After a couple of years restricted to our homes, it’s safe to assume that most of us have been itching to get on a plane and travel somewhere a little more unfamiliar. Maybe you’ve already ticked off your first holiday since or perhaps you have one planned for some time ahead. Either way, I’m sure you can appreciate the fact that there are some must-have travel tech and gadgets that can really enhance the way you travel or are simply quite essential. While you wait for your flight date, why not take the time now to get yourself prepared for your next trip with these must-have travel tech essentials!
Bluetooth Transmitter - Twelve South AirFly
As dreamy as the idea of sitting on a plane and travelling to a far away destination seems, the reality is, this is often the most painful part, especially if you’re flying in economy class. But hey, at least you can distract yourself with some good tunes or movies! With little to no noise cancellation, the free earphones you get from the airline offer a subpar sound experience but with your own pair of Bluetooth Noise Cancelling headphones, you can get fully immersed in your on-flight entertainment! That’s where a product like Twelve South’s AirFly Bluetooth Transmitter comes in handy.
AirFly is a wireless adapter that lets you use your wireless headphones or earbuds in places that only have a headphone jack available - such as aeroplanes and treadmills. Simply plug this tiny transmitter into the headphone jack to listen to in-flight movies via your Bluetooth headphones. It even has volume controls on it so you can easily adjust the volume, and with up to 20 hours of battery life, it outlasts even the longest international flight. With the AirFly Duo, two people can listen to the same movie, podcast, or music with their favourite wireless headphones or earbuds. AirFly Pro adds the ability to stream music from your iPhone to an AUX IN in a car or speaker.
Noise Cancelling Headphones - Sony WH-1000XM5
Speaking of Noise Cancelling Headphones, this is another tech essential to take on your next trip. Not only will it keep you entertained on your long flights, bus or train rides, but if you’re frequenting hostels or public work spaces, you’ll likely need it for video calls or whenever you’re using one of your devices (such as your laptop or tablet) too. Sony’s WH-1000XM5 is a popular pair of noise cancelling headphones that offers incredible sound, superior noise cancellation, and the best mic the 1000XM series has delivered yet. The predecessor, Sony WH-1000XM4, is also a great option if you want to spend a little less. They too offer exceptional sound quality and noise cancellation, albeit the mic quality isn’t quite as good as the latest generation. Although the Sony’s are a crowd-favourite, that’s not to say there aren’t other amazing options available - click here to check out some other great Noise Cancelling headphones.
Travel Adaptor - Jackson Outbound Adaptors
If you want to use your electronics overseas, you’re going to need a travel adaptor. Fortunately, these are super affordable so there’s no reason to leave this travel essential behind. If you’re travelling overseas, you’ll want an outbound travel adaptor and Jackson sells a great range of affordable inbound and outbound adaptors. Their worldwide adaptor includes interchangeable plugs that allow it to be used in more than 150 countries, and even includes two USB ports. Otherwise, you can choose from one of the many other options made specifically for certain countries.
You’ll want to keep in mind however, that many travel adaptors do not convert voltage or frequency. Make sure to check the supply voltage and frequency and the voltage and frequency required to operate your appliance, and note that you may need to use an appropriate transformer if these differ for certain electronics.
Power Bank - Zendure SuperTank or Xiaomi Pocket Edition Pro
There won’t always be a power outlet everywhere you go so it pays to have a power bank with you. We recommend the Zendure SuperTank 100W PD 26,800Mah Portable Power Bank - a high-capacity power bank that'll give you max backup power for your travels! With all this juice, you’ll be able to charge your devices many times over - this will be especially useful for those who like to travel off the beaten path and won't have access to a power outlet. You can charge your laptop, camera, tablet, and smartphone all at once. You can even charge two laptops simultaneously! Plus, with 100W power delivery, it’s capable of taking your devices from 0-100% in just two hours. According to Zendure, this power bank falls just under 100Wh making it suitable for air travel!
If you'll be returning to accomodation that has a power outlet after a day of exploring, a lower capacity power bank should be enough for you (provided that you stay on top of recharging it). Xiaomi’s Pocket Edition Pro has a 10,000mAh capacity with up to 33W of high-power, super-fast charging. This will charge a smartphone 2-3 times over (depending on its battery size), and it's fast enough to charge up your laptop, tablet, and Nineto Switch too. Plus, it's compact and lightweight - perfect for slipping into your daypack or pocket!
For other power bank recommendations, check out our list of Best Power Banks & Portable Chargers. Make sure you also check out our article about Travelling With Power Banks so that you're aware of the restrictions regarding power banks on a plane.
Bluetooth Tracker - Apple AirTag, Galaxy SmartTag+ or Tile
Losing your luggage or personal belongings when you’re on holiday can be super stressful and really put a damper on your mood. We highly recommend attaching a Bluetooth Tracker such as an Apple AirTag (for iOS users), a Samsung Galaxy SmartTag+ (for Samsung Galaxy users), or a Tile tracker (for both Android and Apple users). Simply attach one of these trackers to your belongings, whether that be your suitcase, backpack, or wallet (we recommend a Tile Slim Tracker for wallets), and trust that if things were to go missing, you’re going to have a much better chance of finding them thanks to your tracker!
