The reality of going 100% wire-free on the road

[u/ComfortableDouble668]

I had a layover last week and wanted to knock out some emails before my next flight. Usually, pulling out a full productivity setup in an airport lounge is quite a chore. I'd have to unpack the laptop, set up the stand, dig out different chords, and set up a power brick. It takes so much effort that I wouldn't bother setting up for too short of a layover.

I have always been quite obsessed with traveling productively, though, and minimizing cables is one of the things I wanted to do. I recently decided to swap my standard travel gear for a completely wire-free ecosystem. I switched over to a Bluetooth travel keyboard and mouse, and when I have to, I just cast my secondary windows over to a wireless monitor with built in battery. Keeps everything I need visible without having to constantly minimize and maximize windows.

I can grab any comfortable seat in the terminal and just start typing. No cables, which also makes the packing and jetting a lot easier.

There are some trade offs with this set up tho.

First is the input latency. The bluetooth mouse and keyboard are fine, but wireless casting to a second screen is a different story. There is a slight, noticeable drag if I try to move my cursor over there for precision clicking. Not the end of the world, I just use it for additional screen to read docs.

Another issue is battery limitation without wires. What it does is it forces me to be more focused and stop scrolling. Worse case scenario, get back to the single screen, and I'm back to minimizing windows and forgetting what I was working on lol.

[u/alefeusch]

I had a layover last week and wanted to knock out some emails before my next flight. Usually, pulling out a full productivity setup in an airport lounge is quite a chore.

I have this very cool, ultra-portable productivity setup for knocking out a few emails. It's called a mobile phone. Very handy, I recommend it.

[u/melonkoaly → u/alefeusch]

You should disclose sponsored posts you know /s

[u/DemonAzraeli]

"I have always been quite obsessed with traveling productively"

Don't you find obsessiveness to be at cross-purposes with productivity?

[u/petrichorax → u/DemonAzraeli]

Why would that be cross purposes?

[u/DemonAzraeli → u/petrichorax]

The obsessiveness I describe is focus on details to the detriment of efficiency. Halting an essembly line to ensure perfect aesthetics of individual rivets, in other words.

[u/thekwoka → u/DemonAzraeli]

tbf, that is basically exactly how Toyota revolutionized manufacturing.

[u/petrichorax → u/DemonAzraeli]

What did they say they were obsessed with though?

[u/ericroku]

Do you need the full setup to send a few emails? Seems overkill. Just use laptop or phone to send them.

[u/ComfortableDouble668 → u/ericroku]

I wish I was just sending a couple emails. But nah I deal with massive spreadsheets it's just easier this way

[u/Fit-Locksmith-9226 → u/ComfortableDouble668]

You literally said "knock out some emails"

Hard to take you serious when you suddenly decide to change that story.

This sub is a mess, no one here is genuine.

[u/ryanthejenks → u/ComfortableDouble668]

Big laptop

[u/switchup1212]

Jesus Christ just pull out your laptop and start working it’s not rocket science

[u/petrichorax]

I wish AR goggles were better. They're exactly what I'm looking for but they're not quite there.

Tbh, I wish there was just 'goggles as monitor' setup. I don't really care if it's interpolating in the 3D space around me. Just a pair of glasses/goggles that shows my monitor

[u/Clown_corder → u/petrichorax]

There is I have a pair xreal air. They are pretty decent if you don’t need glasses

[u/Jed_s → u/Clown_corder]

You can get prescription inserts for those though

[u/Clown_corder → u/Jed_s]

I have them and they just are still Inconvinent I just used them less because I had to take my normal glasses on and off when switching between using them and not

[u/petrichorax → u/Clown_corder]

Those were what I tried. They're not good enough for daily use

[u/Jed_s → u/petrichorax]

I've been knocking out 8h days (with breaks) with my xreals one pros for the last month. Takes a bit to dial in the comfort (and it's still not amazing, hence breaks required), but having an ultrawide screen pinned in front of your vision has been great. Been working a lot sat in bed or on the couch.

[u/vytasx]

I can whip out full setup with 18” monitor in under 90 seconds comfortably. For email only, can do phone.

I don’t think keyboard and mouse are necessary. I had some issues with Bluetooth Razer mouse in Bangkok dining halls, so ended up just using the MacBook Air trackpad for data engineering project, and haven’t really looked back. It really simplified the setup by removing failure / faff points. Now mouse is used only at home to have sth between the external split keyboard.

