5 Coolest Travel Gadgets Currently in Crowdfunding - July
Image source: indiegogo.com
AirBolt: The Truly Smart Travel Lock indiegogo.com/projects/airbolt-the-truly-smart-travel-lock
- Unlock the lock with your phone: either by being close to it or by being close to it and entering a password
- Can help locate lost/stolen luggage via crowdsourced GPS locator
- Locate your luggage or anything the lock is on by activating remote alarm
- The alarm also can be sounded when you walk away from the object
- The AirBolt can also be unlocked from a device other than your phone by login into your account
- Rechargeable battery that only needs to be charged once a year
- Airport security approved
STABYLIZR — Your GoPro® Camera Stabilizer kickstarter.com/projects/stabylizr/stabylizr-your-gopro-camera-stabilizer
This is one of the smallest stabilizers I have seen for GoPro cameras. The other ones are lot bulkier and longer with a lot more casing, which would not be great for travel. This one is compact and could be great instead of a basic selfie stick to get more steady shots and videos.
Jiffy- The Charger That Keeps On Giving kickstarter.com/projects/689033452/jiffy-the-charger-that-keeps-on-giving
Hand cranked charger that can charge your device anywhere, without electricity sockets. Jiffy has 2200mA capacity that can simultaneously charge 6 smart phones with 4” screens that are navigating the internet through Wi-Fi, or 4 smart phones that are navigating the internet through 3G.
Kiss That Window Seat Goodbye: Is THIS What Airplanes Could Look Like in 40 Years?!
Concept design of what the plane might look like in the future is quite a change fromt the current. More space, less emissions. That would be great step forward for the air transport. spoilednyc.com/planes-virtual-reality-window-display
Suitcase that solves the biggest problem with luggage
No need to track your luggage. Your luggage will track you. That is the concept behind the new suitcase current in development that has sensors on-board for tracking its owner and following them around the airport. And since the luggage is on its own platform, you also do not need to drag techinsider.io/smart-suitcase-follows-you-around-video-2016-1
Supersonic Jet Faster than the Concorde Under Construction
The new plane would make a trip from New York to London in just three and a half hours. It is still far from being in production and commercial use, though definitly make the world even smaller. interestingengineering.com/supersonic-jet-faster-concorde-under-construction Blue Origin Successfully Launches, Lands Rocket for Third Time
This plus successful attempts by SpaceX, proves reusable rockets are now a reality, which in turn means lower cost for space freight and fligh leading to more feasable commercial trips. pcmag.com/news/343425/blue-origin-successfully-launches-lands-rocket-for-third-ti
This New Plane Could End Jet Lag for Good
"The A350 XWB is larger than a Boeing 787 but smaller than an A380. The “XWB” in its name stands for “Extra Wide Body,” and that's not a lie. The 253-passenger aircraft is six inches wider than a 787...." cntraveler.com/stories/2016-03-04/this-new-plane-could-end-jet-lag-for-good
I especially like the number 4 and 12. How cool would it be at a business casual party as it becomes more casual with some bottles of beer brought in. And they are not screw top, but the good kind. Then, to open one, you take out the bottle opener James Bond style from the collar of your shirt! Awesome party trick.
And then there is the Pen Bottle Opener. Can open a bottle of bubbly and take down the number, email, or name all in just a couple of moves. Stocking stuffer?
Why good to have on a trip:
- Multi-functioning tool
- Some of these can be used to open a bottle, as a screwdriver, or as a pen
- saves space and always ready to get one open
Iam not going to discuss the storm as there are many posts and tweets about it already. What I will do is tell you about some of great and interesting gadgets that will keep you safe as well as your gadgets while in route.
One such great gadget is a GPS. It is a great tool while on a road trip as it shows you step by step directions of where to go and knows where you are located in the wilderness of our country. We have been using ours extensively on short and long trips. Recently, we have been musing how we have traveled before without it. On our first trips with my wife, we were using a paper map and it was not easy. During the longest road trip we have taken at that time, my wife let me know that she was not sure how to read the map. We were on the highway at that time by the way, speeding along to somewhere.
