Dell has issued a nineteen eighty-four-esque warning to its hybrid working employees, who shall from now on be tracked using electronic badge swipes, VPN usage and a color-coding system, in order for the company to keep tabs on office usage.
A source familiar with the matter told The Register the new initiative, spearheaded by COO Jeff Clarke, is designed to monitor the on-site presence of the company’s hybrid workers.
The system will be used to grade employees based on their presence in the office for at least 39 days per quarter, which equates to around three days per week.
Dell vs hybrid working
Starting May 13, Dell intends to provide employees with weekly updates on their onside presence through its HR software, with reports accompanied by a color-coded rating. The ratings will include green, yellow and red flags for ‘regular,’ ‘some’ and ‘limited’ on-site presence, with a special blue flag awarded to those with ‘consistent’ on-site presence.
A Dell spokesperson commented (via The Register): “In today’s global technology revolution, we believe in-person connections paired with a flexible approach are critical to drive innovation and value differentiation.”
However, workers have expressed dissatisfaction with the company’s increasingly strict measures. The news comes just weeks after the company announced it would be penalizing workers for working from home too much, with promotions being threatened.
Other workers have linked the increased surveillance with continued headcount reduction and cost optimization efforts. Dell laid off around 6,000 workers in March 2024, and a further 6,650 in February 2023. Both times, the company saw a 5% reduction in its workforce.
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Remote and hybrid work is a real possibility for many recent graduates, as is schlepping it to an office every weekday. Some grads may be off to a career in welding and will be free of offices altogether. While we don’t have the proper expertise to make recommendations for that latter category, the Engadget staff has decades of collective experience working from home and commuting to offices. These gadgets have helped us get through our workdays more efficiently and comfortably — and make good gifts for any budding professional.
LUME CUBE
Even if your graduate already has an upgraded webcam, bad lighting can prevent them from putting their best face forward when speaking with colleagues on video calls. The LumeCube Edge Desk Light can fix that with its multiple brightness and warm-light settings, plus a bendable neck that makes it easy to adjust the light’s position. Since it’s quite flexible, they can use it for other things, too, including note-taking and live streaming. And we know they’ll appreciate its built-in USB-C and USB-A charging ports, which will let them conveniently power up their phone, earbuds and more while getting all of their work done. — Nicole Lee, Commerce Writer
There’s a good chance your grad will have to take regular video conference calls at their new job, even if they go into the office from time to time. Sure, they could use their laptop’s built-in basic camera, but a webcam like the Logitech Brio 500 can help them put their best face forward on every call they take. The Brio 500 shoots 1080p video and they can customize aspects of their feed, including brightness, contrast and additive filters, by using the free Logi Tune software. But most of the time, the cam will do the hard work for them: it has remarkably good auto-light correction, which will help them look better in dark environments, noise-reducing dual microphones and auto-framing with RightSight. If the latter is enabled, your grad can shift in their chair and move around and the Brio 500 will adjust automatically to keep them in the center of the frame. And when they’re not on a call, there’s a handy shutter that covers the camera lens for extra privacy. — Valentina Palladino, Deputy Editor, Buying Advice
In a world that runs on batteries, you can never be too far from a charger. A reliable charging station like the Anker 525 is a real convenience for topping up a smartphone, tablet, wireless mouse or any other device that may need refilling. It puts four charging ports within arm’s reach — two USB-C and two USB-A — and it measures less than five inches wide, so it’s compact enough to fit on a crowded desk. Those USB-C ports can supply up to a 67W charge, so this isn’t the most powerful station out there, but it’s still enough to charge many mobile devices and slim laptops at full speed. — Jeff Dunn, Senior Reporter, Buying Advice
Blocking out the world in an attempt to focus isn’t something that only new graduates do — but they, too, can benefit from having a little help in that area. Whether they’re going to work on a loud train or trying to finish prepping a presentation at home, a pair of ANC headphones like Sony’s WH-1000XM5 is one of the best gifts to help them stay in the zone. The XM5 are Sony’s latest flagship model and the best wireless headphones you can get right now by our standards. Sony packs so much into these cans: improved noise cancellation, excellent sound quality, handy touch controls and a 30-hour battery life, just to name a few things. Their redesigned design makes them even more comfortable to wear for hours on end, and their ability to connect to two devices at once means your giftee can easily switch from taking a call on their phone to listening to music on their laptop. — V.P.
