STACK #242 December 2024

FEATURE TECH

At the airport We’ve all felt that twinge of anxiety when luggage is dropping onto the baggage carousel and there’s an interminable wait for yours to appear… Clipping a Bluetooth tracker tag to your bags can provide peace of mind in the event of lost, stolen, or misplaced luggage – and it’s also a good idea to tag passport wallets, keys, and any valuables so you can keep track of them too. Tile Mate Bluetooth Trackers are a simple and low cost way to track your belongings, and are available in single or multi-packs. Download the free Tile app to pair the tracker and locate it with GPS, and if it’s out of range, you can view its last location in relation to your phone at that time.

Tile Mate Bluetooth Tracker

Top tech tips for the international traveller Ensure your devices are compatible with the power outlets and voltage in the destination country.

On the plane

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds

The incessant drone of the aircraft can be a real sleep killer, that’s why a good pair of noise cancelling headphones or earbuds is a must-have for the flight. Buds are more practical than cans for the comfort factor when sleeping with your head on the side, and if you want world-class noise cancelling to silence the drone and cabin noise, look no further than the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds . These firm-fitting buds deliver what they promise and also have an aware mode for keeping an ear out for inflight announcements when you’re immersed in your tunes or a movie.

You’ll get up to eight hours of play time from the buds, and the charging case can hold 2.5 additional charges – that’s up to 31.5 hours of listening. It’s no secret that the flimsy headsets the airline supplies for inflight entertainment just aren’t as good as your own wireless ear gear. The good news is you can still enjoy superior sound for inflight movies and music by using a Bluetooth transmitter like the Twelve South AirFly . Simply plug it into the headphone jack and pair it with your wireless noise cancelling headphones or earbuds. The built-in battery can last 20+ hours, so it will stay the distance on a long haul flight to London.

Back up your phone, camera, and laptop data before your trip.

Twelve South AirFly Bluetooth Transmitter

Consider travel insurance to safeguard your valuable devices.

Download maps, language translation apps, and other useful apps before you leave. Make sure all your devices and power banks are fully charged before you get on the plane. Only pack the essential tech to avoid any unnecessary weight and bulk, and reduce cable clutter by taking multi-port chargers and USB-C cables. Keep your devices updated with the latest software and security patches to protect your data.

At your destination

The shape of electrical power sockets varies between countries, so another essential item to pack for an overseas trip is the right adapter to keep your devices charged. The Terminal 2 65W GaN Universal Travel Adapter is both a charger and an adapter in one and has you covered for multiple destinations, including EU (Europe, Vietnam, South Korea and more), US (America, Canada, Taiwan, Thailand) and UK (England, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore).

Compatible with 100-240V systems, it’s ideal for fast charging smartphones, laptops, tablets, and more. Don’t leave home without one! Gone are the days of consulting a Lonely Planet phrasebook in countries where English isn’t the local tongue, and then mangling the pronunciation. Nowadays we have AI-powered smartphones to translate for us, like the Samsung Galaxy

Terminal 2 65W GaN Universal Travel Adapter

S24 FE 5G . Samsung’s clever Galaxy AI Interpreter can translate audible face-to-face conversations in real time for supported languages, as well as text. Need to read a menu or street sign? Simply point the camera at it!

Samsung Galaxy S24 FE

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