IT Quick Picks
In my job as a computer technician, there are quite a few times I've needed a cable here, or a new hard drive there, and it's difficult to sort through the noise. So, I created a list here of products and tools that I've vetted and used in my daily work that seem to be solid. Hopefully, this will make it quicker to decide on a product instead of sifting through review after review online.
Full Disclosure:
All links below are affiliate links, which means I will get a percentage commission from items bought through the link - it doesn't cost you any extra, but it certainly helps me keep the lights on here at pmbrandvold.com, so I'd appreciate the support if you don't mind!
Adapters and Cables
Until the tech world decides to standardize on a single cable and port, we're going to be living the adapter life. Of course, standardization will never happen, so we might as well buckle in and purchase a fleet of adapters. DVI to VGA, HDMI to VGA, Displayport to DVI, Mini-displayport to DVI or Displayport or HDMI....it's best not to get caught without an option, especially when there are a variety of monitors, projectors, and televisions that you'll need to be connecting to.
Displayport to DVI adapter:
Zetaguard 4 port HDMI display switch box:
Displayport to HDMI cable:
10ft: https://amzn.to/2oIwstH
Cable converters and Hard Drive readers
USB to Sata cable:
WEme Dual Drive External Hard Drive Docking Station:
Sabrent M.2 SSD to 2.5-Inch SATA III Aluminum Enclosure Adapter
Hard Drives and Memory
Whether you have a hard drive that has failed, you're trying to get some extra speed, or you need portable storage for your files, there are a lot of options out there. If you have a spinning disk drive, or "hard disk drive" (HDD), your computer slowness is most likely bottlenecked by your write/read speed. Forget new processors or upgrading memory - converting to a solid state drive (SSD) is going to give you the most bang for your buck. It will almost feel like your computer is brand new!
If you don't need an upgrade to your hard drive, perhaps you just need some extra storage. There are a few great external hard drives that work as portable file storage, or backup drives for your main computer. Even USB drives are becoming a viable option for backups and large file storage as hardware continues to increase space availability and decrease price. Below are my go-to options in this category.
Samsung 860 Pro 512 Solid State Drive:
WD Elements Portable External Drive:
Sandisk Ultra 64GB Flash Drive:
Home Infrastructure
TP-Link AC1750 Wi-Fi Range Extender:
Cases and Skins
Otterbox Commuter Case:
iPhone 7 and 8: https://amzn.to/2oDVtWN
Education and Resources
Powershell:
Powershell In a Month of Lunches: https://amzn.to/2oHkxfF
Powershell Toolmaking in a Month of Lunches: https://amzn.to/2NgrzG1
Powershell Scripting in a Month of Lunches: https://amzn.to/2NQ5dZ2
Windows Powershell Cookbook: https://amzn.to/2Q7Ibys
Inventory Management
Barcode Scanners:
NADAMOO 2D Wireless Barcode Scanner: https://amzn.to/2oXKQ0Y