Travel is just something that we all — well almost all — do. Some people travel regularly, some, like me, maybe once a year. Well, I have a fantastic opportunity to travel to Hollywood next week to participate in the premier of the new Disney movie Monsters University. Then, straight from there, I head to Atlanta for a week of education and fun. Needless to say, being a GeekDad, I am going to need my arsenal of gadgets — so I thought I would share some of my personal travel accessories.
Most important is the smartphone. I currently use the iPhone 4S. This handles the daily grind of activity. It serves as camera, video camera, notepad and voice recorder — also games for the long rides. I need a ton of battery life, so I use an Ibattz Mojo Battery Case. Advertisements say that it will give you between 6 and 44 hours of live usage depending on what you are doing, but I know how I use my phone. It will recharge a dead iPhone 4S to about 80% on a full charge — that number is something I can work with.
Same thing goes for my iPad 2. It gets used for those times when the iPhone is just not enough. Answering tons of emails, writing posts and using HootSuite take up a good bit of my time on it. Now the iPad 2 already has a significantly longer run time than my iPhone, but when I need more juice I use the Props Power Case by Digital Treasures. Not only does this case look professional in leather, but it packs a thin 8,000 mAh battery. There is a larger capacity battery available, but this one is great for me. It too will take my dead iPad up to about 80% power on a full charge. A great added benefit to this battery pack is that the included adapter will charge any USB port — so I usually end up charging the iPhone with it also.
The last gadget that I always have for travel is a good set of headphones. It is so much nicer on a plane to listen to a good podcast or some tunes instead of an irate toddler or the engines wailing. This trip I have a set of Wicked Audio EVAC headphones to keep me company. The EVACs are designed with a canvas headband, soft ear cushions, and feature a nice braided cord (to prevent tangles) with built-in volume control — so I can leave the iPhone in my pocket. They are also equipped with enhanced bass and a noise-isolation feature. Best of all, to me, is that they collapse for easy storage.
Stay tuned to GeekDad.com for more news from my Monsters University trip next week!