One of the most difficult obstacles with working from home is all the distractions. Even seasoned WFH folks can get sidetracked by temptations like TV, the internet or just easy access to the kitchen — any grad new to remote-work life could feel the same way. A potential solution to that is to use one of these multi-cube timers from Mooas as a productivity tool. Each side corresponds to different lengths of time; to start the timer, they’ll flip the cube so the desired time faces upwards. Flipping the LCD display upwards again will pause it, while turning the display downwards will stop the timer.
There are a number of ways to use them, but I like using the Pomodoro Technique with these. I’ll enable the 30 minute timer, which then encourages me to focus just on my work for the allotted time period. Once time is up, I give myself a five minute rest, and then I start it over again. Your giftee can also use them as a reminder to stand up and stretch every so often. These timers come in a variety of colors, each with different time pre-sets, so be sure to pick the one with the time lengths you think your loved one will want. — N.L.
After a decade spent typing in front of a computer, I started looking for ways to make my body hate me less come Friday afternoon. You can get your grad working more ergonomically from the jump with Logitech’s ERGO K860 wireless ergonomic keyboard. It’s a full sized keyboard complete with a number pad and wrist rest, plus it has keys that gently shift outwards to create a more natural hand position for typing. That subtle change lets the elbows move away from the ribs and keeps a straighter line from forearm to middle knuckle, which generally feels much less straining. It also connects via Bluetooth quickly, pairs with Macs and PCs and can switch between three different devices with a press of a button. — Amy Skorheim, Reporter, Buying Advice
Laptop speakers are fine for playing music while you work, but to do lofi chill hop beats justice, your grad may appreciate a quality speaker. We’re big fans of Sonos’ latest, the Era 100. Deputy editor Nate Ingraham gave it an 88 in his review, praising its loud, room-filling sound that combines heavy bass with a defined higher end. It looks great on a shelf thanks to its clean, compact design and it comes in white or black, so you can match it to your home’s aesthetic. It has a line-in port for turntable or other auxiliary connections, and is one of Sonos’ first plug-in models that includes Bluetooth connectivity. However, most people will likely use Wi-Fi connectivity and Sonos’ app to control their streaming services of choice. — A.S.
This is not so much a battery for casual use as it is portable fuel for an off-site workstation. The Mophie Powerstation Pro AC packs a 27,000mAh capacity, which translates to multiple charges for small devices and enough oomph to power up larger machines like laptops. At the same time, it still falls within TSA requirements for carry-on luggage. In our tests it not only juiced up a MacBook Pro, it powered a printer, LED lights and a speaker — very handy if your grad’s job takes them away from their desk and into the field. — A.S.
A keyboard is one of the few things your grad (and you) might have to use for hours every day, so why not make it as pleasing as possible? If your giftee is willing to jump on the mechanical keyboard bandwagon, the Keychron V3 Max is a fantastic value for just under $100. It’s a wireless model that makes keystrokes feel soft and springy without sounding overly loud or harsh. Its keycaps are crisp and comfortable shaped, and it’s configurable with a few different switch types, all of which are easy to swap out if the (nerdy) mood strikes. While its casing is mostly made of plastic, it doesn’t flex under pressure or feel especially cheap. Note that the V3 Max has a tenkeyless layout; if you want a full-size model or something smaller, there are other V Max models that should work just as well. — J.D.
If your grad’s first gig is hybrid, freelance or in-office, there’s a good chance they’ll be on the move a lot. Daypacks and laptop bags specifically designed for work are easy to carry like a standard backpack, but include enough pockets and pouches to organize the necessities of a modern work day. We like Bellroy’s Transit Workpack because it has dedicated spaces for a laptop, headphones, wallet, tech organizers and even a change of clothes. If you go for the larger 28-liter size, a pair of shoes will fit too. We also appreciate that the sleek profile hides the water bottle pocket on the side so the bag looks like something meant for the office rather than a hike. – A.S.
Some advice if you end up buying the Go Stand for your grad: snag one for yourself, too. This clever folding stand holds a phone or tablet at an adjustable angle, so the screen is easy to read, sans an awkward balancing act. I use one daily to keep my phone visible on my desk and I find it works better than any stand built into a phone or tablet case. It folds to a tiny flat wedge that fits in a pocket when not in use, and it has a nice rubberized, non-skid texture. I ended up buying a second one when my family kept stealing mine. – A.S.
