5 Must-Pack Travel Tech Favs

When you travel abroad, it’s always best to pack light and leave space for all the junk you’ll acquire on your journey. But, while you’re taking your sabbatical from the office, or the house, or wherever you’re leaving in your trail of dust, keep in mind that a little technology goes a long way.

If you’ve only got room for five items in your bag, let it be the five below, because travel is all about consolidating, realizing what’s really necessary, and being resourceful.

1. Flip Cam

Whether you chose to spend your money on an actual branded Flip, or a similar competitor, is up to you, but there are a few things about the Flip that make it ideal for travel. Of course the size and shape are perfect to squish between your passport and other vitals in your bag, but also, no cords are necessary. The Flip plugs directly into any computer through a USB drive, leaving the nonsense of cords behind. Plus, push-button taping is so easy a child(or confused traveler) could do it.

2. iPhone/Blackberry/Droid

If you’ve got a browser on your phone, it’ll do. Sure the iPhone has an endless wealth of travel apps, from Travelocity booking agents to Starwood Preferred Guest direct sign in, but what you need is access to the Internet. When you’re lost or in a tight jam, who better than your browser to aid your search for knowledge? And with the many free web-based programs available, from Google Maps to Babelfish translation, who needs an app for that? Just make sure to call ahead and find out if there’s an International plan you can switch to for the time being.

3. Rechargable Batteries

Why rechargeable batteries? Why not just bring cords for everything? You’ve got your hair dryer, your cell phone, and God knows what else. Why add extra stress with cords for the items that take batteries? Just pop in some rechargeables and relax- you can fill them back up again when you’re back in the room. Less environmental impact, more space in the sac, it’s a win-win sitch.

4. Flash Drive

What’s that? You won’t be doing any PowerPoint presentations while you’re abroad, you say? Good, the flash drive isn’t for trucking your work reports back and forth, it’s for your vitals. As well as a paper copy, store digital scans of all your information on a tiny little flash. Many now come with protective rubber coating and a little hook for your key chain; handy for when you’ve come to your most vulnerable.

5. Eye-fi Memory Card

If you decide to truck along a camera or a video cam that takes memory cards, make it an Eye-fi. This tiny little chip not only stores your info, but taps into wireless technology and can help your simple camera become a portal to the Internet. Email your photos directly to your family with no wait, forward your video clips to your inbox in minutes, store those snaps on Gmail’s space and free-up your cam for more shots. Best part about this chip? It takes up virtually no space and makes the nearly codependent relationship of camera/laptop near extinct.