Today’s technology allows travelers instant access to the cloud from anywhere at anytime, making it necessary to depend on multiple devices for various needs. Though airport security restrictions apply to toothpaste and shampoo bottles, most electronic devices will clear through the stringent regulations while being easy to stow away in your carry-on. During short trips, a traveler must bring along:
Smartphone
The iPhone4, starting at $199, with powerful dual-core A5 processors, can run multiple apps like Siri texting, gaming, emailing, streaming content, Facebooking, Tweeting and more. Equipped with 8mp digital camera and 1080hp HD video recording, it can also snap and organize photos – very handy feature when one is away from home and fighting boredom while waiting for your flight.
A Tablet, Laptop, or a Notebook
A handy tablet, like the iPad2, starting at $499 is lightweight and easy to carry during air travel. The 1024-by-768-pixel resolution on a 9.7″ screen enhances the experience of watching movies, editing files, and conferencing.
Laptops and notebooks, like the MacBook Air, are great for managing personal data or files. Powerful 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processors allow working away from the desk while roaming at the airport. The onboard 2GB 1333MHz DDR3 memory provides more storage capacity, making it a great personal organizer. The MacBook Air is also lightweight with sturdy aluminum unibody and starts at $999.
Playstation Portable
For games on the go, Sony offers PSP 3000 – the PlayStation Portable. This device also plays back music and movies, and organizes photos at a cost of about $130. With internet access, one can engage in battles with other players anytime and anywhere.
iPod
When the in-flight entertainment does not suit your taste, a handy iPod Touch can not only playback your favorite playlists, but can also be used to play games, record videos, text with iMessage, and access the internet with iCloud starting at $199.
E-Readers
Whether you prefer the $109 Amazon Kindle or a Barnes and Noble Nook SimpleTouch e-reader for $99, take your favorite author along with you wherever you go. These are fairly lightweight devices and support multiple languages.
Franklin Electronic Dictionary
For international travelers, there’s the Franklin electronic dictionary and universal translator. Supporting Mirriam-Webster Collegiate 11th Edition, a Thesaurus, Guide to Punctuation, Phonetic Spell Correction, SAT Word List, and 14-Language Speaking Global Translator with Visual Dictionary for $229.99.
Garmin Mobile GPS with 2-Way Radio
If one is traveling to a remote island or a primitive location, it is handy to take along a high-sensitivity GPS receiver, barometric altimeter, 3-axis electronic compass, wireless data sharing, NOAA weather radio with preloaded maps with a USB port Rhino GPS for $399.99. It will help you find a location just in case you get lost!
Camcorder with Digital Camera
No travel and tourism would be complete without a 14 Megapixel Nikon CoolPix digital camera with a 3-inch LCD and 3.6x NIKKOR Optical Zoom Lens for about $86. I also like the Panasonic HDC-TM90K Camcorder with 16GB Internal Flash Memory for $400. It has 28 mm wide-angle lens with 26x Optical and 40x Intelligent Zoom. The 3D compatible Lens shoots 1080/60 Progressive Recording. It lets you capture exotic locations, interesting faces, and memorable moments digitally whenever and wherever! Make sure to include extra memory sticks so you don’t run out of storage space!
Airport Express
For wireless devices, the new AirPort Express Base Station creates and sets up a wireless network from your iPad, iPone, or any Mac device for $99 (also supports 802.11n). It comes in handy at hotels, airports, and remote locations.
Ambient Umbrella
Ambient makes great travel devices ranging from Cirrus 7-Day Weather Forecaster, Centerfield Baseball ScoreCaster, and MarketMaven Dow/Nasdaq/S&P500 Monitor for staying on top of the markets without wasting time checking the internet or calling your broker. Out of all of these, my favorite is the Ambient Umbrella. An embedded processor on the handle of this umbrella displays latest weather information with a wireless data-radio receiving accuweather.com data. At $129.99, the handle glows and pulses when the forecast is rain!
Make sure to bring power adapters and extra batteries as required for each device. When one is traveling outside of their realm of comfort, it is better to be prepared for the unexpected. Any of the above devices will make a great travel companion and provide services to fit all your needs when you are away from home.