Special Covid-19 Shopping Issue #1...Connectivity & Work

So we are now going on week 12 of lockdown in Istanbul. The most splendid thing that has happened to me over the past three months is  that neither I nor my loved ones were infected by COVID-19. Or maybe we were infected? Who knows? I fear that until a retrospective Netlix miniseries comes out about this in 4 or 5 years, we will not fully comprehend what we are going through. In the meanwhile, lots of things are shifting, changing, evolving, emerging and disappearing. As expected, the online consumption of content, products and services is the one main area that has benefitted immensely and increased exponentially as a result of all of this time spent physically away from other human beings. In my usual pragmatic and practical form, I now present you with my favorite, life simplifying purchases that have made my life slightly more splendid these last couple of weeks. Please share your finds as well in the comments.

Anka Selfie Tripod With LED
I bought this from Hepsiburada.com. You can find the exact one I bought here. I googled quite a bit before deciding on this one. I use this for my Zoom, FaceTime, BIP, WhatsApp and Houseparty calls. I also use it as a work out partner by placing my workout videos from YOUTUBE or Nike NTC app on it. I have also shot a few photos and videos using this tripod but my main reason for purchasing it was for video conferences. I like the light feature, although it doesn't make a real difference in daylight and you have to always have it plugged into something for it to work. At night or when there are shadows hitting your face during the day, it does wonders!! Your light source must always be coming from behind the camera so this tripod makes this easy to set up every single time. The light source is decent and the tripod is pretty sturdy. This model extends to about 200 cm tall. So, when you feel lonely, you can stand across from it and almost feel like you are talking to a real person 🤔. 

The IKEA BRADA Laptop Tray
This makes video conferences on your laptop a breeze. Just place on your desk, table, kitchen counter, place your laptop on top and sit across from it. The height provided by this little tray ensures that when you sit across from it,  the camera of your laptop is exactly at eye level. No double chin views, no wrist strain if you need to write and talk at the same time. I have also used this tray while delivering webinars. I just place the BRADA tray on a high surface (often a shelf or sturdy bar stool) and place the laptop on it. I always stand when I am teaching/ giving webinars online and again this allows me to keep the camera at eye level. This is a real lifesaver.

TENDA WiFi Repeater
This little gadget was the easiest, least expensive upgrade to our connectivity. We now have wifi upstairs and in the far corner of the living room. I bought two of these from here. It took about 5 minutes to set up. The only downside is that if you are moving from room to room while connected, the wifi does often cut out for a couple of minutes while trying to find itself the strongest closest connection. These little gems also work well with the TILGIN machines you get from TTNET or SUPERONLINE for Fibre cable.

Apple EARPODS

Yep. EARPODS. Not AirPods. No charging, no problems. Just great music, podcast, video conferencing experiences via super comfortable buds, a great microphone and a teeny, tiny remote. I also have AirPods but since I am constantly forgetting to charge them, these are a better partner in crime for me. I obviously don't run with these on, because, well, I am not a runner. But long walks work beautifully even with cords The sound quality is just superb. Be careful about what kind you get though as the newer IPHONES models don't work with the "jack" shown above.