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Let's Talk Tech: Favorite Tech Products
Everyone has their "can't live without" tech products, but as someone who uses technology for work (on the blog, instagram, and my real job), I have found a handful of really, really useful tech gadgets that I use on a weekly, if not daily, basis. So whether it's planning my Insta feed or scheduling social media posts for clients, chatting with clients or favorite phone accessories, I've rounded up all of my favorite gadgets and apps!
Phone Gadgets
My favorite find last year for my phone was my Loopy phone case. I can't tell you how many times I would drop my phone or take unstable videos - and this case prevents all of that. It's ergonomically designed to be comfortable and balanced.
If you're anything like me, then you are always on the go (and always have your phone in tow). And I'm notorious for having a phone that is on 5% battery or dead - seriously, it's never charged! So when I know I'm going to be on the road a lot or out of the house most of the day, I love having a compact power bank that I can use to quick charge my phone. That's another reason I love having a wireless charging pad at home, too. It's easy to keep in a centralized location and just place my phone on the charging pad. It even has the lightening charge so I can get a quick charge!
Photo Gadgets & Editing Apps
I get asked a lot what camera I use for my photos and here's the truth: I use my phone. As much as I would love to have a nice DSLR camera, I love the convenience of using my phone camera. And thanks to great photo editing apps, I feel confident in my images and what I can deliver.
Although I have a great #InstagramHusband, he's rarely home when I am shooting content. So after some research, I found some great tools that help me get the right shot when I'm flying solo. This phone tripod is one of the easiest way to take styled photos without having an awkward selfie arm. It comes with a Bluetooth remote that connects to your phone so you don't have to mess with timers.
And as if you didn't think I could get any more basic... one of my go-to gadgets for my phone and for photos is my ring light. Even on cloudy days, I'll use it for a little extra lighting on photos, to brighten my face on Instagram stories without adding filters, and to take photos at night. There are 3 different brightness levels so you can adjust it to fit your needs.
When it comes to editing my photos, I messed around with a few different apps before finally settling on Adobe Lightroom. I wanted my Instagram to look cohesive and the best way to do that is by using the same kind of filters. This was a huge problem of mine... and then I realized that I could create my own Lightroom presets. This ensures that all my photos have the same light effects, exposure, white balance, etc. I actually created 4 different presets that would work for all my photos (warm, cool, bright, vivid), while still remaining the same and having the same aesthetic. A lot of bloggers sell their presets - so if you aren't familiar with Lightroom or Adobe, it's a good start!
Productivity Gadgets & Apps
I don't just use social media for personal use - it's a huge part of my job and what I do for my clients. Everyone has their preferences, but I love using CoSchedule to manage content and editorial calendars. It's incredibly user friendly, easy to have more than one calendar in use, and directly integrates with WordPress blogs and content.
I really dislike using my personal phone to text with clients, so my favorite chat app that I've been using for almost 2 years now is Slack. It works a lot like an instant messenger or texting app, but there is the capability to have channels - so you can have group chats and individual chats very easily. It's a great way to stay in touch with clients or colleagues without using a personal phone number.
For Instagram, I used to post my images each day and take photos one day at a time, but that got really unrealistic for my schedule and balancing work, my blog, and family. Which is why I was thrilled when I found Planoly. It allows me to upload images and schedule them, manage my hashtags, and even autopost my images if I want! It has freed up a lot of time - and I still do some posts manually, but I don't stress over posting content consistently. It also works great for my clients, so I can schedule all their content for the week on Monday. It saves time and guarantees I don't go a day without posting.
My newest obsession are my blue-light blocking glasses. I spend a ton of time on my computer all day and a lot at night, so these glasses block the harmful blue light from screens - phone and computer. I can work more efficiently because they help prevent headaches that come from using screens for a long period of time.
Do you have favorite tech products? I'd love to hear!