We all have one—that little piece of technology we just can’t live without. For the typical person it’s a smartphone or an iPad. But for the real techies out there—the people who get more excited about Apple’s latest project than the presidential election—here are some must-have gadgets for international travel that you’ll be hooked on before your plane makes it down the runway.
GPS-enabled Camera
“Where was this picture taken again?” It’s a common international traveler’s problem, and we’ve got the solution. Nikon’s new Coolpix AW100 compact digital camera was designed with the traveling techie in mind. It features water-, cold-, and shock-proof design and a GPS microchip that embeds each of your photos with its exact geographical position. Now you can snap away worry-free and easily match your photos to the location once you’re home and ready to post them on Facebook to the envy of all your friends.imaging.nikon.com
All-in-One Travel Adapter
It may not be the gadget you pull out to impress your friends, but you’ll thank us later. Regions throughout the world use different amounts of voltage in their outlets and variously shaped plugs—so, no, you won’t be able to show up in Morocco and just pop your charger in like it ain’t no thing. Travelon’s all-in-one travel adapter, which also functions as a charger for USB devices, will allow you to plug your electronics into that awkwardly shaped outlet and save them from a power surge that could fry their insides. We’d say it’s a good investment.www.magellans.com
City Guide App
Your iPhone may not be the cheapest option for communication during long-term international travel, but it may prove essential for that quick jaunt to a foreign city. The City Guide app from Lonely Planet will help you navigate the transit system, find restaurants that don’t look like they’re run by members of the local mafia, and give you great tips on hotels and sightseeing. The best part is that the app is available as a free download, plus the cost of your data plan. That’s a deal we can get behind.www.lonelyplanet.com/apps-and-ebooks
Travel Router
Finding secure Wi-Fi connections while traveling internationally can be difficult, which is why we recommend travel routers for the techie who can’t bear to be disconnected from the web for longer than a bathroom break. A router allows you to log on to a wired connection in a hotel room or other venue and turn it into a wireless signal that you can then password-protect and tap into with your smartphone or other devices. So sit back and relax—you’re never more than a click away from those YouTube videos of cats that you secretly love so much.www.zunidigital.com/?page_id=222 —Haley Miller