The GPS could also be used while walking to find your way around town or forrest, as well as while biking and boating. Though while in a boat it would be a great idea to put it in a water proof pouch.
Keep your gadgets dry and secure: As we all know water is a top enemy for anything electronic. I know first hand, since I thought that my phone could go swimming in the pool with me. But it was not so. There are many different cases and skins available to protect your electronic gadgets from getting ruined by water. The LifeProof case for iPhone 4 is one such case. It has a super thin and light profile that barely increases the size of your phone, has two parts with a back plate that clips onto the front with a ridge all the way around and secures via a clamp on the bottom edge. It prevents dust, water, and other stuff from getting inside.
Hold on to your gadgets securely Handstand iPad case - The Handstand case fits snugly around your iPad -- so far, nothing overly different from other cases on the market. Where the Handstand excels is a neat rotating hand grip on the back of the case. Simply slip your hand through the elastic strap, and you can hold your iPad with just one hand and rotate it in any angle you want. The rotating rear also doubles as a stand, allowing you to place your iPad on a flat surface and angle it up a couple of degrees for watching movies. The whole construction feels very solid, and even when you shake your arms around, your iPad won't budge. - Gadling.com
Keep an eye on your homestead while traveling: Logitech Alert HD home monitoring system provides peace of mind for you while away with apps for IPhone, IPad, and Android that lets you easily access cameras located at home with secure remote access.
Keep things secure and with you while touring: Venturesafe 200 bag - a small daypack with a lot of security measures. First of, the shoulder strap is slash-proof and snatch-proof. A thief can’t quickly cut through it with a knife because there is wire mesh inside. The same wire mesh goes through the whole bag as well, so the old trick of slashing the bottom of a pack and taking what’s inside won’t work either. The extra-strong zippers tuck into little pockets so they are hard to reach. This bag has essential compartments for several gadgets, keys, and headphones. Find out more on Pacsafe.com
Keep your laptops secure: When traveling on business and otherwise with a laptop, you would want it to be where you left it when you come back. Be it in the hotel room or lounge or library. Sooner or later you will get up and leave you laptop alone. You might need to get up to get a napkin, or when nature calls and you need to leave your computer behind to go to the bathroom. Laptop locks attach to your laptop computer equipped with a lock slot. Simply loop the lock around a desk or chair, then insert the lock into your notebook's lock slot and set the combination or lock it with a key. It is a best practice to lock it to something that is bolted down.
12 essential Android security apps
McAfee WaveSecure (free)
mSecure – Password Manager
AppScan Beta (free)
Antivirus Free
Titanium Backup PRO Key
eyeD Biometric Password Manager - iris scanning
Kryptos - encryption to scramble smartphone calls
MobileMe Find My iPhone - pinpoints your lost
phone's location online and do a remote data wipe
Security Apps That Can Help Recover a Stolen Laptop
"A new way to harvest footfall energy could someday let shoes generate enough power to keep cell phones and laptops topped up.
University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers have come up with a microfluidics technique that scavenges considerably more energy from human footfalls and converts it into electric power. Previous attempts to make energy-harvesting shoes have yielded less than a watt of power, but the new approach could lead to a shoe-mounted generator that produces up to 10 watts... Cell phones and smart phones need about one to two watts, while small laptops need 10 to 12 watts. Power-generating shoes could be an important breakthrough for soldiers, who currently carry heavy batteries to power their radios, GPS units, and night-vision goggles...."
The first time I came across the Knee Defender, I thought it was an interesting idea that might be useful. Though at the time I did not know/understand how beneficial it could be to have this gadget along with you on a plane. That is until I had to flight several times on business.
