Whether you're hitting the road or taking to the skies this summer, you'll want to pack these mobile-minded Editors' Choice winners.
When you're traveling, the technology you bring along is as important as anything else you shove into your suitcase. If it's a business trip, you need the right tools to keep you connected and productive—even while you're in transit. Choosing the right GPS, netbook, smartphone, or cellular modem, for example, can make the difference between a successful, worthwhile trip and a frustrating waste of time.
And when you're on vacation, unless your goal is to disconnect, you want gadgets to keep you in touch and entertained. (Think tablets, digital cameras and camcorders, and MP3 players.)
Since we're in the height of the summer travel season, we've rounded up our favorite tech to take on trips. The products below are not only meant to be mobile, they've all earned our Editors' Choice, so they'll provide top-notch performance even after you get back home.
Before you hit the road, be sure to check out Connected Traveler for more travel tech guides, tips, and solutions.
Products Included in this Roundup:
Smartphone Samsung Vibrant $199.99 to $499.99
The Android-powered Samsung Vibrant is T-Mobile's super-phone, and it delivers a lot of punch on some really inexpensive monthly plans. And since it's a GSM handset, you can use it if you're traveling outside of the United States.
Cellular Modem Sprint 3G/4G USB U301 Free to $349.99
Wi-Fi isn't everywhere, and finding it on the road can sometimes be a challenge. If you want to connect to the Web from anywhere with your laptop, a cell modem is a must. Sprint's 3G/4G USB U301 lets you hit the carrier's 3G and WiMAX networks.
Bluetooth Headset Aliph Jawbone Icon $99.99 direct
Road trip on tap? A sure spoiler is a ticket (or an accident!) because you were using your phone while driving. The Jawbone Icon headset frees your hands so you can drive safely, and top-notch noise cancellation means you'll be able to hear your calls clearly even if there's a traffic racket.
GPS Garmin nüvi 3790T $449.99 list
Another road-trip ruiner: wasting precious vacation time getting lost in unfamiliar territory. The Garmin nüvi 3790T, with its slim build, ultra-high-resolution screen, flexible routing and traffic, and gorgeous terrain mapping, will keep you on track and on time.
Digital Camera Sony Alpha NEX-3 $549.99 (with a 16mm f/2.8 kit lens) direct
Carrying a clunky D-SLR isn't always practical when you're on the go. But if you want D-SLR-quality images, Sony's interchangeable-lens compact Alpha NEX-3 serves them up, along with top-notch HD video, and it's small enough to fit in your pocket.
Pocket Camcorder Kodak Playsport Video Camera $149.95 direct
If your trip includes beach or pool time, the $150 Kodak Playsport Video Camera shoots 1080p footage and 5-megapixel still images in up to 10 feet of water.
Netbook Toshiba Mini NB305-N410 $399.99 list
Spend a lot of time running through airports to catch your flights? Your back will thank you for choosing a netbook over a full-size laptop. The Toshiba mini NB305-N410 carries over many of the qualities that made its predecessor, the mini NB205, so lovable. And it's still the netbook that gives you the most for the least amount of money.
Tablet Apple iPad $499 to $829 direct
It's even easier to carry than a lightweight netbook, but a tablet isn't the best choice for productivity. On the other hand, Apple's iPad has entertainment nailed. Keep in touch, Web surf, watch videos, listen to MP3s and Internet radio, read e-books, play games, and much, much more on this well-designed device with a killer 9.7-inch touch screen. If you need always-on connectivity, the Wi-Fi + 3G version is a better bet, but it'll cost you considerably more than its Wi-Fi-only counterpart.
Portable Media Player Apple iPod touch $199 to $399 direct
If you want everything the iPad offers, but in a pocket-size package, you can't beat the iPod touch. It's the best PMP you can buy, bar none.
Noise-Cancelling Headphones Bose QuietComfort 15 $299.95 direct
To dampen the din that comes with planes, trains, and automobiles, Bose delivers the best noise cancellation we have (or haven't?) heard in its QuietComfort 15 headphones. You also get solid sound quality, and they fold flat to save space in your suitcase.
What Our Ratings Mean
5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Editor-in-Chief, PCMag / VP of Content, Ziff Davis
My Experience
I'm the Editor-in-Chief of PCMag.com and the Vice President of Content for Ziff Davis. I oversee the editorial operations of PCMag and ExtremeTech.com, leading more than 65 writers, editors, and contributors, steering PC Labs, reviews, and product coverage, as well as news, expert commentary, and service journalism across the sites.
Back when the first iPhone was released, I started at PCMag as a senior editor covering consumer electronics and mobile reviews. After that, I went on to head up the reviews team as executive editor. And most recently I served as deputy editor, managing PCMag's editorial team and day-to-day operations. I've covered more product releases and have edited more reviews, roundups, and buying guides than any human reasonably should, each and every one contributing to the noble pursuit of helping you find the right technology to fit your life.
Before joining PCMag, I was the managing editor of Computer Shopper. I earned my master's degree in magazine journalism from New York University. (Nope, the irony of witnessing the deaths of both of the print magazines I've managed is not lost on me.)
Though I rarely have the opportunity to write these days, I still crave the rush that comes from crafting the perfect headline and enjoy nothing more than a spirited AP Style debate.
My Areas of Expertise
In my quarter-century-long journalism career, my main areas of focus have been mobile technology and electronics, but I've managed to cover most aspects of consumer and business technology. These days, I spend most of my time strategizing in endless video calls. I'm an ace at sharing my screen and telling people who are already speaking that they're muted.
The Technology I Use
I'm a Mac. Always have been, since my family got our first computer, the Apple IIe, in the early '80s. More irony: I was the first staff editor to use an Apple computer instead of a PC to edit reviews for PCMag. Today, my main computers are a Mac Studio with Pro Display and a 13-inch MacBook Pro. I've carried an iPhone since 2008, and proudly display the click-wheel iPod in my office. My 12-year old stole my iPad a long time ago and now he's eyeing my AirPods. I have more smart devices installed in my home than most people on the planet, and I drive an electric Mini Cooper SE and have become mildly obsessed with EV charging. There's a video game museum in my basement.
The Technology I Use
I'm a Mac. Always have been, since my family got our first computer, the Apple IIe, in the early '80s. More irony: I was the first staff editor to use an Apple computer instead of a PC to edit reviews for PCMag. Today, my main computers are a Mac Studio with Pro Display and a 13-inch MacBook Pro. I've carried an iPhone since 2008, and proudly display the click-wheel iPod in my office. My 12-year old stole my iPad a long time ago and now he's eyeing my AirPods. I have more smart devices installed in my home than most people on the planet, and I drive an electric Mini Cooper SE and have become mildly obsessed with EV charging. There's a video game museum in my basement.
