Our Holiday Travel and Tech Gift Guide

Our Holiday Travel and Tech Gift Guide

Submitted by David Cardinal on Wed, 11/23/2016 - 05:42

We're entering holiday gift season, and if you're like me, there are always a couple people that are hard to shop for. So we wanted to pass along my top travel and photo accessories, in case one of them would help fill the bill. Some are awesome for just about anyone who travels, and others are especially useful for photographers.
: 360 photos and videos are all the rage, with good reason. They are really, really, fun. The Theta S is the smallest, easiest to use, and still the most popular consumer 360 camera. You can . If you want something that will work outdoors and shoot 4K video, there are the , and for a little more money the as alternatives.
: Along with death and taxes, it is a near certainty that everyone eventually needs reading glasses. Many of us have pairs stashed all over in the hopes that we won't be stranded unable to read a menu, fill out a form, or see what's written on the screen of our smartphone. THINOptics has come within an incredibly clever solution. Glasses that are so small, you can always have them with you. They use a very high-tech, springy, nose piece so that they don't need ear pieces. They make versions that can attack to The back of yourphone case, but my favorite is the one that fits in a keychain-friendly fob.
: These are amazingly useful. They swivel, with a magnetic base for conveniently attaching to all sorts of things. They're water resistant (one lives attached to our outdoor barbeque for evening cooks). You get a pair of them, which is good, because once the others in your household see them, they'll want one too. I like the Orange ones, as they are easy to find in workshop clutter. You get the option of a broad light, a smaller light, and a flashing light. They use 4 AAA batteries, but because they have efficient LEDs, they last quite a while even on those small batteries.
: Everyone can always use more storage, whether it is in their camera for more photos, or in their phone or tablet for more music, movies, and videos. This amazingly-high-capacity, high-speed, card comes with an SD card adapter, so it will work in just about any device. A great gift for just about anyone.
: This one is held over from last year, because it is still one of the best uses ever for $50. You can completely replace an expensive land line with a Google Voice number and pay nothing per month again. Better yet, you get all the extra convenience, like call forwarding, voice mail, and message transcription that Google Voice provides. I use it to get business calls in the office, on the same number that goes to my mobile when I'm traveling. If you need two lines, you can get the .
: I've owned lots of pairs of noise-cancelling headphones over the years, but the rigors of travel usually do them in eventually, so I hate to spend a ton on them. I also hated carrying a separate case for them, so I looked for the best value in-ear product. I've been using these (under $70) for several years, and love them. They live in my , so they are always ready when I hit the road. If you want to spend a little more on a pair that will deliver better music quality for day-in, day-out use, the are a great option.
. One thing all kinds of road warriors and traveling photographers have in common is a need for more screen space. The ASUS MB169B+ is the best value of all of them, based on my experience. It uses IPS technology for a good quality display, is full HD (1920 x 1080), and only needs a single cable that plugs into your USB3.0 port. . Best yet it is well under $200, and works with Mac and PC (I use it with both my Dell and my Surface Pro).The case doubles as a stand, but is a little annoying. For .
PacSafe : By now you've probably realized I'm a bit obsessive about my travel gear. My travel wallet is no exception. I've tried out quite a few while looking for one that could store my passport, odd-sized international currency, credit cards, and was safe from electronic scanning (especially important with the va<rious new chips in passports and credit cards). There was only one that fit the bill and still fit in my pants pocket. The . I'll admit I don't carry it around at home, as I don't need my passport then, but I am never without it when traveling overseas (technically, one should carry their passport with them when traveling abroad, and this is by far the easiest way). The wallet also has a small zippered compartment where I can keep international SIM cards and any medicine I need while on long flights. The wallet has been so popular in our family that I needed to buy our daughter her own so we could both have one when traveling overseas.
: If you have a friend who is a hobbyist and geek, the clever FPV paper airplane drone from Powerup may be just the thing. You build the plane, from one of their designs or your own, and then attach their unit that includes motors and a camera. For extra fun, you can fly it first person using the included cardboard. Flying takes some practice, and tuning of your plane, so it can be a fun project to work on with friends or family.
: This is still my number one choice for a travel accessory. I never leave for a trip involving airplanes without my ScotteVest. You can put all your small items into it and put it on the conveyor belt when going through security, making it quicker, less stressful, and much less likely you'll leave something behind at a checkpoint (I speak from experience here). On the plane, you can stash your bag in the overhead and keep the vest with you. It has pockets for your phone, tablet, headphones, and even a nice one for a small camera. I've even started keeping a crushable in a pocket if I need a pillow or some warmth. There are a few models (including one with sleeves), but the basic one I have works very well for me and is worth the or the .
: One of the more unique products I've gotten to use this year, the Spire is a small clip-on fitness tracker with the unique ability to sense your breathing. It will remind you when you're not breathing deeply enough, often enough. That is all to common in these stressful times! Developed using technology from Stanford's Human Computer Interaction Lab, it is a great twist on keeping track of yourself.

Happy Holidays, Best wishes for a great 2017, and Good shooting!
-- David Cardinal and Lorrie Duval

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