fees, and profit-sharing arrangements, might pay for experienced legal advisor fees.

The most common disputes arising from leases revolve around renewal options, mechanisms for rental price increases, repairs, maintenance, and removal at the end of a lease.

HINTS

Ensure you have a clause in the lease agreement giving you the right to quiet enjoyment of the premises during set hours  (for example, what if a noisy neighbour moves in)

Have the premises independently inspected before signing a lease. You and the owner should accept a condition report, including photographs. This report is useful if a dispute arises when the lease ends about the condition of the premises or equipment and whether this has been caused by fair wear and tear.

You should seriously consider the risks associated with redevelopment and relocation. If you cannot negotiate adequate compensation, consider whether the potential risks for your business make it worth entering into the lease.

Document everything to avoid issues at the end.

Your lease likely requires you to have valid public liability and plate glass insurance, so ensure your insurance is kept up to date.

SUMMARY – negotiate the lease for renting premises

A lease’s fine print is as important as finding the right property.  Get the right financial and legal advice to help you interpret and negotiate the lease. Document everything to help avoid issues when renting premises.

Wireless Security Camera buying guide

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As a small business owner, you watch over your business carefully. You ensure process is working, you count the money etc. However, do you actually watch over your business literally when you are not there?  In this wireless security camera buying guide, we will look at why you would install one, what you need to know and how to make a buying decision.

A wireless security camera is a surveillance camera that can capture video images and transmit those images with no wires back to a recording devise either on premise or to the cloud. A power cable or battery will be required to provide electricity.

WHY should you consider a surveillance camera?

The ability to watch what is going on remotely within your business means you are always in the know.

Once you may have installed a burglar alarm to protect your business or home, a security camera can do so much more.

Benefits of installing a wireless security camera:

Deterring crime– A thief does not want to be caught on video

Video proof – If an incident does occur, footage can be reviewed, and police can use images

Check up on the business remotely – Is the store busy at the moment

Employee safety– Watch and review staff member behaviour to ensure safety procedures are being followed.

Insurance claims – Camera footage can validate a claim, or the camera may lead to a discount

Notification – Be alerted a customer has entered your showroom

Progress or conditions – What is the weather or progress on a building site.

WHAT do you need to know about wireless security cameras?

There are wireless and wired camera solutions. A wireless camera solution uses a wireless network solution such as your Wi-Fi network to transport the video. A wireless camera may also have a battery enabling it to be completely wireless. A wired camera will require you to install cables running from a central recording box as well as power cables.

A wireless camera will record vision once motion is detected.

Advantages of wireless over wired camera
  • No cables need to be run back to a central recorder
  • Video surveillance can be stored in the cloud. This means images can be easily accessed from anywhere, and even if thieves remove the camera, images are preserved.
  • Installation is simpler, and a completely wireless solution may give you additional placement options to increase visibility.
  • Cables cannot be cut.
  • DIY solution. An electrician or tradesman is unlikely to be required.

Disadvantages include possible limits to live viewing and maximum resolution.

Wireless Cameras come in 3 forms:
  1. Battery operated mobile networked cameras – This product can be placed anywhere with mobile phone reception and will run until its battery runs out. The video vision is transmitted back to the cloud via mobile data.  Perfect for surveillance of a building site with no internet or power.
  2. Battery operated Wi-Fi Cameras – This is the most common type of camera which will use W-Fi to communicate back to the cloud or a base station and a battery to power the unit. This solution is truly wireless.
  3. Mains connected Wi-Fi cameras – Mains power is required, but the video signal is transferred via Wi-Fi. With a power point likely to be close by, this type of camera will allow continuous recording, which requires more electricity.

An optional Solar panel may be available to power and battery-operated charge cameras, potentially removing the need to remove the camera for mains recharging.

Wi-Fi coverage needs to be good – If you mount a camera outdoors, chances are the Wi-Fi coverage will be poor. Wireless cameras need good coverage to work properly. Wi-Fi congestion can also be an issue. Video uses a lot of bandwidth. If there is a lot of other internet traffic, the transfer of video may be interrupted. Some vendors use a dedicated Wi-Fi network to transfer the footage, but most use your shared Wi-Fi network. Most cameras will also have an SD card slot where a storage card can be inserted. This allows for local storage of images and acts as a backup if cloud storage is interrupted or not used.

All wireless cameras will be supported by a free smartphone app. This App will enable you to receive alerts, live view and watch historical recordings. The App will also allow you to customise camera settings.  Depending on features, you can also trigger alarms, turn on a spotlight and engage in a 2-way conversation.

Cloud storage enables recorded footage to be stored off-site and accessed from anywhere.  Vendor-specific, this may be free, or a fee may apply.

HOW do I use and choose a wireless security camera?

Wireless camera setup

The setup of a wireless camera is very much a DIY exercise:

  1. Connect the camera to power with the supplied USB cable. For battery models, this will charge the battery.
  2. Download the App for your smartphone.
  3. Open the App and follow the instructions.
  4. Select suitable locations for your camera, considering whether the camera can capture what you want to record and the Wi-Fi signal is strong enough.
  5. Use the App to customise settings (such as alerts) and enable cloud recording if applicable.
  6. Familiarise yourself with playback settings and how you can view live video versus recorded video.

