Travel Gadgets For Geeks On The Road

I'm guessing that most everyone who is reading this hub spends a heck of a lot of time in front of some sort of a glowing screen - big or small, wireless or not. Fact of the matter is that a geek without the gadgetry is Superman without a cape - Clark Kent by another name.

So, sure you can find a lot of things to do on vacation - outdoorsy, woodsy, on the beach, metro flesh-pots half-way across the world or just a road trip across the state border to Las Vegas or Mexico - but unless you have the below listed gizmos, the whole escapade is just one big nightmare which you wish would end as early as possible so you can get back to the comfort of your glowing screen and the other gadgets which keep you 'connected'. Not to mention your comfy basement and the pajamas...

You could possibly get most everything else on this list at places where you go, or rent it, or make do without it. But the Apple Airport Express base station is something which you just can't replace, or expect someone to provide it for you. That's because it plugs into the ethernet cable, and creates your own personal wi-fi hotspot. Most hotels still don't offer wi-fi, and if they do, its usually charged for seperately. But most hotels do offer cabled internet.

Which, unfortunately, leaves you chained to a particular spot in a hotel room where the ethernet can reach your laptop. With the Airport Express, you are now free to wander yoru room and even the corrider outside. Sit on your bed, take it to the balcony, slouch on the couch. Once you try it, you'll relaize how incredibly valuable it is.

Apple Store - http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB321LL/A; Price $99

I'm sure most of you must have heard of this one before. The Bluetooth Virtual Laser Keyboard (VKB) is fast replacing the conventional keyboard. It works exactly like any other keyboard, except that its made of infra-red light from a laser beam. It works using an optical recognition mechanism and can be connected to MAC's, Smart Phones, the Blackberry, mobile phones and any kind of PC and most handheld devices including PDA's and tablet PC's. The darn thing even produces real tapping sounds as you type.

The day is not far when everything, even the screen, can be virtual. But for now, using a virtual laser keyboard is the closest thing that'll make you feel like Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible. Imagine how cool you'll look in restaurants or lounges when you put a small bluetooth device on the table and it starts emitting laser beams and suddenly, there's a keyboard on the table.

i-Tech - http://www.virtual-laser-keyboard.com/; Price - $199.99

Now this is something truly state-of-the-art. Its a suitcase that has wheels powered by an intelligent control system which automatically senses the angle, or inclination, and will power up only when you need help to push or pull the bag up and down a steep slope. If you let go of it, it won't simply scoot off on its own power.

Very useful when you're on a family trip, and the family things to do together don't include lugging all the suitcases. The women fill up the bags with all kinds of unnecessary junk, and the men are then expected to lug it around. Well, with Live Luggage, you can tell your women-folk to manage their own powered suitcases. The only they'll have to worry about with all that stuff filled up in the bags will be customs.

Live Luggage - www.liveluggage.com/

I'd like to add a lot more, but time and space seem to be short, so I'll leave with links to some more travel gadgets which, all put together along with the above three, will make you an uber-cool traveler.

150 Auto Detecting Travel Adapter and Converter - Link

National Geographic Talk Abroad Travel Phone - Link

Headplay Personal Cinema System - Link

Oh, and let's not forget the iPhone. You can find anything you want using the proper iPhone application, including your own location, driving directions and of course - Its frickin' cool.