What is your top "must-have" travel gadget?
#46
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Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: LON, ACK, BOS..... (Not necessarily in that order)
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But will that combo work on a flight with no wifi/phone connection, and do you really want someone sitting next to you yakking into their iPad when you're trying to concentrate on something else?
#48
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Menlo Park, CA, USA
Programs: UA 1MM 0P, AA, DL, *wood, Lifetime FPC Plat., IHG, HHD
Posts: 6,906
flight only?
Personally, I take the apple BT keyboard for the ipad/iphone as it is very small and light and is great when I just want to use the ipad for email/response/creating/doc editing, etc.
#49
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Location: Bay Area
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Well I just flew to MAD via UA/CO and they show a video with Smisek talking about satellite Internet on their planes. So if you're willing to pay for it, looks like you'll have Internet on flights, including over water.
#50
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I don't think the above requirement for travel gadget was "in flight only"..for those who commented that they need a physical keyboard to be efficient when travelling, the option to be able to use a headset and siri for the majority of easy text input could help them overcome the thinking that an ipad would not be suitable to writing while travelling.
Personally, I take the apple BT keyboard for the ipad/iphone as it is very small and light and is great when I just want to use the ipad for email/response/creating/doc editing, etc.
Personally, I take the apple BT keyboard for the ipad/iphone as it is very small and light and is great when I just want to use the ipad for email/response/creating/doc editing, etc.
#51
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Join Date: Jun 2004
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Personally I don't travel anywhere without my Sony Worldband Radio but then I like listening to the Saturday Sportsworld on the shortwave BBC World Service which covers the UK football (soccer) matches. It's a Sony ICF-SW7600GR
but it's not the lightest one they did. A real travel model that I don't think is made anymore is the ICF-SW100 which does the same job just massively smaller. I can't find a copyright free image of that though, there is a youtube video here showing how small it is and how well it works.
Last edited by Jimmie76; Feb 5, 2012 at 7:26 pm
#52
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: River Forest, IL
Posts: 328
1. My iphone- I had a nightmare that I was in an airport without my iphone and didn't know where to go.
2. Got a kindle fire for Christmas- really looking forward to traveling with it.
3. My Sennheiser PX-100 headphones- wish I had bought another set when I bought these. I have hearing aids in both ears, so earbuds are out. These fold up well, are comfortable and I think the sound is great.
2. Got a kindle fire for Christmas- really looking forward to traveling with it.
3. My Sennheiser PX-100 headphones- wish I had bought another set when I bought these. I have hearing aids in both ears, so earbuds are out. These fold up well, are comfortable and I think the sound is great.
#53
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: DCA/IAD/BWI
Programs: UA 2P, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Plat, National EE, Avis PC
Posts: 314
ATT and Verizon both used to have international smart phone plans. Both companies eliminated the plans a couple of years ago, but many of us have managed to stay grandfathered in. It has sometimes been a struggle, but I still have it.
ATT still offers an international blackberry plan to some corporate customers.
ATT still offers an international blackberry plan to some corporate customers.
#54
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: San Francisco, California
Programs: Amex Centurion, United Global Services
Posts: 843
Adding my (short) list:
- Macbook Air 11" - small enough to use in coach if necessary
- Shure e3c noise isolating headphones
- iPhone 4 with international data (and hotspot functionality) - this is a lifesaver
- Priority Pass lounge card. Not a gadget, but a great gift.
Everything else is gravy. Some of the gravy:
- Energizer extended battery for the Macbook Air - I get 10+ hours of battery this way, easily coast to coast uptime working or watching movies.
- Plug adapters for UK, Europe - covers most lounges worldwide
- Kindle touch - for reading in the hotel at night before falling asleep
- Cheap $3 ten-foot extension cord - because those hotel outlets are never where I want them, I like to charge my phone next to the bed.
- Magazine subscription to The Week - I can always grab that week's issue before I go and read half during takeoff, other half during landing and feel somewhat informed of current events
- Macbook Air 11" - small enough to use in coach if necessary
- Shure e3c noise isolating headphones
- iPhone 4 with international data (and hotspot functionality) - this is a lifesaver
- Priority Pass lounge card. Not a gadget, but a great gift.
Everything else is gravy. Some of the gravy:
- Energizer extended battery for the Macbook Air - I get 10+ hours of battery this way, easily coast to coast uptime working or watching movies.