Features you should consider when buying a wired security camera:

Outdoor or indoor– If the camera is located outside, it will need to be weatherproof|
Wi-Fi vs Mobile of 4G cameras – as discussed above
Camera types – beyond the power choice options (battery or mains power), cameras can be bought as a fixed direction or a pan & tilt model. The fixed version view can only be changed manually versus a pan and tilt model that can be rotated to change the view remotely. Some cameras will offer optical zoom, which will provide an enlarged picture without deteriorating resolution.
Battery – On battery models, what is the expected operating time between recharges
Resolution of the camera – The higher the resolution, the better the quality of the picture and the greater ability to zoom in digitally to see details such as faces and number plates. You can choose between Standard Definition (SD), High definition (Full HD) or Ultra High Definition (UHD or 4K). Each resolution jump is 4 x the number of pixels or dots.
Viewing angle of the camera – This refers to the field of vision of a camera. The larger the number represented in degrees means the camera will record a wider view in tight locations. A camera with a 90-degree viewing angle would see everything 45 degrees left and right from the centre.
Low light – Also referred to as night vision, is the cameras ability to see in the dark.  Most modern cameras will support this but look for the distance from the camera it will see. E.g. 10m.
Technology to stop false alerts – Normally based on measuring a heat source in the camera view, this technology is critical in reducing false alerts, especially on a windy night with moving vegetation. Alerts can also be programmed only to occur at certain times, like outside business hours.
Mounting kits – A magnetic mount will allow easy removal for recharging. Mounting straps allow easy installation on tree branches or poles.
Other –  various other features may be attractive to you like Siren, strobe, 2-way audio or a spotlight
Remote functionality of an App – A smartphone app will allow you to receive security alerts as well as provide live views from anywhere with internet coverage.  This can potentially remove the need for expensive security monitoring with you having the ability to review and call the police if necessary. The App will also notify you of low batteries. Multiple people can be given access to share the responsibility.
Storage – Camera’s or base stations will support an SD card to record vision on-premise. In addition, cloud backup is available from most vendors on various pay per use plans (some free).
Solar Panel – Is it available for your model, and can it be installed to orientate to the north?
Solution price and bundle options – Once you choose a brand, you will have to stay with that brand unless you start again.  Price will increase with functionality, and we do recommend you go with a known brand.  Once you know the number of cameras you need, you may buy a bundle to suit. Different compatible camera types can be purchased and added separately, assuming you have available channels.

HINTS

Once you commit to a specific brand of cameras, you cannot mix and match different brands of cameras as they will not work on the same smartphone App.  You must either start again with a new vendor or run multiple Apps.

Use the QR code to easily find the right App.

Handy features include the ability to mask a section so no video is recorded or no motion alerts triggered within a specific part of the field of view.

Are Wired security camera buying guide can be found here.

SUMMARY – Wireless Security Camera

A wireless security camera allows you to keep an eye on your business 24/7. The system can act as a burglar alarm, evidence of an event or even safety monitoring. The available solutions are simple to install yourself and can be located anywhere you have a Wi-Fi signal. Via a smartphone App you can receive movement alerts and also view cameras in real-time.  This access can be shared with others.

A configurable solution allows you to mix and match different cameras to suit your requirements, including totally wireless products that use the sun for power and the Mobile phone network.

Wireless security cameras can be purchased directly from vendors or from office supply, hardware and electrical retailers.

Office Productivity Software

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Your new PC has arrived, and this will be your tool to run your business. It powers up, you find a browser and then look for an email and spreadsheet app. Disappointingly, you cannot find any obvious software solutions preloaded. That’s because they don’t come included, and if they are, they are probably not very good, or you have paid extra to have something added! This guide will discuss your options for adding office productivity software to your computer.

If we cut to the chase, you will most likely consider products from Microsoft or Google.

Office productivity software is application software used for producing information such as documents, presentations, spreadsheets, databases, charts, graphs, etc.

WHY do I need Microsoft Office or Google G Suite?

Suppose you want to create these documents. You have to have some sort of office productivity solution. Whether you will pay to be able to use the software will depend on how you use it.

Your choices are:
  1. Free: Both Microsoft and Google allow you free access to some of their applications from a browser connected to the internet. These will enable you to read, edit or produce files via a cloud solution.
  2. Buy: You can buy Microsoft Office as a once-off price for installing onto your PC (1 device only). The cost will depend on which of their applications you want to use and how many copies.
  3. Subscribe: You can subscribe to Google G Suite or Microsoft Office in different variants and costs. The subscription version of Microsoft Office is called Microsoft 365, and it can be used across multiple devices.
    1. Microsoft is PC installed software with web app also available
    2. Google is a web-based app but can also work offline
    3. Both offer cloud storage and collaboration (you can share files between workers)
    4. Both always have access to the latest features and productivity enhancements.

