1. An inexpensive portable power strip, with 3 or 4 outlets, really helps in a room with multiple people and multiple devices.Wherever your adventure takes you this summer, theres probably a gadget that can help. Maybe its noise cancelling headphones to make a flight seem shorter, or a Bluetooth speaker for some tunes around the campfireHere are some of the best to check out before you leave.
Before we get started, if you want to dive deeper into t .....
2. A portable Bluetooth speaker can add some tunes to wherever you are: Campsite, hotel room, airport security line. I like the $90 UE Mini Boom, and have had one with me for all my travels the last few months. Its small but loud, and sounds surprisingly good. Its also the current Wirecutter pick. .....
3. A little bit of quiet goes a long way. For any long journey, bet it train, plane, or automobus, you cant beat the quiet of NC headphones. I like the Bose QC20s, as theyre tiny and perfectly portable. The QC25 offer a little more quiet, but are over ear headphones and much bigger. I weigh the pros and cons in Bose QuietComfort 25 Vs QuietComfort 20. .....
4. Ive been talking these things up for years. Love them. Theyre just a portable external battery pack to recharge all your devices. They come in all different sizes and capacities. Since theyre so cheap, its hard not to recommend them to everyone .....
5. This may seem like an odd one, since every device you have probably came with one. Believe it or not, different chargers charge devices at different rates. Check the amp rating on your current charger. It might say something like 1A or 0.5A. If youre lucky, it says more than 2A. A stands for amps, and a charger with more amp output will charge your devices faster.
I like the Limefuel 4.8A wall charger, as its compact, the prongs fold into the b .....
6. Along the same lines, a good USB car charger is key. Dont trust the USB output built into your car (if it even has one) to charge your phone at a good rate. Worse, if youre using your phone for navigation (with the screen on), the built in USB might not output enough power to charge the phone while you use it. So the battery drains even if its plugged in. .....
7. Most hotels and many hostels have few, if any, usable power plugs. Thats rather astonishing in 2015, but thats a rant for another time.An inexpensive portable power strip, with 3 or 4 outlets, really helps in a room with multiple people and multiple devices. .....
8. This is key. Buying local SIM cards is the cheapest way to get data wherever you are. Pop into the local Vodaphone or T Mobile store (or any number of other companies), pick up a SIM for $20 $30, and get a ton of (or even unlimited) data for a month if you have an unlocked phone. You need to do that part before you leave. Check with your provider to find out all the hoops you must jump through. .....
9. Lastly, and this isnt for everyone, but I love my GoPro. It takes great photos and videos, above and below the water. I bought the Hero4 Black, but in hindsight, I wish Id gotten the Silver. With the Silver you lose 4K video at 60 fps (meh), and 720p at 240fps (kinda cool). But its cheaper, has better battery life, and has a built in screen (very cool). After I bought mine, Wirecutter came out and said what I was thinking. Ah timing .....
