How to Set Up Multiple Computing Stations Around the Home With a Slate Computer

Commercial technology has come a long way in the past decade, and it seems crazy now to think that we once used desktop computers that took up an entire desktop and requires a further patch of floorspace on top of that for a computer tower.

These days computers are sleek things often that we can throw into a messenger bag. The ultimate example of these are the slate computers that have been coming out for the past year and which take advantage of Microsoft’s new Windows 8.1 operating system. These are computers that can transform into tablets, and yet they have more power than even those huge desktop machines we once use to use.

And of course as the technology has changed, it’s important that we change in the way we use it as well – and that we change our interior design around it. Read on to find out how a slate computer can be used more elegantly around the home – and how it can become the central focus for multiple computing stations for different moods.

The Concept and How to Make the Most of It

The general concept behind a slate computer is that you have a device which can be either a laptop or a tablet. Normally this means the entire machine fits into a slate-like form, but then has the optional extra of a clip on keyboard – or that it can spin back on itself to hide the keyboard and be held with one hand.

This means that you can work with your computer on your lap while sitting on the sofa, or you can hold it with one hand while you browse the web and watch TV. This in turn makes it perfect for using on the couch, but also perfect for using while sitting forward at the coffee station.

This is just one ‘work station’ for your tablet though – and if you take it into another room it can become something quite different.

Desktop

A New Kind of Desktop PC

If you have a slate computer for instance, this can also serve as your desktop PC with all the power and screen-real estate that you’d be used to from using a desktop computer at work or at home in the past.

You can do this simply by using a stand for your tablet, a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard and an external monitor. This way you can disconnect your keyboard and then type on a more comfortable mechanical keyboard with a mouse while looking at a very sleek and compact looking monitor that has no computer ‘tower’ in sight.

Throw in an external monitor and you’ve given yourself a dual-monitor set-up too which will allow you to multitask properly as well. Devices like the Surface Pro 2 actually come with an official dock for turning your tablet into a desktop PC in this way.

The TV

At the same time though, you can also use your slate computer in the living room quite nicely when it’s not on your lap. Slate computers take up very little space when they’re closed, so plug yours into the TV in your living room and then tuck it away and select your choice of Android app to control it. Suddenly you have a smart TV which you can use to watch films, to browse the web or to stream YouTube and Netflix. It’s also a great place to play music at parties.

Add a stand in your kitchen or bedroom actually and your slate computer can become a great little photo-slideshow or entertainment device. I will often watch my favourite TV shows on Netflix in the kitchen while chopping carrots and it makes the whole process far more enjoyable when I do.

So there you have it with a slate computer you can bring every room in your house into the 21st century and keep all your files with you as you go. Add in some laminate floors, some spotlights, a nice big television, a games console and a few other gadgets and you’ve got a high tech home that looks elegant and shows your technology off in a stylish way.

Himanshu

About Author
Himanshu is Tech blogger. He contributes to the Blogging, Gadgets, Social Media and Tech News section on TechNapp.

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