EuroAngel Graffiti

So you’re traveling to Europe this fall for a long-awaited and much-deserved vacation. While you are looking forward to exploring the cities, visiting museums and enjoying delicious cuisine, you do need to set aside some time to work and stay connected with friends, family and the boss back home. To successfully work out of your suitcase in Paris, Amsterdam or Milan, be sure to pack the following tech devices:

A tablet

Unlike cumbersome laptops, which typically need their own carrying case and get to be heavy to lug around, tablets are lightweight and fit into a backpack, purse or carry-on bag.  The Apple iPad Mini 3 from T-Mobile is the ideal tablet to travel with; it features an innovative FaceTime HD camera which you can use to help stay in touch with people back home, and an impressive 10 hours of battery life. You can also pick up a keyboard from a local tech store and transform your iPad into a fully functioning laptop that enables you to type up reports and send emails with ease. The Apple iPad Mini 3 also comes equipped with apps that help with productivity and organization, and when you are done using it for your work, you can look up local restaurants and museums.

Your smartphone

Of course you wouldn’t go anywhere without your smartphone anyway, but you can use your phone to stay connected with people back home, including your boss and co-workers. To successfully use your phone while traveling abroad, sign up with your provider for an international/global plan; they can work with you to come up with a data and calling plan that will match your needs while traveling. This way, you can keep your own phone number and keep all of your existing contact information. A more budget-friendly option is to bring your smartphone and work over local European Wi-Fi, which will allow you to send texts and make calls at no cost. The only issue is finding hot spots that have it, so be sure to research your hotel’s Wi-Fi capabilities before going with this option.

International plug adapter

While a lot of electronics can handle international voltages from 110 to 240 volts, you will probably still need an adapter to plug in your devices. To make sure everything can be charged up and used from your hotel room, pick up the Mudder International Plug Adapter with USB (about $14). This handy and easy-to-pack device works in more than 150 countries and includes a couple of USB ports.

Mini Pocket Router

To ensure that your tablet or smartphone can stay connected, pack a mini pocket router. Amazon sells a TP-Link Wireless Router for $30 that is lightweight, reliable and lets you connect to the hardwired ethernet options. Instead of having to find a hotel or café with Wi-Fi, the mini pocket router will let you create your own by tapping into the cable that is attached to the hotel’s desk. It also comes with a built-in USB port and is around the size of a typical laptop power adapter, so it won’t take up much room in your suitcase.

Both comments and pings are currently closed.