Are you planning a vacation this year? Remember to leave some room in your suitcase for handy vacation gadgets that make your trip away just a little bit easier. Whether you are travelling near or far, are planning a trek in the Himalayas or a simple beach vacation in Spain, there are different gadgets that will help to enhance your time away. Here are just a few of them:
1 – Amazon Kindle
Books are big and bulky, and you might need to carry quite a few if you are an avid reader or are planning to travel for a longer period of time. Avoid losing pages and lugging around heavy books simply by investing in an electronic book reader, such as a Kindle.
These useful devices tend to weigh less than an average paperback and can store thousands of books, all of which are available to read at the touch of a button. Low glare screens mean you can easily read in brighter conditions if you are lucky enough to be visiting a sunny country and battery saving tricks can prolong battery life for a few weeks so you might not even need to take the charger.
2 – Traceable Luggage Tags
If you’ve ever lost luggage then the sinking feeling at the airport as the empty luggage carousel rotates another time will be all too familiar. Traceable luggage tags may sound too good to be true but such a gadget does exist and some can even be bought for under $35. A traceable luggage tag simply has a unique bar code and serial number that can be used to trace your luggage, whether you travel by air, road or sea.
These serial numbers and bar codes are entered into property ownership databases, ensuring your belongings can always be identified and returned to you. This system also offers more security than the traditional method of using name and address details to identify luggage.
3 – Portable Luggage Scales
Other luggage woes include excess baggage charges. Wave goodbye to additional airport fees by using a set of portable digital luggage scales to weigh your luggage before you go. Pop the scales into your luggage so you can check the weight on the return trip too, especially handy if you have been indulging in a spot of vacation retail therapy.
Portable luggage scales can be purchased from a variety of retailers, and remember to look out for a set that weighs in increments of half an ounce or less so you can be sure the reading is accurate.
4 – Wi-Fi Finder
If you’re out and about with your laptop but don’t want to start it up every time you need to find a Wi-Fi hotspot, invest in a small Wi-Fi hotspot detector. These nifty devices can be kept in your pocket and taken out when you need to get online, making life much easier and ensuring you find the strongest Wi-Fi signal in the area.
5 – Handheld GPS
If map reading isn’t your forte then a handheld GPS could be the perfect vacation gadget for you. Whether you’re visiting a new city or returning to a destination you’ve visited before, it is likely you may get lost without the help of a map.
Unfolding and reading paper maps can be inconvenient, especially if you’re walking or driving. A handheld GPS takes the hassle out of navigation and these pocket sized tools can be taken wherever needed.
Whatever types of gadgets and devices you decide to take on your vacation, make sure they are protected under your travel insurance policy.
About the author: Jennifer Adams is a part of the digital blogging team at shoutingindigital.com who work with a growing number of retail brands. For more information about me, or to keep up to date with the latest in retail news, check out her posts at shoutingindigital.com or visit her Twitter account, @shoutingID.
Credits: Photo courtesy of Amazon.com.