A dedicated footrest can help your legs feel more comfortable during those long stretches of sitting in your desk chair. The ErgoFoam Adjustable Foot Rest is a good example: It strikes the right balance between cushy and firm, and its velvety, gently arched frame encourages your legs to rest at an angle that feels natural. This model has a removable, two-inch base that you can take off if you find the standard height uncomfortable. It can also be flipped over and used as a foot rocker if you want to move your feet around while working. None of this is a substitute for periodically getting up and moving over the course of the day, but when that’s not feasible, it can help. — J.D.
An ergonomic mouse is one of those investments that can add at least a little bit of comfort to your grad’s work time. Clunky name aside, the Razer Basilisk V3 X HyperSpeed is a great choice. While it’s marketed toward gamers, its contoured shape, ample thumb rest and easy-to-reach buttons should feel comfortable in anyone’s hands. (Provided they’re a righty, at least.) Its scroll wheel is quiet and precise, and all of its buttons — including a programmable pair on the left side — have a satisfying sense of travel. The mouse itself is made from a sturdy matte plastic with grippy rubberized sides. This is a wireless mouse that runs off a single AA battery, so it’s a little heavy for fast-paced games, but it can last hundreds of hours before needing a change. There’s a dash of RGB lighting on the scroll wheel, too, but that’s simple to turn off if that’s not their thing. — J.D.
Hunching to stare at a desk-level laptop is hard on anyone’s back and neck. You can help protect your grad’s posture, and possibly alleviate back pain, with a Roost laptop stand that raises nearly any laptop to eye level. I’ve used a previous generation Roost for about four years running and it still works like it did when it was brand new. It folds down to a skinny stick and fits in any pack that can hold a laptop. Once unfurled, it can accommodate nearly any notebook, including larger ones like a 16-inch MacBook Pro. One thing to note is that your grad won’t be able to use their computer’s trackpad or keys when the stand is in use, so they’ll need an external keyboard and mouse. – A.S.
There are endless brands selling standing desks now, and Uplift makes some of the best ones. The V2 model I bought has made my workdays far more comfortable. After two and a half years, it still raises up and lowers down multiple times a day, all week long without complaint. If your grad will be working from home, a standing desk will make a difference since experts advise incorporating some movement throughout the day. That said, this is no small investment and the amount of customization Uplift offers verges on overwhelming. If you don’t know exactly what your grad might want, you may be better off skipping the surprise and ordering the unit with them. If that’s not possible, the company does offer gift certificates. – A.S.
Is a surge protector a sexy gift? No. But as someone who primarily works from home, it’s one of the mundane gadgets that I find myself needing regularly (and buying spares often). Any recent graduate who’s working partly or primarily from home will appreciate one of these from Anker. This model provides 12 additional outlets, plus two USB-A and one USB-C port to handle a few smaller gadgets without the need for an adapter. The attached five-foot cable is also convenient since it’ll let them place the bulk of the protector in the right spot, say next to their desk or behind a couch, without needing an extension cord to do so. And unlike other surge protectors, Anker built in a decent amount of space between each outlet — roughly 1.5 inches, which means they can still use most of those bulky adapters that came with their gear without overlapping another outlet. — V.P.
If your giftee is going to be stuck at their desk all day, you can make their music and podcasts more enjoyable with a good set of desktop speakers. The Creative Pebble Pro is a solid first upgrade for those on a tighter budget. It’s an obvious step up over the thin speakers built into most laptops and monitors, and it doesn’t hog up too much room on a desk. The globe-shaped speakers are still too small to provide the kind of wide soundstage or deep bass that larger options do, but they don’t distort at higher volumes and can play audio over Bluetooth, USB-C or a 3.5mm cable. They also have a modicum of customizable RGB lighting. If you can spend into triple figures, the higher-end Pebble X Plus offers similar convenience and includes a subwoofer for improved bass response. — J.D
As you accumulate more papers, accessories and random tchotchkes at your desk, it’s easy for your workspace to become cluttered. Stuffing some of that mess into a dedicated organizer is a simple way to save space and make your environment feel less chaotic. The Sorbus Bamboo Desk Organizer should help here: It’s about a foot wide and offers three drawers for tucking away smaller accessories like notepads, jewelry or charging cables, plus a top shelf space for more essential items you want to keep in view. The light wood finish shouldn’t look out of place on most desktops, either. — J.D.
