Traveling with technology: Gadgets and apps worth bringing on your trip overseas

Later this month I’ll be taking an extended trip to Kazakhstan and I’ve already started packing.

You see, we won’t be checking any bags (for fear of losing them to flight connections) and that means we’ll need to be more selective while packing. Gadgets tend to add bulk, so these especially have been parsed down to only the essentials.

That being said, I’ll likely need a few more gadgets than the average non-business traveler since I’ll be co-teaching a class of Kazak journalists (as part of the iMedia Project). Now — without further ado — I give you the list:

Headphones

Noise-canceling headphones are probably the best to bring, especially on long flights, but I’m opting to take my backup pair on this trip. Why? Because I won’t be sad if they’re lost or stolen and they take up very little room.

headphones

RazorUltra portable charger

This MyCharge brick is a little more power than I hope to need, but I’ve been known to run down my battery pretty quickly while in airports (listening to music, using Wi-Fi and/or playing a game).

MyCharge

Flash drive

I actually have most of what I need on either Dropbox or Google Drive, but if our Internet turns out to be sketchy this 16GB flash drive will have a backup of everything I need to teach. Pretty sure this flash drive isn’t being made anymore — but these things go on sale all the time.

flash




Currency+ Free 

This is just one of many currency convert apps out there. I chose this one because the user interface isn’t busy, the app stays up-to-date and it’s extremely easy to use. This app also happens to be ad-supported, so there will be the occasional pop up.

IMG_0069

Google translate app

Hopefully Google has a language pack for where ever you’re going (assuming you’re headed overseas). If it does, you’ll get to use the image translate feature!

hindi_indonesian_ukrainian_portuguese

Power converter plugs

In my case I needed a Type C adapter; by getting these online (ahead of time) I saved some money. Most stores I checked out sold one adapter for the same price as this three-pack.

Screen Shot 2016-03-13 at 8.17.23 PM

Chargers

Only two chargers will make the cut for this trip: My phone and laptop chargers. I’m leaving most single-use devices at home on purpose and you probably can too. Especially because most phones fulfill so many roles (camera, camcorder, etc).

Chargers

Video adapter

To connect my roughly 5-year-old Macbook Pro to a projector, I know I’ll need this mini displayport to HDMI dongle. I only know this HDMI connector will work because I was told ahead of time that it would. So, you might need to call ahead to see what you’ll need.

2343706_sa

MacBook Pro (15-inch)

I need my not-so-light laptop to teach. If I didn’t I might be packing a lighter Chromebook instead. If you’re not presenting anything, something like a Kindle or a small tablet would probably be nice for entertainment on the plane or in the airport.

MACBOOKPRO

iPhone 5s

Obviously, any phone will do. I’ll be relying on Wi-Fi while I’m in Kazakhstan rather than purchasing an international data plan. Luckily, I’ll still be able to receive iMessages and hangout chats. Though, there are a ton of other messaging apps that can be used to get messages over Wi-Fi while you’re traveling.

2013-iphone5s-gray_GEO_US

Chromecast

This is my backup for presenting (should my HDMI adapter not work) but it doubles as a way to grab a Wi-Fi signal and stream TV in the hotel. I don’t expect to do this often, but Chromecasts are small and having the to option to stream to a larger screen will be nice.

Screen Shot 2016-03-13 at 8.25.28 PM




Spotify

I tend to listen to music on planes and Spotify is my music streaming app of choice. So by the time we fly out, I’ll have my favorite playlists saved to my phone. Maybe audiobooks or podcasts are more your speed? There are services that’ll let you save those audio files locally, too.

spotify

Watch

It’s just a dumb watch, but it still tells time! And I’d never leave for a trip of this magnitude without it. I’ll be rocking a Momentum M50-DSS; it can stand up to a lot of abuse, it’s waterproof up to 500 meters and it doesn’t require charging overnight.

6e20bc81aa5436c1be008b940ec9152d

Misfit Ray

I’d still like to get some health data while I’m there, though. For that I’ll be using a Misfit Ray (fingers crossed that it arrives in time for my departure). Ray tracks steps, sleep and can alert me to emails and messages when they come in on my phone — plus, it’s water resistant up to 50 meters. In the event that it doesn’t get here in time, I’ll be taking a Fitbit Zip instead.

Screen Shot 2016-03-13 at 12.53.20 PM

And that’s it, at least as far as technology goes. Check back here sometime in April for my review of the new Misfit Ray fitness tracker.

(Main image by GotCredit / CC BY 2.0)




About the author

Just a blogger writing about a few of her passions: technology, health and sweet gear that makes life a little easier.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.