I travel quite a bit for both business and for fun, and I can't think of the last time I went somewhere without some tech in tow, whether a digital camera, my mobile phone, iPad, laptop or netbook, or some other gizmo. These devices are so much a part of our lives that it's hard for us to go anywhere without them. But how can we take them with us in a way that makes sense, keeps them accessible and organized, and doesn't leave us with a huge and heavy carry-on bag?
Consolidate. This may seem like strange advice coming from a huge gadget fan, but when traveling, my general philosophy is "the fewer devices, the better." The less you bring with you, the fewer devices you have to worry about losing, the fewer chargers you need to bring, and less you have to carry. One way to bring less tech with you is to leverage something you probably already use all the time - your mobile phone. Your cell phone can do so much for you - and can save you tons of bulk during a trip by consolidating the functions of many other devices into one. Especially if you have a current smartphone, you can often leave your digital camera, mp3 player, portable video game, camcorder, and GPS unit behind. Granted, you may not get every single feature that you'd have with each and every individual device, but the benefit of leaving them at home is far less bulk, and less to lose. One note: if you're traveling abroad, make sure to review your data service plan or turn off your data (just leave your phone in flight mode) to avoid exorbitant roaming charges.
Consolidate. This may seem like strange advice coming from a huge gadget fan, but when traveling, my general philosophy is "the fewer devices, the better." The less you bring with you, the fewer devices you have to worry about losing, the fewer chargers you need to bring, and less you have to carry. One way to bring less tech with you is to leverage something you probably already use all the time - your mobile phone. Your cell phone can do so much for you - and can save you tons of bulk during a trip by consolidating the functions of many other devices into one. Especially if you have a current smartphone, you can often leave your digital camera, mp3 player, portable video game, camcorder, and GPS unit behind. Granted, you may not get every single feature that you'd have with each and every individual device, but the benefit of leaving them at home is far less bulk, and less to lose. One note: if you're traveling abroad, make sure to review your data service plan or turn off your data (just leave your phone in flight mode) to avoid exorbitant roaming charges.