If you plan to work in front of a monitor for most of the work week, you should make sure it’s positioned around eye level to avoid excess strain on your neck and back. The stand that comes with your monitor might be flexible enough as it is, but if not, consider a monitor arm. It’ll give your display a wider range of motion, and it can save desk space to boot.
Ergotron’s LX Desk Monitor is a well-regarded take on this idea. Its aluminum frame lets you comfortably move a VESA-compatible monitor in any direction and supports panels up to 34 inches and 25 pounds. When it’s hooked up, the arm can lift your screen up to 17.3 inches above a desk surface, pull it forward about 25 inches, tilt it 75 degrees and rotate or pan it a full 360 degrees. It’s fairly simple to set up, too, plus it comes with a 10-year warranty. Just note that if you’re a little over six feet tall, you should get the “Tall Pole” model instead. — J.D.
Apple is leasing 45,000 square feet of space in an office building in Miami, reports Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman. The company already has a smaller office space in the Miami area, but is planning to upgrade.
Apple’s current Miami location is focused on advertising and Latin America. The upgraded office is located at The Plaza Coral Gables, south of Miami, and it is under construction.
Multiple tech companies have been expanding to South Florida, including Amazon and Microsoft. Apple is also planning to open a new retail store at the Miami Worldcenter in the heart of the city.
Apple has large campuses in California, Washington, and Texas, plus it is building a major campus in Raleigh, North Carolina. Apple also has smaller offices in cities around the world, including Singapore, Germany, Ireland, and Shanghai.
Apple agreed to pay up to $14.4 million (CAD) to settle a class action lawsuit in Canada that alleged the company secretly throttled the performance of some iPhone models (“batterygate”), and eligible customers can now submit a claim for payment. Apple’s settlement received court approval on March 4, and the claims period began today, according to law firm Rochon Genova LLP. To submit a…
While rumors have been focused on new iPad Pro and iPad Air models, some Apple customers are wondering when the next iPad mini will be released. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said new iPad mini and entry-level iPad models will be released in late 2024 at the earliest. “The company is also working on new versions of the low-end iPad and iPad mini, but those…
Following a few notable discounts on MacBooks yesterday, Best Buy today introduced a sale on the 10th generation iPad, including numerous all-time low prices on the tablet. Prices start at $349.00 for the 64GB Wi-Fi model, and include $100 markdowns on both Wi-Fi and cellular devices. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may…
While the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are still months away from launching, there are already over a dozen rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped new features and changes expected for the devices so far. These are some of the key changes rumored for the iPhone 16 Pro models as of April 2024:Larger displays: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be equipped with large…
Apple’s CEO Tim Cook this week sold 196,410 shares of the company’s stock, which had a total value of approximately $33.2 million based on the average sale price of the transactions, according to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing. After taxes, Cook netted nearly $16.4 million from the sales. Cook received all of the shares that he sold this week as a performance-based stock…
This weekend, Best Buy has a sale on MacBooks, including the previous generation 15-inch MacBook Air and the M3 MacBook Pro. As usual, Best Buy’s sale covers far more than just Apple products, and you’ll also find solid discounts on TVs, video games, and more during the event. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a…
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and former Apple design chief Jony Ive have officially teamed up to design an AI-powered personal device and are seeking funding, reports The Information. Little is known about the AI device at this time, but it won’t look like a smartphone. Altman is a major investor in the Humane AI pin, a wearable AI device that does not have a screen, so it’s possible he will create …
Many of us on the WIRED Gear team have been working from home for years. We’ve got an expansive guide to the Best Work-From-Home Gear, but there’s good news! Plenty of our recommendations are on sale right now. If your home office could use an upgrade, these tried-and-tested office chairs, keyboards, desks, and webcams are worth a look.
Special offer for Gear readers: GetWIRED for just $5 ($25 off). This includes unlimited access toWIRED.com, full Gear coverage, and subscriber-only newsletters. Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.
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Work From Home Deals
Branch Verve
Photograph: Branch
This is our favorite office chair. It’s easy to assemble and can be tweaked and adjusted to ensure a good fit. You can adjust the armrests, the seat can be extended or tucked in, and you can customize the lumbar support. We also like the chair’s overall design—it looks more expensive than it is. Branch’s sale ends tonight.
