Features
Got the gifts, now get the accessories
EDMOND — EDITOR’S NOTE: With the holiday season in full swing, The Edmond Sun and the online travel site TravelBlur.com are teaming up to bring you “Gifts and Gadgets,” a four-part series highlighting holiday gift ideas for the traveler.
Christmas is over and the gifts are opened. The tree sits slightly askew, a casualty of the feeding frenzy of excited children and parents, aunts, uncles and cousins unwrapping surprises and celebrating the season.
What did you get for Christmas and what accessories do you need to go with that new gadget? Get your new toy travel-ready with these handy extras.
iPhone — myPhone
So, someone who loves you put an iPhone under the tree. While you’re downloading apps and playing games, consider these add-ons as well.
Great for communicating and for entertainment while in transit, the iPhone is arguably the traveler’s best friend, at least until the battery runs out of juice. One of the coolest battery extenders on the market today is the Dexim P-Flip Foldable Power Dock ($104.95, www.dexim.net). The P-Flip provides stand-alone power for up to 60 additional hours of music and can dock with your laptop too.
Your phone can take a beating when you travel, so protect that fancy iPhone with a sturdy phone case. One of the most substantial cases you’ll find, the OtterBox Defender ($49.94, www.otterbox.com) will keep your mobile device safe and sound when bouncing around in your backpack.
Silence is Golden
Unless you’re among the lucky few sipping champagne in first class, air travel is no glamorous ride. I spend my flight time cramped and uncomfortable, sitting way back in the coach section. Crying babies, a talkative neighbor and the drone of the engine can make for a bumpy ride.
Plug some noise cancelling headphones into your iPhone or iPod and make the world go away.
On the high end, Bose Quiet Comfort 15 ($299.95, www.bose.com) and Able Planet Clear Harmony headphones ($299.99, www.ableplanet.com) are popular choices. I use Maxell’s NC-IV ($129.99, www.maxell-usa.com), which are a bit easier on the pocketbook. Make sure to look for headphones with fold-flat ear cups so they take up less space in your carry-on bag.
Read All About It
I still lug around a few old school paperback novels when I’m on vacation, but more and more I’m seeing fellow voyagers in airports and train stations staring at an e-reader. If you prefer software and pixels to paper and ink, several companies offer travel jackets and sleeves to protect your portable digital library.
Security Clearance
If you plan to tote your new laptop along on the airplane, speed up your trip through the airport’s security checkpoint with a TSA-friendly laptop bag. Belkin’s Flythru Case ($59.99, www.belkin.com) is specially designed to allow Transportation Security Administration agents to view your laptop without having to remove it from the bag. You also can find similar security-friendly bags from Case Logic (www.caselogic.com).
You’ve spent the last few weeks buying for others, now it’s time to buy for yourself, you know, just to pick up those little extras that Santa forgot to bring.
CHARLIE PRICE writes online at www.travelblur.com.
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