1.Life Proof iPhone Case
What It Does (And Why You Will Love It): Here is a confession: I
like to drown iPhones. Sometimes I put them through the washing
machine, sometimes they fall out of my back pocket into the toilet
(traumatizing — every time!), and sometimes I send them to “swim with
the fishes.” I always manage to waterlog my phone a couple of weeks
before I am due for an upgrade (not cool) or on my way to the airport
for a business trip (hysteria inducing). Then, a couple of weeks ago, a
friend introduced me to Lifeproof. We were on vacation and I watched
her intentionally submerge her phone into the pool to take a picture. I
literally shrieked, but it turns out the device was fine! Lifeproof
cases can take your precious smart phone six feet deep without damage.
They are also snow proof and shockproof, and so secure that you can buy a
“water warranty” through the company for just $10 with your purchase.
The case is pretty lightweight and has a clear plastic cover for the
touch screen, which is remarkable sensitive given what it is
accomplishing. I have made the switch and am never going back. The only
downside is that once that puppy is on it is almost impossible to take
off, so you have to be committed to keeping your phone “life proof.
2.Supra 3.o by Leef
What It Does (And Why You Will Love It): The Supra3.0 is a dainty
USB flash drive that packs a lot of power. The 16GB drive is lighter
and smaller than my wedding ring, and lives attached to my MacBook Air
so I can use it as an external hard drive for storage and backup of
bulky video files. The end has an LED light so I know it is there even
when I’m working on a dark airplane. Leef sells a slightly larger
(although still impressively small) version with a cap and keychain loop
as well (the
Ice 3.0),
if you do not want to keep a drive plugged in to your computer. The 3.0
devices transfer data up to ten times faster than 2.0 USB drives, so
they are a great way to share large PPT and video files when you go in
to make your VC pitch. A really good investment!
3.Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover
What It Does (And Why You Will Love It): Billed as “The other
half of your iPad” this Bluetooth keyboard clicks into the iPad Air and
turns it into a more traditional laptop — making typing on the airplane
tray table much easier, and less likely to cause ugly neck cramping. It
is hefty enough to give you the satisfaction of real clicking, but
weighs ¾ of a pound and retails for under $100. An added bonus is that
when you use it, it frees up screen space on your iPad, so you don’t
have to lean in and squint. Available for Airs, Minis, and iPad 2nd, 3rd
and 4th generation products.
4.My Charge HUB6000
What It Does (And Why You Will Love It): When I fly across the country, especially if I have to make a connection, I almost always run out of battery power
en route
to my destination. There are a growing number of external battery
devices available on the market, but most are still pretty cumbersome.
The myCharge is not tiny, but it is relatively small (about the size and
weight of a few iPhones back to back) and it offers an amazing 27+
hours of call time and/or 20 hours+ of browse time. Unlike many
travel
batteries, it can charge up to three devices at once, as it offers a
micro-USB connector, a Lightning connector and a USB port (where you
plug your own cable in. So while it won’t solve the computer charging
problem, it can keep all of your other devices juiced up, which is
particularly helpful if you are travelling with kids hoping to watch the
Lion King three times in a row.
5.Portable Wireless N Portable Travel Router;
What It Does (And Why You Will Love It): Here is something great for the hotel or AirBnB visitor. For
just $66.99 this little device creates a portable wireless hotspot from
any wired network connection (or an existing wireless network) for all
of your WiFi-enabled devices. In other words, you can take that one
Ethernet cable in the hotel and use it to fuel an Internet connection
for all your devices — even between hotel rooms (they claim, although I
did not test it). The USB-powered wireless router fits over an iPad wall
charger and comes with a USB extension cable to power the device.
Genius.
While all of these devices are solving “first world
problems,” and are not necessities by any means, they are all under $100
and can make the life of the
tech-heavy traveler or entrepreneur much easier
