Technology
Have tech, will travel
The best gadgets for going on holiday If you’re travelling with gadgets, the most pressing issue is keeping them charged. While you can take chargers for everything and use a plug adapter, taking a multi-device charger is a much better – and lighter – option. The MyTravelPal Pro has three standard USB ports for charging multiple devices, and it has surge protection and earth grounding for safety. Spend a bit more and the Anker USB C charger has USB-C ports that’ll charge large devices such as laptops and iPads. Another option is a portable power pack such as Apple’s MagSafe battery pack or Anker’s PowerCore power packs. The former effectively doubles the battery life of recent iPhones while the PowerCores – and similar products from other firms – can be used to charge any device that charges over a USB port. For travel, we’d recommend noisecancelling headphones – brilliant on planes, buses and trains – and a portable Bluetooth speaker for the perfect holiday soundtrack. For beach use or near the pool, make sure it’s waterproof like the JBL Flip 5: that way water can’t stop the music. Another useful gadget is a travel steamer, such as the Tefal DT3030. It’s brilliant for removing creases from suitcase-crumpled clothes, and it heats up in just fifteen seconds. Of all the travel gadgets, the best one is your smartphone – you can use it as a GPS device, to store all your travel plans and e-tickets, to see the weather forecast and much more. But beware if you’re travelling outside the UK, because post-Brexit many networks have reintroduced roaming charges for using your mobile abroad. To avoid expensive fees, consider turning off mobile data when abroad and only use apps and internet sites via Wi-Fi.
Anker USB C Charger This solid, flexible charger has two standard USB ports and a highpowered USB port for laptops, iPads and other powerful devices. It comes with swappable US, EU and UK plugs for use at home and abroad. £49, amazon.co.uk Apple MagSafe Battery Pack The most elegant way to prolong recent iPhones’ battery life is with this charger: it charges with a Lighting cable and attaches magnetically to the back of your phone, effectively doubling the battery life. It works through many cases too. £99, apple.com
Tefal Pocket Steamer At 1kg this portable steamer won’t use much of your luggage allowance, and once you reach your destination it only takes fifteen seconds to warm up and start getting the creases out of your crumpled clothing. £56, argos.co.uk JBL Flip 5 There are lots of water-resistant Bluetooth speakers out there but this JBL is waterproof, so it can survive being dropped into water. It’s surprisingly loud for its size and has great battery life too. £99.99, uk.jbl.com
Jhua Handheld Mini Fan Going somewhere warm or likely to spend a lot of time in warm vehicles? This pocket fan will make everything feel better. It charges over USB, runs for ages and can be folded for use as a table or bedside fan. It’s really quiet too. £12, amazon.co.uk
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