What Tech do you travel to Europe with?

[Pauline]

IPad mini (tapping on it now to write this)
Kindle
Mobile phone (from UK so calls/texts not expensive and I usually turn off data roaming)
Camera (got a new Canon PowerShot G16 with wifi so I can send photos to the iPad)
MacBook Air that I share with Steve
External speaker (Jam) that we use with iPad or computer to listen to radio or watch something
Travel alarm clock
GPS (added later)

Last year we bought 2 USB plugs (European) so we don't have to bring plug adapters, just the cables.

 

[Chris]

Did you investigate a cable to load photos from your other camera to the iPad? I just ordered one that Apple says will work. If not, I may have to buy a camera with wifi. If so, I'll probably copy you, as usual!

This year I'm going to go with iPad, iPhone, camera and Kindle, no computer. My netbook battery died and isn't worth replacing. Doesn't your phone have an alarm clock?

I love the idea of minimizing the number of gadgets I need to carry (and the number of chargers, cords, etc that go with them), but I'm not willing to use the iPad as my camera or my reader.

 

[Sharon]

For my last several trips, I've travelled with my iPhone (used solely for voice/text and clock in the past, but now have a new one that I also use for photos), Kindle, camera and MacAir.

I don't bring my iPad. I think that is mostly because I like the bigger screen of the MacAir for some applications, and, like Chris, I don't use the iPad for photos or reading. Also the MacAir has a slot for my camera disk, so I don't need another cable.

Now, if only I could find a way to minimize/eliminate different chargers and extension cords, etc., I would be a very happy traveller!

 

[Pauline]

I brought a cable to upload photos to the computer, but I leave them on the camera memory card too. That way I have backup, unless I run out of space. A friend of mine used a cable to upload to iPad. The iPad does some condensing of files, but I think it keeps the original version too.

I like my old Radio Shack travel alarm, but Steve also sets the alarm on his iPod touch.

This new camera is a bit bigger than the one you and I had, but it has a bigger lense and takes several shots in a row. I almost got the new version of my old one, the S120?, but read bad reviews of its battery life. It comes with wifi now too. The wifi was very easy to set up.

 

[Pauline]

I don't bring my iPad.

There is nothing that I do on the iPad that wouldn't be easier on the computer, but I like to read Facebook and forums on the iPad. I could leave it behind, but I am used to using it.

 

[Chris]

My ipad-to-new connector-to-usb cable-to-camera connector arrived and I just tried it out. It worked perfectly, so I'll be able to send/post photos from my camera via the ipad. That means I don't have to buy a new camera, although I noticed your new one has a viewfinder. Have you used it?

 

[Pauline]

No! I think viewfinders don't combine well with glasses. I will remember to give it a try tomorrow.

Thanks for the cable info.

 

[Chris]

For an iPad Mini, the one you need is the Lightning to USB Camera Adaptor. I like optical viewfinders, especially in bright light.

 

[Clive Muir]

Oh - My - Goodness!

I take
Camera
15 cards (enough for 20,000 images at high resolution)

I don't take
phone
computer
alarm clock? EEK!!!!

I do
send a postcard or 2

definition of Slowwwww!

 

[Pauline]

Alarm clock just to a) make a flight b) check the time in the middle of the night when I can't remember where I am or who I am!

15 cards Clive!! I thought I took a lot of photos.

 

[artnbarb]

OK, let's see if I can remember everything:

• Cellphone, both U.S. and Italian
• digital camera
• netbook - it still works and I like both having a keyboard and having the ability to close and protect the screen, so I haven't bought a tablet - yet.
• ipod
• speaker - for listening to music on the ipod
• travel clock/white noise machine

I have Dropbox installed on both the netbook and the ipod with copies of our travel info, passports and hotel info. I also have Kindle on my ipod, and several audiobooks as well.

I usually don't need more than 2-3 memory cards, and just to be safe I download each days' photos onto my netbook.

 

[jonathan]

I always used to take a camera, but for the last few trips have relied upon the iPad, which takes far better pictures than my ageing phone and makes social media sharing so easy (FB friends: get ready for some Venice food photos, starting this Sunday ). The iPad lives permanently in its Targus case, which protects the screen securely, and forms a dual-angle viewing/typing stand.

I feel a bit of a dork when using it to take photos out & about; some time this year, I'm probably going to get an iPhone, which will be slightly more discreet...

Philippa uses her iPad mini for all her reading (kindle, magazines, Guardian), though I much prefer my Kindle Paperwhite for reading books. Between 2 phones & 2 iPads, we're well enough covered by alarms not to feel the need to take anything separate. But for keeping up with forums, and doing basic internet research while away from home, I love the iPad.

