The Tech You Need to Travel Better
While no product can guarantee a seat upgrade or make your delayed flight arrive on time, a few smart investments can make your next trip more comfortable, more relaxing and less stressful.
By Alan Henry
With airline seats getting smaller and highways more crowded, it’s a good thing there are plenty of high-tech, budget-friendly solutions to our travel woes. While there is no gadget that will make your seat wider or lessen traffic, there are some that will help you sleep better and stay relaxed on your next trip.
Here are a few suggestions you may want to invest in, with the help of our colleagues at Wirecutter, the product recommendations site owned by The New York Times.
Smart(er) Luggage
“Smart” luggage is luggage that will charge your phone or comes with location tracking so you won’t lose it. I have had the opportunity to travel with a smart bag, and it was nice to have a bag that would alert me if I walked too far from it or could charge my phone while I sat at a gate, far from an outlet, waiting for my now-delayed flight to board.
However, smart bags are expensive, and changing airline policies and confusion over how the bags (which often include lithium-ion batteries and other electronics) should be screened at security have crushed the industry. Companies like Away still make them, but our colleagues at Wirecutter suggest you save money and hassle and make your own luggage smart with a few simple additions.
THE TRAVEL TIPS ISSUE
A collection of tips and techniques, from saving on travel to the tech gear you’ll need.
“When we first looked into smart luggage, we concluded that buying a suitcase that had a USB-battery pack, scale, and Bluetooth tracker embedded wasn’t worth it,” said Christine Ryan, an editor at Wirecutter. “We thought it smarter (sorry!) to buy those things separately and use them with the bag you already have, and hopefully love. Two years later, we stand by that decision, especially now that two of the major ‘smart bag’ companies have folded.”
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For example, the addition of a USB battery pack that’ll fit neatly in your bag will keep your phone or tablet charged while you’re on layover or waiting for a delayed flight or train. A Tile Bluetooth Tracker can slide anywhere inside your bag and pairs with an app on your smartphone to let you know how far away your bag is at all times. A simple USB travel scale like the Balanzza Mini USB scale even lets you weigh your bag on the go, the same way smart luggage can.
Plenty of Portable Power
Speaking of batteries, you shouldn’t travel without an external battery pack (to keep all the other electronics in this list charged) and a portable surge protector to turn the only outlet in reach in your hotel room into two or three.
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