Do you work as a web designer or developer? And are you a freelancer? If so, you’ll no doubt be aware that technology is an important aspect of your work. In fact, without technology, your job wouldn’t even exist!

As someone that works with the Web for a living, it’s crucial that you have the right tools for the job. Anything less than ideal will affect your productivity and efficiency. And let’s not forget that your “cool factor” will get affected as well!

If you’re new to the industry, or you’re not sure what useful (and cool) to have, let me share with you five ideas:

Optimus Maximus keyboard – Let’s face it; we don’t usually think much of the keyboard that we use with our computers. We tend to use the stock items that come with the systems. But, if 90% of your day gets spent in front of your PC or Mac, the type of keyboard you use is important.

It’s for that reason that I recommend the Optimus Maximus. Yes, it looks like a stylish keyboard (and it is). But, there’s more to it than that! For a start, you can customize the symbols for each key. That’s because each key has its own microprocessor! You can also program shortcut keys to apps like Photoshop, Google Chrome and so forth.

The keyboard is also useful if you provide support functions to your customers. For example, let’s say that you offer Magento support to your e-commerce clients. It will make it easier to deal with bug fixes and add storefront functionality with ease. Yes; all that from just a keyboard!

The Optimus Maximus keyboard supports many different layouts from Cyrillic to Arabic. Useful if you’re a bilingual designer or developer.

Apple iPad – When you’re designing websites for people, there’s one important thing you need to do. You need the ability to test your sites on various devices! Responsive design is common these days. So many people use tablets and smartphones to browse the Web. In fact, it’s likely there will be more mobile Web users than desktop ones soon!

Sure, you could use emulator software on your PC or Mac. But, it’s always better to use the real thing! For that reason, I suggest getting your hands on an Apple iPad. There are three types you can get these days: the Mini, standard model and the Pro. I recommend getting the standard one.

Wacom Intuos Pro Medium Graphics Tablet – Last, but not least, it’s always worth investing in a wireless graphics tablet. Part of your work will involve designing wireframes for your sites. And the more creative among you may even dabble in graphic design too.

The Wacom Intuos Pro Medium graphics tablet is the ideal device for your needs. It’s wireless, so you don’t need to stay chained to your computer. The tablet is also lightweight and stylish. Make sure you add one of these devices to your shopping list. Trust me; you’ll wish you had done that sooner!