This earned the runner-up spot in our Best Office Chairs guide. It’s like an upgraded version of the Ergonomic Office Chair. It’s available in more colors and has a more elegant design. Otherwise, the two chairs are largely similar, except the armrests on this model can only be adjusted up and down. Branch is releasing a headrest for this model soon. Just remember, this sale ends tonight.
Our favorite budget pick, the Hyken Mesh Chair goes on sale relatively frequently, but rarely for as low as it is now. The seat isn’t very wide, but the chair’s construction is sturdy and supportive, with extra lumbar support and a headrest—features that can be hard to find in chairs as inexpensive as this.
Giantex Cross-Legged Office Chair
Photograph: Giantex
This weird chair is perfect for people who don’t like to sit conventionally. There are no armrests to drape your feet over, but you can revisit all your old favorites—cross-legged, sitting on your ankles until they fall asleep, or some secret third position. It’s not especially ergonomic, and there aren’t a ton of ways to adjust the fit, but it is height-adjustable and comfortable.
This is a great price for a solid standing desk that’s featured in our Work From Home Gear Guide. It’s a little tricky to put together, but for the price, it’s hard to find a better motorized standing desk. It can be adjusted from 28 to 48 inches, with three customizable height presets.
This standing desk can be lowered to just six inches above the ground. The rolling legs allow you to stash the desk away when it’s not in use, though it’s still quite heavy. It arrives fully assembled and you can lock the desk in place once it’s where you want it. It’s great for anyone who just uses a laptop and doesn’t have a proper desk space to work at home.
Photograph: BenQ
We haven’t tracked a better deal for this 27-inch monitor. The 1080-pixel resolution can look fuzzy up close at this screen size, but it’s just fine from a normal viewing distance. The monitor is reliable, with good colors and contrast, and there’s the option to VESA-mount it if you’d like. There are even built-in speakers, though they have the subpar quality you’d expect from monitor speakers.
This BenQ monitor is a great choice for folks who need high-quality screen real estate, like graphic designers or video editors. It hits most of the creative industry’s color accuracy standards right out of the box, and its 2K resolution ensures you won’t see any fuzzy text; it’s sharp! We haven’t seen it drop to a lower price than this.
Keychron Q3 QMK
Photograph: Keychron
This is a solid deal for a great wired mechanical keyboard. It’s heavy and stays put on your desk and it’s satisfying to type on. This version comes with the “Fully Assembled Knob,” which adds a nifty volume knob to the top right-hand corner of the assembly.
If you need an affordable webcam, the Razer Kiyo X checks off most of the boxes. The color saturation and white balance are excellent and the image quality is sharp. There’s an included mount that works with laptops and monitors. There isn’t a privacy shutter though.
Looking for a better office chair? You don’t have to spend several hundred dollars or more. I’ve found the Silybon Ergonomic Office Chair does a good job for about $110 after a discount.
With a history of back trouble, I was a little nervous about the purchase. But it’s a good, comfortable chair paired with a standing desk, so my back is fine.
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Silybon Ergonomic Office Chair review
Back when I moved to a condo and re-established my improved computer setup there, I reviewed some items. Like an inexpensive but good-quality standing desk. But I left out my then-new chair. I just never got to it. But it remains a good investment, so here we go.
About 85% of the Silybon chair’s Amazon reviews are 4 or 5 stars. Its overall rating is 4.4 based on 1,395 reviews. That’s reassuring and more or less explains why I chose it.
I bought the Silybon Ergonomic Office Chair, along with loads of other furnishings, when I got ready to move back in October 2023. One of the many, many boxes held the chair. It, like so many things for sale on Amazon, came all the way from China, at least originally.
Spend $750 to $1,000? Nah.
This chair and the option to stand occasionally with the motorized desk has kept my back from troubling me. Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
Unwilling to throw down $750 or more on something like a Herman Miller office chair (often seen in our setups coverage), I took a wild stab at a much-cheaper option that looked OK. I paid $159.98 for the Silybon Ergonomic Office Chair. Recently, I saw it at that price with an additional $50 coupon to click on, which would bring it down to a low $110 or so.
I realize there are better bets out there to effectively guarantee yourself great seating that will last a long time, but so far my choice is holding up.