If you can get a free version, why pay? Because the paid version will offer improved security and management, collaboration, and flexibility for your business. A simple example is being able to use your email domain correctly, i.e. Fred@gmail.com vs fred@yourbusiness.com

WHAT type of applications do office productivity software provide (in some combination):

  • Word processing – create documents such as a letter
  • Spreadsheet – numbers can be arranged in grid patterns to manage calculations
  • Presentation – used to create a pleasing document to back up a speech or sales pitch
  • Email – read and compose emails
  • Calendar – control your weekly schedule with possible sharing with office colleagues
  • Contacts – database of your contacts
  • Video conferencing- allows video calls with others
  • Messaging – instant text-based messaging between workers from their PC
  • Note-taking – ability to produce to-do lists and capture content for later reference
Microsoft Office/365Google G suite
Word ProcessingWordDocs
SpreadsheetExcelSheets
Presentation PowerPointSlides
EmailOutlookGmail
CalendarOutlookCalendar
ContactsOutlookContacts
Note TakingOneNoteKeep
Video conferencingSkypeMeet
Cloud StorageOneDriveDrive

HOW to decide between Google and Microsoft?

Both companies’ solutions are great, but both have differences. When comparing, consider the following questions to help you choose between the two:

  • If you will use file collaboration, do you need it in real-time? (Google better)
  • How does security compare? (Microsoft better)
  • How do the costs compare to what you need? (See links below)
  • Is there good integration between email, contacts, and your calendar? (Microsoft better)
  • How much cloud storage is included? (Depends on edition)
  • Do the features of each application support your working needs?
  • What extra apps are included, like to-do lists? (Google offers additional)
  • What support is available?

Microsoft pricing link here.

Google pricing link here.

SUMMARY – research which office productivity software

One thing is for sure, with this software, you will never use all the features they offer, but with continual updates and fierce competition, your life will continue to get easier. You can find a feature-by-feature comparison here.

Can a Chromebook be used for business?

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Setting up or even maintaining computers in a business can be a very expensive and complicated process. So is there a better way? Can a Chromebook be used for business? This guide will look at why you might consider a Chromebook, what you need to understand, and how you decide which one to buy.

A Chromebook refers to a laptop or 2in1 that runs Google’s Chrome Operating system. The experience is a pure web browser interface and will not run windows applications.

WHY should you consider a Chromebook over a PC for business?

We live in a connected world. If you visit Officeworks, it isn’t easy to buy a piece of standalone software that you load onto a computer. Everything is now cloud-based solutions, and you use your browser to access your application via the internet. A business will most likely use an accounting package like Xero, a CRM database, a POS system or even a spreadsheet, all accessed via the internet.

Why would you not use a Chromebook?

Suppose your business needs a standalone software application with many dedicated computer resources (e.g. memory, fast processor etc.). In that case, a chrome book is not for you.
If you need to work mostly independent of the internet or there is simply no internet, then a chrome book is not for you.

Why should you consider a Chromebook?
  • Prices of Chromebooks are considerably cheaper than a PC, and this is because the hardware requirements are significantly lower.
  • A Chromebook’s reliability is likely higher as it is a simpler Operating system with no extra software that is loaded, whether for applications or hardware drivers. Thus everything is simpler, and it is unlikely you will need the services of an IT Guy.
  • Light and compact. A Chromebook is likely to be far less power-hungry so that batteries can be smaller and last all day. Thus delivering you a small package, especially if you are on the road.
  • Instant On. A Chromebook does not need to load lots of code to start and will open at the press of a button, ready for you to access information.
  • Cloud-based storage means you never run out of capacity, and the information is backed up automatically.
  • Android Apps designed to run on smartphones and tablets will run on a Chromebook

WHAT should I know about Chromebooks?

The Chromebook itself does not need to be very powerful. Almost everything you do is done online or, more correctly, in the cloud. Thus although the hardware is not as powerful, the user will not experience any disadvantage over a much more powerful PC. However, one caveat is that if your internet connection is not reliable, this will affect performance.

A Chromebook was designed with security in mind and will be safer than a Windows or macOS computer. Security updates happen automatically, and no viruses or malware are known to target Chromebooks. Indeed, you do not have to buy antivirus software.

Unlike a PC, a Chromebook comes standard with productivity software for word processing, spreadsheet, email, presentations etc. The Google productivity suite is the core software; however, Microsoft applications can be installed just like downloading an app on your smartphone.

You will never lose your work because everything is in the cloud and saved when you type it. Thus, assuming you have an internet connection, you will never regret ever not saving a document or forgetting to back up your computer.

If you are without the internet, you can still use your Chromebook to read email, take notes, create and edit documents, spreadsheets and slides, view and edit photos, listen to music, watch downloaded videos and play games offline.

Collaboration is key for sharing information with your workmates, so everyone is updated. As everything is stored in the cloud, sharing the latest information is a simple one-off permission click to allow others to share real-time data.

No extra software is needed, but if you need something, additional Android apps can be installed.

A Chromebook will connect to printers, keyboards, a wireless mouse and most importantly, an external monitor to give you the flexibility to work off a large screen.

HOW do you decide which Chromebook to buy?