 

[Lisa in Ottawa]

Well, it depends how long I'll be away.
I don't have any Apple products
I have a Google tablet bought especially for travelling. I wouldn't say I hate it but close. I hate typing with it. Big time. So many mistakes and so difficult to catch and correct. I can surf the internet, read my books, watch Netflix, take pictures, etc.but emailing is sooo painful.It also turns itself off, just like that. Doesn't matter what I may be doing(sigh).
I have an Acer notebook that I love. I used it for my 5 weeks in Nice last year and will bring it on my upcoming Europe trip(along with the tablet).
I have a Canon G 10 that I haven't travelled with in awhile but found myself missing it on my trip to South Africa. The tablet is awkward to carry and doesn't take great pictures.
Unlocked Blackberry
various adapters
Ron takes ( I think) 2 computers, kindle, cell, oh I can't think what else. you get the picture. All these gadgets will weigh us down but we're going to be gone for 4 months.
I never use an alarm.

 

[Pauline]

I just figured out that I don't need wifi to connect my camera to my iPad. The camera acts as an access point, then you tell the iPad to use that access point and upload your photos. I wish I had figured this out on the France trip. No need for an internet connection.

 

[Chris]

So which one (camera or ipad) do you post photos to facebook with? Isn't your ipad just wifi?

 

[Pauline]

I post with the iPad, so I need wifi for it to post to Instagram. The camera can't talk to the internet, it only talks to computers or iPads. It is nice to not have to do the whole wifi login with the camera. In France they had a ridiculously long password and it took me several tries to get the camera logged in. I could have uploaded photos, then looked at them on my iPad to figure out which one to use, the walked over to where I got a signal just for the minute to upload to Instagram.

 

[Chris]

That makes sense. The iPad is so nice to preview the photos. The cable I bought works great to upload from my camera to the iPad so I won't need to buy a new camera this year. My next one will have to have wifi, but not this year.

 

[Kathy (Trekcapri)]

I'm really trying to cut down on my tech stuff due to the weight, but since I enjoy photography it's hard to cut corners. I travel with:

• Two Cameras (DSLR & Small Compact Camera) (with travel chargers & extra battery for both)
• Small Travel laptop
• (2) I-Touch (1 for out & about, the other with my confidential/personal info which stays locked up in the hotel/apartment-I also use my iTouch as an alarm)-Includes all travel related apps, maps, journal, online banking apps for when I need it for emergencies to transfer funds, also stores important files, and social media apps. I also load a couple of books and movies/shows for those long layovers/waiting times at the airport/train stations. I love my I-Touch. It's small & easier to take out than whipping out my iPad from my carry-on.
• External Hard Drive (to download a duplicate of my photos/videos)
• I take about 18 SD 16 GB memory cards (I don't delete photos from them as they serve as a second backup for my photos)
• IPad (I load books, music, movies, apps)
• Multi-plug Travel outlet strip (Plug adapters, USB Charger)
• I shamelessly just bought another gadget - a GPS Geotagging unit for my camera. But it is small and light.
• Unlocked Travel Cell Phone (I hardly use it, but I think it is a must have on trips)
• Ipod Nano - For those long plane/train rides (with earphones)
• Mini Speakers (I brought these on three trips, but I found that I hardly used them, so I will leave them home in the future and just go with the built in speakers for my Ipad/Itouch when listening to music.)
• Portable Battery charger-This is a little overboard, but I found this very compact/light charger that I can have in my bag so I can recharge or hook up to my iTouch. I can take a spare battery for my camera, but if my itouch runs out of battery and I'm out and about, I want the security to know that I can have this unit to give it some juice so I can access it.

My friends have a nickname for me. They sometimes call me Ms. Gadget....It's funny because I'm working on a trip in which I'm supposed to travel with just a backpack and this list will be cut down to just my compact camera, cell phone, SD cards, iTouch. I'm not going for awhile, but I'm already stressing about it, but at the same time looking at this list, I can't help but feel a sense of relief.

 

[Pauline]

Steve uses an iPod touch also. He keeps dictionarys on it and uses it all the time.

You need more stuff when doing a lot of photos.

 

[Anne]

• cellphone - which doubles as an alarm clock as needed
• camera - with a couple 16g SD cards, which I can pop out of the camera and plug directly into my netbook to download pics
• netbook - for posting blog and facebook updates and to skype with my daughters if our rental has wifi
• GPS - personally I'd leave home without it, but that idea puts my husband into a conniption fit

On my very first trip, I also brought along our dvd-cam but it takes up a lot of room in my carry-on, and is bulky to lug around while sightseeing so I've left it home on subsequent trips.