- Plug adapters for UK, Europe - covers most lounges worldwide
- Kindle touch - for reading in the hotel at night before falling asleep
- Cheap $3 ten-foot extension cord - because those hotel outlets are never where I want them, I like to charge my phone next to the bed.
- Magazine subscription to The Week - I can always grab that week's issue before I go and read half during takeoff, other half during landing and feel somewhat informed of current events
#55
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#56
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 22,778
Mine
11.6" screen 4GB/500GB Netbook
Unlocked quad bad GSM and AWS/UMT phone
If you add a vibra+or, this collection is guaranteed to meet everyone;s needs.
For longer trips, I also carry my CPAP and for shorter, I drop the netbook off the list.
11.6" screen 4GB/500GB Netbook
Unlocked quad bad GSM and AWS/UMT phone
If you add a vibra+or, this collection is guaranteed to meet everyone;s needs.
For longer trips, I also carry my CPAP and for shorter, I drop the netbook off the list.
Last edited by Yaatri; Feb 24, 2012 at 9:04 am
#57
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Munich, Germany
Programs: UA*S, TK*G, BA G
Posts: 361
1. Sony Z12 laptop
2. iPad
3. Bose noice-cancelling headphones
Total weight: six pounds
I hemmed and hawed for almost three years about getting one of those Sony Z-series laptops. It was, by far, the most I ever spent for a laptop but with its small form factor, Full-HD screen, SSD drives and computing power, it's really hard to beat. Best investment I have ever made.
2. iPad
3. Bose noice-cancelling headphones
Total weight: six pounds
I hemmed and hawed for almost three years about getting one of those Sony Z-series laptops. It was, by far, the most I ever spent for a laptop but with its small form factor, Full-HD screen, SSD drives and computing power, it's really hard to beat. Best investment I have ever made.
#58
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: West Africa
Programs: Flying Blue, Mileage Plus
Posts: 204
Anywhere I go:
--iPad 2 w/ Kindle app, music, videos, iBooks, TripIt.
--Etymotic HF2 Headset (high attenuation about as good as active cancellation) for the plane.
--AKG Q460 headphones for the hotel.
--Asus WL-530g Mini Router flashed with DD-WRT, OpenVPN (StrngVPN subscription).
--Panasonic LX5 camera.
Depending on where I'm going, I also take the Sony ICF-SW7600GR mentioned above, and a Princeton Tec headlamp.
--iPad 2 w/ Kindle app, music, videos, iBooks, TripIt.
--Etymotic HF2 Headset (high attenuation about as good as active cancellation) for the plane.
--AKG Q460 headphones for the hotel.
--Asus WL-530g Mini Router flashed with DD-WRT, OpenVPN (StrngVPN subscription).
--Panasonic LX5 camera.
Depending on where I'm going, I also take the Sony ICF-SW7600GR mentioned above, and a Princeton Tec headlamp.
#59
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: YVR
Programs: Aeroplan, AAdvantage
Posts: 2,100
I do not think anyone mentioned an ear-popper (get it from London Drugs in Canada, it's prescription only in the US) and a travel washlet. These two, a Bose headphone, an eReader are absolute musts for me.
#60
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: LON, ACK, BOS..... (Not necessarily in that order)
Programs: **Mucci Diamond Hairbrush** - compared to that nothing else matters (+BA Bronze)
Posts: 15,063
Anywhere I go:
--iPad 2 w/ Kindle app, music, videos, iBooks, TripIt.
--Etymotic HF2 Headset (high attenuation about as good as active cancellation) for the plane.
--AKG Q460 headphones for the hotel.
--Asus WL-530g Mini Router flashed with DD-WRT, OpenVPN (StrngVPN subscription).
--Panasonic LX5 camera.
Depending on where I'm going, I also take the Sony ICF-SW7600GR mentioned above, and a Princeton Tec headlamp.
--iPad 2 w/ Kindle app, music, videos, iBooks, TripIt.
--Etymotic HF2 Headset (high attenuation about as good as active cancellation) for the plane.
--AKG Q460 headphones for the hotel.
--Asus WL-530g Mini Router flashed with DD-WRT, OpenVPN (StrngVPN subscription).
--Panasonic LX5 camera.
Depending on where I'm going, I also take the Sony ICF-SW7600GR mentioned above, and a Princeton Tec headlamp.