Summer is officially here, and for many Canadian businesses, it's a time to slow down with out-of-office replies and fewer Zoom meetings. However, fully unplugging isn't always an option for executives, driven professionals, and self-employed entrepreneurs. The good news is that with the right technology, you can remain productive during patio season, at the cottage, on a family road trip, or while traveling by air.
Lightweight Laptop Is Key
For most mobile workers, a laptop remains the most essential tool. Bruno Guglielminetti, a Montreal-based technology journalist, podcaster, and digital media analyst, says, “My laptop remains the centre of everything. For me, the key is having the same working environment on the road as I do in my office – and so I rely on the laptop for writing, editing audio, managing my publishing workflow, recording interviews when needed, and accessing cloud-based tools.”
Vernon Coutinho, country manager for the System Business Group at ASUS Canada, echoes this sentiment: “Productivity on the go really starts with planning around flexibility – so whether you’re working from a coffee shop, an airport, a hotel room or between events, the goal is to remove as much friction as possible.” He adds, “That means having your files synced, key apps ready offline when needed, and a device that is light enough to carry around but powerful enough, with enough battery life, that you don’t feel like you’re compromising. A good mobile setup should let you open your laptop, get into your work quickly, join a call, review a document or send a few updates without feeling slowed down by the device.”
Security and durability are also critical. The highly rated ExpertBook Ultra from ASUS exemplifies where business laptops are headed: it is lightweight, has a premium matte display, fast performance, multiple ports, business-focused security features, and battery life up to 24 hours of video playback.
Phone It In
Guglielminetti, who hosts the weekly French-language podcast Mon Carnet and the daily tech news briefing 120 secondes de Tech, says his phone “is just as important” as his laptop. “My phone is also my camera, scanner, recorder, hotspot, authentication device and backup workstation,” he explains. He emphasizes that using your phone or a dedicated hotspot device is essential because public Wi-Fi can be slow, unstable, or insecure, especially in hotels, trains, airports, or cottage country. “Having my own connection makes it easier to upload files, join video calls and keep working without depending on the location,” he says.
For international travel, consider buying an eSIM rather than roaming on your existing wireless provider, as it is considerably cheaper. For example, a NOMAD Mobile eSIM for the UK costs just over $6 for 1 gigabyte of data over seven days – perfect for calls over WhatsApp, reading email, web browsing, or getting directions. By comparison, Bell, Rogers, and TELUS charge between $16 and $18 per day to use your phone in the UK.
Cloud and AI, Too
Guglielminetti relies heavily on cloud storage and synced notes. “That way, my scripts, interview notes, audio files and article drafts are available across multiple devices, and if my laptop stays in the bag, I can still review or edit something from my phone,” he says. AI also helps save time. Coutinho explains, “AI can help people save time, especially with practical tasks like summarizing meeting notes, drafting or cleaning up written content, organizing information, translating conversations, or finding what you need faster.” He adds, “What’s becoming more important is on-device AI, or edge AI, where more of that work can happen directly on the laptop instead of relying entirely on the cloud. For mobile professionals, that can mean faster responses, better privacy, and a more reliable experience when working from places like a coffee shop, hotel, airport, or anywhere the network connection may not be perfect.”
Additional Considerations for Mobile Workers
- Keep a small kit with chargers, cables, a compact power bank, and adapters for overseas travel.
- Laptop users who need additional screen real estate may invest in a portable monitor, such as those by ViewSonic, for a dual-display setup.
- A good pair of noise-cancelling earbuds is a must-have, according to Guglielminetti: “They help me focus in noisy places, take calls, record cleaner voice notes and listen back to audio while travelling.”
- Wearable tech like smartwatches can be useful for glancing at calendar appointments or asking a virtual assistant for quick language translation, train schedules, or currency exchange.
New Meta Glasses Take Centre Stage, Too
Meta recently introduced new Meta Glasses (from $409) in partnership with EssilorLuxottica, available in three frame styles and colour options. They look like regular eyeglasses or sunglasses and are compatible with prescription lenses. They offer fun applications like taking photos and videos, streaming music and podcasts, and accessing an all-day Meta AI assistant to stay on top of your workload. With the recent introduction of the “superintelligent” Muse Spark, the first AI model out of Meta Superintelligence Labs, Meta Glasses can deliver smarter answers, manage your schedule, and understand what you’re seeing through the glasses. Meta is adding support for 14 new languages to live translation – including Japanese, Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, and Korean – enabling real-time conversations. Battery life tops eight hours between charges.