Unlike our guide on which PC I should buy, your choice is determined by how you will use the Chromebook. A basic Chromebook can be purchased for a few hundred dollars, and more expensive models can have touchscreens and be used as a tablet, giving more flexibility on the road.

Options you will consider when choosing a Chromebook:

Screen size will determine the size of the unit, which may be important if you require to take the Chromebook on the road. Sizes vary from 10 to 15 inches.

A chrome book can come in the following form: laptop, convertible or detachable tablet. We like the fact you can use it as a tablet. To support this, the screen may be detachable from the keyboard, or the keyboard may swing behind on 360-degree hinges.

A touchscreen improves your ability to interact quickly with your Chromebook, especially when it is hard to use a keyboard. A stylus may also be useful, especially if you want to make handwritten notes or draw.

Consider the battery life, and will it last you the time you expect to be away from mains?

Colour is the case, not the screen, if fashion is important to you. A protective cover is also a good idea and may help position the unit.

Ram will be in the 4 to 8GB range. With 4GB is adequate for most users.

All Chromebooks use solid-state storage rather than spinning hard drives. As storage is online, you would only consider a larger capacity if you want offline access.

Some Chromebooks now have expanded keyboards with a number pad to the right of the letter keys for those working with lots of numbers.

Processor variants are available but are not as important as a PC specification as all the tough computing work will be done in the cloud.

Connectivity is a consideration if you require an onboard 4G/5G connection and also if you need Wi-Fi 6 over Wi-Fi 5.

Other options to consider include the quality of the camera, availability of extra USB ports and support for wireless charging.

The following brands sell Chromebooks in Australia:  Acer, Asus, HP, and Lenovo.

HINTS

Suppose you still need to run a standalone PC program. In that case, you can use Google’s Chrome Remote Desktop app on your Chromebook to access traditional desktop software via another computer. This app allows you to access a running PC from any location and emulate the screen on your Chromebook.

To research this topic, Small Business Answers trialled an ASUS CM3000DV Chromebook. Our findings were quite the opposite of what we expected. We thought a Chromebook would not suit business, but we completely changed our minds. The Chromebook could handle everything I had done on a 13-inch i5 Intel notebook. TheCM3000 has a detachable cover that acts as an adjustable stand in either horizontal or vertical orientations. The detachable keyboard allows 1.5mm of movement on each key, giving a realistic typing experience while keeping the package compact. Two features I loved were the included stylus and a 15-second charge providing 45minutes of use. (yes, you did read that correctly)
The CM3 is 8mm thick with a 10-inch display and up to 12 hours of use. It is a touch screen device and weighs only 0.51kg. A front 2M camera, rear 8M camera, microphone, and stereo speakers enhance multimedia capability. It only has 1 x USB-C socket so you may need a USB hub, but it supports Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth connectivity. For those familiar with the Google ecosystem, it helps Google Assistant and comes with one year of 100GB of Google cloud storage. Our test unit had 4GB of RAM, a 2Ghz processor and a 64GB SSD drive but we would have had no idea about this as the Chromebook just worked.

SUMMARY – Can a Chromebook be used for business?

Can a Chromebook be used for business? Yes!

When deciding to use a Chromebook, you must ask, is chrome OS the right choice for you? It will change your current mindset but remember the kids are doing it fine at school as their first computer, and they don’t know any better.

A Chromebook is a browser and app-based device that uses the internet and the cloud to do all the work. Almost every type of application today is on the cloud, so an expensive notebook computer may indeed be overkill versus a Chromebook.

A Chromebook can still be bought in different configurations, and carefully consider which options best suit your needs.

Is this you ? bon.elk Elevate laptop stand review

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Does the picture look like your desk with a pile of paper reams supporting your notebook?
In this review, Small Business Answers looks at the bon.elk Elevate Laptop stand and the benefits it can bring.

A Laptop stand is a raised platform for your notebook or laptop PC that sits on your desk to promote better posture and allow the screen to be positioned at eye height.

Benefits of a bon.elk stand:

  • A laptop stand allows a laptop to be positioned at different angles and heights.
  • A purpose-designed stand will safely secure your high valued laptop, minimising the chance of damage from falling.
  • Designed to dissipate heat and ensure correct airflow, so your PC does not overheat.
  • Aesthetically looks good. Far better than a box or reams of paper.
  • Allows Ergonomic positioning, which will reduce neck pain and ensure you are not hunched over looking down at a laptop on your desk.
  • The laptop camera is positioned at a much more flattering angle, so other viewers are literally not looking up your nose.
  • A universal tray with an indented section allows convenient storage of other items like a pen or smartphone.
  • Silicone feet prevent the whole stand from easily sliding on your desk.

The practicality of the Elevate laptop stand

Customisation is the name of the game with the Elevate laptop stand with possible heights from 56mm to 215mm above the desk. The aluminium stand tilts 2 directions allowing you to not only pivot up but also change the angle of the platform the keyboard will sit on. The pivot points are tensioned, so some effort is required to move them. A laptop up to 5kg can be supported. The stand will suit a laptop with a screen size from 11 to 17 inches.

Although this stand will fold flattish for transport, it is not for mobility, and it is a set it up and leave on your desk product.