Most of the time, flying for pleasure, I try to get ready to relax and have no need to drag the laptop or anything like that. So even though the space in the seat is small, I manage well enough. However, flying during business hours, I had to get some work done while in-flight. Out comes the laptop. And flying economy class, you already have little room between you and the seat in front. That room seems even smaller once you open up the laptop. And then it happens. The person in front is thinking what I am usually thinking on such flights and that is relaxing. So they press the button and push their chair backwards. Some passengers even assume there is no one behind them nor care and try to push it all the way. Making it very uncomfortable for the neighbor in the back and forget about one trying to see things on already half closed computer. This is also the moment when, thinking back to it, it would have been great to have the Knee Defender.
So scanning the web for cool travel gadgets, I once again came across it. This gadget seems to be too good to be true. It is simple in design, just a couple of pieces of plastic, and is quite small in size as seen in the picture comparison to a house key size.
Knee Defender™ helps you stop reclining seats on airplanes so your knees won't have to. It is adjustable to help provide as much protection as you need. This gadget has been selected as an effective and even essential product from the large pool of available travel gadgets.
Another gadget for airplane travel featured on GadgetDuck is the Scanner Bag. There are quite a few things to consider when packing your carry-on. Most importantly make sure it abides by all TSA Regulations and Recommendations. With all of these things to consider, going through the security check point can be never racking and bothersome. The Scanner Bag makes it a bit easier by keeping all of the things that you would need to take off and pull out of your pockets and dump somewhere in one spot. Your cell phone, keys, jewelry, pen, iPod, iPhone, coins, Blackberry®, and whatever else that might set off the detectors can all be packed safely in the bag. Moreover, since it attaches to carry-on there is no chance of leaving anything behind. The bag stays with the rest of your stuff before and after the scan so you can just pick up your carry-on up and go without delaying to put everything back where it was.
Why good to have on a trip:
- Keep what little space you have in airplane seat
- Save your knees and your eyes when working during flight
- With Scanner Bag, speed through beginning of security check
- And get out of there just as fast
"Travel Tip: Outdoor GPS Gadgets" an article by Peter Greenberg on PeterGreenberg.com:
"Even if you like to get away from it all, no one wants to actually get lost in the wild. The good news is with GPS technology out there, outdoor experiences have gotten a lot more manageable. A handheld GPS is probably your best bet for staying safe in the wilderness. One of the more affordable and reliable options includes the Garmin eTrex Venture HC. Or check out the SPOT Connect Satellite Communicator. When out of cellular range, it links your smartphone to a global satellite network to send messages and track your location.
If you’re looking to keep track of where you’re going and where you’ve been, North Face now has a free app that helps find hiking, biking and skiing trails. You can see your progress on an interactive map, and share advice with other users.
But never rely entirely on your electronic devices when heading into the great outdoors.
Always keep extra copies of maps and contact information, and always alert a friend and/or ranger to where you’re headed." (PeterGreenberg.com)
Did You Know?: GPS stands for "Global Positioning System." As a lot of cool gadgets, it was originally developed by the military. It is a satellite-based navigation system made up of a network of 24 satellites placed into orbit. GPS works in any weather conditions, anywhere in the world, 24 hours a day. There are no subscription fees or setup charges to use GPS (don't let anybody tell you otherwise :) )
- The first GPS satellite was launched in 1978.
- A full constellation of 24 satellites was achieved in 1994. - Each satellite is built to last about 10 years. Replacements are constantly being built and launched into orbit.
- A GPS satellite weighs approximately 2,000 pounds and is about 17 feet across with the solar panels extended. - Transmitter power is only 50 watts or less.
Recently, we took a trip to Pennsylvania. We visited Lancaster County and the Amish, and Philadelphia. Neither of us have ever been to Lancaster. I was in Philadelphia once for a few hours and my wife visited Philadelphia when she was very young. When telling folks that we took a mini vacation in PA, the reaction was almost unanimous: "Not exactly the place I would think of when going on a fun getaway." Though it was interesting.
