Best and Worst [travel gadgets/items you have ever purchased]

[Mardi]

It is possible (not pre-paid though). Optus Small Business accounts allow sharing of data between all devices on the account. So, 2 iPhones with 3Gb each, and 1 iPad with 10Gb = 16Gb total which can be used in any way over any of the devices.

Optus will also "sell" you an iPad on a plan - just like a phone. Convenient for business (YMMV, this is not advice), as the monthly account is tax deductible straight off, without having to worry about depreciating the device. Also saves on having to pay up-front for the iPad.

That's interesting, I will have to follow that up. My iPhone is already on an Optus business plan. Thanks!

 

[pshepvic]

Best gadget: iPad of course
Worst: digital luggage scales that run out of battery between every trip, and it's a coin shaped one not a rechargeable AA or AAA.

If you ever plan on buying new ones, the ones I bought from Qantas in flight duty free have lasted over 3 years without changing the battery once. I've never actually checked what battery type they use though!


Sent from my iPhone using AustFreqFly app

 

[JohnK]

Travel gadgets? I am really struggling.

I bought a golf GPS that I can take overseas with me but that is not restricted to overseas use nor is it a travel gadget.

I have a Samsung Galaxy phone but was never purchased as a travel gadget but can be used overseas and does make a good alarm clock although at times the alarm clock does not alarm me at the agreed time.

Apart from an alarm clock I do not need any travel gadgets. I can remember all my flights, I can remember all my hotel bookings. I generally know how to get from A to B as most of my travel is pre-planned. If I ever need to research anything further then find an internet cafe and research away....

 

[JP211876]

Bose QC3 and Ipad for me.

 

[samh004]

Back in the day, I convinced my parents to buy my sister one of those new (1st generation) iPods for her birthday. Served her well for many years and she was well ahead of the curve.

Worst purchase recently was an iPad smart case, thinking Apple would know how to make a tight fitting case for their own products, how wrong was I. Doesn't fit properly, iPad moves around, pretty awful really! I know it's technically not tech, it's for tech.




 

[AviatorPJ]

Risking going off thread - or, a refinement for an AFT weekly newsletter.

My best in-flight duty free travel and gadget buys are:

1. small atomiser for perfume or EDT purchased on board a QR flight BKK HAN in APR 2012. These are great LITTLE innovations. Plug and spray - so to speak. Wonderful simple physics - overlooked till recently.

2. My Silhouette Adventurer Sunglasses. Purchased on an SQ SIN SYD in May. Sunglasses I understand, are personal. But this aviator style is a perfect fit for me. So, so, light yet strong. As the advertisement says, a new classic!. Fabulous.

For refinement in the (next) thread, may be we could keep it to, impulse duty free purchase on board (not pre-ordered)!

PJ

 

[stigsfilocousin]

Best: believe it or not..a $9.99 headphone adapter. I can now forget using those coughpy Y headsets and use my own earbuds (not proper NC but does block out majority of the irritating noise). I'll also throw in my iPad in here just for the simple reason that I can watch Mrs. Slocombe talk about her cough.....

Worst...none yet

Cant travel without: my laptop with its extended battery (heavy but if it means I can run it for 10 hours so be it), my iPhone, one of those WiFi modems, and a new introduction this time, a portable battery to charge my iPad whilst ill be on the train to Malaysia.

 

[lmere12]

one of my best was a 'portable safe' made by pacsafe. Not req'd it when staying in hotels with a safe but used when staying in apartments in Europe.
Travelsafe 100 Portable Safe

 

[hmc]

Best: Aerobie Aeropress coffee maker - makes espresso (for my cup - triple ristretto - read 'tar') with just an electric jug. Plastic, compact, no mechanical parts, and best coffee I've had outside my favourite cafe.

 

[significance]

Best - iPad.
Worst - I was given a Sony eBook reader a few years ago from AA. Have never even loaded any reading material onto it. Just sat in bottom drawer.

So how do you know it's bad?

 

[significance]

Best: iPad, Kindle and one not mentioned yet: a double adapter to simplify charging my devices in hotel rooms.

Worst: A pair of expensive Phillips in-ear noise-cancelling earphones that just made my ears hurt.

 

[Mal]

Another good purchase for me was a belkin power pack 4000. http://www.belkin.com/au/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=576743

Although the adapter is pretty cludgy, its great for emergency phone charges etc. (Should be able to charge a normal smartphone up to 4 times on one single charge)

 

[bickers]

Hmm so many ipads listed
For me my best travel gadget is my Asus A501. Its like an Ipad but i can put what i want on it
And another +1 for the Bose QC15s

My worst travel gadget buy was a kobo ereader. Which i replaced with the android tablet two months later

 

[timster]

Best:
$30 noise cancelling headphones .. not only do they work well but I get to gloat over ppl with the $300 ones.
$100 Android 7" tablet with Tripit ... that app is now indispensable for complex trips.
My little extended range wireless internet antenna for laptop has saved me from bad internet on quite a few occasions.
Unlike others, I actually really appreciate my neck pillow and sleeping goggles.

"Worst":
We are going through an era when we have multiple power-hungry gadgets that can only be re-charged via cable. So while I have the most efficient collection of multi-USB port mains chargers, emergency battery, multi-country mains adaptors .. they are still a huge pain. In 5 years when batteries last much longer and can all be re-charged with one inductive cable-less device (I hope) things will be much better.
International SIM card ... yes it kinda works ... and it's better than roaming ... but it's still a pain.

 

[Rebekkap]

Wanted - some good quality eye masks that are soft, comfortable and importantly, totally block out light. Haven't managed to find any.

These are the bomb: Lights Out Sleep Mask | Magellan's Travel Supplies

 

[Quentin]

Without doubt the best purchase I have ever made have been noise cancelling headphones. I've had a few different models over time but they are a god-send for blocking everything from screaming children to that bloke next you in the long haul economy flight who won't bloody shut up!
I must admit when Iphone's first hit the scene I viewed them with a great deal of skepticism, but after owning both an Iphone and an Ipad for sometime now I am a true convert. I have not taken a laptop with me on travels for quite awhile and find the ability to watch movies on the Ipad is great as, until recently when we got Silkair flying to Darwin, the only way out North was via coughstar. The one thing I did buy in the US for hte Ipad was a hard case with a handle. Brilliant for protecting the Ipad, sits up nicely for watching movies or working and comes with a (somewhat useless) bluetooth keyboard.

 

[ozcanoz]

Care to disclose the brand of headphones to share the savings with a pensioner? Thanks.

 

[ozcanoz]

Sop that post was meant for Timster.

 

[Quentin]

Care to disclose the brand of headphones to share the savings with a pensioner? Thanks.

I bought a pair of audio-technica headphones in Singapore. Cost me around $120 and I would put them on par with some of the lower cost Bose. Noise reduction is brilliant, they are very comfortable for long periods - I often fall asleep wearing them - and battery life is great (one AAA battery). They also come in a hard case so they are protected from damage in my bag. My first pair were Sony - good but not a scratch on these.

 

[johnny_the_knife]

I can't decided on just one best, so: iPad and NC Headphones (Audio Technica presently), Steripen for travel to Asia. Uses UV light to make clear but pathogenic water drinkable.

Worst: Inflatable pillow. Just cough.