The stand is available direct and from leading retailers for $99.95

Our takeaway from using this bon.elk Elevate laptop stand

In truth, I was not using reams of paper as we are always running out of paper and the photo above would have meant the paper stand height would have constantly been changing. In reality, though, I was using a shoe box. Now my PC is higher positioned directly at my eye height. The screen is also slightly closer, which makes the screen easier to read as I can angle the keyboard. A USB cable positioned behind my 2nd monitor restricts my positioning. The inbuilt camera is higher, which will improve my profile image in video calls.

I often find it is not until you use a new product that you realise what you are missing; in this case, I firmly believe the bon.elk Elevate stand will improve my posture, which means less back pain after hours at the desk.

Logitech MX MASTER 3S mouse review

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You don’t know what a product can do till you find time to have a good play with it. This is exactly what happened when I reviewed the Logitech Master 3S mouse. I had been reviewing the MX mechanical keyboard and learnt about its extra features. This prompted me to dig into the features of the 3S mouse, and I am very pleased with the outcome.

The Logitech MX Master 3S is a high-quality precision mouse enabling additional functionality with customisable buttons and the use of your thumb.

What makes MX Master 3S mouse different?

This mouse has 7 buttons (including the centre scroll wheel button) and 2 scroll wheels. A standard mouse has 2 buttons and possibly 1 scroll wheel. The two traditional mouse buttons are where you expect them to be. The five additional buttons all come with a default function. Still, by launching the Logi Options+ app, you can customise each switch to perform a task. There are 45 options to choose from, some of which can be seen in the diagram below. Your thumb plays a big role in accessing the extra buttons and scroll wheel.

Further customisation of functions is available by applications such as your browser, excel or adobe application.

The MX Master 3S is great for creative and engineering work where fine detail is important. The mouse optical sensor can be set up to 8,00DPI, allowing precise movement. This mouse will work on a glass table which a normal mouse cannot.

The mouse allows usage on up to three devices by pressing a button on the underside to switch between devices. Further, If you also have an MX keyboard and Logi software. You can control different devices simply by moving your mouse between screens even though they are other Windows and Mac PCs. The keyboard will respond to the device your mouse pointer is on.

What’s in the box

At an RRP of $169.95, this keyboard is certainly at the top end.

Opening the box, you will find the mouse, a Bluetooth dongle (in case your PC does not have Bluetooth built-in) and a USB-C charging cable (USB-A to USB-C). This cable’s quality is excellent and has a Velcro strap for cable management.

The mouse is available in colours of graphite or white.

What I liked about the MX Master 3S mouse.

I previously reviewed the Logitech vertical mouse but found its ergonomic design did not suit me. The 3S, however, does suit me. I find it comfortable to use and extremely responsive, and the extra buttons are easy to reach. The mouse’s height is higher than I was using, making it a bit tight in my desk. I have a separate keyboard shelf that must be fully extended to use the mouse properly.

The game-changer for me has been to customise the buttons. I do a lot of copying and pasting as well as screen sniping and back button, so no surprise these have all been reprogramed. This saves me time and makes the functions so easy to access.

The scroll and buttons are very quiet, and scrolling can be done quickly, which is useful on a web page. The side scroll is also brilliant on spreadsheets.

Setup

The MX mouse uses a low-energy Bluetooth wireless connection. My PC is six years old and runs Windows 10. I charged the mouse to full and turned on the power switch to set up the mouse. With no software being downloaded, my PC immediately produced a popup box asking if I wanted to connect the mouse. I said yes, and it was operational in seconds.

Logitech has a PC application Logi Options+ from which firmware can be upgraded, mouse buttons can be customised, and scroll speeds changed. A handy feature is the customised settings can be backed up to the Logi cloud.

The battery percentage indicator is shown in the app and the windows Bluetooth page. A 1-minute charge will give you 3 hours of use, and a fully charged battery is quoted as providing 70 days of use.

Should you upgrade your mouse to a Logitech MX Master 3S

The Logitech MX Master 3S mouse is an investment in your productivity and comfort. If you are still using the mouse that came with your PC or a cheap one, you will immediately question why you did not get a better mouse sooner.

Whether a professional wanting better accuracy with the mouse or simply a user that a few extra custom keys will increase your productivity, this product will likely pay for itself.

Its design is super comfortable, and the buttons respond with a satisfying click. This mouse allows your thumb to come into play, adding a whole new world for extra functionality.

Poly Voyager 4320 review

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Upfront, I must confess that my daily drive for a headset is Poly Focus 2. You can see our review in wired vs Bluetooth headsets. Those in the market for a headset should also read our buyers’ guide to headsets. Poly reached out to me to review their more cost-effective headset, the Poly Voyager 4320 UC model.

In this hybrid world, we now live in the addition of a headset to your home or work environment has almost become critical, given the vast majority of communication now being done online. A headset gives you the freedom of hands-free and provides a level of privacy from whatever is going on around you.

Poly Voyager 4320 UC overview

The 4320 is a Bluetooth headset enabling you to venture up to 50 meters from your smartphone or computer. Thankfully the battery life allows up to 24 hours of talk time, and failing that, it can be charged via USB whilst in a conversation.

