If you travel a lot for business like I do you're probably familiar with many of the most common hassles--lack of space in your carry-on, running out of batteries, too few power outlets in airports and coffeeshops, etc. Here are what I consider to be the three most essential gadgets to stick in a laptop bag that help address some of these issues.
1. eneloop Travel USB Charger--Like many people, I have more and more gadgets on hand that use rechargeable Li-Ion batteries, but I still have a few things that take batteries such as my Flip camcorder. The eneloop USB charger and its two AA batteries are sufficient for me, and in addition to easily using my laptop to recharge my batteries, the charger and AAs fold up smartly into a little package smaller than a deck of cards.
2. Powermonkey eXplorer with Solar Charger--On those occasions where you just can't get to an outlet, the Powermonkey provides a quick charge for cellphones, PDAs, portable gaming devices, etc. Its solar charger means you can just leave it on the table next to your coffee for a bit and have ready-to-go power for the next day or so. Plus, it comes with a ton of cord tips that fit almost every popular gadget on the market.
3. Monster Outlets-To-Go--If you've ever stood in an airport staring forlornly as the one outlet in the terminal is occupied, or if you found yourself in a less-than-4-star hotel wondering whether to unplug the TV or the alarm clock so you can plug in your laptop, you'll appreciate this. It fits easily into a carryon and provides an extra four outlets so you can plug in all your devices or share an outlet with a coworker (and thus avoid his/her disapproving look because, hey, you got there first).
--Aric A.
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