To my relief, the chair has remained in good working order without needing adjustments since I bought it in early October 2023. That’s six months of me dropping into it, leaning back a lot, rocking, standing up abruptly and so forth.
Reasonably good build quality and materials
Of course, something like this doesn’t arrive assembled. It came in a pretty flat box. Once I had all the parts out, it took me maybe an hour to put it all together. The instructions were clear. It came with tools. One person can do it without help, although it would be a little easier with two people.
The chair is like many others you can buy on the cheap: nylon/cotton mesh over padding (2.8 inches thick in the seat) and a mostly plastic frame with some metal parts. It includes a choice of feet or rolling casters.
I chose the casters, and I’m glad I did. They roll nicely on the rug I have in the office under the desk and chair. But the chair is perfectly stable, too. And it rocks up to 30 degrees (or not), which I like.
Ergonomic and comfortable design
The lumbar support against the seat back raises and lowers to suit you. Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
The chair is ergonomically designed to support the back, hip and hands. The lumbar support seems on-point. I found I could slide that plastic piece up or down about 1.5 inches to find the most support.
I found it easy to adjust the seat height in the usual way, using a lever under the seat. The seat also provides 360-degree free rotation. Silybon says the seat and its effective rotation should last for 10 years.
I noticed I could pull the armrests up and out of the way, too. For me, that allows for more comfortable guitar playing while seated in the chair. But I’m sure there are other reasons for the feature, like keeping the arms from bumping a desk or table.
The breathable mesh on the chair is quite comfortable. Airflow keeps things cool. The chair is designed to support 300 pounds in daily use (thankfully I’m well below that!). The seat’s nearly 3-inch-thick padding is good for hours of comfort, but eight hours on end starts to aggravate the rear end.
Silybon Ergonomic Office Chair: Nab the $50 off coupon
You can get the chair in four color variations: black mesh/black frame; black mesh/white frame; dark gray mesh/white frame; and light blue mesh/white frame. Mine has medium-gray mesh, but I don’t see that option on Amazon currently.
The chair comes with a three-year warranty.
You can pick up the Silybon Ergonomic Office Chair at Amazon for $159.98. Select the $50 off coupon box to make that price $109.98.
This home office task chair is made from breathable mesh and other materials. It swivels, rocks and provides adjustable lumbar support. It also offers flip-up arms and adjustable height.
The concept of inkjet printing was a fixture throughout the 20th century – with research starting way back in the 50s with a Japanese Canon employee, Ichiro Endo, who proposed the idea for a “bubble jet” printer that could translate the images you see on a computer to a printed physical page. But it wasn’t until HP‘s ThinkJet printer launched in 1984 that inkjet printing truly entered the mainstream – and with it the dreaded ink cartridge.
One of the first commercial inkjet printers was the IBM 6640, a device designed to offer printing to offices, when it was launched in 1976. It was part of a handful of bulky, heavy and impractical devices that launched around this time – and offered inkjet printing in professional contexts.
But nearly ten years later, HP brought out a more compact machine for personal printing at home. Measuring 11.5 x 8 x 3.5 inches, the black-and-white printer would have set you back $495 – $1,478.45 by today’s standards. Its ink cartridges, which were available for $8 a pop ($24) were good for 500 pages too.
The dot-matrix disruptor
Its name is derived from the process of ‘thermal inkjet’ printing – and came about when an engineer working on a completely different project noticed something interesting about the effects of electricity. When they were making thin-film technology for integrated circuit applications, they were testing how a thin silicon film would respond when stimulated with electricity. To the engineer’s surprise, the electricity superheated the medium and droplets of fluid lying beneath the film were expelled. This, according to HP, inspired the idea for finely controlled jets of fluid in a compact inkjet printer.
This invention was a game-changer. While, as we’ve mentioned, inkjet printing was in force across enterprises – these machines could only print large characters rather crudely. Now, it was clear this technology could be reduced in size and operate with relatively little power compared to its business-centric cousin.
It also marked an end to the dot-matrix printer, which was replaced a technology that was better in almost every metric – to the extent it’s still one of the most popular types of printer today. For instance, dot-matrix printers typically printed at 120 characters per second, while the HP ThinkJet printed at 150 characters per second. The former technology also emits high-pitch scratching sounds, too, while the inkjet printer emits a “nondistracting hum that is quiet enough not to interfere with telephone conversations,” according to InfoWorld (1984).
