Every summer, we write a blog article on technology and travel, since many of you will be traveling in the coming months. No matter how much we want to unplug and relax, many of us still need to be connected to some degree, and if the travel incudes business, it is even more important.

We have collected a list of technology devices and gadgets that can support that technology while traveling this summer. Most of the following items can also be found in articles from huffingtonpost.com, zdnet.com, and nomadicmatt.com. It’s a long and fun list, so enjoy!

  • Traveling abroad and afraid you may lose your passport? The first thing you should do is make copies of your passport and store them in different locations. Another option is a new kickstarter project called Tile. It is a self-adhesive device that is equipped with GPS. Using a smartphone app, you can track your passport. It costs $19.95 and can be found at thetileapp.com.
  • Rove‘s free app is an automated travel journal that lets you track your movements through GPS. It also estimates your method of travel and inserts pictures, apps and locations into a timeline. It is completely private, unless you choose to share and is visually appealing.
  • For keeping devices charged, Dark Reservoir is an expensive but small, sleek device that will provide up to five charges for an iPhone, 1 1/2 for an iPad Mini, and will charge anything from a micro USB charger. It is $129 at mydarkenergy.com. Innergie also has a wide range of prices for backup batter at myinnergie.com.
  • A very popular app is the Viber App for free calls, video or texting over WiFi anywhere in the world, free of charge. Both parties, of course, have to be connected to Viber to use it.
  • If you haven’t really paid attention to Google Glass yet, here’s something interesting. World Lens for Google Glass is a smartphone app that provides translation of written word. Huffingtonpost writes that you can view a sign or menu through Glass in any language and the app renders the words in real time, in English translation, through the Glass lens. The app uses Glass’ local storage, so there is no need for data connectivity. It is free in the Glassware Shop and for smartpones in the iTunes store. 
  • Traveling abroad can be expensive and complicated when it comes to phones. The Nokia 301 is a world-compatible phone that works with a foreign SIM card, so you can make phone calls and access data cheaply. It is light and simple to use and has a four way navigation button. If you already have a phone you would like to use, another option, if you have an unlocked version of the phone, is to buy a pre-paid SIM card anywhere in the world. Lastly, you can switch to a local call company, when you arrive in a foreign country.
  • Fees can be a headache at the airport, if your luggage is too heavy. The tiny and compact EatSmart Precison Voyager luggage scale will make sure you are not over the luggage weight limit.
  • If you are opting for taking a tablet on your travels, instead of a laptop, the Kensington KeyFolio Pro2 is a universal removable keyboard for the most common 10-inch tablets. It is powered by Bluetooth and includes a stand.
  • If you are opting for a device that is similar to a tablet but even smaller, try the iPod Touch. It is as small as a smartphone, can store a lot of music and video with a 4 inch high resolution display and clear audio quality.
  • For tablets, there are some good options. Remember to look for one with a good battery life. The iPad Mini is a great choice for travel. The best value in the Android range would be the Google Nexus 7 or the larger Nexus 10. Opt for plenty of storage, also. You may want to pick up an external SD card reader for backing up photos.
  • Lastly, there are some great travel apps, and some you may already be using:
  1. Skype is one that many of use for business. It is great for making international calls over WiFi or 3G.
  2. Tripit keeps track of travel bookings. Confirmation emails can be forwarded to add them to your list.
  3. Google Translate remains an optimum translator and you can download language packs that can be used offline.

Happy and safe travels this summer, and stay tech safe, too!