From a comfort perspective, they happily sat on my head for some hours sometimes because I simply forgot to take them off between calls.

The unit ships with a USB dongle which can be used as an alternative to Bluetooth pairing, and a 1.5m USB A to USB C cable. A nylon bag is also provided to store your headset when commuting.

Whilst on a call, Poly’s “acoustic fence technology”, which is a form of noise cancellation, will reduce background noise from being picked up by the microphone. An easily accessible mute button is located on the microphone boom. The boom is also adjustable in multiple directions to suit your face or being swung out of the way.

The Voyager 4320 will also pair with two devices, and this worked well with both my smartphone and my PC connected at the same time. Whilst on a call, a light on the earphone will allow others to know you are on a call.

Volume can be controlled by buttons on the headphone, as well as the ability to answer and hang up a call. When not on call, this same centre button can start or stop a podcast and also access a smart assistant with a long press.

Supporting the latest Bluetooth 5.2 version, this headset has superior range and battery life over the Focus 2.

Customisation and firmware upgrades can be done via the Poly Lens app.

For those wanting a desk stand, this can be bought separately.

Would we buy a Poly Voyager 4320 UC?

When I started reviewing this product, I was excited to test a defeatured headset. I thought it would be perfect for the hybrid worker who was not a call centre operator or in a particularly noisy environment. The more expensive Focus 2 model does a much better job in those circumstances with a few extra cool features thrown in. However, although we might want the additional features of the Focus 2, the 4320 should offer a cheaper alternative whilst still doing everything that a hybrid worker would need.

But when we researched the street price in Australia, we discovered:
Poly Voyager 4320 $209-287
Poly Voyager Focus 2 $249 -$441

Thus, potentially only a $40 difference to buy the more expensive model. If you can get the Focus 2 for $40 more, you should just buy the more expensive model. The Focus 2 has a better headband and superior noise cancellation for both the microphone and earphones. It will automatically answer a call by putting the headphones on and hanging up by removing them. The boom microphone will also mute if in the upright position, as well as having a mute button.

Computer Monitor for small business

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Are you staring at a laptop screen trying to work on a large spreadsheet? An attached monitor may be just the tool you need to increase your productivity. But which one? A good basic monitor sells for around $400, but some the same size might be $1000 more. Why? This guide will explain what you need to know about a computer monitor and help you understand the key features you should consider when making your buying decision.

A computer monitor, screen or display is a piece of hardware that displays the video and graphics information generated by a connected computer. Monitors are like TVs but usually display information at a much higher resolution, showing more detail and making them easier to read.

WHY should I buy a better computer display?

If you have a desktop, then you need one. If you buy a laptop, it is a handy addition (for more information on choosing a desktop or laptop, see our PC guide).

Most laptops and desktop computers can run more than one display, and the display can be spanned across several external monitors. Additionally, a laptop display can be mirrored or “cloned” to appear on an external monitor.

Having one or several monitors expands the workspace for a variety of tasks. An external monitor can deliver improved image quality and much more screen real estate if you have a small laptop.

Getting a new monitor is a bit like getting a new TV. It will look better than the old one with a sharper picture and better colours. Generally speaking, the more you pay for a monitor, the better-quality image you will get.

WHAT do I need to know about computer screens?

The size of a monitor is measured in inches from one corner of the screen to the other, not including the outer casing.

The monitor will require its own power supply and will need a connection cable to connect to a computer.

The connection options include:
  • HDMI – preferred method, same modern standard as a TV. Both a modern PC and monitor should have one. It will carry video and audio and support up to 4K video.
  • DVI – older standard for HD video
  • VGA – old standard using those blue plugs with pins
  • Thunderbolt 3 (USB Type C) – high-speed cable with a very small connector that will carry data, ethernet, power, video, and audio. Sometimes the only video connection port on a smaller laptop. 
  • USB – USB 3.0 is the modern standard, and although it can carry video, it generally does not.
  • Wireless – normally referred to as screen sharing or Miracast.  It uses a direct Wi-Fi connection to stream your PC image normally to a TV.

A monitor may not run to its best ability if you do not load the drivers on your PC for that monitor. Look for some instructions in the box.

You can adjust the settings of the monitor display, although most don’t. If you work with graphics, photos or video, you should explore these adjustments.

Some monitor brands provide software that will turn one monitor into many. When using a very big screen, you can trick the PC into thinking it is looking at different screens even though they are on one screen. Useful when you need to keep certain apps open all the time, and you don’t want to be resizing windows.

HOW do I choose a computer monitor?

Computer monitors can be bought online, at Officeworks and the likes of JB-HiFi and Harvey Norman. Not knowing your particular needs, it is hard to recommend a monitor beyond suggesting a 27-inch monitor with Full HD resolution.

