Napshell

The fiber-reinforced plastic Napshell is a wonderful way to enjoy some minimalist shedworking (i.e. without an actual shed) although it's actually designed as a pod for powernapping (something Shedworking is all in favour of) with a comfy mattress which fits all sizes of spine. Add-ons include Dolby-Surround system, LED lighting system, View and Sound-Proof Doors, ventilated mattress, air conditioning with additional oxygen (because you just never know), massage system and flatscreen. Dimensions - length: 295cm, width: 130cm, height: 145cm and it weighs about 70kg.
Via the marvellous My Urban Garden Deco Guide.

Shepherds' huts on television

Ian McDonald, who runs the excellent site Shepherd's Huts - Historical survivors writes to say that he has been involved in three days of filming for the first episode of a new series of Bygones, to be presented by Eddie Anderson, which will be shown on ITV Anglia and ITV London on October 4.

Cottage by the Sea - finished

It's nice to see a project come to fruition - if you haven't been following the Cottage by the Sea blog which we featured on Shedworking some months back then it's worth nipping back to the site to catch up on the finished garden office, pictured above.

Travelpod from Travelodge

Travelodge have unveiled a rather nice looking shedlike atmosphere which they're calling the Travelpod - they claim is the world's first mobile hotel room. They describe it as "a mobile bedroom or 'Travelpod' to ensure you have a dry, comfortable night's sleep outdoors". It comes with all the necessaries - double bed, lights, duvet, pillow, carpet, window blinds, dressing table, mirror, chair, flat screen television, DVD player (and DVDS), heater, tea/coffee making things, and green toilet. All for £26 a night. It all comes wrapped up in a clear poly-carbonate glass box 6m by 2.4m. And you can enter a competition to win a free stay in one too at the web site. The Travelpod has been trialled over the last year and Travelodge are expecting it to become popular at festivals and outdoor events. Below is how an early version looked when pictures were released last year.

Wayne Munnelly, Travelodge's Director of Sleep said: "It is a great concept where guests can enjoy the festival, dance through the night and climb in to a nice comfy bed. Not everyone who goes to a concert wants to sleep in a tent - this is the ultimate budget fun alternative."
Via Been/Seen.

Shedworking on television

Build It magazine

A nice mention for this site in this month's Build It magazine which very kindly calls Shedworking "comprehensive and guide to all things teleworking" in a good article about garden offices which namechecks various suppliers including Dunster, InsideOut, Garden Lodges, Garden Affairs and Eco Space (see sidebar right for links to them all). Thanks to the eagle-eyed Uncle Wilco for the alert.

Who pays for shedworking?

A very interesting piece in IT Director by Rob Bamforth, Principal Analyst, Quocirca, who asks 'Who bears the cost of home working?'. He talks about the blurring of boundaries as regards business and home use and in particular asks the very pertinent question "who then pays for the home broadband, and who is responsible for ensuring it meets the company's needs?" He goes on to say:

"However, a combination of wider household use and broadband delivered entertainment means the connection might be heavily loaded and by some less than friendly or even unsafe applications. Are these appropriate network conditions for those employees working from home who have to conduct confidential business needing solid security, or who use critical processes needing deterministic confirmation or completion? Probably not, but then can an employer really take full control of the broadband connection, compelling the employee to get another for personal use? And what happens when two members of the household work from home with different employers?

"Ultimately it's unlikely that employers will be able to impose either broadband service provider or IT department approved customer premises equipment, like a router at the entry to an employee's household network. So how then do they retain at least some control, to ensure that corporate security and protection needs are met, and that services used by the employee at home meet suitable service criteria?"

Well worth a browse.