New Cool Up-and-Coming Travel Gadgets

Charge It Up

Virtual Charging
Charging pads are making a come back after a rough start with upgrade in technology. They are easier to use and are now much more efficient. The charging pads utilize inductive charging, which requires a charger and your gadget to be touching to get the juice across. Though if Apple has a say in it, these will be outdated soon enough. It recently applied for wireless-charging patent, technology that would even remove the one wire left over that powers up the charging pads.

Cool and Green

Collapsible solar light

This light is powered by the power of the sun. One full charge can last for 6-12 hours depending on usage.
Makes it a great gadget to have around during emergencies and power outages.
Also since it has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and weighs only 3.8 ounces making great on trips as well.
As yo can see from the picture, the light collapses to a flat compact and easily transportable packet.
It is durable, waterproof, and reliable in extreme weather conditions. The 10 LED lights inside can brighten a space of up to 15 square feet, producing six to 12 hours of light after being charged in direct or indirect sunlight for four to six hours.

Fit Everything

Fitbug Orb

The Orb looks like a watch, though instead of the clock face there is button-shaped step tracker. It can function as both as a clip on to carry around or as a wristband. Orb tracks activity and sleep, including steps taken, calories burned, distance covered, walking pace, and sleep efficiency. You can also log food eaten and track your progress on the website fitbug.com


Fitbit Flex:

The newest version Fitbit for 2013 is the Bluetooth wristbands. It monitors your activity throughout the day. And as a bracelet, it is more likely to stick around with you since you dont have to remember to clip it on as you go about your tasks. Fitbit Flex syncs to Android phones as well as iPhones and iPads through Bluetooth and website. The sensors send data to your devices, giving you a readout of distance traveled, calories burned, number of active minutes and hours slept. It can also provide information on quality of sleep.
Flex also has a built-in wake alarm and is water resistant, great feature for the road.

Basis fitness watch:

This fitness tracker looks a lot more like a watch. It has a rubber wristband and clock face that displays  readouts for your heart rate, activity, sleep and your goals. Like the other fitness trackers, Basis also has a site with dashboard for tracking all the activity and sleep patterns. Though, unlike other devices on the market, Basis does all this for you automatically without having to change the modes.

New Audio Tech

Audio-Technica SonicSport Headphones

SonicSport in-ear series of headphones are designed for fitness and workouts. They have a headband cord that wraps around the back of the head to keep it in place and fit comfortably. The new active-fit earphone design has a flexible pivot that provides comfortable in-ear positioning, and directs the sound toward the ear canal for maximum bass impact. The SonicSport headphone have angled housing that moves the cords behind your neck and out of your way. The design also allows awareness of outside sounds. Making it great for biking and hiking.


Sony Wireless Speakers

These newest egg shaped speakers by Sony have 360 Circle Sound technology. Which means that they distribute sound all around them and not just front and/or back as might other jukeboxes. These speakers measure 2.7 inches in height and only 2.5 inches in width. Making them quite compact and light (4.6oz) for travel. They also have pretty good battery life, which is rated at about 4 hours. Wireless speakers connect to any device, that has it, via Bluetooth.

JBL Charge

This "little" audio powerhouse packs some juice. JBL Charge speaker comes with a high-capacity, 6000mAh Li-ion rechargeable battery that can provide more than 12 hours of playback time on a single charge. And it has amplifier power of 2 x 5-watts, which provide full-range sound. Not only does it sound good and lasts long, this gadget can also charge up your other mobile devices. It has a built-in battery and USB port to connect your gadget. Similar to Sony speakers, the Charge connects to any device via Bluetooth. It will be available in April of this year.

What are some of the newest gadgets you can't wait to get your hands on? Let us know below

Sign up for free blog updates

10 Best Travel Gadgets for iPad

Bluetooth iPad keyboard/case
Tablets are all the rage. They are small, easy to use, come with full web surfing ability, and are convenient. That is convenient to a point. They are great to swipe through a bunch of web pages or apps,  however typing on them is not as easy. While I got used to typing on my iPad and do not really mind it, quite a few folks miss the feel and touch of their keyboards. So to keep the tablet convenient and at the same time improve use, there are now cases that have the keyboard built in. You have best of both worlds. Protection for your tablet and a full size keyboard.

Roll-up Keyboard
For those with tablets that might already have a case or who do not need a keyboard at all times and would rather have a slimmer gadget to take a long, there is the roll-up Bluetooth connected keyboard. It is made of flexible silicone material that rolls ups and can be easily stored in your travel bag. And because it is made of silicone it can be cleaned with soap and water so you have it clean and ready for next trip. It can be quickly recharged via a USB connection.