When choosing, you should consider:
  • Size – measured in inches. The screen becomes a much longer rectangle the larger the size. It allows you to do more on one screen. As an alternative, some people may buy two screens to get the same effect.
  • Resolution – The more pixels, the better the picture. 1920 pixels by 1080 pixels is Full HD (1K) or FHD, double that is QHD (2K) and four times is 4K
  • Response times – (preferred by gamers) is the time it takes to change a pixel colour. Shorter is better, and it reduces the blur effect when watching fast action like sport on the screen.
  • Colour reproduction – Panel and processor quality will affect colour reproduction. Better is more expensive but simply look at quality instore before buying. It is important for those working with images that consider a monitor certified as colour accurate.
  • Base Mount – is the base adjustable, and how will that work with the way you will look at it.
  • Thunderbolt 3 laptop power – Some monitors support powering your laptop from the monitor. This same cable will carry the video and USB traffic (keyboard, mouse, USB drive etc.) Thus, only one cable is required for everything simplifying laptop power and connection to all your other devices.
  • Touchscreen – If the monitor supports this feature, you can control actions with your fingers on the screen.
  • Inbuilt speakers – allows sound to be projected from inbuilt speakers in the monitor.
  • Microphone and Camera – If installed it helps with video calling.

HINTS

Visit the Gadgetguy website to see reviews and recommendations on various monitors.

If you need to connect an older cable to a newer port (such as HDMI to VGA), there are adapters for this purpose.

Watch out for specials. As this is such a competitive market they are always around and will save you some money.

SUMMARY – best computer monitor for your small business

Having a good computer monitor will help you be more productive and enable you to see more clearly. When buying, you should have some sort of budget in mind then see the size you can get for the quality and resolution of the picture you need for your job. Ensure you have the right cables and that the display stand will work with your needs.

Jabra Elite 7 Pro review

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At Small Business Answers, just like everyone else, we have work time and personal time where headsets/earphones become useful. The work time, we have lots of phone calls and video conferences, and the personal time I try to walk or ride a bike every day. Some of these walks will be on the phone to family or listening to podcasts/music. Thus I get plenty of opportunities to review headsets. Even if it does look pretty funny seeing me walk down the street wearing a full-blown over-ear headset. Then Jabra sent me a set of Elite 7 pro wireless earbuds to review.

On opening the package, you notice how small the earbuds are. Jabra quotes them as 16% smaller than a previous model and weighing only 5.4 grams. My experience is they fit comfortably in the ear. They don’t stick out like other earbuds I have, so they don’t make you look as dorky. I have tried to shake them out of my ears, and so far, they have stayed in, so you have a level of confidence that you will not lose one at an inappropriate time. Another benefit is when using them for video calls they do not interfere with your hair and participants may not even realise you are using earphones.

The package comes with three earbud sizes to ensure you get the right fit for your ear canal. Next, you download an APP and pair your earbuds with your Android or IOS devise. The APP has a nifty setup procedure that appears to tune the earbuds to your hearing ability using tones you must respond to.

These are top-end earbuds, so you expect the audio quality to be excellent, and it is for an earbud. Sound is one element but interacting with the sound in the buds and the sound around you is equally important. What I like is you can use one earbud or two. Thus, when I use them on a bike, I only use one to always hear surrounding noise. Wind noise is eliminated in the bud if you go into ANC mode or noise cancellation. You can switch out of this to a mode called hear through. Hear through, I found, slightly amplifies the surrounding noise, so great to listen to what people are saying without taking an earbud out. Taking an earbud out whilst listening to music or a podcast automatically pauses what you are listening to. Back to the bike, if I had 2 earbuds in with ANC activated, I would hear no wind but no surrounding noise. If I switch hear through on, I hear the surrounding sounds and the wind, as does the other participant if you are on a call. Thus a bit of a catch 22 but with a workaround.

The noise cancellation quality is excellent (ANC), although untested by me on a plane at this stage. The Elite 7 pro have a large press button on each earpiece which gives a great reassurance it has registered. When you push, you can action ANC on or off, answering a call, playing or pausing music, increasing volume or activating Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa. When compared to other models, I have tested. I found the real button control to work every time, allowing me to ignore my handset for complete remote control.

The Jabra’s allow Bluetooth multipoint, which means you can seamlessly connect to your computer one minute for a video call then to your mobile the next. The buds feel durable and come with a two-year warranty for peace of mind, including failure from dust and water once you have registered your product. Note these buds are splashproof, not waterproof, so don’t intentionally get them wet.

The Elite 7 pro come with a USB C to USB A charging cable and small magnetic docking and closure case. Jabra quotes up to 8 hours of continuous use, expanding to 30 hours using the charging ability of the case (dock). I really like that a 5-minute charge in the dock will allow 1 hour of listening time. The operating range of the Bluetooth is quoted at 10m, but my experience was greater than this.

You pay for quality at $299. A pair that you can use for personal and business use works out reasonable compared to having two separate solutions. The earbuds can be bought directly from Jabra or from most Australian retailers.

To learn more about choosing a headset solution, see Small Business Answers guide here.

Printer – which one for a small office?

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After buying a computer for your business, probably the next thing you will buy is a printer.  A printer can be bought for as little as $35 but is unlikely to meet your needs.  Maybe you have had a printer before and you just don’t know what you should consider next. This guide will help you understand your options and help you make your decision.

A printer is a machine that will recreate an image or text from a computer, usually on paper.

WHY do I need a printer?

