Be a smart traveler
Planes, trains, and automobiles – modern travel can be stressful, but the latest tech can smooth the way for you
Let the latest tech smooth the way for you.
WE’ VE PROBABLY ALL SPENT TOO MUCH TIME WAITING FOR BAGS AT THE CAROUSEL
Mobile technology has transformed travel in recent years. Simply being able to plug in your headphones and listen to some soothing music can make a long flight or train journey a lot more pleasant, and now you can even fly halfway around the world binge-watching Game of Thrones on your iPad to while away the hours. But mobile tech has some really straightforward, practical uses too, from simple battery packs that can charge up your iPhone or iPad, through to smart baggage that can help you to keep track of your belongings when you’re on the road.
Losing a case is the nightmare scenario for every traveler – and we’ve probably all spent unnecessary hours waiting for luggage simply because our bags have been knocked off the baggage carousel and not come through with all the other baggage from a flight. That kind of mishap can now be prevented with the range of smart suitcases that are now available. Samsonite is one of the most well known manufacturers of rugged luggage, and it recently announced a new range of Track&Go cases (available early 2017). The new cases include a built-in “beacon” that uses Bluetooth to help you locate your luggage. Bluetooth only has limited range, of course – Samsonite says just over 200 ft for the Track&Go cases, but that’s probably enough if your baggage has gone astray at the airport.
Samsonite’s Travlr app can also help out if your luggage gets even more lost, because bags can send an alert to other Samsonite owners who are in range and also have the Travlr app on their phones. That message can then be relayed – anonymously – around the world so that you can at least get some
indication of where your bags have ended up. That said, the chances of having a convenient Samsonite fan on the spot when your bags end up in Timbuktu are relatively slim, so a better option here might be to use GPS to help keep track of your baggage.
There are a number of “smart luggage” projects floating around on Kickstarter and other crowd-funding sites, but the one that’s really taken off is the Indiegogo-featured Bluesmart One, which costs $449, but is absolutely packed with high-tech features. Even before you leave home, the Bluesmart can weigh itself to avoid having to pay extra charges at the airport. It uses a short-range Bluetooth connection to prevent theft, automatically locking itself if it leaves
your side and sending an alert message to the Bluesmart app on your iPhone. And once the traveling has happened, the Bluesmart also includes 3G and GPS features, so that you can continue to track its location it pretty much anywhere in the world.
A less expensive option is to use a tracking device such as Tile to keep an eye on your belongings. These portable little Bluetooth sensors are designed to attach to personal items like your keys or your smartphone, but you could also slip one into your bags when you’re traveling. Again, the Bluetooth range is relatively limited, but – like the Samsonite app – the Tile app can link up with thousands of other Tile users around the world who might be close enough to detect your lost or stolen items. The one drawback with the Tile Mate ($25) and Tile Slim ($30) devices is that their internal batteries only last for one year and can’t be replaced – although they’re pretty cheap to start off with, and Tile does give existing users a discount when buying replacements.
Another popular tracking device is the Lugloc ($69), which tracks its location using cell tower signals rather then GPS, then sends you the information. You need to pay for a service plan, however (a 30-day trial period is provided).
Road warrior
The Bluesmart One suitcase mentioned earlier has one other feature that can really be useful, in the form of a 10,400mAh battery pack that you can use to charge up your iPhone or iPad when you’re on the road. There are also a few backpacks from sports companies, such as the North Face, that include batteries for charging up your devices when you’re doing outdoorsy stuff.
But buying special suitcases and backpacks seems a bit extreme when there are so many compact and affordable battery packs available for your mobile devices.
Mophie is the current king of battery packs, with several models in its Powerstation range, as well as its Juice Pack cases (from $99, although there is a Reserve case for $59) that include a built-in battery and make a good alternative to Apple’s own Smart Battery Case ($99).
There are also some more specialized devices that are particularly suitable for regular travelers. If you’re an Apple Watch fan then you might like the new Kanex GoPower Watch ($99), a compact 4,000mAh battery pack that has both a USB port for topping up your iPhone, as well as well as a built-in magnetic charging connector for Apple Watch.
And if you travel a lot by car you’ll definitely want to try Belkin’s ColorMatch Charge Kit ($99), which includes a 6,600mAh battery pack along with a car charger, a spare outlet adapter and spare Lightning cable, so that you can cover all your power options in the air and on the road.
You can go high-end with a smart case, or use an inexpensive tracking device