Power up Backpack
To work, iPad needs power, that is what I call a "duh factor"

Solar backpack

Travel bags come with many features, though being able to not just store your tablet but also charge it is one of the best. Backpacks, such as the Powerbag Back Pack, have a battery installed that can provide juice not only to the iPad, but also to your smartphone, e-reader, music player and any other device that can be connected via USB. The battery is easily charged with included AC adapter. And it can be connected while inside the bag, no need to take it out, though you do have that option.

AC adapter

Since a electric socket is not always available when traveling, there are bags with newest technological advancement, solar power. The solar powered backpack captures the sun’s rays as you are walking storing the energy within the battery. It is ready to provide some juice to your gadgets while out and about. It does not need to be clear sky and sunshine, though preferred, for the battery to charge. The panel absorbs UV rays even on a cloudy day. And these backpacks also provide great storage and transportation for your travel gadgets :)

Hand-cranked generator
Another great source of power when traveling is you. With hand-cranked generators you can manually build up enough juice to give your gadget much needed staying power.

A good set of earphones
iPad is one of the few Apple gadgets that does not come with its own earphones. Watching movies while traveling, catching up on the shows or presentations, listening to music and music videos, and playing games are some of the great reasons this gadget is an essential accessory for the tablet. One of the better pair of earphones, and the one I have included in previous posts, are the Klipsch Image S4. These headphones have noise-canceling technology yet relatively small with great sound.

And if you would like to hear all of the above out loud, wireless speakers are a great addition. Jawbone JAMBOX seamlessly streams music via Bluetooth connection and it lasts up to 10 hours of power from internal rechargeable battery.


Eye-Fi Wireless Memory Card
Featuring built-in WiFi, Eye-Fi X2 memory cards simplify photo and video upload, sharing, organisation and back-up. Simply slip the memory card into your camera,

iPad stand
Tablets are great for watching movies and catching up on your shows. That is what we use our for when we try to keep to our goal for this year of having dinner at the dinner table. We use the Arkon portable stand that is quite sturdy keeping the iPad in place and also padded resting it comfortably. The stand also folds small for easy storage.


Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit


iPads usually come with this gadget. Theses adapters make it easy to upload pictures and videos onto the iPad. You can transfer the files directly from the SD card or using the USB cable.


iPad Case
From simple Smart Cover, to those with crazy designs and built-in stands and other cool functionalities, there are many choices to keep your iPad clean, safe, and stylish.


What do you think? Let us know below

Receive updates by

Cool and New Travel Gadgets

Self-Charging Battery Generates and Stores Energy
In a new technology breakthrough, researchers at Georgia Tech have developed the first self-charging power cell that is both a mechanical energy harvester and a battery at the same time. - TreeHugger
This new technology can charge up your phone or tablet on the go with the battery stored in your shoes. The kinetic energy helps regenerate the battery so it would be ready to go at the moment you need it.

Related articles:

Portable Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker Good For Travel and Your Shower
Electric Vehicles - Change Is Coming In Car Travel
New Gadgets & Travel Products from CES 2020
How To Clean And Disinfect Your Phone

Projector the fits your iPhone
- handheld LED projector fits snugly with the iPhone by acting as a docking port. It projects images, videos, and docs from your smartphone on a wall or a screen up to 50 inches wide. So you can go from a movie in your pocket while traveling to the big-screen theatre when you arrive.
iPico projector from General Imaging

Cars are talking

- No it is not the Disney movie. Siri, the personal assistant that is now part of most iDevices is coming to a vehicle near you. It will integrate with the internal computer and be easily accessible with a button on the steering wheel similar to volume and cruise controls. With this technology, you would be able to hear your texts, send out texts by dictating, get directions, and find points of interest, all without looking down at the dashboard.

And that's not all...

Cool New Travel Gadgets To Hit The Road This Summer

Travel Tech Gadgets News - Autonomous Cars

Cars are also Driving Themselves 

- Google among a few other innovators, has tested a vehicle that not only parks itself, but it can also fully take over for the driver. Based on the latest tests, these vehicles can hold their own on the streets and the highway. While mass-produced cars with self-guiding technology are a bit off, these concepts received significant validation when they were approved by the state of California this month. Senate Bill No. 1298
Self-driving cars could reduce traffic congestion as the movement of cars would be more streamlined. And make roads safer and give improved road access to people such as the elderly or disabled. Would You Feel Safe in a Driverless Car?