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This Microsoft productivity bundle is for PC owners only. (Sorry, Mac fans!) Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
We’ve got a great deal on a comprehensive Microsoft productivity bundle for PC users. This all-in-one Microsoft bundle gives users lifetime access to Microsoft Office Pro Plus 2019 for Windows and Windows 11 Pro for only $49.97 (regularly $408).
It’s great for anyone who uses a Windows machine and wants to avoid annoying subscription fees. (We know plenty of you run setups with both Macs and PCs.)
A Microsoft bundle designed for enhanced productivity
With this PC software bundle (rated four stars out of five), you gain access to Microsoft Office Pro Plus 2019. The software suite includes top-rated Microsoft productivity apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams and OneNote.
It also comes with Publisher (for creating documents like newsletters and flyers) and Access (for managing data seamlessly).
Add Windows 11 Pro to your PC
In addition, you get Microsoft’s latest operating system: Windows 11 Pro. The updated Microsoft OS is designed to be highly intuitive and offers productivity-enhancing tools like customizable widgets, snap layouts, Wake and Lock, and seamless re-docking.
Professionals will enjoy Windows 11 Pro’s business-friendly tools like Microsoft Remote Desktop, Windows Hello for Business, Group Policy Management and more. Meanwhile, gamers will go crazy for DirectX 12 Ultimate, which significantly enhances gaming graphics.
Windows 11 Pro also brings innovative security features like Windows Information Protection, Microsoft Information Protection, BitLocker Encryption, Smart App Control and Microsoft Sandbox. You’ll enjoy a more secure and protected user experience with this OS.
Save on Microsoft Office and Windows with a low one-time price
Looking for the best Amazon Big Spring Sale office chair deals? Throughout the five-day shopping event, we’ll be here monitoring the best value, the biggest price-drops, and unmissable bargains.
The Amazon Big Spring Sale, also known as Spring Deal Days outside the US, runs between March 20 – 25 across a massive range of categories. But here, we’re focused on top deals on office chairs.
Our team of reviewers have assembled and tested the best office chairs from top brands like Steelcase, Flexispot, and Sihoo. So, iyou’re looking for outstanding build quality, neck and lumbar support, extreme comfort and customization in the Amazon Big Spring Sale, we’ll show you what to look for, and which seats you’ll want to avoid.
Why wait for Prime Day? These are the best Amazon Big Spring Sale office chair deals you can get right now – and we’ll continue to update the best discounts as they drop.
Outside the US? We’ve got deal-hunters all over the world to find the best deals on office chairs in your region.
Amazon Big Spring Sale office chair deals: FAQs
What is the Amazon Big Spring Sale?
The Amazon Big Spring Sale, also known as Amazon Spring Deal Days outside the US, is a lot like Prime Day, except it lasts longer and it covers a smaller range of products. The shopping event runs between March 20 – 25 2024, and covers a range of categories on the site, including office chairs and office furniture.
When is the Amazon Big Spring Sale?
The Amazon Big Spring Sale will run from March 20 to 25, ending atmidnight. So, you’ve got plenty of time to bag a bargain office chair deal in the Big Spring Sale.
The next expected sale will be Prime Day 2024. Although dates haven’t yet been confirmed, we’re already preparing to find the best Amazon Prime Day office chair deals.
Will other retailers be doing Spring sales?
There’s a very good chance you’ll see similar Spring deals and sales from other retailers keen to draw attention (and sales) away from Amazon.
We usually see other online shops run discount seasons alongside prime Day, and we expect to see it for Spring deal days too. If we spot any great deals, we’ll be adding them here.
When you’re buying an office chair, pretty soon you’re going to have to choose between mesh and foam models. We’ve tested a massive range of the best office chairs, and as a rule of thumb, we recommend a mesh chair for breathability and a foam chair for extra comfort. But does that make mesh the better option for workers?
Not necessarily, according to a report by researchers at the University of California, in partnership with Secretlab, the company behind our pick for the best gaming chair. In their study, the researchers compared a high-end mesh model against the foam-covered Secretlab Titan Evo.
The results suggest that mesh office chairs might not be the best for ergonomics after all, as you may have been led to believe.
