Don’t Travel This Spring without These 12 Tech Gadgets and Accessories
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Spring is nearly upon us, which means it’s almost time for spring break vacations, road trips and traveling in general. You’ve packed your bags and grabbed your smartphone, but there are some other gadgets worth bringing along.
While you probably don’t want to bring every smart device in your house, there are quite a few tech items and accessories that can enhance your trip. Here are 12 items you throw in your bag on your travels this spring.
goTenna Mobile Mesh
Though this may come as a surprise, there are places in the world without Wi-Fi or reliable cell service. Sarcasm aside, there are actually plenty of security and safety reasons to be wary of going service-less in your travels. That’s where these cool and handy gadgets comes in.
Essentially, these devices create their own mesh communication network. Once one of them is paired to your iPhone, you can send an encrypted message without any Wi-Fi or cellular service to another person with their goTenna (which is why it comes in a two-pack). It’s great for long-distance hikes and remote travels — and has a range of up to 4 miles. Get a two-pack here.
COWIN E7 Pro Noise Canceling Headphones
Between commercial flights and airports, traveling can take a serious toll on your stress levels. That can be largely attributed to all those loud and annoying sounds. That’s where a pair of noise canceling headphones comes in. You can opt for more expensive models, but these COWIN headphones are fairly inexpensive and highly rated. It’s a Bluetooth pair, so it’ll work with your jack-less iPhones. And with up to 30 hours of battery life, it’ll get you through even the longest of flights. Get them here.
Xenvo Pro Lens Kit for iPhone
If you have an iPhone, you already have one of the best portable cameras available on the market. But, as with anything else, there are accessories can that boost your iPhone photography beyond what the device is capable of. The Xenvo iPhone Camera Lens Kit Pro packs a wide-angle lens for fitting more into a frame, a macro lens for close-up shots, and a clip-on and rechargeable LED light that you can use to give yourself an extra bit of illumination in dim environments. Get it here. Or, try this similar lens kit which costs 3x less.
JBL Clip 3 Bluetooth Speaker
Whether your trip involves a pool party or a relaxing day at the beach, there’s no doubt that music can seriously bump up your experience. And when you’re traveling, you want something small, durable and powerful.
Enter the JBL Clip 3. It’s incredibly portable but manages to sport a ton of volume and high audio quality. It’s also waterproof and rugged enough to withstand all of your travels. It also comes in multiple colors, so you never have to sacrifice form for function. Get it here. This speaker offers similar capabilities, but is more affordable.
International Power Adapter
If you’re going to be doing some overseas traveling, you’re going to need a universal power adapter. While there are tons of options on the market, this option is one of the best-reviewed available.
It packs a UK, EU, AU and US power plugs, which should get you through most of your trips throughout Europe, Oceania, Asia, and elsewhere. It also grounds your devices for ultimate protection, and packs four USB ports so you can charge all of your devices at once. Get it here. Or, check out this more pocketable international power adapter.
Anker Portable Power Bank
Even if you’re only traveling upstate, there are probably going to be times when there isn’t a power outlet available. If you don’t already own a portable power bank or a battery pack, we highly suggest that you invest in one now.
Anker is a well-respected brand when it comes to battery packs — and that respect among consumers is earned. This is a high-quality, powerful and portably power bank. And with a massive 20,100 mAh capacity, the PowerCore can charge up an iPhone 7 seven times before depleting. Get it here. This model from ZeroLemon offers even more power, 30,000 mAh.
JOBY GorillaPod Stand
Your smartphone can already take awesome photos, but there still are accessories that can bump up your Instagram game. From awesome time-lapses to shots of your entire squad (no photographer required), a tripod is a must-have for travel-based photography.
The GorillaPod is a great smartphone-based tripod with flexible legs, meaning you can set it up on basically any surface. It’s also small and portable and grips your iPhone securely, so you don’t have to worry about your device taking a fall. Get it here.
The Pure Company Air Purifier
If your hotel room smells weird or your AirBnb is just plain stale, an air purifier can help freshen up your accommodations. But most air purifiers are bulky and take up valuable space in your luggage. Not this one.
It’s a sleek, filterless purifier that weighs in at a little over half a pound. It uses ionization to help purify the room and even has an aromatherapy pad you can add essential oils to for a pleasant scent — with no water tank required. Get it here. Pick up this AIR Ionic Purifier for your vehicle, too.
Amazon Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote
Sometimes, you just want to pull up Netflix and binge (even on a trip). But traveling with your Mac or iPad isn’t always convenient and the iPhone’s screen isn’t the best for watching long-form content. Enter the Amazon Fire TV Stick.
Just insert it into any HDTV and you’ll get access to a plethora of content — including your Netflix, Hulu and Prime video accounts. This version also comes with Alexa, so you can control video playback by voice (even in a hotel room). If you’re in the Apple ecosystem, you can also access Apple Music using Fire TV. Get it here.
Basu Personal Alarm
Safety is something you should always keep in mind, especially if you’re traveling. That’s why something like a personal alarm can go a long way toward keeping your travels happy and safe.
This personal alarm, made by Basu, can be clipped to your keychain, bag or person pretty easily. When you pull the pin, it’ll play a loud alarm for 30 minutes (or until you manually stop it). If you’re camping, you can even turn it into a tripwire to keep things from sneaking up on your campsite. Get it here.
Anker Car Charger
Traveling to far-off destinations often means you’re renting a car. But not all cars have built-in USB chargers, so an often-overlooked but incredibly handy piece of tech to carry with you is a universal car charger.
This option, by Anker, sports two USB ports so you can power up two devices at once. With Anker’s Quick Charge 3.0 tech and up to 39W of power, it also powers up devices faster than other chargers. Best of all, it’s small enough to fit in your pocket. Get it here. This charger is similar, but offers three USB ports.
Skyroam Solis
When you’re traveling abroad, international data charges can add up quickly. That’s where a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot, like the Skyroam Solis, can come in handy. You get high-speed internet action without paying for an international data plan or swapping out your SIM card for a local one.
The setup process isn’t the quickest. But once the Solis finds a network, you can access a 4G LTE Wi-Fi connection on up to five devices at once. A day pass costs about $9, while a month is $99. There aren’t any data limits and the hotspot itself packs a 6,000 mAh battery to charge up your devices, too. Get it here.