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From smart suitcases to killer tablets, conquer hours in the air with these top travel gadgets
Long-haul flights are a pain in the neck (and legs, and back, etc), but they’re even worse when you don’t have any gadgets to keep you distracted. T3 is here to remedy that…
the reader Mark James
With a daunting list of international clients to visit, Mark is traversing the globe one economy seat at a time. He needs tech to help make long-haul flights less of an ordeal.
10Bluesmart carry-on suitcase
This connected suitcase is small enough to carry onto the plane, and the easy-access top hatch means there will be no clothes-spewing scenarios when grabbing or stowing your tech quickly. It also features app-controlled locking, a built-in scale, location tracking and dual USB chargers so you can juice up your phone on the go, then request an Uber at your destination. $399 (£282), bluesmart.com
20Apple iPad Pro 9.7
Long flights whizz by when you have stuff to do, and we don’t just mean draining the bar. Invest in this small-yetpowerful device and you can finish that report, kick back with Game Of Thrones, play Candy Crush Saga or relax to some Santana. The iPad’s killer Retina Display, superior audio, 64-bit A9X chip and ten-hour battery life should easily see you through a flight to LA, Tokyo or beyond. Don’t forget the Smart Keyboard! From £499 (Smart Keyboard £129), apple.com
30Plantronics Backbeat Pro
Noise-cancellation levels on Plantronics’ wireless headphones are adjustable to block out as much or as little ambient noise as you like. Battery-conserving tech pauses audio when you remove the cans or when they’re out of range, meaning you can stream up to 24 hours of your favourite tunes or movies. £199, plantronics.com
the expert Chris Barnes
As both a music and tech journalist, Chris travels a lot. He learned the hard way that long-haul flying is a total drag unless you arm yourself with the right gear.
40Luminette
For some, it’s not the longhaul flight itself that causes the most pain, but the switch in time zones and the resultant jetlag. The Luminette light-therapy glasses shine a beam of blue-enriched, sunlight-mimicking white light at your eyes, helping to regulate your biological clock. Plug details of your destination, time of arrival and more into the MyLuminette app, don the glasses when your personal schedule alerts you to, and you’ll conquer jetlag twice as fast. €239 (£193), myluminette.com
50Philips Sonicare DiamondClean
Long flights have a way of making your mouth taste and smell like you’ve been dining on dog food. If you don’t deal with it sharpish, you’re in danger of making the person you’re meeting bolt for the door. This Philips toothbrush has five cleaning modes that deliver up to 31,000 brush strokes per minute. The handy USB travel case means you can charge it via your laptop or the seat-back ports on the plane, too. £250, philips.co.uk
60Aros sleep hoodie
This might look like a simple hoodie, but the genius behind the 100 per cent cotton Aros garment is the inflatable hood. It’ll deliver head and neck support, not to mention warmth, and will help you to get some rest before your big meeting upon landing. From $68 (£49), shoparos.com