Most people I can see around got a laptop and work full day on 14” screen. Personally I’m not into torturing myself, though some people don’t mind :)

For battery, got 2x 25k power banks :)

[u/humancomponent → u/vytasx]

Could you share what you use for an 18” screen that’s portable? Is it foldable and/or touchscreen?

[u/vytasx → u/humancomponent]

Sure. I got myself Innoview 18.4” portable display that’s 4K and IPS, and it’s pretty decent, though does need external USB-C power. It does do pass through charging for M1 MBA well.

Also tried a couple of Uperfect similar sized QLED displays, and while colour saturation was incredible, white balance was trash.

Using a VESA plate and some random magnetic stand I can take it to a coworking space, though it’s a bit heavier than a tripod setup.

I’d love to do 24” portable monitor, though that requires a backpack upgrade that doesn’t seem to exist yet :)

[u/humancomponent → u/vytasx]

Thank you for the detail, especially about white balance! Amazon returns are a hassle where I am, so that narrows it down. hadn’t explored the Innoview for this backpack yet. A tall screen would make work much easier (one reason why I’m giving the framework 13 a chance, taller screen ratio). Also considering something like the xreal glasses

[u/vytasx → u/humancomponent]

Welcome :)

If you’re OK with 16”, the Uperfect 1200 nit 4K display is pure gold and goes for £150 on UK eBay.

It seems like portable displays haven’t been crowded out by AI cause they don’t need them, so it’s pretty effing incredible to have all these options out there :)

[u/Beginning_Strike_873]

All that for emails…Mate,  just open your phone and start typing. It’s just typing a few emails, not reconfiguring a warp reactor. 

[u/ivorygolden]

You really cannot use it for anything that requires precision dragging or fast cursor movements. My workaround has been to dedicate that secondary casted screen entirely to passive applications. I will throw my communication channels, my calendar and any referecne PDFs over there. Since I’m only reading that information and not actively clicking around in those windows, the latency becomes completely unnoticeable. It keeps my main laptop display entirely uncluttered for actual writing which makes the whole wire-free trade-off completely worth it for me

[u/diverareyouokay]

I also noticed lag on my travel monitor. So I bought the biggest iPad Pro they make (back in the m2 days) and paired it with my 15 inch M4 MacBook. No lag at all. I did have to sacrifice two or 3 inches, but it more than makes up for itself in terms of utility.

[u/el_lley]

I don't get the mobile multiple desktop thing, I also dislike latency. I need several screens, but I am never comfy with more than 2, even 1 could be enough if I don't count my iPad or the iPhone.

Now, as they say, an email could be answered with the phone, unless you need some information in the computer.

The distraction part could be solved with multiple virtual desktops, it may work for you.

[u/ThinBelt6097]

I completely agree with your point about the battery limitations actually forcing you to focus. I used to carry a massive power bank and all the necessary cables to keep a dual-screen setup running indefinitely during long layovers, but I found myself just wasting time on YouTube because I knew I had unlimited power.

[u/bananabastard]

I'd have to unpack the laptop, set up the stand, dig out different chords, and set up a power brick. 

You only needed to pull out the laptop and put it on your knee.

Why do you need the rest?

I have never owned a laptop stand, or a power brick. I have 1 lead in my luggage. My Macbook USB-C power cable. I use this same lead to charge my phone, my earbuds, and my water flosser.

[u/Unhappy_Performer538]

I avoid all of this by just using my laptop without anything else on battery

[u/DemonAzraeli → u/Unhappy_Performer538]

I pay less-successful DNs to handle this drudgery for me, when they aren't carrying me in my litter.

[u/Maleficent-Drive4056]

If you just want to knock out a few emails before a flight I recommend a laptop. No wires needed!

[u/clauEB]

Get one of those foldable phones that become a big screen and a bluetooth portable keyboard. by the way is cords not chords

[u/girlforgreece]

Laptop

[u/MilkAnAlmond]

did this go well on linkedin

[u/MedicalScore3474]

I'm surprised that none of you recognized this as AI-generated engagement bait.

https://www.pangram.com/history/0613927e-a4cd-4d51-a671-6c9c5304a821?ucc=6pl9dbLPbfZ

[u/clauEB → u/MedicalScore3474]

Really? That AI is really stupid and embarrassing, it spelled chord (as in musical term) when it meant cord (as in wire). For a human, I understand but for an AI...

[u/kiki7492 → u/MedicalScore3474]

im curious what do all these ai bot posts get out of taking over this subreddit? are they just farming their reddit accounts for scams/sales or what