Technology For Travelers

If you’re a tech head like me then choosing the right bits if kit to take with you traveling is a very important decision. I like to be wired into the world and well entertained when I am sitting on a 12 hour train ride or some hotel room on a stopover – it makes the time pass much faster and I can actually get some stuff done. But what should you consider packing for your trek and how can you possibly fit it all in?
As with any type of packing for travel, selecting which pieces of technology to take with you should be determined by weight, size and utility. Less is more! That means taking the smallest and lightest of everything you need.
If you want some computing power on your travels, then a laptop would be the obvious choice. But do you need all the computing power that a laptop can give you or could you escape with just using a tablet or a PDA? When you are lugging around 6 pounds of laptop for miles and miles, the thought of a nice little 200 gram PDA become mighty attractive. If word processing the main reason for taking a computer then consider a PDA with a fold out keyboard. You will be thankful for the weight and space it saves. Alternatively some tablets are more powerful than many laptops and offer the same software options so that might be one other consideration.
Your camera is another consideration. Do you need the 35mm SLR with 4 spare lenses? Unless you are going somewhere that justifies the weight of that, then you might be better off with any of the myriad of small digital cameras available on the market. Many of the newer models are up around the 6 megapixel and above mark meaning the quality of shots is getting very good.
If you desperately need music, then consider any type of MP3 player that can double as a digital photo storage device. iPods are a good choice and nice and light and the fact that you can store any data such as digital photos on them means you can cut down on packing other storage devices.
One of the big things that you are really going to need for all of your gadgets is insurance. Aside from the fact that a person with a lot of gadgets has a lot more to lose when they get robbed, stuff also gets knocked around a lot when you travel. Make sure you get insurance that covers you for the cost of a new replacement of anything that is lost, damaged or stolen.
A few minor considerations at the time of purchase can save a traveler a lot of heartache with gadgets. If you can describe your gear as small, light, useful and insured then you should have a pleasant trip!