You will need a printer if you want to reproduce a document or print an invoice or maybe even produce a brochure or photograph.

Yes, you will need a printer but really the question is do you need a colour printer?

If you plan to print or photocopy a lot it may be worth considering a Photocopier.  See our essential guide on photocopiers.

WHAT type of printers are there?

The first thing you need to know is that there are mono (black and white) printers or colour printers. 

  • A mono printer will allow you to print in shades of black and white. They can be cheaper and possibly smaller.
  • A colour printer will also print in mono if you wish it to but any printing in colour can use up to 50% more ink than mono driving up the cost per page.
There are 2 dominant printing technologies:
  • Inkjet
    • Advantage
      • Cost less
      • Better photo-quality printing
      • Smaller in size
      • More versatility
    • Disadvantages
      • Ink costs more (cartridge not ink tanks)
      • More cleaning required
  • Laser
    • Advantages
      • Better suited for larger print volumes
      • Unlike inkjet, it does not use print heads which can clog
      • Faster printing
      • Less maintenance
    • Disadvantages
      • No photo printing only standard paper
      • Colour quality can be lower
      • Tend to use more electricity
Is a printer just a printer? No, it can be more and will be cheaper than buying separate devices:
  • Single function or Standard is just a printer
  • Multi-function or all-in-one is a printer, scanner, and copier.  Some models may even allow you to send a fax. They are typically more expensive.
Share a printer

You can connect a printer directly to your PC but if you will share with others you can do one of the following if the printer supports it: (Be sure to see our essential network guide)

  • Wi-Fi – connected by Wi-Fi to a wireless router
  • Ethernet – connect by ethernet to a router
  • Smartphone – you can print from your phone via Apple Airprint  or Google cloudprint
  • Memory card – physically insert a USB stick or memory card containing the documents you want printed
If your business has a requirement there are specialist printers including:
  • Large format printers – prints on very large rolls of paper to produce CAD drawings or posters
  • 3D printers – uses plastic to create 3D models
  • Photo printers – designed especially to produce high volume quality photos

HOW should you choose a printer?

This will be based on your expected needs and you should consider:

Cost of ownership – This is represented as a cost per page.  Most vendors (manufacturers) will quote a price, which will enable you to compare models.

Cost of ink – the cost of ink and toner will be most likely be more than the cost of buying the printer so it is key to making a wise decision.  A cheap one is most likely to have the most expensive ink. Ink Jet printers with ink tanks have changed the equation with reasonably priced ink bottles that can refill an ink tank. The counter to this is the ink tank style printers are more expensive upfront to purchase.

Quality of printing – An indication of quality is a measurement called DPI or Dots per Inch. This allows documents to be printed with a very fine resolution.

Speed – If all you print is 1 to 2-page documents speed is not really a concern. If you print large documents then speed is important and you should probably consider a laser printer. Note that speed does depend on the type of document you print with a text document being faster than a full-page colour picture.

How much you print – each printer will have a monthly duty cycle which refers to how many pages a month a printer is designed to print.  This is not speed but a measure of how long the printer will last based on the volume it prints a month.

Paper size – A4 paper size is the standard in Australia for printing.  If you need to vary from this the cost of the printer will go up.  The next most common sizes are A3 which is 2 x A4 and A2 which is half A4.

Manual feed – makes it easy to print envelopes or letterhead

Tray size – This tray holds the blank paper.  The more you print the larger tray you should have.  Multiple trays allow different size papers or letterheads to be loaded to save a time consuming manual feed.

Multifunction – Great to have if you need to scan or print as discussed above.

OCR – Optical Character Recognition. A neat function that allows a document to be scanned and turned into a text document that can be edited.

Network – Make sure your model choice will connect to your network if you have one.

Service and Support – Most printers do not get repaired unless you have an expensive one.  However, support is important and the vendors’ commitment to supporting printer firmware (software) and its compatibility with PC software changes.  It is not unheard of for a printer to stop working until a vendor releases new firmware.

HINTS

In your print properties (setting from the print pop up box) you can select toner saver or draft, this will reduce the quality of the print but save you money on ink or toner.

Printing double-sided or duplex will not only save you paper but save on storage if you are printing a document to file.

Look for a solution with either an ink tank for inkjet or high yield toner for laser printers which will reduce your printing costs per page.

Small Business Answers has recently trialled the Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8500 which use 6 colour inks compared to the standard 4 colours. The six inks mean higher quality photos can be printed with a more accurate colour range. One set of ink bottles can print up to 2,300 high-quality photos or 6,700 pages in black and white or 6,200 pages at a lower cost per page. We found the photo quality to be excellent whilst also being able to do your normal office printing. Assuming you want to print photos and your printing volume is not enormous this is an excellent choice. The unit does not have a large paper feeder which would limit you if you print high volumes.

SUMMARY – Quality Printer

A printer is a necessary tool for small businesses. A cheap one may cost you more because of ink. Consider a quality brand that is designed to handle the volume of printing you plan to do allowing for growth.  Colour and multifunction will increase the price but give you more flexibility.

Our sister publication GadgetGuy has reviews on suitable entry-level printers.