Collapsible car

Google Glasses

- Virtual reality is now front and center on your face. Google's Project Glass brings with it an innovation to eyewear. Augmented reality is built into the glasses where you access the web and apps similar to how you would pull these up on your smartphone.

Polaroid's new GL20 Camera Sunglasses. This essential travel gadget (LINK TO POST) is a multi-functioning device. It can be worn as sunglasses. It can also instantly capture or upload photos with the built-in camera. And these sunglasses have a built-in LCD screen where you can display the images you took to your friends and others.

Charging Pads
They were slightly ahead of their time when they first came on the market a couple years ago. Though even at that time you could see the great potential in these travel-friendly gadgets. The charging pads or pods let you charge multiple devices without having to plug them in. Just place your electronics on the pad and the induction technology will power it up. The new and improved versions of the chargers are now available. They produce more juice, easier to use, and more convenient. Check out some of the top-rated charging pads on Amazon.

Mi Suny is a portable charger that uses the sun to keep your iPhone juiced so you never have to go for long without a functioning phone. www.misunygb.com

myCharge® Peak 6000 - What's in the name? It is a rechargeable 6000mAh battery pack. This little charger has enough juice to able to charge a smartphone 4 times, and even charge an iPad and other tablets. You can charge up to three devices at once. Available on Amazon.com

The old stand by reinvented
- Pen. These have become so common that they are becoming obsolete. With cheaper technologies, kids are learning to type rather than write. Fortunately, improvements in technology also mean that pens can be reinvented. The pens of today have transformed into a stylus that gives you more precise movements on touchscreen devices. And also allow you to write in script and scribble. Griffin Stylus not only lets you control your devices but also functions as a pen and a laser pointer. Great gadget to have on a business trip and/or recreational travel.

Earthmate by Delorme
- handheld GPS and a text-messaging gadget. Simply this device works where cell phones don't. It has all the functionality to navigate your way through the wilderness and it also lets you text while en route and not have to drag around your smartphone. Especially, since reception can be weak or non-existent in more picturesque destinations.

If you found this page useful in your gadget search, please recommend us:  
Follow us  
Sign up for free blog updates

New Cool Up-and-Coming Travel Gadgets

Plantronics BackBeat Wireless Headset
- Unhook yourself from your device. -Wireless Bluetooth connectivity
- Noise-Canceling Microphone
- Take calls, skip tracks and adjust volume with in-line controls
- Foldable for Easy Storage & Transport
- Compatible w/ Most Bluetooth Smartphones, Tablets & MP3 Players
- Ultralight, comfortable, easy-to-wear
             available on Amazon.com Plantronics BackBeat


driSuit iPhone Waterproof Case
- 100% waterproof case
- Take photos underwater up to 15 feet deep
- Cushioned to protect your iPhone if dropped
- Waterproof headphone jack
- Touch-sensitive gel screen

Zomm Wireless Leash
- 3-in-one device: Wireless Leash, Bluetooth Speakerphone, and Personal Safety Device
- Keeps your phone and your keys on a leash
- ZOMM Wireless Leash tethers to your phone wirelessly and will alert you if you and it ever separate
- speakerphone with a noise-canceling microphone
- simple one-button press & hold system to get you in touch with 911
- more here "ZOMM Wireless Leash for Mobile Phones" and "Ready to travel Back to School"


Solar Backpack

- Keep your gadget powered up while traveling
- Use renewable energy to keep devices charged and be green
- No need to carry around as many chargers
- A source for charging when traveling in remote areas where traditional charging sources are not available, and in emergency situations.
- These backpacks come with multiple organizer pockets for your smart phones, iPods, and accessories
- Sturdy and spacious backpack


Viewermate Smartphone Stand
- V-shaped, wallet-sized combination of case and stand for the smartphone
- flexible and stable
- can be affixed to back of the seat for watching movies on airplane or in Car for passengers. It can also be attached to a car visor for hands-free conversations and GPS assistance


Jawbone Up
- from the maker of cool portable wireless speakers, Jambox, this latest gadget goes on your wrist.
- monitors your steps, distance, calories burned, pace, intensity level, active vs inactive time, GPS routes and more
- moreover, it can track your sleep patern and act as an alarm clock waking you up by vibrates on your wrist and slowly getting you our of sleep mode
- syncs up easily with an iPhone through its own app
- and many other features





Any other cool new gadgets you know of that are on horizon? Let us know below

If you found this page useful in your gadget search, please recommend us:

Follow us   Sign up for free blog updates