Community Magazine October 2014

62 Community magazine Have Gadgets Will Travel Trakdot Luggage Tracker Micro Luggage Scooter FlightTrack 5 BioLite CampStove Anker Astro Mini Backup Battery There are many things that can go wrong at the airport – your bag may not leave, may be routed to the wrong place, may be delayed, or whatever else – and then you hear, “We’ll contact you if it shows up.” That isn’t really all that reassuring, especially if you just arrived at your destination and most of your stuff is in that missing bag. This is exactly why Trakdot was invented. Track your own bag and know if the bag made it to your destination, stayed in your point of departure, or went somewhere else entirely. Wherever you have cell service, the Trakdot works. Just turn the device on and then slip it into your bag. The battery lasts for 250 hours, so even if you have a transcontinental flight or several days of travel, it won’t run down. When you get to your destination and turn your phone back on, you’ll immediately receive an alert letting you know where your bag is. Do you travel frequently and find yourself rushing to get to the gate before it closes? Just hop on your luggage and you’ll be on the plane in no time. Perfect for the businessman with a fun side, the Luggage Scooter is an overnight bag that has flip down wheels and a handlebar to become a kick scooter for adults. It is TSA compliant, stores in standard overhead bins, and has room for all your business needs. FlightTrack 5 can search flights by number or route in a single search field, create trips with multiple flights, and view the progression of an entire trip within a single workflow. You get real-time info about departures, delays and gate numbers at a glance. International coverage allows you to track flights worldwide. It even informs you of cancellations and helps you find alternate flights when needed. More of an outdoorsy type? The BioLite CampStove combines the benefits of a lightweight backpacking stove and an off-grid power charger so you can cook a meal while charging your gadgets. The Campstove is the perfect solution for both the campsite and also Emergency Preparedness Kits. By converting heat from the fire into usable electricity, the stove will recharge your phones, lights and other gadgets while you cook dinner! Getting lost is bad, being lost when far from home is worse, but having a dead phone when you don’t know where to turn is an inconceivable inconvenience. Thankfully, Anker has built a lipstick-sized battery that carries enough juice to take your iPhone from dead to topped off in record time. Simply charge it from any USB port, throw it in your bag, and plug into it when you need to keep your phone going. Work, kids, and daily responsibility can wear a person down. When you need to recharge yourself, sometimes a vacation can help – but there are hassles even when planning your trip. Packing luggage, preparing flights, coordinating a tour schedule, figuring out where and what to eat – there has to be an easier way to get it all done! Technology has simplified many things, and travel is no exception. Here is a list of some gadgets and apps that can help make your vacation more enjoyable and give you some peace of mind. MORRIS MASSRY