Tech Gadgets for Travellers

Tech Gadgets for Travellers

When you’re trekking across the world in the 21st century things are a lot more connected than was the case in the past. Obvious statement out of the way; there are some gadgets that are really quite useful.

For starters there is the smartphone. When Apple introduced the iPhone they set the benchmark for a piece of technology that is almost like possessing a superpower. No wonder that Zuckerberg is predicting Facebook will move towards telepathic communication in the future. Until we’re all telepathically lol’ing at each other travel exists in the temporal realm. A smartphone allows you to combat such nuisances as closing times- the internet never sleeps, accurate location services, a way to pay, a way to find somewhere to sleep etc. Your smartphone allows you access to apps that can keep you busy between travels, such as mobile bingo apps.

Dual sim card slots are also becoming a standard feature (outside Apple’s walled garden) and they let you pay cheap local rates whilst keep your usual SIM card in- less likely to lose the little things if they don’t have to be removed.

External memory slots are also in vogue and with SD cards shrinking every year the ability to shoot and store is growing staggeringly fast. SD cards mean you can do a whole lot more during travels without bothering about storage from flight time to your last day in your destination. And yes, there are lots of things you can do to get the best out of your flight time.

Although cameras have excelled on smartphones there is a market for a camera that requires no hands. The GoPro is to video cameras what the iPhone was to phones. Quality and concept defining. GoPros have revolutionised holiday snaps. You can ski down sheer faces, surf barrels and then show everyone what it looked like from your perspective. Here is more on getting the best out of your GoPro.

If you’re taking a trip across multiple countries, continents even, you will need adaptor plugs. These essential items are undergoing a design boom at the moment. Incorporating USB slots as well as different national configuration in one small plug is the ideal and it has been realised by several companies, check out Mudder’s plugs.

Digital nomads need the internet to work. If you’re desperate for a good connection and travelling with a laptop it is possible to bring along a pocket router which can create a wireless signal from an ethernet point. As wired internet connections are still common and because some of the latest laptops aren’t including ethernet ports anymore a router is a sound investment and cost around $20-40.

The TP-Link Wireless Mini Router is well reviewed for its compact size (about the same as a charger pack) and for its built in USB port for transferring data or even acting as another charging point.

When you’re travelling having a good set of speakers can be the difference between a quiet night and a buzzing scene. The Minirig is a solid, scalable speaker with an impressive 50+ hours of battery life. If you stumble across another person with a Minirig you can connect them and multiply the sound.