Foam office chairs vs. mesh office chairs
In a wide-ranging, eight-hour blind test, researchers found that both chairs exhibited no differences when it came to comfort, pains, and general fatigue – common complaints for chairs that aren’t ergonomically designed or made from unsuitable materials.
However, it appears foam-covered office chairs may have the edge when it comes to general computing tasks in the office or home office. According to trends identified in the study, the foam office chair from Secretlab showed greater signs of support and more positive results when sat on for extended periods.
“The rise of hybrid work has prompted everyday workers to invest in their home office furniture. The search for a good chair often leads to a choice between mesh and foam chairs. People are often drawn to mesh chairs, but our findings suggest that foam seats shouldn’t categorically be underestimated as a seat material suitable for long bouts of sitting,” said Melissa Afterman MS, CPE of the UC Human Factors Ergonomics Lab at University of California, Berkeley & San Francisco.
Meanwhile, Dr. Stuart McGill, Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Waterloo and an ergonomics expert, warned office chairs that are too soft “lack sufficient support to allow the stress migrations and distributions critical to achieving comfort and injury resilience.” In other words, with the chair not supporting and distributing weight properly, greater pressure and stress is applied to the body.
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In a stress migration study, Dr. McGill noted: “Tissue loads must be migrated from tissue to tissue to minimize the risk of any single tissue accumulating microtrauma. Secretlab Titan Evo’s foam seat base helps to distribute pressure to the parts of the body designed for bearing weight.”
But the mesh versus foam issue might not be quite so clear-cut. After all, Secretlab has spent a lot of R&D time creating more comfortable and supportive high-density foam for office chairs – a process that goes well beyond dynamic lumbar support and pebbled seat design, with recognition from leading industry bodies like United States Ergonomics (and you can see what we thought of those efforts in our Secretlab Titan review).
Ultimately, then, it comes down to the type of office chair that best fits your workspace and workflow – and for that, mesh might not always be a better choice than foam.
Alongside the developments in digitisation and smart technologies, having reliable hardware tools such as an office printer is still an essential component to any small business office or home workspace. With recent figures from the ONS claiming 1 in 4 workers now have some kind of hybrid working model, providing the flexibility to print whatever and whenever is crucial for workers everywhere.
With many of us regularly splitting work between the office and at home, having a printing solution that is reliable and efficient has never been as important – and fortunately, HP is able to offer a range of printing solutions to suit all budgets and workforces, from independent workers and freelancers up to smaller businesses looking to grow and prosper.
If you’re looking to expand your business, you want employees who are equipped and enabled to be productive – and constantly shuttling between a desk and a printer is a sure way to ensure that fewer things get done. The HP OfficeJet Pro 9100 printer series offers a powerful and efficient printing solution for all your reports, budget docs, proposals and more. Customers can have up to 14 printers networked together in an office without the need for extra hardware or IT support, meaning your business is equipped to work seamlessly, and can focus on getting work done with less tech disruption.
(Image credit: HP)
For those looking for something more flexible,the HP OfficeJet Pro 9100b printer series focuses on the needs of managers and IT decision makers alike, particularly those who need to travel between multiple locations such as different office branches. This device provides a powerful and affordable way to get printing fast, offering reliable and adaptable printing for those who arrive in an office and need to have the most up to date documents ready and waiting.
And for workers focused more on creative tasks or design work, the HP OfficeJet Pro 9700 printer series offers an ideal solution for the likes of graphic designers or architects. Documents such as spreadsheets, floorplans and technical drawings can all be handled quickly and easily, with high-quality colour prints saving time and boosting productivity, which can be crucial when a key deadline for a big project arrives.
Finally, for those of us working from home predominantly, or only coming into the office on infrequent occasions, the HP OfficeJet Pro 8100 series offers the ideal solution. Designed to be able to slot into the smaller nooks and crannies within home offices, the Pro 8100 series allows hybrid workers to effortlessly produce and print notes, presentations, handouts and more before heading into the office.
All of HP’s printers are supplied with the company’s EvoMore cartridges, which mark a significant step forward in helping to make the printing industry as a whole more environmentally-friendly. With sustainability more important than ever before, you can be sure your business is doing its green duty with EvoMore, HP’s first new ink product line in over a decade.
So wherever you work, and whatever stage your business may be at, you can rest assured that there is an HP printer ideally set up to service your needs – to find out more, visit the company’s website here for all the latest deals and updates.
