Have Tech, Will Travel…

As I write this I am concurrently putting together my weekend trip bag for a jaunt to Cape Cod. My packing list contains the usual tech items: iPhone and charger, iPad, and my Canon digital SLR. I consider this is a pretty small list of items.

When traveling with the whole family, however, the list expands very quickly with portable gaming devices, iPods, headphones, DVDs for the in-car entertainment system, portable DVD players, and chargers of every kind possible…and that’s just for the kids.  For the parents a Kindle or Nook is in tote and most likely a laptop (let’s be honest, we can’t leave work at work, can we?).

If you’re reluctant to add any more devices to this dizzying array, consider some of the following items that are not only fun and useful during your getaway, but hardly take up any space in your luggage.

X-mini Capsule Portable Speaker

A day at the beach is fun to begin with, but playing tunes through your iPhone or Droid built-in speakers leaves a bit to be desired. Or, if you’re entertaining friends and family while away from home and want to play some tunes during your party, consider the X-mini Capsule Speaker. Available in a bunch of colors, this yo-yo-sized pop up speaker delivers fantastic sound with good bass from its compact size.  Fully charged it will last 11 hours, which is plenty of time for the beach, picnic, or whatever.  Better yet you can daisy-chain the devices together if you own more than one and create even more room (or beach) filling sound. Just make sure the public beach you’re visiting permits radios.

Where to Buy: Amazon.com , $25

Aqua Box WaterProof Smartphone Device Case

For any kind of water-related activity, a waterproof case for your smartphone is a must. What’s great about the Aqua Box is that your phone is still functional from within the hard-shelled shockproof case! A floatable lanyard keeps the phone handy when keeping it at your side in the pool.  With smartphones replacing the point-and-shoot camera for everyday photo-taking, utilizing a waterproof case ensures you’ll get the best photos while kayaking, canoeing, swimming, boating, the list goes on and on.

Where to Buy: Amazon.com , $30

XTG Solar Portable Battery Pack

Taking the family camping? If you’ve got a sunny day you can keep your cell phone charged while you’re away from electricity. Using a standard USB cable, keep your devices charged while on the go with the XTG Solar Portable Battery Pack. The device is geared for the outdoorsman (it has a built-in flashlight), but certainly would be useful for keeping your devices charged at the beach (say if you were to play music through the portable speakers above). The XTG would make for a suitable addition to a home emergency kit so you can keep your phone charged if the power goes out for an extended period of time.

Where to Buy: Amazon.com , $30

Have any favorite summer tech or travel gadgets of your own? Please share in the comments below.

A lover of all kinds of technology, Jason Bajor is a freelance website designer and owns JB Web & Photo, based in White Plains. He can be reached at jason@jbwp.com.