Top tips for great travel gadgets and software

Traveling opens a world of experiences, filled with exciting adventures, cultural exchange, and mesmerizing landscapes. In our modern age, technological devices or “gadgets” have become indispensable companions, enhancing these experiences in countless ways.

The summer is upon us and it’s time to start planning those family adventures, solo expeditions to find one’s self or a party in the tropics. Many hope to get away from it all and that includes the gadgets and gizmos they feel control their lives. Whatever your itinerary tech is also there to help, facilitate and entertain you on your journey.

The load out:

We all must suffer the burden of not being able to take it all with us so we need our carry on to keep as much to hand as possible. These days mobile phones are packing an awful lot of neat features to reduce clutter.

Many will rely on their iPhone, Samsung Galaxy S5 or HTC One (M8) to take the burden of many tasks and rightfully so. We are now entering a time when the inbuilt features rival many of the products we have come to rely on in the past.

A Camera – The LG G3, HTC One (m8) and iPhone 5S all pack superior shooters for most environments. Our pal and site editor Matt recently relied exclusively on the HTC One to document a trip to Disneyland. However, we are gadget lovers at heart and something like the Sony AX100X 4K Camcorder with 1.0 Type Exmor R CMOS Sensor would really pop when capturing those moments of your kids bungee jumping or some totty on the beach.

A Computer – Internet cafes are a thing of the past, shoddy hotel wifi is now all the rage. Your phone will likely be dead after a full day and you are going to want something to send evidence of your escapades back for your Gran to see. For a little editing of photos and videos the Lenovo X1 Carbon is a stunning lightweight and versatile laptop with some top end specs at a modest price. For the lower end price the Acer Chromebook C720 will do everything you need in the cloud and still allow space for a bottle of tequila from duty free in your backpack on the way home.

A Map – You must know where you are are, have been and are going. Again your phone, combined with Google Maps or mapping software of choice is indispensable. When planning a trip, some really nice online tools are at your hands, such as the GoEuro search travel search engine for example. It compares modes of transport and their various prices and times for the desired route of the user. Another great online resource is airbnb, in terms of booking a place to stay you want.

Power – Your phone is only as useful as it’s battery life and you are likely going to need some form of backup after using GPS to find the sights, the camera to capture the sights, the wifi to share the sights and the screen to watch Captain America on the long sticky bus ride back to the hotel from the sights. The Anker Astro 3E 10000mAh portable charger is the ideal solution and a backpack must have. Cheap, light and quick to charge even the more demanding hardware. Perfect to resurrect a dead phone with your eticket stored in your inbox.

A neat little trick, you probably already know is how to charge them all, a simple 4 Gang, with an adapter. I have seen folks in the past buying three adapters or families squabbling over the single adapter they packed.

Travel can be stressful and unexpected, it’s doesn’t have to be and hopefully this year technology will help you enjoy it a little more.

Finally, we shouldn’t forget the importance of gadgets in ensuring our health and safety while traveling. Personal safety alarms, portable water purifiers, and health monitoring devices can make our travels both safer and healthier. A fully charged phone in a time of crisis can even prove to be a lifesaver.

If you love travel gadgets and you’re looking for the best Expert-crafted travel ideas & private tours to plan your next trip, remember that while gadgets have become integral to the modern travel experience, providing convenience, entertainment, and safety, they should not overshadow the essence of travel itself. It’s important to sometimes set the gadgets aside and immerse ourselves in the cultures, landscapes, and unplanned moments that make traveling such an enriching and fulfilling endeavor.