These devices use Bluetooth to keep tabs on your items, with some incorporating new technology such as ultra-wideband (UWB) to help pinpoint locations precisely. If the tracker is out of your range, it can pinpoint the last location it was seen. If you’re using an Apple AirTag, it’ll utilise Apple’s vast network of devices to find your lost item. It does this by sending out a secure Bluetooth signal that can be detected by nearby devices in the ‘Find My’ network. The Tile and Samsung trackers will do the same thing but with their own networks, so in these instances, each tracker is as good as the size of their network. Read about our top three Bluetooth trackers here.
eReader - Kindle Paperwhite
Whether you’re on a tropical beach in the islands; a quaint, charming cafe in Europe; or an airport terminal awaiting your next flight, sometimes, you just need a good book. Sometimes you need more than one! Travelling with a suitcase full of books isn’t the most practical thing, especially when luggage space comes at a premium. With an eReader, you can carry hundreds (even thousands) of books with you in a lightweight and compact device that takes up less space than a single book!
If you don’t like the idea of reading from a screen, you’ll love the Kindle Paperwhite. With a 300 ppi glare-free display, it reads like real paper, even in bright sunlight. To your eyes, it’ll feel like you’re reading from a book, not a screen. Plus, unlike a regular book, you get the added perk of an adjustable warm light and auto-adjusting front light, so you can read day or night (even with the lights out!). The Kindle Paperwhite provides up to 10 weeks of battery life on a single charge - more than enough to last your entire trip, or otherwise, it can be charged via USB-C or a compatible Qi wireless charger.
Game Console - Nintendo Switch Lite
If you’re not much of a reader and more of a gamer, a Nintendo Switch Lite might suit you better. This compact and lightweight handheld device was made for gamers on the go. Rather than settling for mobile phone games as you sit on a long bus ride or wait to catch a flight, you can jump into digital versions of full games made for Nintendo Switch. The Nintendo Switch family is home to exclusive games from franchises like Super Smash Bros.™, The Legend of Zelda™, and Mario Kart™, but there are plenty more games available from other great developers. The Nintendo Switch Lite system plays the library of Nintendo Switch games that work in handheld mode.
Travelling with someone else who likes playing games? Enjoy multiplayer games together! You can link up to eight Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite systems to play together, otherwise, you can team up or face off with other online players.
Luggage Scale - Spigen E500 Compact Scale
Don’t waste time or money at the airport with overweight luggage. Spigen’s E500 Compact Travel Luggage Scale is an awesome little device that’ll accurately weigh your luggage for you from anywhere. That way, you can secure your wallet by checking your luggage weight before heading out for the airport. Say goodbye to baggage fees - forever (unless you’re a serial overpacker who can’t help it then, Welp! This probably won't apply to you)! To use this scale, simply attach the buckle strap onto the luggage handle and watch it immediately display its weight on an LCD screen. Spigen Luggage Scale also comes with a Tare Function for quick reset and a curved design to ensure a comfortable grip. The scale shows the weight in four different units (lb / kg / oz / g).
Compact Camera - Sony ZV-1 II Digital Camera
Unless you’re a serious content creator, you’re probably more concerned about travelling light than having the best camera gear with you. Luckily, you can still get incredible photos and videos without lugging around bulky camera equipment. The solution is a high-performance point-and-shoot camera like Sony's ZV-1 MK II Digital Camera. This camera is considered a ‘vloggers’ camera and is perfect for your video and social media needs.
It can take high-quality images at 20.1 megapixels (in JPEG or RAW) and record up to 4K. Optically, the ZV-1 II features a a versatile 18-50mm wide-angle zoom lens, with a large 1.0-type image sensor for impressive image quality. An f/1.8-4 maximum aperture range suits working in difficult lighting conditions as does an powerful image stabilisation, which compensates for the effects of camera shake. Additionally, staying in focus is effortless with this camera, thanks to Touch Tracking, which recognises human faces and eyes, keeping track of the main subject without wandering off.
Instant Camera - Polaroid Go or Instax Mini 11
Sometimes, nothing captures a memory quite like an instant camera does. They can be an awesome way to capture all of the cute cafes or restaurants you’ve visited or all of the amazing people you met on your travels. Because they print instantly, you can even get them signed and/or noted by them too. They also add that classic film aesthetic to your photos which are a bit of fun. When it comes to instant cameras, there are two well-known brands that might spring to mind - Polaroid and Instax.
Both offer great instant cameras and it ultimately comes down to preferences. If you’re into the classic square polaroids, we recommend opting for the Polaroid Go. If you don’t want to spend as much and you quite like the rectangle format, then the Instax Mini 11 will be a good choice for you. Keep in mind that you'll need to use film for that particular camera by that brand.
With these travel tech essentials ticked off your list, you're pretty much sorted in the tech department! Luckily, most of these don't take up that much room leaving plenty more space for your other essentials - some clothing, toiletries and travel documents. If you don't manage to get all of this sorted before you leave, don't fret too much. You can enjoy tax-free shopping at the Auckland Airport before you take off and pick up any last minute essentials there!
4 comments
JerryZ4
I will let you know when I finish uploading food.
Read moreKim J (Head Office)
Cool, don't make me wait too long 🍜
Read moreAndrewB115
Please be aware that powerbanks over 100Whr in capacity are not permitted for airtravel under IATA rules. Additionally spare batteries like powerbanks must be in carry-on luggage ONLY, and only TWO are allowed per passenger.
Read moreChas_Gardner
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KevinH718
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