While Lancaster can be totally a tourist trap, there are ways to plan around that at least some of the times. We did visit the Amish house and farm, with a tour that was very interesting and we found out a lot of information about the lifestyle that have not known previously. We also enjoyed quite a bit of the farm grown food that was available everywhere including homemade ice cream. I would highly recommend sampling some.
While on our long weekend getaway, we of course had some gadgets along with us. We do not travel anywhere without our point-and-shoot Canon Powershot SX120 and we also had the DSLR for the scenic shots (some pictures below). Since this was a road trip, we had the Garmin Nuvi in the car showing us the way.
Other gadgets we packed for our trip were Belkin Mini Surge Protector, which I only recently acquired (Plug in and protect those gadgets), rechargeable batteries, rechargeable batteries charger, rechargeablelithium battery for DSLR, and media phones. My wife also brought along her Kindle, she does not go anywhere without it. The Mini Surge Protector came in very handy in our hotel room in Philadelphia that had only a couple of outlets that were easily accessible. We were able to plug in all of our chargers as well as phones which have the USB connector cable into the Surge Protector and have all the devices ready for the next day of all-day touring the city.
Moreover, my wife, avid photographer, told me during the trip how much she liked having rechargeable batteries with us. These batteries are not as susceptible to heat or cold as regular alkaline batteries, hence they have more juice and last longer. She was able to take over 200 shots before they needed to be replaced.
Overall, it was a fun and educational trip. We saw and learned about the staples of American history as well as glimpses of life many years ago. Had some great cheese steaks, rang bells, and climbed the famous stairs.
It is almost that time. School is back in session in a few weeks. Time to pack up and go off or return to college. Do you have all the chuchkies, accessories, and most importantly gadgets?
This year, I think more than ever, students are getting back to their dorms and studying with a lot more technology in their packs. And it is way beyond the standard supply of pens, paper, folders, and USB flash drive. The 'new' student needs gear for backing up important work, printing out reports, keeping in touch and waking up in time for class.
Some of the gadgets that college students are getting equipped with are tablets, e-readers, smartphones, external hard drives with a lot of storage, and of course music media. Speaking of music, which can help you relax and study hardy, you would also need some decent noise-canceling earphones to tune out distractions and concentrate on task. We have discussed in previous posts, such as Noise canceling headphones - life saver for travelers?, the benefits and cool features of these type of headphones. There are some really nice light and small in-ear headphones that are also pretty good at canceling out the noise. You can find a list of some of these here: More on making travel fun with cool headphones. Tigerdirect.com offers a list of earphones that are bit less pricey: Earbuds
Students looking to save money and avoid lugging around heavy textbooks are now able to rent textbooks on their Kindle eReader devices through Amazon. This service recently launched and offers savings up to 80% off the list price of the print textbook: Kindle Textbook Rental No smartphone can go without some apps on it and hopefully quite a few of these include apps that can actually help in studying and performing research.
Top 10 Student Apps: Evernote - take notes and organize them on your phone Wikipedia Mobile Dictionary.com - The free app delivers trusted reference content from Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com Facebook Mobile Google Mobile WHERE! - Get personalized recommendations for places around you gFlashPro - flashcard app, create flashcards, share, tests, and trivia Groupon - 50%-90% off deals on the best stuff to do, eat, see and buy Zoho Docs - online document management application for individuals and businesses
Moreover, cannot forget to pack other essentials such as the reusable BPA-free water bottle to re-hydrate the body and mind, rechargeable batteries and battery charger, Bedol Water Clock that does not need batteries, and a stainless-steel wallet
Another useful gadget is ZOMM Wireless Leash for Mobile Phones.This gadget wirelessly connects to your mobile phone via Bluetooth and alerts you when you are more than 30 feet away from your phone. It's a perfect device for those prone to leaving the dorm without their cell phones. ZOMM also has a built-in panic alarm that can be activated with a simple press of a button. Continue to hold that button, and ZOMM will automatically call any emergency number of your choice. It comes with fully functioning speakerphone with a noise-canceling microphone, belt/bag clip, instructions manual, wall charger, and USB cable.