Travel tech suggestions?

[Laird]

So going to be traveling between the US, and all over Canada in the next few weeks/months, just looking for some tech suggestions from people who travel a lot.

List of purchased items:
Unlocked Iphone 3g(prepaid data/airtime in usa via tmobile)
Belkin mini surge protector with usb charge ports
Netbook with extended life battery.


Any one have ideas for entertainment, things to keep you busy, etc..?

[PeZook]

Man, we live in the future.

Important travel tech:

1. Utility knife
2. Waterproof matches
3. Compass

In all seriousness, I'd recommend a book or perhaps an ebook reader? Easier and less tiring to read stuff on a larger screen.

[weemadando]

So going to be traveling between the US, and all over Canada in the next few weeks/months, just looking for some tech suggestions from people who travel a lot.

List of purchased items:
Unlocked Iphone 3g(prepaid data/airtime in usa via tmobile)
Belkin mini surge protector with usb charge ports
Netbook with extended life battery.


Any one have ideas for entertainment, things to keep you busy, etc..?

Depending on how isolated you are going to be/access to power, look at a solar panel backpack similar charging solution. I'd say carry spare batteries, but it's an iPhone.

[Akhlut]

Well, what are you planning on actually doing in North America? Are you planning on doing a lot of backpacking and outdoors stuff? Or are you doing a roadtrip/railtrip with a lot of stops in large urban areas?

I'm assuming the latter, as you want to haul around a lot of high-tech gadgets.

Anyway, if you're going to be on the road a lot as a passenger, I'd say bring some sort of mp3 player. Books/ereaders will help too if you hit a stretch of terrain that you think looks boring as hell.

If you're going to be driving yourself, be sure to get adequate rest every night and don't be afraid to sleep in just to make sure you are fit to drive. Being too tired is just as bad as being drunk and can lead to a fatal mistake on the road. Some music and focusing on various landmarks from time to time will help reduce highway hypnosis, too.

Look up interesting stuff to do in the places you're going to visit so you have an idea of what you want to do when you get there. Look up parks, zoos, museums, clubs, restaurants, strip clubs, or whatever else strikes your fancy for your various destinations.

If you like Sudoku or anything else that can be done with pencil and paper, I'd suggest you bring a book or two of those along so you don't have to worry about keeping a phone/netbook/ereader charged and near a power supply at all times.

[Laird]

Mostly stuck in hotels, airports, and on planes for long periods of time.

[Zaune]

The iPhone was a bit of a waste, to be honest. The netbook will duplicate most of the iPhone's functions and let you watch Netflix, and you could have bought a cheap cellphone and an MP3 player for the functions it won't duplicate adequately and still had a couple of hundred bucks left for Tim Horton's doughnuts and souvenir bottles of maple syrup, or whatever you're planning to spend your money on while you're here.

[Jawawithagun]

The iPhone was a bit of a waste, to be honest. The netbook will duplicate most of the iPhone's functions and let you watch Netflix, and you could have bought a cheap cellphone and an MP3 player for the functions it won't duplicate adequately and still had a couple of hundred bucks left for Tim Horton's doughnuts and souvenir bottles of maple syrup, or whatever you're planning to spend your money on while you're here.

Neither of these does GPS or provide an Internet connection if the hotel or other place doesn't provide you with wifi.

[Lord Pounder]

definately a good e-book, in particular a Kindle 3.

My kindle goes with me everywhere, excellent battery life and brilliant range of books available. If you get the Kindle 3G you'll also have another gateway to the internet, thought the browser is only experimental and in black and white.